Dealing With The Tough Stuff

8 Dealing with the rapid stuff Addressing the tough issues in a rapid-change environment

Before we get into this chapter, we'd like to ask you a few questions:

• Do you believe the world is getting slower or faster?
• Is it getting simpler or more complex?
• Is it less demanding or more demanding?

Have we cheered you up yet? No doubt, your responses — like those of the thousands of people we've asked these questions — are the same: the world is getting faster, more complex and more demanding. Furthermore, if we'd asked you these same questions five years ago, or even 10 years ago, there's every chance that your responses would have been the same.

Change is not new in our workplaces. It's always been part of how we work, lead and manage. What is different in our workplaces is the sheer speed of change. It's rapid. How you, as a manager, leader and team deal with this rapid stuff — and the conflict that arises with it — will make all the difference in a competitive environment. Your ability to deal with things quickly and to move on — to not hold grudges or waste valuable time on unnecessary conversations — will see you and your team rise to the top. With growing competition in the marketplace, not only for customers but also for talented employees, it's never been a more important time to build a robust feedback culture, one in which tough conversations are addressed effectively. ...