People often do their best work when they build on what for them is solid ground. They work less well when they are on dangerous ground. Let’s explore these themes.
Solid Ground
Looking at your own work, when do you feel on solid ground? You may be running a mentoring session, dealing with a certain kind of crisis, leading a team, playing a sport or doing another activity.
Different people feel comfortable in different situations. One person may feel comfortable dealing with complex technical problems, one when treating patients in an intensive care unit, one when performing on stage.
Different people also feel more at ease in certain kinds of cultures. One person expressed this in the following way.
“I have always felt at ease working with entrepreneurs and pioneers. I am less good working with people in old style institutions.
“During my youth I travelled around the world, beginning by doing voluntary work. After a while I got used to living off my wits. This helped when I stumbled upon some of the first dot.com businesses.
“Although I knew little about the field, I had learned a lot about decision making and the consequences. Soon I found myself acting as a listening ear to people who were running these businesses. After a while this turned into a full time role.
“Over the next decade I tried to learn everything I could about decision making. I did not have the money to study at business schools, but I did manage to meet many leaders in the field.
“Now I make my living helping people to make decisions. That might sound scary. But I am actually quite comfortable going into situations where the decision making has wide implications.”
Let’s to return to where you feel on solid ground. You may feel at ease because you know your subject area, know your audience and know their specific goals. Certainly you will be happy to stretch yourself, but you feel confident of being able to succeed.
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to do the following things.
First, describe the specific situations where you feel on solid ground. Second, describe the specific reasons why you feel on solid ground in these situations.
Dangerous Ground
When do you feel on dangerous ground? You may feel uncomfortable working with certain kinds of people or where your values may not fit the culture.
People can develop by stretching themselves, of course, but one point is worth underlining. They need to be in a situation where they stand a chance of achieving success.
Great workers often focus on certain specialist areas where they can become experts. They also work with the kinds of people with whom they work best.
Trying to change their offering to reach a different audience can become dangerous ground. It can be important to reach different kinds of people, but not at the expense of diluting their top talent.
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. Bearing in mind your chosen activity, describe the following things.
Solid Ground And Dangerous
Ground In The Future
Looking to the future, how can you keep building on your solid ground? How can you avoid or deal with any potential dangerous ground?
If you must go there, how can you prepare properly? How can you be professional and manage potentially difficult moments?
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.
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