We've all been there - struggling to accomplish an important goal against seemingly impossible odds. As the person responsible, your instinct is to put your head down, work harder, and "do the best you can."
But here's the secret: that's NOT always the right approach. When major roadblocks threaten mission-critical objectives, good leadership wants to know. Your mandate isn't just to try your hardest - it's to get it done. And if that requires asking for help, you should do so without hesitation.
I understand the reluctance. We don't want to bother senior leaders with problems. We worry it makes us look incompetent. But strong leaders want more than silent struggle - they want transparency around obstacles so they can unblock progress. Some truths I've learned:
Involving leadership early builds trust. Leaders would rather help you course correct than explain failure after the fact. Being upfront when things go wrong demonstrates courage and accountability.
Leaders can rapidly break deadlocks. A leader clarifying priorities may achieve in minutes what teams debate for months. Avoid wasted cycles and act quickly when alignment issues arise.
Not every problem is easy to solve. Looping in leadership isn't admitting failure - it's getting the right people involved. Complex issues may need more seniority, authority or different skills.
Asking for help sets realistic expectations. If leaders understand the true difficulties, they can adjust goals and timelines rather than assume results that may be impossible.
Of course, you want to equip your team to operate autonomously as much as possible. But in an imperfect world, obstacles happen. When they threaten key goals, get the right people involved immediately. Move egos aside and do whatever it takes to get it done, even if that means speaking up.
Strong leaders want to hear the unvarnished truth so they can course correct. The courage to promptly voice concerns and ask for help demonstrates leadership in action. So when major barriers arise, don't stay silent - get leadership engaged. Progress may be just a conversation away.
What do you think? When have you seen involving leadership unblock stalled initiatives? Share your stories below!
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