The Power of Progress: A Proactive Leadership Approach
At a point in the year when we are evaluating our goals and accomplishments so far, understanding how progress works can be important. We are almost always too hard on ourselves when we begin to assess how we are progressing. It is easy to look past small accomplishments, hand-wave away changes that seem trivial, and scoffing at the idea that new habits have been formed. If we have not achieved the final outcome, we often fail to give ourselves credit for what actually has changed. I was listening to the All It Takes is a Goal podcast, hosted by Jon Acuff, and he said this: "progress is found, it never presents itself.” That really connected with me, and I think it will with others too. We have to take credit for the work we’ve done. Progress, while not the destination, does matter.
Pushing forward, even in the face of adversity, is a role leaders will constantly encounter. Being proactive and seeing the possibilities on the other side of any challenge is what the best leaders do. Let's break down the idea of progress, what it means, the power of it, and acknowledge the hard work it takes to take steps along the way, and ultimately achieve our desired outcomes.
Of all the things that can boost inner work life, the most important is making progress in meaningful work. 1
The myth of progress
We tend to live or work in a culture that only sees ‘done’. Even when a manager asks, “how’s that project coming,” we interpret that as checking on whether we are going to meet a deadline and not really asking for a discussion. That mindset can make the importance of progress seem like a myth. In a Harvard Business Review article, The Power of Small Wins, the authors point out how critical progress really is. In fact, making progress on meaningful projects is one of, if not the most essential motivating factors for workers.
Proactive progress search
Knowing that our culture may recognize and even emphasize ‘done’ as critical, individuals, and more importantly leaders, must go looking for progress. From the example above, instead of asking how the project is coming along, and implying a date related answer is desired, make it about what is really happening so far. A simple change in the question to, “tell me about the progress you’ve made so far on that project,” can elicit a very different conversation and motivational outcome. This gives the leader the opportunity to create a progress win, versus a focus on done.
Celebrate the wins along the way
Culture is defined by the actions and behaviors who exist in the environment. A leader that continually acknowledges and discusses progress, even small steps forward, can build a place that feels safe to share updates and minor milestones. If the focus is always on when things will be done, or only recognizing completed projects, the energy from progress will be muted.
Progress is a team event
The energy that comes from making progress can infuse life into everyone on the team. This is even true when you have more individual contributors, they will see what progress looks like and the celebration that comes from it. Better still, as a leader, those individual successes can be connected to the benefit of the entirety of the team, allowing everyone to see how they can continue to something bigger than themselves. A middle of the road sales person breaking through into a new level can give energy to everyone. Those behind can see what success looks like, those ahead can see that they have more help in achieving the higher level goals of the store or business. As a leader, look for ways to show the connections between small, individual wins and the big picture.
Embracing change
Progress implies change. Using these small steps to create momentum is a great way to also positively reinforce the ability to make meaningful changes along the way. Change is hard. And many changes are long-term in nature. If you only identify and reward at major milestones or the finish line, you likely will never make it. People need to see that change is possible, and progress is an excellent way to illustrate that.
As leaders, we often have to find the wins to champion with the team. It can be all too simple to be myopically concentrating on results, and when they are not good, frustration sets in. Changes are though, the slowdown didn’t happen overnight or for only one reason. This, adjusting will only come with time and effort as well. There are no silver bullets in our retail world.
Additionally, leaders must strike the right balance between progress and reaching the desired end result. Progress is not a destination. The goals and expectations must be clear and understood. Progress is the journey along the way and not a substitute. But, as I mentioned above, without recognizing the work it takes to move forward, you will never reach that next level you seek.
Don’t let progress hide from you, or remain as something that is not celebrated. It is a powerful motivation tool for you individually as well as for your team. Leverage it effectively to maximize the opportunities at hand.
How will you ensure that progress is highlighted and not remaining in the unspoken shadows?
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Photo by Volodymyr Hryshchenko on Unsplash