Every time I do strategic discussions as part of consulting for my client CEOs, I come across one fundamental challenge. Leaders are desiring for change sitting inside the problem. You are constantly biased by the things around you. To solve the problem, you have to step out of it and look at the problem in a different perspective. Many times, we see the problem not as a problem, if we are part of it. We see ourselves in the problem and would defend it sub-consciously. This is why the desire for change has an inherent resistance to it. The change, progress or growth is hard. It is inward-outward. The two steps you take outward, the inward pull keeps it coming back. You cannot thrust more pressure as it would be more resistant. It needs to be dealt with delicately, with a surgeon’s precision and patience.
I have also seen exceptional CEOs who think like an outsider. They look at their decisions in a different way and be ready to be criticised. They are heavily self-critical too. This can help a lot.
