Community

Entrepreneurial Leadership in Times of Crisis? How to Keep Momentum with a Strong Dose of Renewable

We are wrapping up the first quarter of 2020. It’s the final day, the last minute, the final chapter before a new sense of urgency begins. For some it will be an opportunity to the push to the end while for others it signals time to lose control and experience a loss of momentum. Regardless … Continued
Dr. V Brooks Dunbar

Dr. V Brooks Dunbar

4 Min Read

We are wrapping up the first quarter of 2020. It’s the final day, the last minute, the final chapter before a new sense of urgency begins. For some it will be an opportunity to the push to the end while for others it signals time to lose control and experience a loss of momentum. Regardless of where you are, now is a time for reflection and lessons learned without losing sight of the positive gains you have created. Now is the time to acknowledge where you are and take account of the level of energy required to launch into the new unknown with renewed confidence.

It’s time to ask yourself (and be very clear about) what is working, what is not working, and what opportunities are emerging that you have not considered before.

The first important step to move forward with new goals and opportunities for better outcomes in the coming days, weeks, and months is to reflect on and celebrate your accomplishments over the past six months. This enlightening confidence-building process begins by looking at your past opportunities and challenges. Then identify breakthroughs, lessons learned, and pathways that reflect personal resilience against ongoing and unexpected change.

1. Opportunities and Challenges in Review

  • Accomplishments “What has worked and to what have stakeholders responded well.”
  • Challenges “What didn’t work and what did you learn.”
  • Opportunities “Identify patterns of success and failure.”

After these items have been fully explored and listed in a journal, take a moment for mindfulness and self-gratitude. Thank yourself for honoring your vision, for living authentically, and for moving forward with greater understanding and appreciation for yourself and those around you.

After you’ve fully celebrated, take a look at your accomplishments, challenges, and opportunities through the lens of self- and entrepreneurial-discovery. What does this mean about your personal capacity, how you mentally frame challenges, and the personal systems you have put in place to hold yourself accountable to your goals.

How can patterns of behavior be reframed into an opportunity? How can patterns of decision making be framed into a method or process for success. For example, if your current opportunity is to provide a solution for parents working from home and you have yet to take action after two weeks of thought, what is the pattern of challenges, behaviors, and decision making that is preventing you from taking action. One opportunity may be that you may need to consider a new partner or create a focus group to identify a parents to call and talk through their needs and troubleshoot solutions. Consider writing a blog about your challenges as a work from home parent in the new environment of mass home schooling. Find an online community of parents and ask what do they need, then provide the solution. The opportunities to use technology as a new business or service solution are limitless.

2. Self Awareness

  • Know your capacity (strengths, weaknesses, challenges)
  • Self coaching through challenges (match your opportunities with your passion)
  • Keeping a vision, plan, map (create a system of accountability)

The good news is that if you haven’t yet taken action, or achieved the initial outcomes you want, there is still time. These questions will also work against a checklist of your goals and greater vision. Prioritize the list in order of what you can most accomplish in four weeks (yes, there’s still time) and ask yourself, “What would prevent me from identifying these new opportunities and creating solutions now.” Start working to remove the easiest obstacles and work towards freeing up harder challenges just in time for the start of greater demand.

Take a creative approach to grow your business through crisis and renew your confidence as an entrepreneurial leader. You can do it!

Dr. V. Brooks Dunbar, Entrepreneurial Leadership Coach

I create high achievers and top business performers

Author, DIVA DECISIONS: How to Get from Smart to Intelligent by Claiming Your Power of Choice

#renewableconfidence #herconfidence #noroomfordoubt #confidencezones #neversecondguess #unapologeticdecision #confidencecrush #divadecisions #confidenceisbeautiful #walkerslegacy