The 3 Double C's of conscious leadership

You must be living a life of complete denial not to realise that we are living in perilous times both personally and in business. Today we are faced with more adversity and disruptive change than any time before in our lives, yet during these times we need to stay composed and positive for our own well-being and those who take their strength from us.

I am a business owner in South Africa, a country experiencing some turmoil, both politically and financially, and at times it is difficult to see the silver linings through the clouds of a tempest. Actually it is very hard to stay positive and upbeat, and at times you might not see those silver linings, but that does not mean that they are not there. 

Here are 3 ideas I try and use everyday, not only to be an example to my employees, but to give myself the driving force to persist. 

Constant Creativity:

The lack of it has led to the demise of many a relationship and many a business. These two aspects of life might be seemingly unrelated but they both use the exact same formulae for success. One of the greatest mistakes we can make during difficult times is to try and succeed today with yesterday's train of thought. There is never a greater time for creative thinking than during volatile situations. This is the time when your brain is poised for problem solving.

When our age-old policies, strategies and actions no longer produce reliable results, it is a time that demands change. Some of the greatest inventions in our lifetime were invented during the Great Depression. This doesn't mean you need to invent something; what you do need to do is reinvent the way you do business to make sure that you are future friendly.

This year I stepped back and looked at my company, and I was not overly impressed. It led to a complete restructuring and rebranding of my company. When times get hard then that is the perfect time for drastic change and becoming more resilient to disruption. Nothing better than a fresh look to give you that first love you had when you started your company. 

Clinging Courage:

Doing the right thing as a leader takes an enormous amount of courage because during the process of change you are going to upset a few people - it is inevitable. If change was easy there would be no obesity, smoking or greed in this world, but that is just it - change is flippin’ hard! Over time a new direction might become obvious, but during this time of uncertainty and disruption, change brings fear and as a leader it will take courage to lead when constantly faced with adversity.

True leadership is when change is based on vision, values and principles that you are willing to follow the right path especially when it's unpopular. When everything around us is crumbling and falling apart it takes a courageous leader to implement meaningful change.

I'm a procrastinator – there, I admitted it! I don't like change. I like things simplistic and just the way they are. So when I say change is not easy and takes courage I know what I'm talking about. Implementing change takes a tremendous amount of inner strength, and to get people to believe in what you do, takes courage.

Constructive Collaboration:

No man is an island and in difficult times call for greater collaboration rather than less. None of the points mentioned above will succeed without collaboration, so maybe I should have started with this point first, you might think? My 15 years in business has taught me this: people collaborate around an idea, they do not collaborate in order to come up with new ideas.

Fear and uncertainty undermine the performance and flow of collaboration; people need leadership in order to think as one. When there is no leadership or plan on how to deal with disruptive circumstances then employees tend to scatter and concentrate on their own interests and own survival. This is a normal survival strategy – self-preservation.

Leaders need to realise the impact of our actions on our employees, the impact of long-term change and the measures they are imposing. Change is much more palatable when employees are consulted about it, instead of being told to accept it. Once a future strategy has been conceptualised it is then time to collaborate with every member of your team, do not let people feel left out and insignificant.

I have learned many lessons from my employees, and some of their input has caused me to rethink my strategies and change them.

I hope my double C plan: Constant Creativity, Clinging Courage and Constructive Collaboration leads you to be future ready.

As a global innovator, adversity expert and multi award-winning entrepreneur, my concepts on business and disruptive forces of life have changed the views of many people around the world. I deliver inspirational business expanding, life-changing, interactive keynotes that inspire change. I will always challenge thinking and accelerate personal and professional growth. martin@martinbrown.co.za www.martinbrown.co.za