A few different leaders I’ve worked with have expressed their concern about becoming “irrelevant,” either as an individual or as part of a larger organization. It used to be that senior leaders would start to feel this way after ten or so years of building a successful career, but that’s not always the case anymore. With technology progressing faster than ever and a heightened need for rapid change, it’s easy to feel like you’re not where you need to be, regardless of age. Most leaders focus on what they’re missing, a management technique or tech trend to be mastered, or something totally beyond their control. They see a hot spot of up-and-coming contenders for the next big thing in the industry and throw up their hands because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Have you looked at someone else’s success recently and felt like you’ve missed the boat?
One thing I have learned in my years working in innovation is that keeping up with the Joneses does not lead to big wins. I think the notion of irrelevance is really connected to a perceived lack of control, lack of clarity on what to do, and perceived lack of time to keep up with what’s coming at you. But what we tend not to notice is when we’ve grown complacent after one success or another and it becomes all too easy to stop learning, lose flexibility, and ultimately stop growing into our best, most unique selves. Rather than looking outward for solutions, I challenge my clients to consider how comfortable they have become in their role; if they have been resting in their expertise or lulled into complacency. That kind of stagnation is a bigger problem than finding the right crystal ball, but fortunately, it’s one you can fix.
Try these steps to shake yourself out of that complacency and start challenging the norms again:
1. Fix your head talk
It follows that keeping a pulse on your industry and rebelling against the current climate and latest developments is one strategy for success. But working on big projects understandably takes up a lot of focus, and sometimes life just happens when you’re not looking. That’s okay! Reframe what you tell yourself and focus on what’s right in front of you. Get back into a state of “beginner’s mind,” get excited about learning, and spend some time journaling. Stop worrying about what everyone else is doing and start to notice your own stagnation, then reframe your mind to think a little bigger.
2. Widen the scope
The next step is to widen your scope and think a little bigger. Where is your opposition? Find it and chase it! Take stock of the norms that have taken shape in your industry (watch out—they may have changed!) and question them to find places where you’re inclined to push back. Now, you don’t necessarily need to pick a fight to start a rebellion. The most dynamic Rebel leaders are positive, attentive to others, and can paint a compelling picture of where they are headed. Instead of criticizing, they ask, “how can we do this better?”
3. Don’t Be Afraid to Change!
Once you have loosened up and looked inward to (re)discover what makes you tick, you can return to the idea of “relevance,” in a sense, by asking where you can make the most impact in your industry. If you’ve really committed to examining yourself, your organization and your industry by doing the work in steps one and two, you may start to see some links between what you’ve got and what needs to change. The final step is to gain clarity on how these things fit together and what you can do to capitalize on that dynamic.
One more thing: stagnation is a huge drain on the magnetism you need to attract the right talent and support to keep moving toward your purpose. If you keep asking questions, you’ll keep finding people who want to help you.
You’re not alone in this new struggle to “stay relevant” by returning to a Rebel state of mind. I’ll be co-facilitating a class for innovation leaders like you. Sign up for the newsletter to learn about Transform with Purpose coming in 2022!
