Why The Only Way Past It is Through It (Challenge #4)

You have it. I have it. We all have it. The nagging problem with our team our or boss or a stakeholder that were too scared to face. Or maybe the change you see needs to happen, but doesnt seem to be worth the organizational roadblocks standing in your way. So you delay the conversation, you make excuses, you hope itll turn around on its own. And every once in a while it doesor at least you tell yourself it does. But does it? Welcome to the Kind Leadership Challenge! Im Sarah Clark, founder of the Kind Leadership Guild. My PhD in higher ed Leadership plus 17 years working in academic libraries from the front desk to the Deans office taught me a secret I want to share with all of you. You don't have to be a perfect leader to build a better world. And your school or library definitely doesn't need to be perfect either. Here's the deal. Educational and library leaders like you give me 5-10 minutes of your Monday morning. In return, I'll empower you to heal yourself and your school or library. No long interviews, no celebrities, no lectures, no nonsense. Just short stories and simple challenges you can implement this week. Each challenge is designed to coach you in the confidence, skill, and trust you need to let go of a little control. You and your team will begin growing humanely, managing effectively, and partnering collaboratively, and your school or library will build a more informed and educated world along the way. There is one skill that you need for these challenges, not to mention all the drama doubt and dysfunction at work that leaves you overthinking, overworked, overwhelmed, and just plain stuck. Thats why I created the first Kind Leadership Guild Course, Get Un-Stuck! This 8 part course gives you the toolkit to make effective, humane, and collaborative decisions. And in so doing, you and your team will begin healing that drama doubt, and defensiveness into the Trust, Confidence, and Excellence that will empower your organization to build a better world. Get Un-Stuck covers a simple process to help you make decisions big and small, with timeframes short and long. And its self-paced, so you can finish it in 8 hours, 8 days, or 8 weeks. Just depends on what makes sense for you. Youll also gain access to a private community, regular group Zooms, a 30-minute 1 on 1 session with me, and more. For all the details, check the link in the show notes. Now, on to todays challenge! So, today were talking about those nagging leadership problems that we know we should deal with but dont. I mean we hope these things will go away, but most of the time it doesnt. At best it goes quiet, only to explode again later, usually in the worst way and at the most inconvenient moment possible. A conflict that is unfought will almost always fester and grow into toxicity and drama. That's because you can't avoid problems, you can only delay them. Denial and rationalization only work up to a point. And the longer you delay addressing the problem, either through ignoring the problem or missing subtle cues, the harder things will be to resolve in the end. A good example of this from the corporate world is actually Netflix. I like many of my listeners, am old enough to remember a cultural institution called the Video Store. Back in the late 90s as Netflixs original DVDs by mail was just starting to pick up steam, Blockbuster Video, the biggest of them all, had a chance to acquire Netflix. They didnt take founder Reed Hastings up on the offer, and the rest is history. Blockbuster tried to get into the DVD mailing business, but they didnt have and couldnt cultivate the skills and cultural changes needed to shift from a model that worked at the time, but that everyone knew wouldnt work in a decade or so. While Blockbuster floundered and collapsed, Netflix actually pivoted to streaming a decade after they offered Blockbuster a chance to make a similarly massive shift to their business model. They weathered years of angry shareholders and dubious journalists, but in time Netflix became the first digital media behemoth. Today only one only blockbuster video store remains, a tourist attraction in Bend, Oregon. Both the executives involved and scholars of business history say the same thingNetflix had a culture and leadership that were willing and more importantly able to have the conflicts and push through the changes that needed to happen for long term success, and Blockbuster, unfortunately, did not. Which brings me back to my point. Ultimately, the only way past conflict and concerns is by working through them. The day will come when you need to strap on your boots and lead your team through the cave. It will be scary and uncomfortable and some may even choose to turn back rather than face the fear. But if you have a plan and stick to your values, the view at the end will be worth it. So kind leadersheres this weeks challenge. What unaddressed conflict or need for change is blocking your path right now, and how can you begin to fight through it? Come on over to the facebook group and share your challenge in the episode thread. Dont worry, its a private group, and we even have anonymous posting and commenting options if that makes you more comfortable. And keep an eye out for the Wednesday livestream in the group, where Ill chat about my own challenge, explore yours, and answer any questions you may have. Thanks for listening and for taking action to become a kinder leader. if you found this episode insightful, give us a like or reviewor even better, share this challenge with a colleague! Never doubt that day by day, youre building a better world, even if you can't see it yet. Until next time, stay kind now.