A Push!

Emerging Leaders need encouragement that their ideas are worth pursuing: A push! They need a push to create greatness for themselves and their teams. Emerging leaders have ideas – lots of them.  Imagine the positive energy, forward-motion and action that we could harness… that comes from cultivating and encouraging the sharing of ideas.

A Common Story: A Push Down

Nothing was ever good enough. She worked hard, put in extra hours, was well liked and followed protocol. And she withstood criticism… lots of it.

At the start of her Communications degree, as an Assistant Photo Editor in a Publishing Firm, she finally felt that she was where she belonged. But instead of a push forward, she was being pushed down.

The Photo Editor felt that the work was perhaps too good and maybe someone else might notice. “Why are you using Times New Roman font instead of Arial?” he would say, “I was specific in my instructions. I will be the one who completes and delivers your performance review and so far, I am not impressed.”

For choosing the wrong font on a fax delivered to photo agencies (this was before email became the norm)! Nonsense!

The feedback was very specific and immediate; these are included in the best practices of delivering feedback. The rest was an insecure reaction to an emerging leader in the making. Instead of focusing on all the amazing tasks she completed, the focus was on himself and the risk of losing his position.

Pause

Today organizations are hiring more and more emerging leaders who are ready to impact, make a difference and add energy, ideas, and insight to the world of work.

What is your organization doing to cultivate, grow, and harvest these insights?

A Redo: A Push Up

“What do you think of the process of faxing Photo Agencies, Sonia?” he asked, “I’d like to hear your ideas.”

“You’ve been working hard and the images coming in are great. Keep up the good work.”

“I’d like you to join our meeting this afternoon to discuss the future of the department. Feel free to share your ideas. I believe in you.”

How would these words have impacted this young new Assistant Photo Editor? Where would this Publishing Company be now, if her ideas for improving the work process were acknowledged? Still in-business instead of out-of-business?

Even the smallest acknowledgement allows the opportunity for greatness to emerge! For ideas to propel an organization to the next level. Organizations need new critical-ways of thinking – a push UP was all she needed to take the organization forward.

Stay or Go?

Instead, she left that department and forged a space for herself in the New Media Publishing Division where her hard work, dedication, and ideas were listened to and encouraged. The right leadership gave her the push up!

What is the leadership in your organization doing to encourage Emerging Leaders to feel like they are part of something GREAT? Like they too can impact the growth of the organization… even in the smallest way.

The risk?

If Emerging Leaders (of all ages) do not see value in what they bring and are not acknowledged for their efforts, they will go make some other organization great.

A similar story to tell? I welcome and respond to comments below.

Share your Readiness with the WORLD: submit a self-portrait holding a sign that reads “I am Ready to <fill in the blank>” and be recognized (you could win a valuable toolkit for emerging leaders)!

The “I am Ready” Campaign is waiting for you to emerge…

At Harvest Performance, we use the power of authentic feedback to help Leaders Cultivate Trust & Collaboration. How do you cultivate trust & collaboration to positively impact those around you?

Sonia Di Maulo (B.A., M.A.) ― founder, feedback enthusiast, speaker, performance improvement professional and creator of award-winning programs ― is passionate about helping leaders cultivate trust and collaboration. Her proven 3+1 feedback strategy harvests passion and boosts individual and team performance.