Today’s guest post is by Sharon Gilmour-Glover.
When it comes to business results, we’re pretty good at looking at the good and the bad.
In fact, we’re experts when it comes to looking at the bad.
Often, we only focus on bad business results because we mistakenly believe that focusing on our weaknesses and what’s not working is the best way to achieve success.
Actually, decades of research by the Gallup organization make it very clear that focusing on our strengths and good business results contributes to success way more than focusing on our failures.
Despite this data, North Americans are loath to accept this and the vast majority of people (eight out of 10) remain doing work that levers their weaknesses driving lack luster results.
Put another way, we’re more comfortable dealing with the bad than the good.
This begs the question, if we’re not comfortable really embracing and learning from the good, how on earth are we ever going to embrace and learn from the gorgeous?
The Fear of Fabulous
Just what are gorgeous business results, you ask? They are results that are so darn fabulous, you have trouble believing you actually achieved them. Gorgeous business results take you way beyond your previous best, often beyond your wildest dreams.
If we embrace them, they can transform our business and everyone who works in it, especially us. If we are unable to embrace them, then we return to status quo and put a lid on those dreams that were triggered by those results.
Worst case scenario? We begin a downward spiral of self and business destruction. Think Hollywood star en route to rehab.
I realize that might seem like a stretch but actually, it’s a strong analogy. Becoming a star is a gorgeous business result for actors. Most actors don’t become stars. Most feel lucky if they’re able to make their living doing what they love.
So when they end up on a hit show or in a monster movie, they are achieving beyond their wildest dreams – big money, acceptance on a huge level, adoration, and intense attention.
And while on the outside, we think we’re telling them how fantastic they are, how beautiful and smart and wonderful, we’ve all heard enough stories to know the ones who struggle become crippled by doubt and lack of self-worth.
They self-destruct and get themselves back to a place that’s more comfortable. They generate bad results, or maybe good results, because those results are more comfortable.
I’m Not Worthy!
Here’s why this happens to actors and in business. We all have a level of performance we’re most comfortable with. At Jump-Point, we think of it as a track we run on to generate results. We call it the performance track. We’re comfortable and can deal with results that fall on our performance track or to either side of it.
But when we get results that are either so bad or so gorgeous, they throw us way off our performance track, we panic. And here’s the weird thing; gorgeous results or transformational business results, can generate more panic than the really bad ones because they can connect us with those deeply hidden beliefs that tell us we’re not good and worthy enough.
Embrace the Gorgeous
Transformational change is never easy. We never know when a gorgeous business result is going to trigger it. So here’s my suggestion: Prepare in advance by embracing your good business results. Learn to celebrate small successes. Take time to reflect on what the team and each individual did to contribute to the success.
Be less modest and embrace your greatness. Offer your strengths as gifts to the world. Then when you get a gorgeous business result, you will be much more prepared to hang on and enjoy the ride.
Sharon Gilmour-Glover is a managing partner at Jump-Point and the educator behind Clarity for the Boss, helping people become aware of, unlock, and express their full potential. Connect with Sharon on Twitter, LinkedIn, or at the Clarity for the Boss blog.