Spring has sprung. The trees and flowers are beginning to bloom. The snow in most parts of the northern states has melted away, and now it is full steam ahead before the summer vacation cycle begins. This time of year is typically when people emerge from winter household activities and begin freshening up the exterior and, sometimes, the interior of their homes. As we grew up, our families enlisted our help with one project or another. From washing windows to raking the debris from the garden beds or that first cutting of the lawn, it was all hands-on deck. As business leaders, we can take a few lessons from this seasonal action to improve both our businesses and, more importantly, ourselves.
As leaders, we are constantly in a forward-moving mode. Doing and in many cases repeating the same actions of the prior cycle in order to get to the identified objectives for a given timeframe. We repeat, and repeat, and repeat the routines that, during the prior cycle, appeared to deliver on the objectives we were striving for. As the old saying goes, if it isn’t broken, then don’t fix it. That might have been true in the past, but being in repeat mode day by day, month by month, and even year after year causes stagnation to set in and slow your progress as a leader.
Times are not even close to what they were in the past, and each year the obstacles seem new, different, and significantly larger than the challenges of the prior cycle. Expectations grow, timeframes condense, talent dynamics stir the pot, and the list goes on in number and many directions. When we continue to rely only on what worked in the past, we limit ourselves from opening new ways and paths to complete the success journey.
When an individual goes fishing, they plan their trip and, hopefully, consider bringing various lures and baits to attract and land the big fish. They may start with one lure for a period of time, and if it is unsuccessful, they use their knowledge and understanding to switch to a different approach, a different lure or bait. They don’t stick with the original offering for the entire fishing expedition. Eventually, they get the right combination and have a successful fishing trip. Upon planning their next trip, they take the time to clean out their tackle box and upgrade some of their lures based on other fishermen’s input. This exercise is like spring cleaning for the fisherman. They clean out what isn’t working and bring in new options to succeed.
As leaders in your organization, you need to be spring cleaning your own tools, talents, and skills to keep upgrading them so you can be the best at your contribution role. This is simpler when your last outing, project, or deliverable was not up to expectations. We start analyzing what we need to improve upon to get better. The challenge is that when everything appears to be going smoothly, and we get comfortable with ourselves, we can let the big growth opportunity or the fish get away.
This week, do some spring cleaning of yourself. Take the time to review your talents, tools, and skills, and ask yourself the tough questions about whether any of these capabilities need to be set aside for new or improved ones. The capabilities that enabled you to get to where you are, are likely not the same as those you need to improve in the future. If you hold on so tightly to past skills, you block the opportunity to grow new skills. One of the biggest hurdles for leaders is being overly dependent on what worked in the past at a lower contribution level and expecting it to work at a higher level of contribution. Sometimes we need to wash the past clean and let the future shine through.
Looking to team up with a Promise Guide to enable you to contribute at a new, higher level of success? Give JKL Associates a call at MI (313) 527-7945 or FL (407) 984-7246.
Journey On!
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Celebrating 30 years of Delivering on “Promises”
