In today’s business world, everyone is trying to be someone or something. Maybe it is because of our western culture. You heard it at an early age; “what do you want to be when you grow up?” (My answer is still, I’ll tell you when I grow up). New managers need to stay the course, following the purpose for which they entered leadership.
Being that particular someone or something drives us. There is, however, a bigger question to ask ourselves. Does the position you hold at work have anything to do with the person you meant to become?
Has your vocation gotten in the way of you becoming the person you think you were supposed to be? Have you lost sight of a bigger purpose or a calling?
During the years I ran the career transition non-profit organization called Jobs Ministry Southwest, I heard so many professionals tell stories about life getting in the way of the dream they once had. People who had studied one field in school never got a job there because they got married early, had children and accepted another path because it made sense at the time. Critical needs overruled dreams and passions. Sad perhaps, but very real circumstances.
Despite the twists and turns in life, I believe you will demonstrate a basic behavior that is true to your original purpose. How do I know this? Take this small challenge.
Ask some of your closest friends and colleagues to write just three words to describe you; nothing too deep, just their basic impression of their experience knowing you. Three words.
I will not do this exercise often, but when I do, I find that it provides the following feedback:
- Reinforces the values I intend to exhibit to the world.
- Provides correction if I have deviated from my true course.
- Restores clarity when or if I have lost focus.
- May provide a surprise response about a trait or character I was not aware I had.
Time to Re-Calibrate
Getting this feedback helps me re-calibrate. I love that word. Why? Because I believe all of our effort to grow and be more in this world is a function of many, many moving parts. Occasionally a cog gets out of alignment. When that happens, our mechanism will not function at full speed and efficiency. We need re-calibration to synchronize the moving parts.
From time to time, the best realignment we can get is to refocus our purpose for being here. Clear out the distractions and return to the greater calling we once believed.
My audience is mostly business managers. Nothing can get you off center more than the demands of leadership at work. Ironically, in order to be the best possible kind of leader, you need to stay centered. Therefore, seeking ways to refocus and re-calibrate become very vital to that effort.
Here’s my closing question.
[reminder]Has your role in management become the very thing that has taken you off course? [/reminder]
Have you felt as though your duties in management have made you change? If you are sensing any such tug, you definitely need to pause a moment, seek reflection, and re-calibrate.
