A Brief Overview:
- When I accept myself as a fallible human being capable of being liked and disliked, I will be concerned but not anxious if there is a possibility that new people may dislike me. Windy Dryden, 2003
- Is being fallible a failure or masterful acceptance? What do you think?
Are you fallible?
New people, new change, new projects. The drive for being the best organisation with the best people is key for top performing organisations, and leaders.
Newness can also create a sense of urgency coupled and uncertainty.
Uncertainty how it will work out, how you’ll navigate the busyness of BAU and new, and how you’ll hire quickly enough to build the best team.
Here’s an example of how it shows up in organisations.
- Topline objective: Organisational transformation focussing on inviting employees to own their career.
- How leaders show up: Creating their own delivery on projects and activities. Yes shows up alot. Driven to look success. And be successful through delivery.
- Culture: Delivery-focussed.
Delivery. Delivery. Delivery. Delivery. Delivery.
Is there anything wrong in that?
No.
Except if the focus is delivery for self-affirmation and self-growth over self-acceptance and an integrated future.
Take a senior leader I worked with. Smart, hugely successful, very focussed, strong career, says the right thing. And he is also exhausted, always online, overly supportive, and has a separate life and career. Worried about looking fallible and disrupting his career.
The change whipping around him and he feels like he is losing control, and the lack of understanding outside of his sphere of control is consuming his time.
Does this surprise you? To be honest, it does surprise me, and I’m interested in how that is. In a corporate world that is feeling the effects of the political, financial and market changes. And of course, employees are asking for more.
If this sounds familiar, here are three things you can do, right now:
- Understand how you want your life and work to be. Do you want to be liked? Are you open that mistakes happen?
- Understand how you show up, how you think, and how you feel in each setting – at home and at work.
- Know your drivers. Money? Status? Retirement?
There are no right or wrong answers, only what is alive for you.
And if you’re a leader who coaches, and doesn’t have a coach – get one. Seriously. You cannot coach what you are not prepared to do yourself.
Do the work.
Understand how you want your future to be, and how you show up in it.
I believe in you.
Being successful reaps rewards, as long as you have the time to live and enjoy them.
