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Yes, I hired him because of his strong HR background but also because of his go-getter attitude.
The Talent Management consulting practice I was leading was expanding, and I needed someone who was confident, energetic and innovative. After rounds of interviews, I knew I found the perfect fit.
The first big assignment was to participate in the design, development, and facilitation of recruiting process training with a focus on OFCCP compliance. We had a meeting, brainstormed on our approach, and he assured me he was good to go. A few days later he came back into my office, defeated and deflated.
“I don’t know OFCCP.”
“I didn’t know the ins and outs either, but now I do. I’ll show you my resources. We can talk it through.”
“I’ve never done this before.”
“You’ve built training.”
“But nothing like this…”
“You’ve done other things you’ve never done before, right?”
“Yes, but…”
That’s when I told him the secret to success.
Honestly, as much as has been written on success, this is the heart of it, success 101.
From where he sat, it looked like everyone around him was an expert. They had all been there – done that countless times. Everyone except him. Yes, he was confident out the outside , but on the inside, he had a big-time case of imposter syndrome.
The secret to success?
You’re smart, creative, and resourceful. You’ll figure it out.
Ta-da!
That’s really it. You have to believe that you can and will figure it out.
Then I made my confession. Over the years I’d created and facilitated countless workshops but never one just like this and never one on this topic. We were in it together. We’d figure it out together.
Related: 5 Critical Triage Techniques to Skyrocket Your Success
Success 101: Getting Sh*t Done When You Don’t Know How
Remain confident
You have to believe you can or you can’t. That simple. When you’re tackling something new, be confident that you’ll get through it even if the path is foggy at the moment.
Be clear on goals
You have to know where you’re going before you start clearing a path forward. The vision is your North Star, keep your eye on it throughout the process. Ask clarifying questions until you’re crystal clear.
Ask for help
You don’t need to pretend that you’re an expert in absolutely everything. Tap into the experts around you. Help is there, don’t sweat it.
Research, research, research
You may not have done it before but others have, and their approach may spark your thinking. Also, almost anything you need to learn is at your fingertips. Go digging and educate yourself.
Celebrate creativity
You’re not locked into “been there before” thinking. Use it to your advantage and celebrate that you can bring your fresh perspective and creativity to the job.
Iterate
Get started, create a draft and don’t worry that your first pass has to be your final product. Often the scariest part is staring down a blank page (or screen).
Be grateful
It can get boring when you’re doing the same thing over and over. Instead of getting overwhelmed, shift your perspective to gratitude. How cool is it that you get to work on a new challenge? (hint: very, very cool)
It’s something that small business owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders have learned to conquer: figuring sh*t out. In this case, together, we created a brilliant training experience that had a positive impact on the organization. He figured it out.
A long time has passed, and I’m sure he no longer remembers the ins and outs of our client’s recruiting process, but I’m confident that the bigger lesson stuck with him. Everyone’s figuring it out. Never doubt you’ve got what it takes to figure it out too.