Hi Reader,

You present a plan to your team.

You ask if anyone has concerns.

No one speaks up, so you move forward.

Two weeks later, a deadline slips. One of your managers says, “I thought that might happen. We didn’t have enough time to get it finished.”

Why didn’t you hear that when there was still time to adjust the plan — or to rearrange other priorities so it would be finished on time?

There are several possibilities.

• Perhaps the manager didn’t yet see the problem clearly.
• Maybe you asked for concerns after everyone could tell you’d made up your mind.
• Or the last person who raised an objection got stiff-armed.

The practical lesson is that asking whether there are any concerns usually isn’t enough. People need a clear invitation to speak candidly about the project requirements, which may mean saying something you don’t want to hear.

The phrase I hope my many coaching clients over the years remember is one I’ve used repeatedly:

AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE MOMENT!

It ensures you'll have the maximum amount of time to make whatever adjustments are needed.

Make It Easier to Speak Up

Before your next significant decision, try three things:

1. Ask before you state your preference. “What could make this plan fail?” gives people room to think before they know which answer you favor.
2. Ask the people closest to the work. “Where will the schedule or workload break down?” is easier to answer than a general request for objections.
3. Close the loop. If someone raises a concern, tell them how you'll handle it. You might change the plan, check the facts or explain why you’re proceeding. Don’t leave them wondering whether speaking up mattered.

None of this requires you to agree with every objection.

You still have to make the decision. But you’ll make it with better information — and your team will learn that it’s safe to bring you the news — good, bad or ugly!

When? AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE MOMENT!

Executive Coaching: When You Need Another Perspective

The same principle applies when the issue isn’t a missed deadline, but a leadership challenge you’re trying to think through on your own.

That’s one reason an experienced outside perspective can be valuable.

Executive coaching gives you someone who will ask the questions others may hesitate to ask, challenge assumptions you may not realize you’re making and help you think through the decisions that matter.

If that sounds useful, take a look at how I approach Executive Coaching.

As we develop A Journey Toward Self-Mastery, I want to keep exploring choices like this — and practical ways to become a more effective leader.

For now, think about the last concern someone brought you: How did you respond — and would that person bring you the next one?

Don't Stop Leading!

Lary