Question: Are You a Spectator or Are You Taking Action?
I was watching a YouTube video recently, and it made me think about the message that was being shared. Are you a spectator, or are you jumping into action? It was an interesting question, and how it came up in the video was easy to relate to and see how that question could come up in almost any environment. It is easy to be a spectator. As a spectator, the only thing you have to do is watch. You can then judge, react, shout, or cheer, none of which really has any impact on the outcome. Why? Because you are a spectator. When you're watching a sporting event or something else for fun, that is perfectly okay, in fact, it's what’s expected. No one thinks that by watching a football game you’re going to gain the knowledge you need to be a player the next week.
That luxury does not apply to leadership. The best leaders are investigating how to engage. There is a time and place for spectating, but even in that sense it is for putting it into action. No different from me watching that video, then choosing to act on what I saw. I use that to challenge my thinking, evaluate how I might be able to engage better. And, in this case, act by sharing the information and ideas from that concept with my team and with you.
In our everyday roles, it can be easy to get caught up in watching what is happening and not moving to action. It can feel burdensome to jump in. And, arguably, there are times and places to allow things to play out or expect others to lean in first. But there will be the time to fully engage and act on what you know what you’ve seen, or what you’re hearing.
In the video example, I found it interesting that the discussion came from a chat session while people were watching a live webinar training. Presumably they had signed up to learn these marketing tips, yet chose to engage in a chat discussing whether the training was live or recorded. The point made here was, why does that matter? Is the information good? Are you taking anything away from what is being shared? How often have any of us been in a meeting or on a conference call and the real discussion ends up being about how that thing being shared is not possible or ‘he doesn’t live in the real world’ instead of trying to understand the concepts that are being shared. It can be easy to be sucked into finding reasons not to act on the available information because it feels different, seems hard, or you don’t think it applies to you. That is spectating.
Here are five quick things you can do to ensure you do not get caught up in being a spectator, instead of someone who will take action.
Listen for the purpose of learning. Assume you have something to learn and that you do not already have all the answers.
Be open to new ideas. Even if they seem a little far-fetched or unlikely in the current circumstances, could you try them and see how it works for you?
Write down the next step you could take with the new information and when you’ll do it in the next two days. Time flies, we’ve all been there when we suddenly realize a week has passed. When you hear something you want to try, write it down along with a specific action you’ll take within the next two days.
Share the idea with someone else and plan together. This can be a great way to create some additional accountability (tell someone you’re going to take the action) as well as to build on it. I always find great value in sharing an idea and then having further discussion about it. It almost always uncovers new avenues to pursue from the initial idea itself.
Just do it. Do not try to overthink or perfect the idea before you get started. That is an easy excuse to suddenly become a spectator when you thought you would take action. You begin to think about it, attempt to build on it, before you’ve even started. How many times have you heard someone say they want to start exercising, but they haven’t bought the right shoes or right clothes. You could just take a walk with what you have right now. Apply that to your store, your district, your region, whatever and just go. Get started. You can get the right other things along the way. Action is always available and waiting to happen.
Spectators come, they watch, they judge, they leave. That’s entertainment. Leaders come, engage, put ideas into action, integrate, improve, develop, and repeat. Be open to new ideas and then be ready to put them into action. That is what will move you forward and lead to sustainable success.
Do you get caught up in the details, or take action, real action, on the outcome you are seeking?
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Photo by Ekansh Saxena on Unsplash