(First in a series for Managers – to end this year and prepare for next year)

It is cool Saturday morning in Minneapolis. As I write this, flurries are chasing through the barren branches of our backyard maple tree and the sky is a leaden gray. The change of seasons from fall to winter, and the pending end of the year, brings about an important time in the work of anyone who manages people.

Each Fall I read Edgar Allan Poe’s narrative poem, “The Raven”. If you haven’t yet had the chance to read this, I’ll summarize for you: the narrator is missing his lost love and falls into a trap of self-pity over things that he’ll never get to change, hence ‘nevermore’. For a more in-depth review, check “HERE”.

Tom's Raven
“Raven” Tom Christiansen, 2007, cast bronze

WHAT HAPPENED?

Take a few minutes and write down twenty things about work that you wish had played out different that they did. Yes, 20. If you didn’t keep a list all year of unfortunate events (who does that?), you’ll need to push and think to complete the list. Some examples as thought starters:

1. That one time, at the offsite, when after the third cocktail you told the VP of Sales what you REALLY thought of his choice of ties.
2. What about when you came down a bit hard on a subordinate – only to later find out you had misinterpreted an email.
3. Remember firing that temp? The one that did exactly what you told him to do? And didn’t do anything more (or less)?
4. Ok, letting your best employee twist in the wind during a presentation in front of senior management – not your best moment.

You get the idea. Ok, now look at that list. Rank them and keep the top five. Feeling pretty bad? Looks like maybe you had a tough year. As “Kermit the Frog” says, “It’s not easy bein’ green.” Well my friend, it’s not easy managing people either. No one is perfect. It is more practice than perfection.

What could you learn from these unfortunate events?

LEARNER V. LEARNED

“In times of change, learners inherit the Earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” — Eric Hoffer

Put another way, if you do what you always did, you get what you always got. I am not advocating abandoning thoughts, words, or actions that work for you. I AM asking that you think a bit about the thoughts, words, or actions that created the events on your list. You cannot change what happened. You are able to learn from these mistakes and prepare yourself for an even better year to come.

Become the learner and learn from your mistakes. Acknowledge, learn, move on. I know this is easier for me to write about than for anyone to execute. If you give yourself permission to leave the past behind, you’ll be free to create a better future. Really.

And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted – nevermore!

Put away this past year. Learn from it, don’t live in the past. Be like the raven and say, “Nevermore!”

_______

Next: Performance Reviews, The Manager’s Most Important Work

Joe Raasch :: Nov.17.2007 :: Leadership, Performance Management :: 4 Comments »