Looking back, I sometimes wonder if my reputation as “the one who gets shit done” was a disservice to my corporate career. When I was climbing the corporate ladder, it seemed that my professional brand relied on people seeing that I made things happen. I was the one who moved products forward. Created revenue streams. Managed people and processes and budgets in an exemplary way and on deadline.
Now, with that corporate career in my rearview mirror, I wonder if that was the smartest way to sell myself and my abilities. I wonder if being someone who jumped in and made things go ultimately hindered my opportunities.
One reason I’m thinking that: I identify with Running Rodney. He’s a character in the new book “Think: The Road Less Traveled” by Tammy K. Rogers and Scott Burgmeyer. The authors describe Running Rodney as the guy who’s barely done hearing a request before he’s racing off to execute it. No discussion. No questions. Just … zoom. The guy who gets things done.
Except that Rodney doesn’t realize he’s not adding any real thought to his execution. He’s so focused on taking action, on checking things off his to-do list, that he doesn’t stop to analyze, clarify objectives, or define what success looks like.
In my haste to look smart and accomplished, I suspect that I acted like Running Rodney too often. Why would I ask questions? That would just slow down the process—or make me look stupid. But now with the lessons from “Think” in mind, I’m seeing that part of me in a new way. I’m recognizing that being a doer may have limited my career growth.
Which leads me to reason number two I’m reconsidering my past actions: When you’re doing, you’re not leading. I really thought I could do both. Be a good leader and be a hands-on executor. Sometimes I even thought that I needed to be able to DO the work before I could lead others who were doing that work.
But thinking this way only took me so far in my career. Eventually I started to see other people get promoted past me. And in retrospect I wonder if my “she gets things done” brand kept me mired in doer roles.
Today, in my current role as a coach and facilitator, I’ve learned new habits. I’ve learned the power that comes from asking questions. I’ve learned the wisdom that comes from more listening and less jumping to conclusions. I’ve learned to trust others to find their way instead of feeling like I needed to jump to the front of the line and declare, “THIS is the way!”
Maybe this season of my life allows me to be more subtle in my career moves. I have less to prove, so I’m more ready to slow down, to listen, to think before I jump in. It’s helped me retire my Running Rodney T-shirt and put on my thinking cap.