Big initiatives, like creating a new sales playbook or starting a company program, always start with energy. People feel excited and the goals sound doable. However, unless you ask the right questions from the beginning, you could end up loading your team with confusion and unnecessary stress.
Gerald Leonard, host of the podcast, Productivity Smarts, says that launching a big initiative shouldn’t be about making grand announcements. Instead, it should be about orchestrating clarity and rhythm. The best leaders, he says, behave like conductors. They ensure each person knows their part, the tempo is steady and the music aligns with the score. They can do this by asking 7 questions. We share his thoughts in this issue of PromoPro Daily.
- Does this initiative align with our “one big thing?” What is your promo company most passionate about? What are you good at it, and what drives your growth? Before committing resources to new initiative, Leonard says leaders must ask if it aligns with your identity or distracts from it. Initiatives that dilute focus, no matter how attractive or seemingly urgent, are costly detours that drain momentum and clarity.
- Have we defined the real problem we’re solving? Don’t rush into something if you don’t know the issue. For example, if your team is disengaged, maybe you don’t need a new tool but to address a cultural problem of trust. According to Leonard, precision in framing the challenge prevents wasted effort, lost credibility and costly investment in the wrong solution.
- Do we have the right rhythm and culture to support it? Culture is the underlying rhythm of your organization, he says. If it’s off, no strategy will sound right or sustainable. Make sure you ask if your current culture will accelerate, support or quietly sabotage a new initiative once the pressure rises.
- Have we stress-tested our execution plan? You risk burnout and disillusionment if you have ambition but lack the discipline to get it done. According to Leonard, you should ask if you have prioritized this initiative over all others and if you truly have the capacity, funding and resilience to deliver it.
- What does success look like and how will we measure it? Unclear aspirations, like wanting to increase profits or become more innovative doom initiatives to drift aimlessly, he says. Define clear metrics and understand how you will track and communicate them to your team.
- How will we engage both hearts and minds? Data and strategy win agreement, Leonard says, but emotion drives commitment and discretionary effort. Ask yourself if you have crafted a compelling story that makes people care deeply enough to sustain momentum.
- What will we stop doing to make room for this? Leonard says this is the most challenging question of all. You need to determine what projects, habits or priorities you’re willing to pause or permanently retire in order for the new initiative to succeed.
Use the questions above to align your team on what matters. The answers help you define your goal and stress-test the plan. Ultimately, they allow your team to move forward with clarity and confidence, whether working on new business or driving an internal initiative.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Gerald Leonard is CEO of Turnberry Premiere and the host of the podcast, Productivity Smarts.
