3 simple steps to take when you need to press the reset button
As the world emerges from the haze of Covid (I charitably say emerge, some would say we are still in the thick of it) there is a sense of ‘new year energy’ that I have been noticing. Specifically, I am hearing a lot from individuals and organisations and teams that they are in need of a professional reset.
I use the term ‘reset’ as a catch all term for situations where there is a need to inject energy, regain clarity, connect with purpose or feel intentional in taking action towards a desired state beyond the status quo.
The sorts of circumstances that might warrant a reset include:
A significant increase or change in professional expectations or responsibilities.
Significant change in the makeup of a team or work group.
Setting your sights on a new opportunity, goal or promotion.
Receiving constructive (or not so constructive) feedback that must be addressed.
A feeling that you are not achieving what is expected by you or of you.
A lack of fulfilment from the work you are doing.
Feeling like you are just in a rut.
The good news is, there are some specific things we can do to kickstart change and press the RESET button. Here are 3 very simple steps to get you on your way, using our transition framework:
1. Start with an Inside-Out approach
The first thing to do in these cases is a little reflection. To do this you will need some time and space to think – something we often don’t give ourselves the opportunity to do. When we support our clients during a Transition Day we often use a psychometric or other leadership assessment tool to help this reflective process.
A quicker alternative is to ask yourself a few questions:
What are my strengths?
What is working well in this scenario?
What are my derailing tendencies? The unhelpful ways that I react when I am under stress or when I am bored. (For example, I may micromanage, or I may become indecisive and overly reliant on permission from my boss to take action, or I may be overly critical of others)
What is important to you generally? What are your values? What brings you a sense of meaning generally?
What is important specifically in this context? What do you want to do, feel or be known for in this ‘new world’?
What beliefs do you need to hold about yourself and this scenario to make a positive change?
2. Then get the Outside-In view
Once you have reflected on your inner view of the situation, it is important to validate by looking at yourself in the context of your stakeholders and your environment. There are 2 key steps to do this.
Firstly, you need to get aligned with your leader or the stakeholder who is most significantly involved in this situation. How would they define success in your endeavour? Are there specific outcomes that they would want to see in 3 months, 6 months or 12 months time? Do you agree with these items? The action here is to have the conversation and ask, making sure that you end up with a clear direction that you are working towards. We facilitate these conversations in our Transition Days, but you can have these conversations independently also.
Secondly, make sure you are gathering feedback from relevant stakeholders. You may have an internal tool that you can use to ask for feedback, or you may want to set up a series of coffee conversations. Focus on learning what is important to the stakeholder, what they see you are doing well, and what ideas they have about how you could meet their needs or expectations even better.
If you aren’t able to speak to your stakeholders directly (and I strongly suggest that you do) then hypothesise. What do you think they would say? Ask a trusted colleague to help you hypothesise if you think you will go too easy on yourself. Don’t forget that asking what they think is going well is just as important as asking what you could do better – most people avoid that part!
3. Take Action!
Once you have these perspectives, you are ready to create a plan of attack. There are 3 key things to bear in mind when building your plan.
The first and most significant tip is to take an action orientation. When you are making a reset, it isn’t enough to think about it, or talk about it. In fact this should really be point 1. Focus on taking action, even small actions will create forward momentum.
Secondly, and in a related vein, is to have an attitude of experimentation. Take action, review the results you get, and then alter your plan if required. Regular review and refinement of your plan will get you there faster.
Thirdly, don’t forget to factor your support network into your plan. Who can help you achieve these outcomes? Who has done it before who can help you with a short cut? Who can be your accountability buddy?
These 3 tips will bring you results if you need to press the RESET button. If you’d like support along the way, our Transition Day programme will take you through all these steps with an expert coach giving you 1:1 feedback, offering perspective and ensuring you leave with a clear and aligned action plan.
Find out more about Transition Days here, or book a call to discuss your professional reset.
