Positioning to S.C.O.R.E in Unpredictable Moments - in Conversation with James Rosseau
Leaders often use knowledge, skills, and experiences at a level of unconscious competence to deliver results. During times of uncertainty, high risk, and diminished control, leaders are forced to kick into action. In such moments, combining developed instincts with an intentional approach is crucial to improve the probability of positive outcomes.
We are in conversation with James Rosseau, a solutions-oriented, purpose-driven steward, who recently authored a playbook for leaders titled Positioning to S.C.O.R.E. in Unpredictable Moments. This guide for leaders consists of five sequential essentials to help managers prepare for certain situations. James is innately a change agent for human potential, and his natural communication skills allow him to empower others to be and do their best. Through this playbook, James has used his own personal and professional experiences to formulate replicable techniques and mechanisms that can be used by other leaders.
James, tell us more about S.C.O.R.E.? What led you to create this guide, what is its relevance, who should be reading it, and how did you go about formulating it?
“I want to illustrate the significance (good or bad) associated with change, or unpredictable moments, with the example of sportsmen. Top-tier athletes who have excelled in their field operate in a state of unconscious competence. They undergo the flow of years of practice and experience, making their sport a second nature to them. The same concept applies to leaders as well — we exercise a degree of unconscious competence in the use of our knowledge, skills, and experiences to deliver outstanding results within our context. Aiding the use of unconscious competence is the consistency of conditions. To be certain, whether, in sports or business, nothing remains absolutely the same. There are a significant number of things that hold true and are predictable that we are unconsciously dependent on.
“Coming back to our sports example, players shift from unconscious to conscious competence when faced with challenges or environments that eclipse their regularly scheduled program. Such change can affect their ability to score and overcome that requires intentionality. In such situations, they readily work with their head coach and assistant coaches, leveraging their playbooks to merge finely tuned instincts with developed plans to craft an approach to SCORE at that moment.
“When placed in unpredictable, risky situations that seem out of control (such as the COVID-19 pandemic) leaders are expected to come forward in a way like never before. Having been in such a situation during 9/11, and now with the pandemic, has allowed me to understand that operating differently and with conscious competence is absolutely crucial.
“Positioning to S.C.O.R.E. in Unpredictable Moment covers the five underlying steps that leaders can refer to during unpredictable times, allowing them to combine developed instincts with an intentional approach to improve the probability of positive outcomes.”
Thank you so much for sharing, James.
After interviewing James about his guidebook for leaders, we were interested in each one of the five underlying steps that he spoke of. To dive deeper into each one, we decided to publish a series of five stories. Stay tuned.
