Jake and Penny

I know that we all have a clear understanding of the value of working outside of our comfort zones.  We know that growth happens when we engage in activities that aren’t familiar to us.  I even read recently that it is important as we age to challenge our brains by learning new skills. I guess that’s helpful to those of us who are getting older….

Recently, I started a part-time job on the weekends.  I’m working in a new environment, a different management style, new information, set hours.  It’s all very stressful.  I’m surprised at how stressful it really is and even more so I’m surprised at generally how unsupported I’ve felt.  Most people have shrugged it off.  They say things like “I’m sure it will all be ok after you’ve done it a few times.”  ” You are smart, it can’t be that hard.”  “Relax.”  My reaction was “gee, it sounds like you haven’t done anything like this in awhile….”

Some questions to ponder:  Can we recently identify with the stress, anxiety that’s involved with doing something new?  If we can’t, maybe it’s time to push ourselves outside of our own zone.  Are we acknowledging strongly enough the effort that it takes and the emotions that can be associated with comfort zone work?  Are we consistently giving our employees/friends/family a chance to articulate the effort that is really required? Are we really listening?

Just some thoughts from someone way outside her zone….

I spoke with a colleague last week and she recalled that we had a conversation in January of 2010 to plan the year. She realized looking back over the year that she hadn’t done all that she wanted in 2010. Ok, if I asked for a show of hands, I’m sure that most of us would be in that same boat. We make resolutions and then by Valentine’s Day we have forgotten or lost track of them.

If that sounds familiar to you, check out this site www.resolution11.org.

The idea is to resolve to do something good and to make that resolution public. Just take a look at some of the resolutions and you’ll get the idea.

I wish I could take credit for this brilliant idea! I read about it in Monica Yant’s column in the Philadelphia Inquirer. She wrote about Chaz Howard. He challenges us to create resolutions that involve serving others and to be publicly passionate about those resolutions.

There are many books on leadership. One ideology is the concept of servant leadership. It means being in service to others. It’s about getting results by placing a priority on the needs of others. Getting the idea? This is more than just being a do gooder, this is about creating leadership in a way that supports and sustains others. So think about it. In what way can you be in service to others in 2011?

Last summer, I went through an exercise where I wrote down 10 – 15 “success stories”.  That was hard to do.  We often don’t think about the times we were at our best.  The second step was that I picked my top two stories and read them to another person. That person had a list of skills and as they listened to my stories they circled the skills that they thought I had used.  Then they told me what they had circled and why.

The exercise itself was extremely powerful in the moment.  I put that piece of paper in my trusted binder and there it sat for almost an entire year.  Then for some reason, I needed the binder and found the piece of paper.  I realized that the skills that I most associated with success weren’t the skills I was using on a daily basis!  That obviously is  source of dissatisfaction!  Those stories were times that I was satisfied (or more than satisfied) with my work.  So I’ve started to think about how I can pull in more of those skills into my daily work. Where will it lead?  Who knows.

So what are your success stories?  What skills did you use? Are you using those skills now?  If not, how can you incorporate them?