Today’s quick thought is about ownership.
We’re getting ready to do some training with one of our clients for their annual retreat. We facilitate annual retreats regularly, and this will be our second year with this particular group.
Last year, we worked through the DISC with them. We were able to discover that the team has a ‘high S’ style but increasingly the needs of the job are requiring them to exhibit ‘D’ characteristics. Their leader is very smart, capable, self-aware - and she is also a very high D.
We met recently to plan out this year’s training, and she updated us that last year’s training had stuck with them: they were using the vocabulary, understanding one another better, and many employees were learning to adapt.
But there were places where some employees were using the DISC to justify their own behaviors no matter what, and to push back on their leader and organization. They had been given the tools to adapt and improve, but they weren’t taking ownership.
Our development belongs to us: no one else. Others can give us money to invest, consultants can give you tools and information to discover and apply, but ultimately growth lies with us. We are responsible for our development.
The nature of work is changing: challenges are more complex than ever, competition is more fierce. Successful companies are reacting to this change by decentralizing, breaking down communication silos, and pushing decision making out through the organization. This makes them more agile, more knowledgeable, and more responsive - all necessary attributes in a volatile, changing environment.
Taking ownership of your own development and decision making will be crucial in every job going forward. No tool or assessment gives you license to hide behind ‘your style.’
So start today. Take ownership of those areas of your life where you need to change. We have the tools, resources, and expertise to help you get there - connect with us today.
And that’s your Tuesday Quick Thought.