As human beings, it can be easy to think negatively about many aspects of our work and life. Whether it is about yourself, your company, a specific product or service or your profession, we need to change our mindset to focus on the possibilities of a situation instead of fixating on the negative. That mindset shift will determine how successful you will be and, ultimately, how successful your firm will be.
Identify the source of discomfort
Once confronted with a situation you view with uncertainty or dissatisfaction, stop to think about why you aren’t excited about it. What initial thoughts or beliefs make this situation uncomfortable? Maybe your firm would like to launch a new service, but you don’t feel your firm has enough resources to make it successful. Perhaps you were recently promoted but think you lack specific skills necessary for the job. Whatever the situation, why is it bringing that feeling of uneasiness along with it?
Look for favorable outcomes
Next, think through some favorable outcomes to this situation. Let’s illustrate how this works using the examples above.
Launch of a new service
Your firm has decided to launch a new service, and the profession is developing more ways to automate certain services. Your initial reaction may be fear that you don’t have the skills necessary to deliver the new services or your job will be eliminated. But if you think through some favorable outcomes, you’ll realize that automation means you will have more time to focus on the new service and provide more value to your clients. Higher level value for your clients will increase the length of time they stay with you and your firm due to the increase in that trusted relationship.
Promotion
You received a promotion and worry you don’t have what it takes to succeed. But remind yourself that you were promoted for a reason. Think about how you will be able to help continue making your firm successful with the skills you have. Remind yourself that with just a little training or mentoring, you will increase your skill set and benefit your firm’s overall success.
Take action to support new beliefs
Now that you are thinking about the possibilities this situation will bring to you and your firm, come up with some actions that you can take to support these new beliefs. Determine how your firm can fast-track the automation of services to create the capacity to focus on the new service. Help develop education plans so everyone on your team understands the new service and will be ready to discuss it with clients when it launches. With your latest promotion, determine which skills you need to elevate and reach out to your mentors to help develop them. If you need to attend specific trainings, figure out when those will be happening and discuss with your supervisor. Having these on your radar will increase your confidence and give you something to look forward to.
As you can see in the above examples, your mindset will go from dissatisfaction and frustration to seeing the possibilities and acting on them. Your ability to succeed starts in your mind and depends on how open you are to considering the possibilities. When you look at a situation and see only the obstacles and pitfalls, you fail to recognize the options that can help you achieve your goals. The more possibilities you see in any situation, the more successful that situation will become for you, your firm and ultimately your clients.
As the Solutions Manager for Boomer Consulting, Inc., Deanna works to help clients and prospective clients identify their dangers, opportunities and strengths. Once these are identified, she works to develop a personalized game plan for their firm to focus on the area, or areas, they need to improve on most. These areas are critical to a firm’s success and future-readiness; Leadership, Talent, Technology, Process and Growth.