Are you frustrated with the relationship between you and your boss?
Have you been interviewing for a new position but can’t land one?
Does it seem like no one ever listens to your suggestions?
Do you just want to scream out: “I have no control in my career!”
You may be able to relate to some of these “out of control” scenarios and feel that changing the roadblock is impossible. Yet all of these challenges are quite common for most of us at one point or another during our careers. Those of us who ignore the reality of what’s going on can end up with physical ailments like headaches or muscle stress. Not addressing our lack of control can also impact how we perform in our jobs. So instead of digging our head in the sand and waiting for the challenge to blow over, strong leaders face it directly.
Here are some impactful strategies to take back control in our leadership:
TAKE ACTION
When we are stuck in an imperfect or demoralizing situation, leaders know that taking action is critical. The steps forward may be small at first but leaders don’t allow the quick sand to deter them. In a recent podcast I address ways to empower ourselves to propel forward.
[Tweet “Leaders take action when they feel they have lost control.”]
LOOK AT THE ROADBLOCK HONESTLY
Sometimes we are our own worst enemy and overly critical of what may be happening to us at work. At other times we fail to admit to ourselves the truth of what and why things are going wrong. Just be honest with yourself.
- Create a list of pros and cons of the situation
- Talk to a trusted colleague or friend about how they see the problem
- Try not to dwell on the negatives and do not make yourself a victim
- Analyze the factors that are contributing to your frustrations
KEEP AN OPEN PERSPECTIVE
The key to coming up with solutions is to allow yourself to stay as open as possible to your obstacles. One young leader I worked with felt his ideas were not being heard. He was a bit introverted and had a difficult time speaking up in department meetings. So we decided to have him inform whoever was running the meeting that he wanted to be on the agenda. He wrote out ahead of time what he wanted to share and even practiced it a bit. By being prepared he was able to share his opinions and ideas in a more organized way. The information actually just fell out of his mouth. For some of us, extra preparation can empower our speaking up.
CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE VIEWS
If you are eager to change jobs or careers and haven’t had a lot of success with interviewing, then maybe considering different work situations would be helpful. So what if your dream job needs to take a few enrichment steps.
- Find a mentor to run by additional job choices in your field
- Ask to shadow someone in another area of your firm
- Join a professional organization and attend an event
- Whatever you do, don’t wait for headhunters to knock on your door
[Tweet “Leaders consider alternative solutions when they feel out of control.”]
What have you done when your leadership is spinning out of control?
(Image Credit: Pixabay)
Great advice, Terri! For me, “keep an open perspective” really hit home. There have been many times when I felt I really needed to stop the momentum or change the outcome when, in reality, what I needed to do was prepare myself for the inevitable and not fight it. Instead, I needed to adapt and adopt. That didn’t mean I quit…that would make me feel like a victim. But, if I was flexible in my thinking I could see it from a different perspective. Sometimes that takes more courage than staying the course…
I love your point about the need to sometimes “adapt and adopt” when we feel our leadership is not where it should be. Remaining authentic to the leader we are while keeping an open mind and perspective will always get us to where we want to be. For some of us that may mean adjusting our focus or audience. Others may want to reevaluate the products or services they are committed to. And yes, sometimes it can take more courage and risk to alter the direction we are moving than continuing on the same road.
Thanks LaRae!
Most people I know, myself included, have felt like things are spinning out of control. The one that resonates most with me is one you mentioned under keeping an open perspective – preparation. Thinking through what you want to communicate, writing it down or even practicing helps you stay on track even during intimidating situations. Recently, I worked with someone who was feeling beat on by others on the team. Instead of going to the leadership with that “general feeling” they wrote down specifics, picked out the strongest examples, and even when the heat got turned up in the meeting, they were able to stay on track, advocate for themselves and instigate much-needed change.
Will share! Relevant to so many!
Alli
What a difficult time for your client. When we feel that others aren’t listening to us and even may belittle us we need to think of alternative ways to share our ideas and suggestions. It sounded like you helped the individual find a workable solution which empowered him to speak up. And sometimes coaches or mentors are just what we need to help us regain our footing.
Thanks Alli for sharing your helpful story with us!