As we head into a season focused around giving thanks, I had something so small but so incredible happened the other day, I had to share.
First, I’ll premise with this: All jobs seem to come with some form of anxiety, pressure, or challenges. For me, some of that pressure is built on how I view my performance, and the expectations I have for myself and my team.
Back to the story – I recently met with another Redoxer to get feedback on a project I was trying to complete. And, after making some changes that altered the direction of the content, I realized he had validated some worries I had, but just hadn’t figured out how to tweak to get the project to the quality that I wanted.
I had to say something:
“In all vulnerability —
This is some of the first feedback I was ever given in my career, and I feel like I’ve carried it with me — but I feel like sometimes I work on things too quickly to be thorough and thoughtful about what I’m producing.”
He paused and asked, “May I reframe that?”
“You have the deepest sense of integrity when it comes to completing the things you have committed to, no matter the volume or value of the task. I see that as one of your secret superpowers – you have the capacity to know the details of every single customer you have ever met, and you know every task you and your team has at hand.
You hold things together and you know when things need to be done. You’re a hammer, not a screwdriver – and you SHOULDN’T focus on perfection for every task that needs to be done. If someone, or your team, needs you to dig in and get an ounce more precise, that’s okay – that might be their secret superpower.”
Whoa.
And just like that, my coworker-turned-life-coach 🙂 helped me reverse a self-imposed negative I’ve held about myself during my whole career.
I’ve worried that my soft skills – and not my analytical skills- are my strong point, and I’ve worried I don’t seem on my game if I give my “first draft” answer to something when I’m strapped for time. I’ve worried I might be insufficient as a leader when I don’t know things immediately, or innately.
I’m so glad I admitted an insecurity and could be vulnerable – and am grateful for the folks in my life & here at Redox who help me lead with authenticity that allows that vulnerability.
Healthcare—whether in tech or on the frontlines, is a field where we deal with these pressures every day. Dealing with patients, and their data, means that we should seek to bring the best of who we are to every aspect of our work.
This Thanksgiving I am grateful for so many things. It’s been a weird year, to say the least, but I’m starting to learn that bringing out the best comes from self-reflection and improvement that is not plagued by internal criticism. And I’m thankful to live and work in such environments where the journey of my growth is not only honored but encouraged.
Wishing self-learnings and love, pie and gentleness for you all this holiday season.