Leading From Breakdown to Breakthrough

We need to keep reminding ourselves we have an in-built resistance to declaring breakdowns. Apart from the personal and emotional upset that goes with breakdowns, in many organizations it can be career limiting to acknowledge failure to meet objectives or even to flag the possibility that specific, desired results may not be produced with current performance.

The reason that most people write their accountabilities and KPIs in such vague terms is a recognition that to do otherwise is to court failure.  If accountabilities and KPIs were to be specific, the risk [real or imagined] of the consequences of failure go up exponentially.

Before I propose a process, a word of warning. 

Beware:  your natural tendency will be to dwell on what's wrong. What’s wrong with you as leader, with it, or with him or her, or the ubiquitous "them". As soon as that conversation surfaces with you, or with anyone in the organization . . . KILL IT! Or it will kill any prospect of people committing to results that involve the risk of failing – in effect killing creativity, innovation, BHAGs; every initiative that stands a chance of causing breakthroughs.

So, here are some recommended steps:

1. Declare the breakdown! – To all who can impact a possible breakthrough.
2. Stop the action. Call everything to a halt – stop the production line. No point in continuing with what's not working. Don't react.  Do not try fixes.  Relax.
3. Say what, precisely, is the breakdown  – in a sentence? Exactly what happened, or did not happen, and when?  Distinguish between what happened and the reason explanation and story.  Then describe the breakdown in one sentence.
4. What commitment(s) are being stopped, blocked or thwarted? Which of your commitments are being blocked or hindered by the breakdown?  Bring yourself and others back to the source of effective action – the future you are committed to.
5. Say what a breakthrough will make possible. What would a breakthrough under these circumstances look like?  What would that breakthrough make possible?  Are you committed to producing a breakthrough, one that furthers these possibilities?  if 'yes', continue.
6. Identify what is missing or what is present and in the way. Take stock of the situation.  What are the facts, what's so now? We are committed to X we have X-  What is missing, that if present, would allow actions to be taken to move forward quickly and effectively?  What is present and in the way that if removed would allow the action to move forward quickly and effectively?  
7. What possible actions could [I] we take to further [my] our commitments? Leave the current situation and what is missing in the background.  Stand in the future ­– the breakthrough having been accomplished – follow a rigorous process like this [#3] for example, to develop a rich array of possibilities, opportunities and actions that will produce the desired results.  
8. Promise actions! Make offers, promises and requests – remember to be specific: what, who, by when.

And remember, declaring breakdowns is part of a process, it is not an event. Keep following the process in tight time intervals until breakthrough is proceeded. Between each iteration do an after action review to build on what is working and eliminate what isn't.