Episode 524 - "Behind the Leadership 8 Ball"

This episode explores what it feels like to be behind the leadership 8 ball and gives practical strategies for getting out of reaction mode and back into control. Leaders learn how to reset, call their shot, and think multiple steps ahead.

Host: Paul Falavolito
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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Helping leaders motivate their people to a higher level of
performance through strong human relations, team building, and Gola gving.
This is the seven Minute Leadership Podcast with your host
Paul Felloledo.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Hello everyone, and welcome to the seven Minute Leadership Podcast.
It's episode five twenty four. Today's title is behind the
leadership eight Ball. Now, if you've ever played pool, you
know that being behind the eight ball is the worst
place to be. It means your options are limited, your

(00:42):
next move is tough, and one wrong decision can cost
you the entire game. That's exactly how it feels in
leadership when you're constantly reacting instead of planning. So let's
be honest. We've all been there. Maybe it was a
stat in crisis. Maybe it was a financial shortfall that

(01:03):
you didn't see coming. Maybe it was a problem employee
you let go on too long without addressing, whatever the situation.
When you're behind the leadership eight ball, you feel pressure,
you feel boxed in, and you feel like you're playing
defense instead of offense. So let's break this down. Why

(01:25):
do leaders end up behind the leadership eight ball in
the first place. Number one is poor communication. If you
weren't communicating clearly, and consistently, you'll be blindsided by issues
that could have been prevented. Silence doesn't protect you, it

(01:46):
sets traps for you. Number two is ignoring data. Leaders
who run on feelings instead of facts often get surprised
when reality catches up. Members don't lie, but our bias
often does. Number three procrastination. That email you didn't answer,

(02:09):
that meeting you kept pushing off, that tough conversation you avoided.
Those don't go away. They pile up in Eventually they
block every shot that you have left in. Number four
a lack of systems. If you don't have processes in
place to track staffing, money, performance, and morale, you'll always

(02:35):
be playing catch up. Systems are not red tape their
insurance agents against chaos. Now, let's talk about how to
get out from behind the leadership eight ball. First, reset
the table. When pool players are in trouble, they don't
take wild shots. They slow down, analyze, and set themselves

(02:59):
up for the next move. Leaders need to do the same. Pause, breathe,
get clarity before you act. Second, call your shot in poll.
You don't just hit the cue ball and hope you
declare your intention. Leaders must do the same. Tell your
people the plan, own your decisions and be up front

(03:23):
about what's coming next. And third is play position, not
just the ball. Great pool players don't just think about
the next shot. They think about the shot after that
and the one after that. As a leader, you have
to think two, three, four steps ahead. Don't just fix

(03:46):
today's problem, set yourself up to prevent tomorrow's. And finally,
except that you won't sink every shot even the best
players miss. The key is to stay calm, stay consistent,
and keep learning. Leadership isn't about perfection, it's about persistence.

(04:11):
So let me leave you with this. If you're behind
the leadership eight ball today, don't panic. You can fight
your way out, but you have to slow down. You
have to get intentional, and you have to think like
a strategist, not a firefighter. And remember, being behind the

(04:34):
eight ball is not permanent. It's just your current position,
and one smart move can change the entire game. This
has been the seven minute Leadership podcast and I thank
you for listening.

Speaker 1 (04:48):
For more Paul fell of Alito podcasts, visit paulfelloalito dot
com