I wish I could sing – no, let me clarify that – I wish I could sing really well. Fact is, I can’t. Now, mind you, I have sung (on various stages) and continue to sing (much to the chagrin of my friends), but I know that I am not good at it. What’s motivational about admitting this? Well, I know that I have three choices:
- I can brood that my parents didn’t give me the “singing” gene or blame them for not giving me lessons.
- I can accept that I can’t sing, but indulge a love of music by keeping my i-Pod© filled with great music
- I can take a lesson to take what little ability I have and make it better for my own satisfaction.
Think about it! This is a great way to frame the things we aren’t good at.
The first choice is do nothing but complain about it – a favorite among the less motivated.
The second is to celebrate the talents of others and appreciate those who possess a gift we admire. Not a bad choice and one that brings some life-giving pleasure.
The third is the most active choice – still acknowledging you might never be Pavarotti or Beyonce, but moving you to take what you’ve got to make it the best you can be.
Isn’t the same true in leadership? You may be disorganized: papers everywhere, no intelligent filing system, missed appointments because you can’t find your datebook, and your keys and wallet are in a permanent lost state.
- You can complain that “you’re just not an organized person!”
- You can rely on others to organize you.
- You can exercise your self-discipline and learn the techniques of organization yourself.
There’s one difference between the singing example above and the leadership example. Unless you’re planning on a career in performance, the singing inherently only affects YOU. The leadership example is different in that your lack of organization can negatively impact others. You may not have the luxury of only complaining if you really want to be effective.
So, admitting you’re not good at something can be great! Once you admit it and accept it – you’re free to decide how to move forward.