Friday, July 28th, 2006...2:33 pm

Knowing When to Push, and When to Back Off

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One of the key pieces of wisdom that any leader from the middle can know is when to push buttons, and when to let things go.

In many cases, it may be a case of pushing the right buttons, but the timing is not good. That is just like pushing the wrong button.

John C. Maxwell addresses this in his book The 360° Leader. He gives us several tips to assist us with our judgment.

When Should I Push?

  1. Do I know something my boss doesn’t but needs to?
  2. Is time running out?
  3. Are my responsibilities at risk?
  4. Can I help my boss win?

When Should I back off?

  1. Am I promoting my own personal agenda?
  2. Have I already made my point?
  3. Must everyone but me take the risk?
  4. Does the atmosphere say “no”?
  5. Is the timing right only for me?
  6. Does my request exceed my relationship with my boss?

For more details on the subject, buy and read the book listed above.

When trying to decide if you want to push that button or not, think about these question.

-  Jason

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