As we move through the ranks of an organization, from newbie to more seniority and into leadership, expectations grow with our responsibility. The higher we go, the more we are relied upon to make choices, take chances, and solve larger and more complex problems.
That growth usually comes with positive feedback about our abilities. Reassurance that we can solve what’s ahead. That we have what we need to do the job, or know how to figure it out.
This can be a heady combination. We receive feedback that we’re good at what we do, and the increased responsibility to keep doing more challenging things. It’s a virtuous cycle.
Until it isn’t.
There can come a day when our abilities do not match up with the problems we are facing. Most likely, we’ve met someone who has been promoted one step – or several – past their ability level. How did that happen?
While there may be many reasons, there are two cautions I would offer to every leader (or anyone for that matter) to help ensure you continue to progress without getting ahead of your skis and tumbling down the mountain head first.
Don’t drink your own kool-aid
Drinking your own kool-aid means believing whatever image you’re presenting to the world. As leaders, we often come across as knowledgable, highly capable, and confident. Like we have all the answers.
News flash…we don’t. All of us are making things up as we go. We leverage experience, input from experts, data, and maybe our gut, but there is no fool-proof roadmap to handle everything thrown at us each day. We are human and we need to remember and embrace that. And let others see it.
So, don’t drink the kool-aid…don’t create and then buy into some sort of image of yourself as something more than human. Because human will catch up with each of us. Every time.
Stop playing old tapes
Playing old tapes means, don’t get caught up on past performance. The great things that got you here won’t get to you to the next step. Alternatively, the things that held you back before may not be holding you back now.
Past fears, rejection, challenges, or bad performance reviews can get caught in a loop in our heads. Hold us back from growth or moving forward.
Messages about how great we are at something may also prevent us from growth. There are always new developments across industries. What we were good at yesterday may be average today and unnecessary tomorrow. Don’t listen to old tapes – no resting on our laurels or allowing negative self-talk to submarine us.
Success often breeds success. We have a win, which builds confidence, which allows us to accomplish the next wins.
Find the balance
The opposite is also true. When we struggle, it may give us a crisis of confidence, causing us to struggle more.
It’s important to realize that one success (or many) does not make us infallible. One failure is an opportunity to learn, not a path to ruin. Balancing perspectives and realizing we are human, not superhuman, is key to long-term success.
There are no guarantees in work or life. As leaders, we tend to push ourselves. If we are talented, others are likely to push us as well. Rather than getting swept along in progression, it’s important to keep our heads about us.
Putting performance and feedback in perspective, and retaining our humility, are sure-fire ways to ensure we do not find ourselves well beyond our ability to build amazing teams and deliver successful outcomes.
