These days, there’s one word that seems to sum up most of the business leaders I talk with: STUCK. After more than 18-months of economic downturn, a difficult 2009, and the low-hanging fruit of recession living already picked, many leaders are out of clean ideas and action-steps, and quickly settling into a fog of waiting and indecision.

If you’re in a similar situation, put Seth Kahan’s six steps to work and start looking for your next big breakthrough today!

Step One: Get your scope right. Identify the area you will address. This will determine what is relevant and what is not as you move forward, untangling inter-dependent relationships.

Step Two: Identify your Most Valuable Players. Now you are looking at the group that is relevant to the logjam. Who needs to be in the room to find and initiate a real solution? This is your guest list.

Step Three: Conduct the Interviews to Map the Territory. Contact people and construct a Reconnaissance Report which chronicles what you learn. Capture high-value statements and include them without attribution. You want people paying more attention to the content than who said what.  Note: Keep in mind that because you are operating on a logjam, initial contact begins the process directing peoples’ attention toward the obstacle. Movement will begin immediately. There is a tendency to view this as preparation. In truth, the operation has begun with the first conversation.

Step Four: Set up the Breakthrough Session for Success. All bets ride on the outcome of the face-to-face event. Do everything in your power beforehand to ensure it is successful.  Pour your heart and effort into establishing the conditions for success.

Step Five: Participate fully in the Breakthrough Session. Each step of the way, do everything you can do to press for results. This requires focused attention to the group’s process. Your job is to ensure that the group takes up the challenge and deals with the issues as effectively as possible with a common intention to find the most productive way forward.

Step Six: Be ready to provide support in follow-up. When the breakthrough occurs, it will require support to be carried out. Be ready to jump in and lend it where needed. Follow-up is where the action takes place and requires everything you've got to see your breakthrough move from the initial freeing of energy into successful execution.

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