The Thinking That Keeps Leaders Stuck

"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." - Albert Einstein

Imagine the absurdity of trying to play basketball on a football field. The basketball would barely bounce on the turf. There are no hoops to shoot at, no place to make a layup or slam dunk, and no way to score any points.

As silly as this sounds, it's exactly what many of us do as leaders when we're confronted with challenges on our team.

We tell people what to do, but they don't follow through. We decide it's faster to do the work ourselves than explain it again. Someone drops the ball, but we avoid following up because we're uncomfortable confronting them or we're unsure what to say.

Or we tolerate something for far too long until our frustration boils over and we react more harshly than we intended.

Our frustration is understandable. Our resentment is understandable. Even our reactions are understandable.

But they won't create a breakthrough.

So, what does this have to do with playing basketball on a football field?

When we're pointing our finger at someone else and telling ourselves that our team, or certain people on our team, is the reason we're stuck, we're playing basketball on a football field. We've stepped onto the wrong playing field from the very beginning. If we stay there, the game is already lost.

To create a breakthrough, we have to get onto the right court.

That means stepping out of resentment, blame, and explaining why things are the way they are. Instead, we begin thinking differently.

We move into generative thinking.

You don’t create breakthroughs by solving problems. You create breakthroughs by thinking from the future you intend to create.

That shift is what changes everything. Instead of being pulled around by what’s not working, you begin to lead from what you are committed to creating. Just as Einstein reminds us, we can't solve a problem with the same level of thinking that created it. We need a new way of thinking.

That starts by getting clear on the breakthrough we want to create.

There's a wonderful exchange in Alice in Wonderland where Alice asks which path she should take. The Rabbit asks her where she wants to go.

"I don't know," Alice replies.

"Then," the Rabbit says, "it doesn't matter which way you go."

The same is true in leadership.

If we don't know the breakthrough we're trying to create, we'll continue reacting to problems instead of leading toward possibilities. The moment we become clear about the breakthrough we want to create, our thinking changes. Our conversations change. Our actions change.

Instead of thinking about the problem, we begin thinking from the breakthrough we intend to create.

That's the shift.

The next time you find yourself frustrated with your team, stop asking, "How do I fix this problem?" Instead ask, "What breakthrough do I want to create?"

That one question changes everything.

Your thinking changes. Your conversations change. Your leadership changes.

And that's where real breakthroughs begin.

Here's to YOU being a leader who is making a difference, at work and in life!

Leslie

YOUR NEXT STEP: CREATE A CLEAR LEADERSHIP BREAKTHROUGH

If creating a leadership breakthrough resonates with you, the next step isn’t trying to solve more leadership problems on your own, it’s getting clear on the breakthrough you are actually committed to creating.

Apply for a complimentary Leadership Insight Conversation, where we look at your leadership through the lens of the breakthrough you're intending to create.

In our conversation, you will:

• Explore your leadership style and current patterns of thinking

• Identify the key opportunity to increase ownership and performance on your team

• Walk away with a clearly defined leadership breakthrough you are committed to creating, along with the thinking shift required to make it real and practical next steps you can begin immediately

👉 Apply here: https://www.impactandprofits.com/application

As a bonus for taking action within the next 24 hours, you’ll receive my report:" "How to Have Hard Accountability Conversations That Boost Performance and Productivity by 50%"

ABOUT LESLIE

Leslie Cunningham helps small business owners and leaders create teams that care by transforming the leader first. With more than 30 years of experience, she specializes in personal leadership development that builds confident communication, strengthens accountability, elevates ownership, and creates cultures where people are genuinely motivated to perform. Leslie is an award-winning leadership expert, internationally published author, national columnist, and radio personality.

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