This is the time of the year when people make resolutions, but instead of making a list that you might never keep, try using my list and breaking (at least) a few of these unspoken rules in 2007. Feeling list happy? Share your own resolutions in the comments area.
Stay tuned for 10 Rules that I’d like to see companies break in 2007.
Labels mean something because others say they do.
Do you find yourself not speaking up in your organization because of someone’s title? Perhaps, you feel intimidated by someone labeled as an expert. You may think your silence protects you from people questioning your knowledge or abilities. How can someone accuse you of knowing less than he thinks you should know if you say nothing? Finding your voice takes practice and, yes, you might make a few missteps along the way, but having someone disagree with you is still better than having people wonder if you bring any value to the table.
Leadership is a ten-letter word to avoid accountability.
Leadership begins with you. Reaching a certain level within an organization isn’t an excuse for delegating responsibility for a leadership role, and it certainly doesn’t preclude anyone from accepting ownership for his or her actions and behaviors. Modeling healthy team dynamics and personal responsibility goes beyond a title. Leaders choose to stretch beyond their own comfort zones and then accept accountability for the risks they do decide to take.
Innovative thinking is only for creative types.
Innovation is a differentiator but only by mindset. The field isn’t level if you believe it’s only for certain “types”. What actions can you take to level the innovation playing field? Would changing your inner landscape by upgrading your current skills or a better use of your existing tools be the answer? Perhaps, a change of scenery in 2007 is the answer via a new position or cultural environment.
How you treat others has little to do with success.
How you treat people says more about you than you think. Are you aware that some companies purposely set up interviews in the “field” to get a sense of how you treat people serving you? Looking for a new job? You never know who’s in that long coffee bar line with you, standing behind you at the airport ticket counter, or sitting at the adjacent restaurant table. Think back to a time when you worked for a less than desirable manager. Were you willing to go the extra mile for him or her? Your behavior affects the bottom line in business and your career.
Your manager and the company are responsible for your career.
Complacency is so passé. Employment partnerships go beyond showing up for a paycheck. Taking an active role in your career development through continuous learning and honing of your skills is the new ownership model. You communicate your expectations and needs with employers and managers and not wait for someone to do it for you. The New Professional keeps an eye on the bottom line—their “elevator pitch” includes three ways they bring value to their companies.
Boundaries get in the way of breaking the mold.
I refer to boundaries not in the context of limits, but that of choices and consequences. Negotiating expectations with others is a healthy form of boundary setting. It allows you to take care of yourself in situations where lines are blurred and you risk giving too much of yourself or the business away. Limits, on the other hand, are those you create yourself as a comfort zone or those others convince you to accept—”But we’ve always done it this way!”
Ethics only apply to executives.
It’s time to get upfront and personal with your philosophy. What is your ethical blueprint? Corporate governance applies as much to the general workforce as it does to company executives and senior management. Increasingly recruitment and talent management will focus on ethical business models. Professionals will align with companies whose values are worth scaling the wall. Discovering gaps between your values and those of the company you keep will trigger a need to influence change or a departure.
Someone’s word means nothing unless it’s in writing.
When was the last time someone trusted you? Credibility is about giving your word and having it mean something. Continuous improvement on meeting your commitments to others is a powerful way to build a credible reputation. Going to miss a deadline? Hiccups along the way don’t make you less trustworthy. A credible person commits to the “no surprise rule” that lets others know a change is coming (but not the day of the deadline).
If you discover a problem, find someone to blame.
When I worked at
Intel Corporation, one of the company values was assuming ownership
for a problem. It didn’t mean I had to fix every problem that came my
way (unless I owned it), but when I saw a problem, I owned finding the
person responsible for fixing it. This isn’t an easy thing to commit to
when your plate is already full to overflowing, however it was a value
that rang true for me then and one I still try to model today. The
blame game only divides people, distracts from solving the real
issue, and dilutes creative problem solving.
Do the right thing if the price is right.
Would you know what the “right thing” looks and feels like for you? Closely entwined with our core values, it can become more difficult to recognize and model when money is involved. The right thing for you often looks quite different for someone else. How do you go about speaking up, reconciling the differences, or knowing when it’s time to walk away?
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