Saying goodbye to another year - Journal

Saying goodbye to another year

We are only a couple more days until the new year and it is often the time, we spend to reflect how the year has been for us.

We quickly summarise the year based on how we feel. However, it is not how it truly was simply because we pick and choose what to recall, and what to forget.

Leading through uncertainty was not something I was prepared to excel but the quickest way to learn is to do it anyway. As a team lead, the journey was bumpy, more so when we lost our momentum due to the pandemic, yet I am grateful for the opportunity to gain experience in a couple of things along the way.

Letting go of Perfectionism

With the shift in how things are done over the past two years, the last thing I can expect is to be perfect. I have learned that aiming for progress is a more productive journey for the team. The ability to iterate and improve over time makes us more able to learn and adapt to make the best out of all circumstances. By loosening the grip on things, we begin to see innovation as work too.

“One day at a time,” I told myself.

By now, we must have taken 360 steps ahead from where we were before.

Acknowledging the Discomfort of Uncertainty

Given that our brains are hardwired to see uncertainty as a risk or threat, it’s physiologically normal to feel stress when faced with unfamiliar situations (Source: HBR). It is only natural for us to avoid these unpleasant emotions. Avoidance prevents us from learning and we will ultimately stop growing as a person. Rather than doing so to ourselves (because we choose to be wiser, yes?), we learn to acknowledge the challenge that is ahead of us and take small steps to overcome it.

No one has all the answers nor should we pressure ourselves to be one, which brings me to the next key learning.

Surrounding Yourself with Like-minded People

Everyone can contribute if they are in it together as a team. Instead of expecting yourself to solve every single challenge (either you have no time to do so or, you do not know how to do it at all in the first place), collaborate with people who are eager to participate in solving challenges together.

Besides, what is a team if we are always on our own? As much as it is tempting to “just do it yourself”, bringing in more people to achieve success together strengthens the bond among the team so, think long term.

The future will only be more complex and as leaders, we cannot the degree of change. What we can do is adapt and navigate effectively, knowing that where we are today does not define how it will be in the future. Always cultivate continual learning as part of the company culture. That way, we will always go forward together as a team.

contributor

Josephine Toh

Joe is the Agency Manager of XIMNET Malaysia since 2018. She is also the UX Lead for an web building platform, XTOPIA.IO.