I’ve been talking recently with someone who holds a very strong sense of personal responsibility. Normally that can be a very good thing. It means they’re careful about their decisions, and they’re unlikely to blame others for bad outcomes.
But in this person’s case, the burden has become so strong that it sometimes turns into a liability. The desire to avoid mistakes turns into a compulsive need for certainty, and unknowns get in the way of taking action.
Becoming a manager doesn’t give you an innate ability to predict the future consequences of your current decisions. You probably know that. But here’s something that’s easy to forget. Nobody else has that ability, either.
Sure, there are times that it’s helpful to get other people’s opinions and perspectives. But it’s inaccurate to believe that your peers know the answer to your conundrum and only you have trouble figuring out what to do next.
Part of growing as a leader is having the courage to make a decision while knowing that it might not work. It’s also having the humility to honestly evaluate the outcome of your decisions and learn lessons for next time.
Like most things in a successful career, the key is finding balance or harmony between the competing ideals of personal responsibility and embracing uncertainty. If you’d like a thinking partner to explore the details of your situation, let’s talk. Visit stevedwire.com/talk to start the conversation.
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