How to Handle Big Moments
In a couple hours I will lead our publishing board for the first time.
This is a big deal to me. In the room will be two VPs, two marketing directors, folks from publicity and sales. My peers, my colleagues. People for whom I could not have more respect, and people whose respect I desire.
It is in moments like these that chances for self-sabotage run high. You know these moments. The big job interview. That meeting with an important client. The sales presentation. The talk you're giving at the conference.
Self-sabotage comes in different shapes and sizes, but you know it when you see it. Somebody tries too hard or they don’t try at all. They are awkwardly flamboyant or trip all over themselves. We’ve all been there; we know how awful it is.
Two things give me confidence in this moment.
One is knowing that all the people in the room will want me to succeed. Regardless of any feelings to the contrary, it does them no good to see me fail.
The other confidence builder is knowing that I have only two real objectives for this meeting. If these two things happen, I will consider the meeting a success.
The first is I want to communicate that I’m honored to be in this role. I want them to know that I am a living, breathing human being, and I have good intentions to grow our business. I want them to know that I value their voices, and I want to hear from them; I want them to know this is their team as much as it is mine.
The second is to obtain a realistic sales projection for the books I’m recommending.
That’s it. If these two things happen, the meeting will have been a success.
The problem we have with big moments is we become overwhelmed with their perceived enormity. But the reality is that no matter what we’re facing, big moments usually require only a little bit from us. A little of our best. That’s all.
I don’t know about you, but the people I admire most are not those who put in sixty-hour work weeks and send me emails at 2:00 in the morning. These people have my pity and compassion, not my admiration. The people I admire are those who are productive because they know where to spend their time and energy. They know where to say no so that they can say yes to what matters.
Handling big moments is about saying no to things that ultimately do not matter (sounding impressive, earning accolades, etc.) in service to things that do (serving others, giving gifts, making art, etc.).
This is a big deal to me. In the room will be two VPs, two marketing directors, folks from publicity and sales. My peers, my colleagues. People for whom I could not have more respect, and people whose respect I desire.
It is in moments like these that chances for self-sabotage run high. You know these moments. The big job interview. That meeting with an important client. The sales presentation. The talk you're giving at the conference.
Self-sabotage comes in different shapes and sizes, but you know it when you see it. Somebody tries too hard or they don’t try at all. They are awkwardly flamboyant or trip all over themselves. We’ve all been there; we know how awful it is.
Two things give me confidence in this moment.
One is knowing that all the people in the room will want me to succeed. Regardless of any feelings to the contrary, it does them no good to see me fail.
The other confidence builder is knowing that I have only two real objectives for this meeting. If these two things happen, I will consider the meeting a success.
The first is I want to communicate that I’m honored to be in this role. I want them to know that I am a living, breathing human being, and I have good intentions to grow our business. I want them to know that I value their voices, and I want to hear from them; I want them to know this is their team as much as it is mine.
The second is to obtain a realistic sales projection for the books I’m recommending.
That’s it. If these two things happen, the meeting will have been a success.
The problem we have with big moments is we become overwhelmed with their perceived enormity. But the reality is that no matter what we’re facing, big moments usually require only a little bit from us. A little of our best. That’s all.
I don’t know about you, but the people I admire most are not those who put in sixty-hour work weeks and send me emails at 2:00 in the morning. These people have my pity and compassion, not my admiration. The people I admire are those who are productive because they know where to spend their time and energy. They know where to say no so that they can say yes to what matters.
Handling big moments is about saying no to things that ultimately do not matter (sounding impressive, earning accolades, etc.) in service to things that do (serving others, giving gifts, making art, etc.).
posted by ChadRAllen @ 5:14 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home