Another gem from the mind of Seth Godin: The opportunity to be wrong
Applying these thoughts to management and the typical work day…
Early in my career, I had roles that were very scripted. I was a 19-year-old retail manager that held ‘plan-o-grams’ or pictures showing me what the retail shelves should look like to the single-item group.
Doing that for a few years left me wanting more.
I went to college and studied business management and in each class, the reality set in that managing a business and leading people was all about communication, planning, practical and effective processes, and problem-solving.
My first role out of college was working for a large non-profit, specifically as the Family and Community Partnerships Manager. Essentially my entire job consisted of being creative in how we as a program engaged with the families and community in helping both sides connect and mutual problem-solving. Also, how we recorded, tracked, and measured these efforts to show our results.
I was not handed a script for the day-to-day. I was given a mandated set of standards, but I had a great leader who demanded results and gave me space to do it my way. I made some huge mistakes, namely in communication and how I approached my teams, but she connected with me when she had to, supported me with the staff, and coached me up vs breaking me down.
That experience of having a leader giving me space, or the opportunity to be wrong, set my career on a trajectory of being a pretty good problem solver, strategic thinker, leader of people, and overall someone that cares about each person and where they are coming from. Thanks Tracy!
I like giving my people space to fail, grow, and surprise me with their brain power..
You should too…
Jason A. Belt 