1 month ago
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A prayer offers this profound reminder: “Lord, I do not pray for fewer problems, but I ask for wisdom and strength to handle them.” This rings especially true for leaders, who often find themselves constantly addressing challenges and putting out fires.
With the holiday season behind us, the business rhythm has quickly resumed. Activities are in full swing, and the momentum is unmistakable. Personally, the year has started with a bang – I’ve already managed more than 10 engagements since the start of the year, and the pace shows no signs of slowing. Invitations are piling up, client meetings and business discussions demand my attention, and the crucial task is steering my other business operations toward a profitable and successful year.
There are many responsibilities, but they also present an opportunity to lead with focus and purpose in the face of these demands.
Leaders find themselves in this predicament. The early December emailers circled back; the work put on hold now demands their attention, and everything collided simultaneously. The worst part? The problems started piling up. Look at the scenarios that require leadership attention as they juggle post-holiday demands:
• “Our server’s down, the backups didn’t back up, and the IT guy’s out sick. Any chance you can step in?”
Meaning: you’re now the emergency tech support, despite not knowing the difference between a firewall and a firewall drill.
• “Your meeting with the board overlaps with a client presentation, and the quarterly report is also due that morning.”
Translation: Welcome to professional Tetris, where every block is labeled “urgent.”
• “The client just called. Can we move the product launch up by three weeks? Also, they want additional features – at no extra cost.” Meaning: Magic tricks aren’t part of your skillset, but here you are, pulling timelines out of thin air.
• “The finance team says we’re already over budget for Q1. Can you devise a plan to fix this by Friday?”
Translation: It’s time to transform into an alchemist and turn spreadsheets into gold.
• “We need someone to emcee the company kickoff event. Since you’re great at winging it, we thought you’d be perfect!”
Meaning: Smile through the panic and hope your jokes land better than your last quarterly projections.
• “We just sent you a 40-page document for review. Could you approve it in time for tomorrow’s meeting?”
Translation: Better brew another pot of coffee because bedtime is officially canceled.
• “A client didn’t like our response to their email. Now they’re threatening to tweet about it. Can we fix this ASAP?”
Meaning: Who knew diplomacy and social media damage control were prerequisites for leadership?
“The team brainstormed goals for the year, and we’d love for you to review all 172 of them before our Monday meeting.”
Translation: Your resolution to “work smarter, not harder” took a backseat.
• “Can you predict how the market will perform this quarter so we can adjust our strategy?” Meaning: No crystal ball? No problem – channel your best educated guess and hope for the best.
And this is just at work. We have not yet covered your personal life and the financial aspect of holiday bills coming in like an avalanche this month.
Wouldn’t life be easier if we had fewer problems?
Here’s a newsflash: While fewer problems might make your life easier, they would also mean your role is less necessary. The role of the leader is to solve problems. So, if you’re dealing with challenges, you’re in good company. That means the world needs you.
General Colin Powell said, “The day the soldiers stop bringing you their problems is when you stop leading them. They either lose confidence that you can help them or conclude that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.”
When people are bringing you problems, it means three things:
1. They trust you: When someone shares a challenge, it shows they believe in your ability to solve it. Solving doesn’t always mean fixing, but they trust you to guide them through difficult situations. They’ve seen your track record of turning obstacles into opportunities.
2. They respect you: People don’t share problems with those they don’t hold in high regard. When someone knows a leader has wisdom, they seek your insights and judgment to offer sound advice.
3. They believe you care: Sharing problems requires emotional risk, but someone knows you’ll listen with empathy and work alongside them to find solutions.
Life as a leader is nothing short of a comedy-drama, but embracing the absurdities with a smile and a dash of humor makes the juggling act a little more bearable. After all, sometimes, the best strategy is to laugh through the chaos!
Francis Kong will run his highly acclaimed Level Up Leadership—The Next Edge, but strictly for forty participants. This whole-day event will happen on Feb. 25, 2025, at the Rockwell Club Function Rooms. For inquiries and reservations, contact Sylene Alonzo at 0976-638-8974 or Savee at 0917-533-6817. For more information, visit www.levelupleadership.ph.
