It is often said with bravado: “Been there – done that.” Meant to signify a blend of competence and confidence, the words inform people that one has already experienced the daunting burden or task by which others are challenged.
Today, however, a “been there – done that” attitude increasingly signals that one is unaware – or unwilling to accept – the disruptive changes that have occurred in every workplace (and which are only accelerating). In this environment, being certain that you know the answers or the way forward is the curse of the non-collaborative leader – and slows the team as they follow an outdated map.
If you need to innovate (or do business through a pandemic) no one has been where we are today. And no one has done what we will need to do to succeed tomorrow.
Speed, simplicity and agility are the domains of those dedicated to acquiring knowledge they do not yet possess. These are the teammates who hold as their lantern a confidence not lit by past achievements – but a burn that is fueled by discovery. These are the colleagues who submit themselves to a compulsory tension…and step into the uncertainty and disorder.
Today, it is the experience of knowing how to learn, act with courage, persevere and inspire which your team craves. Will you show them?
