5 Rules You Need to Break
We learn early on in life the rules we need to follow to stay safe, be liked and to get ahead.
But many of the rules we learned growing up as little girls and young women were not designed to develop courageous leadership. Many of us were taught to be good girls, to play nice and work hard. These rules work well in the early years but, as you progress in your career and take on more of a leadership role, some of these rules will most certainly hold you back.
So, here are my top 5 rules to break.
1. Saying yes all of the time.
Saying NO creates the space to say YES to the perfect opportunities that come your way.
In the beginning of your career, success is about saying yes to pretty much everything. But you cannot continue to say yes… you will end up burnt out or in a job you no longer love.
There comes a time when you must focus your time and energy on the activities and tasks that will allow you to step up to the next level of leadership.
2. Waiting for permission.
Most of us have been taught to follow instructions, stick to the plan we are given and to act like good girls. This rule was definitely made to be broken.
Make the decision today to stop waiting for an invitation to lead. Go out and be seen for the leader you truly are. Make decisions, take action and lead from the front.
3. Needing the entire plan before you begin.
Decide today to set a goal and take action. Do not wait to know every step for now. Do not wait until your plan is perfect to get started. It’s only once you take the first step that the plan will unfold before you. And the beautiful thing is, the richest opportunities are hidden within the unexpected twists and turns that come after you get into momentum.
4. Not sharing what you think.
Speak up and share your opinion and your ideas. Sitting silently through meetings will not serve you well. How can you be of influence or have an impact if you do not share your brilliance?
Stop being afraid that not everyone will like what you say. You are not a leader if you are not sharing your thoughts and saying what you think.
5. Fixing your weaknesses while ignoring your strengths.
Throughout our early years there is a focus on fixing our weakness. For me that meant plenty of feedback and extra classes to overcome my struggles with spelling. (Clearly it didn’t work given this continues to be a major challenge!)
Now is the time to switch your focus to your strengths and align your career with the type of work that comes easily to you and that you do best.
Focusing on your strengths will bring way more joy, job satisfaction and allow you to achieve the results you are truly capable of.
Which of these rules do you need to break today? Don’t wait for permission. Just do it!
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