Choosing your battles is a theme that comes up in leadership coaching all the time.
Leaders who have a lot of energy and determination, and who often are not afraid to express unpopular views, tend to get involved in many battles and fight for several causes. Their energy and determination are contagious, and many people turn to them to fight important battles. It is always good for a cause to have someone defend it with credibility, energy, and enthusiasm. But as a leader in an organization, it is wise to consider which battles you actually want/ should fight, and which you should not get involved in.
For example, I have seen many situations where a Leader decides to go against a company-wide decision to obtain specific adjustments to their specific area/country/business. In some cases, it has gone well and they have been able to get some adjustments, and in some instances, it has resulted in a confrontation with other units or the initiators of the change and damaged relationships with them without yielding any adjustments. The success factors seem to be the initial choice (is it possible to negotiate this?) and then the approach used to make one’s case.
So before you act, take a moment to stop and think. Here are some perspectives to consider:
- Do you have a chance to win? There are issues that we know from the beginning will be faced with a lot of resistance or simply are out of your control. If you know from the beginning that you do not stand a chance to win for a certain cause, then don’t spend your energy on it. It may be difficult to accept, but it is better to save your energy for other important issues.
- You have worked very hard for a cause that is very important to you, your team, or your part of the organization. Then prepare your case well and go for it. You may not always get what you want, but you will feel better having done what you could for something that is really important.
- Is this a priority focus? You cannot fix all issues and need to determine whether they are aligned with your priorities. Consider what are the costs/benefits of getting involved, compared with your other focus areas.
- Someone very powerful is against the issue. Think carefully before engaging in fights like this. Sometimes you need to be prepared to create enemies when issues are important but be careful about not making the wrong enemies. You may end up damaging an important relationship, your reputation or in the worst case lose your job. Carefully consider the pros and cons before engaging in these kinds of battles.
- Other people push you to fight for a common cause. Common causes are best defended by uniting forces – don’t go alone. It is easier for the others to let you go on the front and take all the risks, but it is far more convincing to represent a whole group, even if you are only a few people. It may seem flattering to hear that you would be the best person to defend a particular issue, but it is better to try to share the responsibility, so that everyone involved is accountable for the outcome, not just one person.
- You often get caught in conflicts. If this is the case, then you might ask for some feedback from people around you, to hear whether in their view you are engaged in conflicts that you should not be, and what is the impact of that. Be ready to hear what they say and reflect on it, without getting defensive.
As you navigate the complex situations that arise in organizations, choosing your battles wisely will save you energy, protect your reputation, and give you more credibility in the future for fighting important causes. So next time you find yourself at the crossroads of a conflict, resist your own will to fix things, pause, reflect, and choose wisely whether to step forward. Your reputation as a leader will be impacted by your choices.
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