Tory Kinson

Have you ever had a bad day or hit a slump? Patience is essential during change initiatives. Not everyone is running at the same speed and not everyone embraces change quickly. Many will, but for those “resisters” be patient with yourself and with them. Over time the culture will do the rest. If they continue to reject the change then they will likely self select out. If they are slower to adopt focus on small and easy wins. The low lying fruits. Help them envision what Monday morning will look like 6 months from now and do it in vivid detail. The more detailed the better tug to their emotional buy in. Be positive but don’t act like a brainwashed cultist. Be real and share when you’re struggling too.

I have had three big career changes over the years and if I could pick the single most significant factor that contributed to my success, it has to be using my network. As your network grows, you begin to be known to others in very different areas of industry but all of them know a little bit about your skills, experience, and character. Those connections can open doors into new pathways that are in their industry and give you the introductions you need. Take great care with these introductions. Remember that your contacts are risking their own reputations right alongside yours. Do them right I’d like to suggest you do the same for others. Every chance you can.It pays back huge dividends every time.

It’s easy to sit and listen to someone. But how do they know you really heard them? If you want to make sure they felt that, consider rephrasing what they said until they’re satisfied you get what they’re trying to explain to you. I remember going on a retreat where I learned this. We had to try to find other sensations that would be similar until the other person thought we graspsed the intensity or reality of what they were conveying to us. It’s one thing to say “It sounds like you’re frustrated.” But imagine if you said it like this. “ Losing that deal that you worked for a week on it’s like finding a huge scratch on a new car. You spent hours taking care of it and then someone carelessly trashes it.” See the difference?

Challenge is growth and growth is what levels you up. If you want to experience the highs you have to be willing to drive through some tough challenges to get there, but isn’t it always worth it? Think back on every single challenge you faced and ask yourself what skill did you use to get through it. Or even better, what skill did you LEARN to get through it? You know these words ring true. Go level up and learn to be grateful for the chances to challenge yourself. A great book about this is called The Road Less Travelled by Peck

Feedback has to be seen as a huge gift. Especially critical feedback. I know that’s a hard pill to swallow, especially for lower Emotional IQ execs. However, if they can turn that corner and see it as a gift that requires courage from the giver (and comes from a place of desiring what is best for the recipient) then real progress happens. Honest and critical feedback is not easy until they recognize the effort it took for someone to give it. The giver should have at least 3 examples where they witness it and can walk the receiver through how it was received. The beauty of this is that it’s hard to argue facts and perceptions are not something the low emotional IQ executive has any direct power over. It just is.

Variety is a catalyst for big breakthroughs. It forces you out of your comfort zone and you will quickly realize that you can apply those same skills to a lot of other problems. The tools are already there, you just needed a new canvas to paint on. As you dive into the new industry, you start seeing how similar problems are being addressed in very different ways. And this pays big dividends when you are seeking new clients. They see you are not a one-trick pony and you have the stories and experience to back it up!