Maria L. Alvarez-Zarrilli (She/Her/Ella)

As with any feedback, it is important to build transparency and accountability around how that feedback will be shared and used- and I recommend doing that before any discussions about tools or cadences. Will the information be just gathered up and reviewed once a year? Will it be used to redefine the scope or risk associated with the project? Once that groundwork has been established, identify the key initiatives that feedback is needed for and you can build milestones into the project plan so that it is seen as part of the work- not a distraction from it. Don't forget to get feedback about the feedback too! It's important that your partners feel their feedback is being leveraged and is useful to have a successful feedback mechanism.

There is no shortage of tools, workshops, training programs, and methodologies that aim to help your employees become more strategic. However, the best organizations I have worked with and for started by treating this as any other business initiative: SWOT analysis on what has been in place so far (such as tool utilization or training survey responses), soliciting feedback from employees on what they might be spending their own money on or what they think is hindering them (i.e.-workload, manager relationships), build 1 or more taskforces, etc. By doing this not only will you have more information to go on, but the exercise in of itself should send a clear message that this is a priority for the company.

Engaging the team should be step 1 as they are on the frontlines of the risk and execution of the plans. Starting with building a culture where it is seen as 'all of us against the problem' will help minimize defensiveness and scapegoating. If those dynamics are already in play, it's important to address them head-on and evaluate how they are contributing to the risks being assessed. Be clear with the team on what the mission and end goal is, and look to drive real ownership around plugging any holes that are contributing to the spiral. I found a lot of helpful lessons in the book "Extreme Ownership: Now Navy SEALs Lead and Win" by Jocko Willink, Leif Babin that can help leaders with these situations.

It can be hard to be flexible over a long period. It's important that you find places of routine and stability in your way of working and lean on those to ground yourself in the day or week. This can look like a 30-minute weekly self-check-in with yourself: What went well this week? What could have gone better? Do I need to try a new approach or was this an isolated situation?" Or, a daily self-check-in where you set micro daily goals "Today I will contribute to [company/team goal] by [clear task9(s)]." This mindset shift can help build resiliency that will make it easier to handle the ambiguity of a season full of change and ambiguity.

Clear communication is rooted in understanding. It's important to understand what 'clear' means for your boss and align your communication to their style so that it is as effective as possible. Questions like "Can you show me an example of an email/report/update that really stood out to you as easy to digest and action on?" and "When during the week do you make time to dive into the details?" will help you tailor your timing and delivery to deliver the right information, in the format that will be received best, and at the right time.

It's important within adding all the business processes and improvements that the company and workforce stay rooted in the why. Even more importantly, it's important to be really focused on what the company is willing to sacrifice for innovation. "Innovation over profits" for example, clearly communicates that in a build year, it is acceptable to invest in new ideas even at the cost of profit.