Working on something new can be scary, especially when there is a steep learning curve and you know little about the assignment you’re about to embark upon. As a leader in your organization one of the most important things you can do is to develop your people by putting them in new situations where they can be stretched.  Good leaders inspire confidence in others when they provide new opportunities to learn, share their experiences, and provide the necessary resources that create outcomes for success.

This thought immediately brings me to reflect on the beginning of my career in Human Resources (HR) where I had gone from being employed in the temporary staffing field to my first experience working in government. I had been working as a major accounts manager for one of the largest unionized global shipping and logistics companies in the world. Here I had gained lots of experience managing a contingent workforce of 1,200 throughout various Southern California locations.

In my new role supporting several large government departments, my HR team and I we were tasked with providing day-to-day support (i.e. recruitment and selection, classification and compensation, training, and employee relations) strategic direction (i.e. training, workforce development, succession planning, trend and data analysis), and innovation (computerized testing, online hiring, and on-demand reporting).

My HR Director was a what I would liken to a mad scientist who was also an introvert by nature. He was a brilliant leader who constantly strived for excellence and higher attainment of what the organization could be; which meant that he was always whittling away quietly on his next brainchild. He quietly practiced the art of carving out new HR programs and services out of the raw materials that occupied his time and thoughts, while repeatedly challenging the status quo and his staff to be their best. In staff meetings he would roll out his latest ideas for service delivery and I would think “How am I going to introduce this new idea to the departments that I am supporting and elicit their support for this to be implemented in their organization?” 

The Assistant HR Director is still one of the smartest women I have ever had the pleasure to work with. She put ideas into action. Because of her intelligence and warmth, she had instant credibility and the respect of everyone in the organization. She could comfortably sit at a table with department heads and elected officials and steal the focus with just a few words because she brought meaningful discussions that were always on point. If an idea needed to be vetted out there was no one better. Time after time I saw her contributions accepted and eventually embraced. She was a master at building relationships.

As I continued my career in government over the next decade, working in various roles and managing professional HR teams, I was frequently placed in unfamiliar situations working on projects and topics I knew little about. I can honestly say it took four years before I had fully made the shift from working in the private sector to government. It took time before I felt comfortable managing in this landscape. Working in a profession where the laws change every year, in a highly regulated industry, in a matrix organization that had multiple unions was a never-ending challenge. The high expectations placed upon me by the organization along with my desire to learn and grow as a professional kept me going, even though there were many days that I felt like “firing myself.” First and foremost, I had to tell myself that I could do what I was being asked, and then it was my responsibility to figure out what this looked like and how to do it with competence. Although I had failures along the way I’m so glad I didn’t throw in the towel because I couldn’t have dreamed of where I’d be today. It’s now 20 years later…and I’m still going.

Here are 4 Tips To Increase Successful Outcomes

• Talk to people that you admire. Networking can be scary, especially when you don’t know the other person. Introduce yourself and be honest and open about why you are taking the other person’s time. I cannot tell you how many times I thought I had absolutely nothing in common with another person until we spoke. It was only by being sincere and being willing to ask questions about another person’s experiences did I learn that we often have more in common than we could have ever imagined. Remember, you only know what you know and that’s okay. The more you talk to other people the more you learn and broaden your perspective of your world.
• Add more resources to your toolbox. In today’s world we have few excuses for not becoming a sought-after resource in our work or personal lives. The internet gives instant access to information on most any topic of interest. Joining professional associations or groups of like interested (notice I didn’t say like-minded) individuals, allows you to learn about trends and access important resources. Surround yourself with diverse perspectives of people from varying backgrounds. Nobody values being away from the office for a lengthy period of time, but conferences do provide a great opportunity to learn something new or more about a specific topic, and also to network with others.
• Lifelong learning. Do it! If a degree is necessary in your chosen profession, then work toward attaining it. There are grants, scholarships and student loans to help you and payments do not begin until six months after your graduate. What if you’re unemployed? There are government programs for loan forgiveness or to defer payments to help you out until you land a job. If you are fortunate to work for an employer that helps pay for your education, then what are you waiting for? In my organization only people with degrees were getting hired in my department. Heading into the 2008 recession I wanted to make sure that I was going to be able to stay employed, no matter where I was working. I didn’t get my degree until I was 45 years old. Always invest in yourself through continuing education programs, workshops, and training opportunities. And above all, always embrace new situations as opportunities!
• Take time to reflect. As you progress in your job or career, seek feedback regularly. Not from everyone but rather from individuals you know have a vested interest in your success or from those you respect and see getting promoted. Practice what you learn and take the time to reflect on how you would have done things differently for the next time. Invite team members to provide input to identify lessons learned on shared tasks. Are you working on something that you have to do every month, quarterly, or annually? Make a list and design a plan to increase your efficiency, productivity, or positive outcomes (Stephen Covey calls this Habit #2: Begin with the end in mind). Don’t forget to innovate and automate. Finally, always learn from your mistakes and follow through on your commitments to others. If you’re honest with yourself, you can usually spot mistakes you’ve made. Mentally “Fire Yourself” and then pledge to do better next time but don’t beat yourself up. Recognizing failure in yourself can be empowering. And as human beings we do have blind spots in some areas, where we don’t recognize our flaws. Honestly seeking feedback from a trusted source can help you understand how others “see” you.

Remember, we are all a work in progress. Trial and error are but one way we learn new skills.  Seek feedback, ask for forgiveness and acknowledge out loud if you failed in a new assignment. On occasion, I have told a coworker or my boss that I fired myself today. This type of reflection can be empowering and lead to better performance in the future.  Work toward positive outcomes but stop being so hard on yourself! Failing does not mean you are a failure but rather that you are in learning mode. So, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and look to your future best self.

When was the last time you fired yourself? What advice would you share with other women?

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