Module Thirteen: Perseverance
Believe it or not, you already have plenty of experience with perseverance. Every day of your life, you’ve had to keep going regardless of how you felt or what was happening around you. Was it always easy? Surely not. Leadership can make perseverance especially challenging because you’re responsible not only for yourself, but also for helping your team keep moving forward.
Perseverance is staying focused and committed, especially when things get difficult. Sometimes that means continuing with the plan, while other situations require us to adjust our approach or lean on the strengths of the people around us.
Steve Belke, Plant Director at 3M Cottage Grove, describes perseverance as a team responsibility. He uses the Swiss cheese model to remind his team that when one layer misses something, another should have an opportunity to catch it. When something goes wrong, he brings the team together to look at what happened and how they responded as a group. As Steve puts it, “Perseverance requires teamwork. When something hits the ground, it’s not that person’s fault. It’s that we as a team didn’t catch it.”
“Just remember, you can do anything you set your mind to, but it takes action, perseverance, and facing your fears.”
Eric Funk, Plant Director at 3M Cordova, focuses on what happens next with three words: “Prioritize, plan, and execute.” Create clarity around the issue and establish the priorities, develop a plan collaboratively, and then focus the team on the right next steps.
Even with a clear path forward, perseverance can be tested by how we respond to the challenges we encounter. The Monster Called Fear explores how fear can make us hesitate and fall back on what feels comfortable. Overcoming Ego for Growth looks at how ego can limit our willingness to consider other perspectives. Turning Setbacks into Strengths focuses on what happens after something goes wrong and how we can use the experience to grow as leaders. Let’s get started!
