Tom (Dick, or Harry) has a problem. He’s in way over his head. Competent, well educated, articulate, he’s scared of the slippery slope that lies ahead. He could veer off the path, but he’s chosen to stay the course. And he’s relieved it will soon be over. They’re going to fire him, he just knows it.
Realistic fear? Realistic, no, not remotely. Fear, yes, absolutely. I’ll leave the psychological evaluations to those who specialize in that, and work with the career side of the equation.
This individual is surprisingly typical of many talented employees. He masks his fear and no one knows he’s in trouble. He looks calm, cool, and externally collected. Internally, he’s a mess. He’s not sleeping and fixated on worry, thinks of little else. His ultimate concern isn’t job loss; it’s what lies at the bottom of the slope: it’s the box under the bridge. And he’s living in it.
If you’re one of the competent, intelligent, emotionally healthy and otherwise self aware employees who get yourselves in such a tangle, I have some suggestions for you:
Get real: It may be typical of you to underestimate your talents and abilities. You probably focus on what you don’t do well and ignore where you excel. Own your best stuff. Outline your strengths, describe your attributes and don’t stick a “yea, but” in there.
Delegate: One of your challenges is forcing yourself to “give it away.” You’re convinced that no one else can do it (whatever it is) as well, or as quickly, or as expertly, as you. Critical error. The more work you keep, the more you do. Yes, you did handle it all earlier in your career. Since then you’ve been promoted to positions of increasing responsibility and visibility. You’ve taken on more direct reports and more authority. And you’ve not let go of what your subordinates should be doing. That’s too much for one person to handle. Even you.
Team leadership: Your job as a leader/manager is to help guide your organization toward meeting and exceeding its goals. You have two primary objectives:
- To provide your subordinates the appropriate training, development, empowerment and opportunity to become interdependent, reliable, accountable team players. It’s their job to overcome obstacles, anticipate the unexpected, and accept responsibility for consequences that result from their actions. Give them room to do it.
- To be part of a leadership team that designs and communicates a compelling strategic vision that enables employees to take the action steps necessary to make it happen.
Get organized: Organize what is yours to do, not what others should be doing. If you are procrastinator, avoiding issues that are looming large, it’s essential that you engage, immediately. If you are spending the time you have on low priority projects that are more appropriate for others to complete, break the cycle. Delegate.
Take stock: How’s your health? When’s the last time you went for a check-up? If it’s been more than a year, make an appointment. It’s not that anything’s wrong with you, it just helps to minimize concerns that nibble around the edges, and your physician’s office is a healthy place to start.
Regular vacations are essential to your well being: High performance engines require quality maintenance. Why do less for yourself than you would do for your car or lawnmower? Take sufficient time away from work, phones, computers, email, and trade papers to recalibrate your body clock to sleep restfully until you wake. Recalibrate your mental models so that you can read, play, and celebrate for the joy of it.
Get out of your head: If you’re unable to focus, at home or at work, and feel overwhelmed, it’s time to get help from a professional. Sometimes all it takes is talking with someone who is both objective and empathetic. Other times it takes more and it takes longer. Be open to the process that works best for you. You’re worth it.
