Goal Sharing

A Note to Minions:

I tried something new today. Instead of waiting for a new coworker to ask me how to get involved in more leadership roles (and me half-sharing my knowledge), I introduced one to her. To my surprise, it was ecstatically received.

I used to believe that if I shared my secrets, my goals, my hopes and dreams for the future, I’d get burned. Why did I believe this? Because it was often true. I once mistakenly told I boss I really thought I’d be great at managing a program. She made my life miserable. Why? Because she feared I wanted her job.

So what changed? If a job feels tough because you’re not able to grow, or because your boss feels threatened by you, it’s okay to leave. Loyalty is a two-way street! If I had known this earlier in my life, I would have saved myself a lot of heartbreak. So I got a new job. And now I am in a place where if I share my goals and networking secrets, I don’t fear them being usurped or squashed. Instead, they grow with others’ goals and aspirations for the future. And together, our goals can grow into something bigger than any of us dreamed of alone.

My newest test is to ask myself if I feel threatened sharing goals, roles, and leadership opportunities with my coworkers or boss. If I do, I need to ask if that threat feels real because of the past, or if the workplace is truly full of people looking to take my seat the moment I stand up.

And, if the time is right, I share those ideas and opportunities with others, both lateral and above!

A Note to Supervisors:

Try beyond measure to keep the competition between your company and the world. Tension in the workplace because of the perceived scarcity of leadership roles or even general growth opportunities creates a dismal place to work. You won’t lose your position just because others are growing and expanding their horizons.