Embrace the CUP: Navigating Growth through Chaos, Uncertainty, and Pain

Drink from the C.U.P.

How to grow during times of Pain, Uncertainty and Chaos:

CHAOS:

Most leaders hate chaos. It makes us uncomfortable if we cannot control it so we do our best to avoid chaos. Here is the problem presented when we avoid chaos, we limit growth.

You can have control, or you can have growth but you cannot have both.

We end up making rules or policies to “alleviate control.” Rules or policies are scar tissues of poor decisions.

The best leaders do not obsess about outcomes. The best leaders obsess over empowering other leaders.

Invest in others through qualified systems and watch the chaos produce champions.

UNCERTAINTY:

The only certainty that we really have is knowing the future is uncertain.

Good leaders plan for the unforeseen challenges. Great leaders plan for unexpected opportunities. There is a difference. Wherever there is uncertainty there is opportunity. You will ALWAYS find what you are looking for.

Learn to create margins for opportunities that you cannot predict.

Create an environment that requires action to be taken, inaction is almost always greater than the cost of failure.

Great leaders would rather make an aggressive mistake than a passive one.

Ask yourself, “What risk do I need to take?”

PAIN:

There is no pain equal to leadership pain. The truth is if you are not hurting, you are not leading.

What painful decision do you need to make?

We grow through pain not by going around it, above it, or under it…THROUGH IT!

When we are experiencing chaos, uncertainty, or pain…what is most important becomes clearer.