On the first day of a new role…we’re excited!
Something new, something fresh, something worth getting up in the morning for.
This is the usual feeling when we arrive in a new place with newfound joy and excitement of a new place! Everything is great as we enter the parking lot and make our way inside. The break room seems big. The work team…awesome. The processes are efficient. Then the equipment is top-notch! And isn’t the smell just so so so good?
This is what a fruit day often feels like! And even after a few weeks or months, it remains.
Then one day…something interesting happens.
The drive to work becomes frustrating. The walk inside is now tiring, and exhausting. The break room is smaller now. The work team is no longer awesome. And the process is now so incredibly inefficient! The equipment has lost its flare and never seems to work.
The reality is that over time, most team members start at a high level and eventually hit rock bottom. The culture dismantles the big hopes and dreams we had and team members fall into their tribes, pick sides, and disconnect from each other. The brave ones leave to find a new place while the others stay behind and let the environment break down.
So, what’s the deal here? How long has it taken for you to realize this is going on?
Sadly, It’s the reality for so many of us as we try to find a place to belong, feel heard, and valued, and make a difference in the world. Honestly, I’m thankful I started down the path of knowing my leadership voice and starting to sort out my world after years and years of figuring it out without guidance. I started to see how much I contribute to this downfall on my teams, and how I can start to impact the team for the better.
It all starts with knowing yourself and leading yourself in the right direction. Every time the team struggles… that's where we come in. We remove barriers and build bridges. Not for pay, or promotion, just because that’s what leaders do.
If your day 1 vs day ??? doesn’t look good, It’s time we start doing something about it.
Plain and simple.
Because that’s what leaders do.