Exhausted in the Clutch

Every now and then, I'm reminded of a bumper-sticker style statement that often shows up on office novelty products. It says something like "Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part." Unfortunately, the bulk of my career has been spent proving the opposite. Hence the inspiration for the tagline of this blog.

I've been asking myself some tough questions lately. At their core are the nature of leadership and integrity. Integrity demands that regardless of the situation I'm handed, I must put forth the effort to deliver the best solution I possibly can, because mediocrity should be avoided. Leadership - and yes, you can "lead" even from behind the elephant - leadership demands that I limit the external display of disgruntlement and tackle the challenge with positive energy.

I am a firm believer in the concept of continuous improvement. There are always ways to do things better, and these should result in a relentless pursuit of excellence. A top quality effort is almost always rewarded, although that reward may be manifested in different ways at different times. For me, excellence is of greater value than any reward that may follow.

Good leadership plans ahead, manages resources well, and acknowledges achieving efforts. Integrity in leadership is illustrated by cultivating an environment that elicits the best, respects all, and enables growth and development all the while executing the day-to-day business. Above all, integrity requires truth - you cannot have integrity without truth.

Being able to come through in the clutch has its benefits. Being able to deliver the tying or winning runs with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th can be a great feeling. But when every day is an impossible situation requiring a Herculean effort, the effects are exhausting. You can be a great clutch-hitter, but it's hard to be clutch every moment. And it is even harder when you harbor doubts about the organization. Once in a while, it would be nice to win the game in a blowout with everybody, especially at the top, working to build the team and create the environment that allows for less drama and more efficient and sensible business execution.

As I evaluate myself, I have to acknowledge my failures as a leader in the organization, as I have allowed my frustration with others in management to taint my views of the organization. Evaluating my own integrity in work performance is a little harder - other than perhaps it is a demonstration of integrity that I continuously fight for common sense approaches. I believe things can be made better, but do not have enough leverage to single-handedly make it so. So depsite what may be poor planning by others, I suppose I must accept the role and let it become an emergency on my part. Because that's my job.

Of course, it has also been said that "Quitters never win, and winners never quit, but those who never quit AND never win are idiots." Heh. Not sure what do with that one.

So I will press on, for now. I've got two days to deliver.