It’s lonely at the top.
But, guess what?
It’s also lonely in the middle.
And at the bottom (in the beginning).
Our corporate culture sets leaders up to fail. Why? Because we are encouraged to “go it alone” up the corporate ladder. We compete for positions, we compete for the best projects, and we compete with the exact colleagues that we’re meant to be working with.
On the other hand, there are amazing new Millennial-run businesses that are shifting the values and norms of business.
Think Silicon Valley. Think Google. Think Buffer. They consciously avoid the status quo hierarchical structure by being flexible organizations that thrive on collaboration,collegiality and belonging. They understand that “Gen Yers are very, very non-competitive” and that job satisfaction is rocketing up to the top of their priority lists
What I find interesting in that Gen Y’ers kind of have a point.
Don’t we all want more autonomy, more flexibility, and a job that doesn’t feel so much like work? We want meaning, purpose, and fulfillment, right?
Don’t we want to feel less alone as we move through the different stages of our career path?
That’s a heck of a lot to ask from a job within the traditional corporate structure.
Asking traditional corporate to shift to this new wild west of business that Gen Y’ers are purporting might be asking too much of big corporate.
The real question becomes, how do you thrive in your career while negotiating the shifting paradigms in business?
The answer is your Professional Advisory Group (PAG).
Think of your PAG as your trusted guides, mentors, coaches, champions and believers. Invite them to support you on your career, leadership or business. The important thing is that you trust each of them to hold you capable and have your absolute best interests at heart.
Here’s how you can ensure you don’t go it alone:
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Choose wisely.
- Think about the level of support and guidance you need. You may be at a point where you need focused attention with a coach to move you through a tough phase. Or it may be the right time to bring a group of individuals together to form your PAG.
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Confidentiality within the relationships is key.
- Set up this ground rule at the beginning so you don’t hear about your story at the next party, from a friend.
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Clarity on what you want from your coach or PAG is paramount.
- I suggest keeping it to feedback and idea generation while avoiding advice. In most cases you actually know what to do; for some reason you’ve been avoiding it or afraid to take action. So taking someone else’s advice is unlikely to solve YOUR problem.
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Listen.
- Get comfortable with putting your issues on the table and truly listening to feedback. Allow your trusted PAG or coach to be open – this will help in shifting your perspective.
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Test your assumptions.
- You’re way more likely to uncover your blind spots with your PAG or coach than hearing about them from your boss or staff.
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Regularly set aside time to meet with your coach or your PAG.
- Making this a habit will keep you from getting overwhelmed or falling back into unhelpful patterns.
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Be Accountable.
- Accountability means following through on the actions coming out of your PAG or coaching session. You don’t want to create a dependency on them. Being YOU is your responsibility.
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Express Gratitude.
- Gratitude for your PAG and coach is above all else the gift to give. It not only shows appreciation for their time and support, but you will experience more positive emotions, feel more alive, sleep better and express more compassion and kindness.
What does this add up to?
It’s the opportunity to avoid being lonely as you grow your leadership and, is insurance against failure. It’s an opportunity to take the pieces that the millennials are getting right and implement them now to help us navigate, as best we can, the shifting corporate world.