If you were a fly on the wall listening to a room full of your colleagues who were asked to give their opinions of you, what do you think they would say?
After they discussed your work ethic, your ability to meet deadlines, how well you managed your direct reports and whether you had enough expertise, what else would they say about you?
BE HONEST.
What are you worried they might say about you?
What would be hard for you to hear?
Would you be proud of your behaviors and actions?
And if you knew that your colleagues were going to have this discussion about you, would you have shown up any differently?
I’m posing these questions because we rarely think about our work performance in this context.
Most people focus on DOING their job – successfully completing tasks and projects and cultivating and leveraging their expertise.
Fewer people focus on how they are BEING at work.
Let me explain the difference: DOING reflects the actions you are taking and your reactions to various situations, but BEING focuses on how you are showing up in the present moment.
Our way of BEING is the underlying driver of our behavior and communication, which is what shapes the results we achieve and the overall quality of our existence.
Shifting the way you show up at work, or your BEING, can create a new space from which you can lead and operate. It frees you up to think differently and be more positive and resourceful.
Here’s the rub though – most of us don’t get much feedback on how we’re BEING at work.
That’s because it’s a squishy subject – it’s not factual or all that objective – and it requires people to sometimes have difficult and uncomfortable conversations.
Telling someone that their behavior, mannerisms and communication needs work can feel insulting and like a personal attack.
So people often shy away from giving this type of tough feedback.
It’s easier for your boss to give you vague reasons why you aren’t getting promoted this year ➡️ “I just think you need a bit more time in the role” or “Try and be more like Amy – see how she’s operating at the next level”.
It’s harder for your boss to be real with you ➡️ “You don’t look the part of a VP; your clothes are frumpy and your hair is a mess” or “You’re unapproachable and people on the team are afraid of you”.
Consequently, you can’t ONLY rely on others to give you feedback on how you’re BEING at work.
YOU have to get real with yourself and do the introspective work to think about how you’re showing up and where you can improve.
My 7 Day Boot Camp helps you do just that. I designed each of the 7 days to focus on a specific strategy, behavior or mindset that badass professional women employ to show up visibly, confidently and empowered so that they get results with greater ease.
If you’re DOING most of the right stuff, but things just aren’t totally gelling, you probably need to take a look at how you’re BEING.
My boot camp helps you quickly identify the old contexts and habits that are prohibiting you from BEING your best self at work.
Once you’re able to get real about what’s not working, you can start to show up differently and more powerfully.
Don’t wait another day. Now is the time to take back control of your story and the way you show up in your career.
Originally published at www.mosaicgrowth.com