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Most people start their working lives excited, a little scared blended with confidence and a whole lot of willingness to learn. New employees are often bursting with ideas, passion and enthusiasm at the seams. Somehow, moving up the corporate ladder for many leaders means letting go of passion and becoming more of a worker zombie.
Worker zombies can be hard to spot: successful, in charge perhaps, and masters of the routine: what to wear, how to speak, what to drive, effective networking, what a leader is supposed to be/do/look like. Passion bursting at the seams has turned to acceptance of work to do and people to manage. People need inspired leaders to really excel – Here are three steps to determine where you fall on the zombie to inspired leader continuum.
Here are three places to start:
1) Get in touch with what it’s like to work with and for you. Of course you can get things done but what’s the experience of being your colleague? What about a person on your team? Lastly, someone you may not think much about, the new hire that sees you mostly at large meetings or on calls? Find a way to ASK them. You can do this any number of ways: Leadership 360, talk to your trusted advisors at work at ask them for the real deal if you think that they’re not afraid to say it, start an anonymous box and ask for people to put in three words that describe you. Get the word out that you’re committed to hearing the real deal.
2) During each one on one with your direct reports, (you have those regularly, don’t you?), ask them to help you to stretch – get them to come prepared with a STOP / START / CONTINUE for you on at least a scheduled quarterly or bi-annual basis. You don’t need to discuss them in detail or put them on the spot with challenging or defending. Thank them for the feedback and really take the time to reflect outside of the meeting. If you’d like to discuss further to better understand their feedback, set up another short meeting focused on the START/STOP/CONTINUE. The one on one meeting should remain focused on the other individual and their needs and growth.
3) Make a list of the three words that in your opinion best describe you today and the three words (or phrases) that you ideally want to best describe you. Are all three the same? Where is the overlap, the difference? It’s just as important to know how others see you as it is for you be willing to take a hard look and really know yourself.
Now you will be able to see:
- How others see/experience you
- Places you should focus START/STOP/CONTINUE behaviors
- How you see yourself and how you want to been seen
Through this process you also demonstrate to others who you are as a leader:
- Willing to listen
- Open to receiving feedback and taking action
- Committed to leadership excellence
- Appreciative of two-way communication
What you do with the information is just as important as knowing how others experience you. Make a choice and take it to heart – the world has enough corporate zombies.
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Source by Alli Polin
