Is it too late to get anything meaningful done in the last quarter of the year? Leaders sometimes feel like there isn’t enough time. How should a leader think about what can be accomplished with the remaining time on the clock for this year?

This Week’s Edition

There is always time. Your perception of the amount of work to be done in the time allotted may be limiting your belief about what is possible.

Clarify Your Thinking

“Robin, it’s the start of the fourth quarter. I feel behind. We had such high hopes for this year. Our plan was solid, but I don’t think I’ve accomplished enough. To make our numbers, we’ve got so much left to do. I’m doubting we can pull it out by the end of year.” Brent said, as he lamented the start of the fourth quarter.

This feeling is common among leaders. There never seems to be enough time to get the big things done. While this feeling is real, the challenge is that it can dominate a leader’s thinking and cause them to focus on what hasn’t been done versus what needs to be done.

In this situation, Experience Bias is working against us. Experience Bias is one of the short-cuts our brain uses daily. It tells us that what has happened in the past will happen again. Meaning, if we’ve failed to achieve what we wanted in Q4 before, then we certainly won’t be able to this time.

Good leadership thinking requires a change in focus from what hasn’t been accomplished to what can get done in the time remaining. It seems simple, but it is hard to remember due to the pace of leadership, the constant bombardment of change and less than favorable market conditions. An exhausted leader will unwittingly let experience bias overly influence their thinking.

Old Thinking: The year is almost over. I haven’t accomplished near what I wanted. I doubt that I can get anything else done in the time remaining. Why bother?

New Thinking: We’ve got 90 days to finish the year. We might not be where we want to be, but we can make the most of the time remaining.

Thoughts Lead to Actions

Brent continued his short rant about feeling behind. It’s important for leaders to vent. It clears the mind. Purging that thinking is important.

Who’s your venting partner? Engage them to keep you from taking it too far. Purging negative feelings and thoughts is cathartic. Dwelling on them is a quick road to doubting your leadership. Vent and go!

Once you’re ready to go, here is a three-step plan that will have you rocking your Q4:

Step 1: Vision – determine those things you and your team will have accomplished by December 31st. Paint the short-term vision for you and your team related to what you can achieve in the next 90 days.

Step 2: Strategy – identify three specific strategies you are going to pursue (or continue to pursue) to fulfill your short-term vision.

Step 3: Execution – create the action plan you will execute daily and weekly. Consider short two-week sprints with major milestones to post some quick wins and build momentum.

Dwelling on lost time and what hasn’t been accomplished is often demoralizing, effectively tainting your future motivation to excel. The inner voice chimes in, “Why bother? It’s too late.” As your leadership coach, I’m compelled to remind you, “It’s never too late!”

Boost Your Performance

Break down your objectives into smaller milestones. Run toward the completion of the tasks to achieve that milestone. Post a win. Wins build momentum. Momentum begets momentum. 

What’s Your Opinion?

What are you going to accomplish in the remaining three months of 2022? Let me know at robin.pou@robinpou.com. 

If you are going to be a leader, you might as well be a good one. Don’t let doubt count you out. Have a confident week!

Robin Pou, Chief Advisor and Strategist

We live to make bad leadership extinct so forward this newsletter to others who strive to be confident leaders. 

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What is “The Confident Leader”?

During the Covid-19 Pandemic, I began a video series called “Panic or Plan?” It was designed to equip leaders to navigate the doubt they experienced and to rise in the confidence they needed to lead during turbulent times. It took off. I then started this newsletter to equip leaders in the same fashion each week for the doubt that crashes across the bow of their leaderSHIP.