Reverse The Curse

The impact of a bad manager will never leave you.

But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

What you don’t want to happen is repeating your experience.

We all say we won’t be our parents while we’re young.

Yet most of us grow up and copy them.

Why is that?

Because it’s easier to replicate what we know versus try something new.

Categorize this as “generational sin.”

Now you’re probably not related to your ex-boss, but the context sticks.

In order to reverse the curse, you need to avoid the definition of insanity.

Doing the same thing and expecting different results.

Take for instance my wife.

• As a mother to our children, she couldn’t be more opposite of the way she was raised.

• I’m not criticizing my mother-in-law, I’m just giving an example of her distinct way of parenting.

If you relate that to the workplace, most of us have only had poor examples of leadership before us.

(If you’ve encountered even ONE great leader, you’re blessed!)

But that’s not an excuse for duplicating the past.

Reversing the curse means becoming the leader you wish you had.

1. Start by identifying the character traits you want to be known for.

2. Aquire, then practice the skills to back up your claims.

3. Refine yourself through feedback, trial and error.

People don’t expect perfection.

In fact, admitting your mistakes then fixing them can be a more powerful model.

One thing that has always helped me with making changes is understanding where it begins.

Having a sense of urgency.

Waiting until tomorrow translates to it never getting done.

Urgency is part purpose, part action.

For instance, if my team tells me I don’t listen to them, I need to stop talking.

I need to listen with curiosity, ask for clarity and validate their feelings.

That may sound like a tall task, but if you genuinely care about your people you’ll work on it.

Not only does that send a strong message to your team that you’re committed, but it also gives you credibility when you ask them to make changes in the future.

Change is hard.

But that’s not a valid reason to give up.

Get to the point where you’ve had enough.

Great leaders develop great leaders.

And you can’t do that if you’re unwilling to change your ways.

It’s helpful to know what motivates you.

As an example, I love to prove myself to new clients.

From the start, I make it my mission to earn their trust and exceed expectations.

You can say I care more about proving to myself I can do it than anyone else.

Therefore I use that to my advantage.

So ask yourself, “How can I reframe my current situation to make myself better?”

The answer to that question will have you ponder less about your doubts and focus more on the solution.

Today you have a choice.

Repeat the past.

Or shape the future.

What will you do?

God Bless,

Scott

P.S. Need a place to start towards becoming a great leader? I’m glad you asked👇