Stand Out Without Standing Alone
Fitting in makes you insignificant. But what if you stand out in disruptive ways. Misaligned standouts irritate teams. A brilliant idiot pulls the rope three different ways at once.
7 ways to stand out without standing alone:
- Define and align with objectives. Describe the purpose of meetings? Explain desired goals and results? Describe deliverables. The purpose of this project is …. The specific deliverables are…
- Set goals and objectives together when possible. Consider organizational culture. Taking risks in a play-it-safe culture wastes energy.
- Test alignment by inviting team members to explain the purpose of projects in their own words. Ask team members what they’d like to get out of the meeting, for example.
- Define success before offering suggestions. “I think this idea will help us achieve our objective because….
- When someone seems off target, ask, what are you trying to accomplish?
- Protect success with boundaries. Ask yourself if your action or idea moves projects forward or sideways.
- Ask yourself if you’re missing something when others feel disruptive. Sometimes an irritating person is right.
Alignment:
Stand out and be useful. Misaligned talent is wasted. Misaligned people drain, distract, and disrupt. Don’t be a brilliant idiot. Ask yourself…
- How am I helping?
- What if I’m pulling in a distracting direction?
- Do teammates and leaders feel my support?
Sometimes you stand alone when you stand out. Be prepared for the consequences.
Have you seen a gifted disruptive person? What was the result?
Sometimes you’re innovative. Other times you’re wasting energy. What do you do when you feel out of step with people around you?
Still curious:
How to Maximize Your Success by Aligning Behaviors with Intentions
The Effects of Poor Team Alignment
