Welcome to the last episode of November.  If you celebrated Thanksgiving, I hope you had a wonderful holiday with family and friends.

As you know, we have spent this month learning about the “Earning It” Mindset.

We have identified what it is, why it matters, how it has helped us succeed, and yet how it can hold us back and damage our executive careers if we aren’t intentional about how and when to apply this mindset.

It's time to close out this mini-series with the last key aspect of this mindset; finding the balance.

The secret is not to eliminate the mindset but to make a few adjustments.

Pivot the definition of this "rule."

Instead of thinking, "I must do something," shift it to "I must add value."

Instead of "do" it is "add."

If we shift our definition, it doesn't mean that we don't strive, work hard, or perform.

It simply means that we do all of those things in a way that allows us to compete with ourselves and provide more thoughtful, intellectually focused contributions instead of physical contributions.

When we are focused on adding value, there is no measuring stick for which we can compare ourselves to others.

Meaning, we can't get frustrated when someone doesn't carry their weight, because how do you measure your "value-add" vs. someone else's?

Everyone plays a different role, has different gifts, and may have been asked by the company to add value differently.

This new definition frees you from comparing yourself and measuring your performance to others.

When it comes to adding value, you will generate your specific results and earn your reward for it. Moreover, you will know you earned it because you know you added value in a way that is unique to you.

Adding value will ensure you focus on doing the right work for the role, feel worthy of the reward, and will allow you to succeed in the role overall.

In other areas of your life, housework, yardwork, etc. adding value will still mean physical labor.  But as an executive, adding value will mean mental work.

Make the shift. 

Change the definition of the function you perform (adding value).  This is how you reap the benefits of the “earning it” mindset in all areas of your life.

Would you like for the team to learn more about the "earning it" mindset? Send an email to info@legendleaders.com.

Be Legendary.

This episode is going to be amazing and I am excited to dive into this topic with you!

Last week we talked through the fact that the "Earning It" Mindset is a double-edged sword. 

It has very much served us in our careers because it helped us succeed and achieve in school, college, and as we climbed the ranks in our careers.

Yet for all the ways it has served us, there have been instances where it has actually held us back.

When we have looked at others who haven't "carried their weight" or performed as much work or action as us, we have felt resentment and frustration.

When someone has taken our ideas and shared them as their own, we have felt betrayed.

And now that we are executives, this mindset could hold us back even further.

This is where I see top-talented leaders start to falter and where this mindset goes from being helpful to being a hindrance.

How?

Walk down this mental pathway with me:

As an executive, are you performing tasks?

Are you rolling up your sleeves and getting work done?

Are you solving problems and putting plans in place?

The reality is that for the majority of executives, the answer is no.

As an executive, you are contributing to the business in a very significant way, but not in a way you are used to. Not in a way that you define as "earning it."

Executives aren’t doers in the sense that we would define a “doer” in our careers.  They are thought leaders and people leaders.

Throughout our careers, before being executives, we had to do the work.  Whether that was truly doing the physical work to start, or whether it was overseeing people doing the physical work and putting plans in place to get more productive work out of them for example, we did the work.

As an executive, you’re no longer expected to "do" the work. You are now expected to bring all of your knowledge, experience, expertise, and judgment to the table to help the company strategically grow, navigate both industry and economic risks and move the business forward.

While these actions are beyond valuable to the business and organization, if we have an “earning it” mindset, we aren’t going to see this type of contribution as valuable.

This is going to cause struggle and conflict within ourselves.

If we do not move past it, we will delay and even damage our careers.

If we take the belief that the only way we can add value is if we do the work, sacrifice, put in the time, go the extra mile, and labor over the task at hand, then we are only going to be looking for those functions in our executive role.

When we don’t find them, we will create them. 

The problem with this is again, the company doesn’t want that behavior from its executives.

So here is the golden nugget: if you can’t pivot your “earning it” mindset as an executive, you will focus on the wrong actions, which will damage your career.

It’s a pivot you must make if you want to succeed.

Join me next week to discuss how to keep this mindset or belief in check.  When do we apply it vs. not? How do we pivot it?

Send your questions, comments, or requests for onsite training to: info@legendleaders.com.

Be Legendary!

Welcome to the third episode in this mini-series on the “Earning It” Mindset.

Today is all about how this mindset has served us in our careers.

That's right! The "earning it" mindset has served us quite well throughout our lives and it's time to give credit where it's due.

Before I dive in, I want you to understand that most behaviors and mindsets that we have tend to serve us in some capacity. If they didn’t, we would have already gotten rid of them by now.

So when it comes to the “earning it” mindset, know that it has absolutely served you in your career. 

Our parents were not wrong when they taught us to work hard, give a little extra, etc.  It worked for them, their parents, etc.  So of course it’s going to work for us.

Putting in the hard work helped you earn the degree, get the amazing job you stepped into after college, and help you earn your promotions, pay raises, bonuses, etc.

This is why as we have been talking through this mindset you may have felt a little bit of confusion. "Is this mindset one that is good for me or bad?"

Know this, it has served you. 

Recognize it.  Celebrate it.  Appreciate your parents or family who taught you to work hard and put in the effort that generates the results you want to see in your life.  They have helped you succeed.

This is the positive edge of this double-edged sword that is this mindset.

It is a prime example of a value or belief that has served you in the past or may even continue to serve you in life.  Yet we have to realize that it won’t serve us in all parts of our lives.

This is the distinction we must make here. 

Has it served us? 

Yes. 

Will it serve us in all parts of our careers?

The answer is no.

Next week we will dive into the areas of your career where the “earning it” mindset will hold you back from professional success.

Questions or comments?

Send me an email: info@legendleaders.com and let's talk.

Be Legendary.