Relatable Leader

EP090 Be Resourceful!


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Resourceful: having the ability to find quick and clever ways to overcome difficulty.

I want to start by focusing on “quick”. I will share my thoughts on this and will also share information from people who are more qualified than I to address topics related to being quick and clever.

The ability to respond quickly and appropriately to whatever comes up isn’t always directly related to how smart a person is. I think people often misjudge co-workers in this way. If you’ve developed a negative attitude toward anyone because they don’t respond in the moment as you think they should, I caution you to rethink your perspective: you might be missing the person’s strengths. Demonstrating resourcefulness looks different on different people.

I once worked with a person who was resourceful in terms of figuring out where to get information quickly. Brenda didn’t need to know all the answers; she developed systems for quickly accessing answers to customer questions. She was a detail-oriented thinker. She didn’t do well when put on the spot with questions in meetings or even one-on-one. She needed to think about things, perhaps do some research, and come back with an answer. She wasn’t as quick as other employees, but she was resourceful in creating systems to help her provide quick customer service.

My skill in that job was quickly developing relationships on the telephone. I was clever in coming up with solutions to their problems and looking into the future to see what customers might need to maintain or grow their business. I wasn’t good at inputting information in the computer while I was talking with customers – maintaining the customer connection was my priority. Also, it was in that job I discovered I flipped numbers without knowing it. For example, if the product number was 83, it was likely I’d input 38 – but I’d see 83. I created havoc when inputting product numbers, pricing, dates, addresses, etc.

My manager at the time did something tremendously resourceful in terms of playing to people’s strengths. She asked us to rearrange our seating and moved my cubicle next to Brenda’s. I made out-calls, and she input my orders in-between taking in-call orders. If a customer asked a question, I’d repeat the question back to the customer to confirm I’d heard it correctly, and if I didn’t know the answer to the question, I gave Brenda a sign – especially if the question was about part numbers - and she quickly accessed her systems and provided answers for me. Her organization skills and systems supported my expertise on the telephone and helped me provide tremendous service to customers in one call.

My quick responses were supported by a clever system behind the scenes. We grew the business and my “spiffs” were shared with Brenda. When I became manager, I set her up for success by letting her know which questions were going to come up in meetings so she could think about them and succeed in front of her coworkers.

I believe my ability to be resourceful – both quick and clever – has been foundational to my success in leadership roles. Like Brenda, I don’t have all the answers, but I quickly take action to figure things out. If I can’t find answers on my own, I quickly connect with people who know more than I do about a topic.

I’m clever enough to apply what I’ve learned to the situation I’m working on and the next situation, etc. I once had a manager who said I was one of the most brilliant people she’d ever met. I was not comfortable with that compliment because I don’t think of myself as brilliant – I am resourceful, so I may appear brilliant in some situations. Knowing this helps me have a positive attitude!

I think practicing resourcefulness can benefit you in similar ways.

I believe resourcefulness requires an open mind. A fixed mindset closes down your view of available resources and options, and can limit your enthusiasm for learning new information and skills. A fixed mindset can close down or detour your career path.

An open mind fuels resourcefulness, which allows you to see and experience an abundance of options on your way to achieving your career goals. An open mind is the source of innovative thought and resourcefulness supports your ability to turn thoughts into actions. An open mind helps you recognize the strengths of others and paves the way for resourceful teamwork based on strengths and weaknesses.

My theory is resourcefulness contributes to positive attitude habits because the actions that support resourcefulness create momentum. Resourcefulness leads to learning. The learning makes you more adept at taking action. Consistent action creates momentum. And then you face the next opportunity to be resourceful. This is not just one habit in motion; it’s a resourcefulness routine you can create throughout your lifetime.

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https://www.amazon.com/LIVE-Mastering-Positive-Attitude-Habits/dp/1534666923/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1491232688&sr=1-1&keywords=catherine+goggia+attitude

Does your role include responsibility for employee performance discussions? If so, those conversations just go a lot easier for you! Go to the Relatable Leaders website and send me your email request for the Performance Management Worksheet, a discussion tool that organizes all the key points of these important conversations.

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To learn more about Catherine’s projects outside of her focus on leadership resources, see her website:

http://www.catherinegoggia.com/

My focus is training supervisors and managers, or front line employees who have the goal to promote to leadership some day. The time to start behaving like a leader is before you fill a leadership position.  The information, tools, and resources shared in this podcast are designed to help you reach your highest potential in your career. I taught college level Business Communication and Employee Readiness courses for 15 years. Employees and students tell me my courses change their lives for the better, and my evaluations consistently rate me as an engaged and motivational speaker. I decided to produce a podcast in the effort to support a broader audience of people in higher levels of job satisfaction and productivity, as well as encourage people to find jobs for which they are a good fit.

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If you know anyone getting ready to start college, or even at a crossroads in life trying to put things back together in a positive way, I encourage you to give them my book, From Average Student to Academic Rock Star! This is my foundational college orientation available on Amazon in paperback. Set up like a workbook with action steps, this information has helped thousands of people get their goals on track. Some readers are purchasing it as a gift, and then deciding to keep it for themselves because of the life lessons addressed in the book.  Check it out on Amazon!

From Average Student to Academic Rock Star!

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Relatable LeaderBy Catherine Goggia