I once worked with the editor of an ad agency who struggled not to worry about the financial health of his business:how many client account services landed, what kind of designs the art department produced, so his boss was going to start asking people off. Once she realized that each of these things were way out of her control and that worrying about them only made her stress level worse, she was able to focus on correcting whatever was troubling her in her life. his job, his workplace and in many ways his life.
Related: How I Learned to Let Go
Like other clients, I had her make two lists:what she could control and what she couldn't. As often happens, she was surprised how much of her daily life fell into the former column. She led a team of eight people, all talented writers who looked to her for instruction and advice. She was in charge of leading the creative meetings that brainstormed each client's ideas. She may not have been a senior executive, but every word the firm placed on a client's ad was in her hands.
By acknowledging that she had no control over the creations of the art department, she indirectly influenced their creations after all.
We set the goal to improve only the copy that she wrote herself. Recommitting to this manageable goal not only helped her focus her energies on something she could manage, but the best part was that once her own performance improved, her circle of influence really expanded. The better his writing got, the harder his team worked to follow his lead, and the team's improved performance quickly raised the bar for other departments, who responded with renewed enthusiasm and creativity. Ironically, by acknowledging that she had no control over the art department's designs, she indirectly influenced their designs after all. It gave her the confidence she needed to aim even higher, and very quickly her leadership contributed greatly to the overall performance of the company.
Commit to improving your own performance and see the ripple effect it creates.
Related: 4 bold ways to be a confident leader
This article originally appeared in the December 2017 issue of SUCCESS magazine.
