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The Importance of Being Ruthlessly Constructive

One of the tenets of Predictable Success^® is the importance of being ruthlessly constructive. (We discuss it a little here and here.)

The concept is simple, and self-explanatory: seek to be constructive and positive in all your interactions, but do it without fear or favor, and always for the better good of the organization as a whole, not for your personal benefit, or that of your project, or you team, department or division.

Easily said, but tough in practice. Being ruthlessly constructive is particularly difficult for passive-aggressives, emotional manipulators and bullies (and is one of the reasons it is so powerful - it shows them up and if practiced consistently by others, eventually calls them on their behavioral dysfunctions).

In the last few weeks I've been thinking a lot about the power of being ruthlessly constructive. Why? Because about 80% of the leaders I work with - CEO's, presidents, VP's, owners, founders, general managers - have asked versions of the same two questions:

"How do I and my team do any sort of realistic planning in the current climate - short and long term?", and

"How do I keep the morale of my team high right now?"

Now both questions deserve longer treatment than a blog entry will allow, but it has struck me how often the importance of being ruthlessly constructive comes up in answering both questions.

Let there be no misunderstanding - times are tough, and for many of us, they're going to get tougher before they get better. But when it comes to importance of good planning and high morale (two interconnected drivers of Predictable Success), there's no point wallowing in negativity, and there's certainly no point in throwing in the towel.

Dwell a while on the importance of being ruthlessly constructive, and how you might incorporate it more in your organization's interactions. You will find it a powerful tool in these difficult days.