Bring your Best Solo Performance Everyday: Gravity

I did not love the movie Gravity.  It was too slow and too unadventurous to keep my attention. But, I did learn many tips for dealing with stressful situations at work as I watched Sandra Bullock’s solo performance.

 

Yes, the operative word is solo.  Teams and teamwork are invaluable at work.  At my company, we succeed when we function as a team. But, the truth is, no matter how many people are on our team or how many teams we are part of, we are individuals. Our individual solo performances rolls up to the team success.

Working on a team is a rewarding experience.  Your teammates can support, encourage and share the task burdens with you.  There are some who abuse the team and contribute as little as possible knowing the other team members will cover them.  However, in any work environment, the team will only disguise an individual’s poor performance for so long.   Some individuals are never satisfied with the contributions of their teammates and believe that they can do it better with autonomy.  Both of these practices will, at one time or another, bring focus to you… the individual… the solo performance. 

Isaac Newton defined gravity as a force. So, buckle up space travelers. Here are a few lessons learned from a movie that reminds us that we are all individuals and there will be a time when we will be challenged alone. You are a powerful force.   

Be resourceful and face your challenges. Triumph over adversity despite overwhelming odds. We all must navigate the universe of our jobs our own way… our own journey.  Even with the comfort of our teams -- the journey exists within every individual. Have you noticed that the more adversity an individual must overcome, the more powerful their core sense of self confidence is? When you are struggling at work and need advice or direction, find the person who faces challenges…not the one who has everything easily handed to them.

 

Find your comfort anchor. Change can be extremely uncomfortable. Learning how to live with being uncomfortable can be an important predictor of success. Use your past experience as a springboard, but not a dead end. Use your past experience, but be open to change.  I sometimes hear people in business say “we won’t live in the past”.  Oh… I agree – don’t live in it… but never forget it. The past is your learning experience. Without it, our anchor is weak.  When challenged, it is essential that you utilize the lessons learned from past initiative and even former positions.  But also, be flexible when it’s necessary. Rely on your past experience, but don’t let it hold you back.

Trust your talent. You were hired to do this job. Your boss and your company trust you to do the job. So trust yourself. Do you ever notice that when you stop fighting so hard all the things you've been pushing so hard for finally fall into your lap?  This is one of those old wives tales, one of the rules of the universe, but it's true. That’s gravity. Know when to let go and what you are reaching for may fall from the sky like Newton’s apple.

 

Never give up: There is always another plan or another idea that you can try. If you think you’re out of options, think harder.

 

Houston, I have a problem –but I will figure it out.