When hard questions feel like it's slowing momentum


The 5 Voices & Self-Awareness

Hi Reader,

Every team has one. The person who asks the questions nobody else is asking. The one who slows down before committing. The one who, after a decision gets made, quietly flags the things that could still go wrong.

That person isn't pessimistic. They're a Guardian, and about 30% of people lead from this voice.

Guardians are diligent. They think in processes, data, and consequences. They ask hard questions before they sign off on something because they actually care about the outcome more than self-approval. When a Guardian is doing their job well, they save the team from decisions that looked good on a Tuesday afternoon but would have been a disaster by Thursday.

But on the other side of the table, a Guardian can be perceived to lead with skepticism. When questions hit before an idea has fully landed, others in the room begin to shut down. Pioneers hear resistance. Connectors hear rejection. Creatives stop sharing. The Guardian isn’t trying to kill the idea. They were trying to protect the team. But, the effect can be the same.

If you lead with the Guardian voice, don’t stop asking the hard questions. Just learn to be more intentional about when and how you ask them. We want you to do your due diligence. We need your challenge so that we are successful.

But if the Guardian isn't your leading voice, take a few moments to consider what are the potential risks with an idea and how can we avoid them*?* Guardians ask this before they commit to anything and other voices are tempted to skip it entirely. But asking this can save you a lot of trouble later.

Your challenge this week:
Think of a decision coming up that you're really excited to start. Before you commit to it, write down 2-3 assumptions you're making that elevate the risk. Then decide what you need to know to either give the green light or know how to adjust your plan.

Take time to do your due diligence to better ensure success.

Lead with Purpose,
--Jason

PS. If you haven't taken the 5 Voices assessment yet, it's free and worth doing before the next email. exanimo.giantos.com/store/5-voices

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