Remember why they hired you.
About 30% of the people I work with have lost touch with what makes them uniquely suited for their work.
Another 30% need steady and gentle reminders about how truly talented they already are.
The cause of some of this is our natural negativity bias – the tendency of our brains to focus on problems, risks, and shortcomings as a survival strategy.
Of course, I also notice that it is particularly easy to forget what makes you unique and talented when you are in what I lovingly call...a frenetic hustle vortex. In this vortex, the most important thing to do is “get things done.”
Unfortunately sacrificed at the “get things done” altar are strategic thinking, long-term planning, and perspective taking … so many of the exact abilities we intellectually know make us relevant, unique, and creative.
I’ve seen the aftermath of this so often that I think a lot about how we could PREVENT ourselves from sidelining the exact skills, experiences, and genius abilities that got us hired.
So here is a simple tool to help us remember to be ourselves at work rather than trying to be ... well, anything else ...
Remember Why You Were Hired.
Recall a time when you felt confident and excited about your current work. Perhaps the afternoon after a series of big interviews for your current role. Or a day when a dream client sought you out and signed on to work with you. Maybe a time when you got the unequivocal support of a discerning stakeholder.
Write yourself a letter - written from you on this confident day - to be read at a later time when you need these critical reminders.
It begins “Dear [Your Name Here],”
And try out these prompts to fill in the detail:
Today is a great day because…
You were hired because…
I could tell they loved it when…
They are really craving someone who…
When you spoke about …. I could tell you really connected with them.
I think you gave them hope that…
They could tell you were different and special when…
Your experience doing ….really intrigued them.
I think they want you to challenge the status quo with your…
Your perspective is so special right now because…
This letter is meant to be read anytime you secretly wonder - “am I the right person for this job?”
It turns out it is also awfully thought provoking when you are wondering… “am I living up to my potential here?” or “how can I challenge myself to grow more in this role?”
If you currently feel good to great about how things are going professionally, I strongly suggest this activity as preventive medicine.
If you think you might be struggling…try and remember back to when you were hired and see what you come up with.
As Galway Kinnell writes, sometimes we must “reteach a thing its loveliness.”
Much love,
Marijke Ocean
P.S. If it's been a while since you had that confident feeling - when you knew you had what it takes to make a big impact - schedule an Explore Coaching session. The session is totally free and together we can consider whether coaching could help you get back on track.