From the time we start tee ball, we are told, “There’s no I in team.” While this may be true in Little League, as Bridgett Massengill of Thrive Regional Partnership and many other successful executives have learned the hard way, if managers do not take the time to prioritize their own growth and development, they can find themselves exhausted, unfulfilled, and unmotivated to grow.
Bridgett, who has been working alongside a Sandler Training coach in her hometown of Chattanooga, is like many of us – dedicated to her family, passionate about her work, and eager to grow professionally. She selflessly focuses on others for the sake of the mission in many avenues in life, to the point of neglecting herself. Just as airlines inform us to put our own oxygen mask on first before helping others, it’s important to practice self-care as a manager. Otherwise, you’ll leave yourself unable to help those who matter most.
- Exhausted – If you as a manager are neglecting yourself, you will quickly wear out. Once exhaustion sets in, it becomes impossible to focus. This makes it hard to analyze the importance of tasks and leads to items low on the list inadvertently becoming a priority. By investing time in herself and working with her Sandler Training executive coach, Bridgett says she was refreshed and able to develop a laser-like focus on high-priority deliverables without getting bogged down in less important tasks.
- Unfulfilled – Without a clearly defined purpose and drive, it is easy to look back over your day and feel as though nothing was truly accomplished. It’s crucial to define what success truly means to you rather than simply accomplishing what you think is a standard definition of the word. If you're chasing other people’s dreams, you’ll always come up wanting. By investing time in yourself, you can begin to feel more confident in your skills and be more fulfilled in your daily tasks. Through her journey, Bridgett says she felt more confident and able to strive for success, which enabled her to restructure her company and achieve success.
- Unmotivated to Grow – When you lose track of the “me” in “team,” you no longer are focused on your personal growth and development. By realigning your priorities and with the support of a business coach, you can reinvigorate your desire to grow and find balance between your personal and professional development. For Bridgett, her newfound growth led her not just to professional success, but also encouraged her to train and complete a half marathon, as well as spend meaningful time with her family. Your goals and priority realignment aren’t just about your professional life as a manager; when you lose sight of yourself and your role in your team, it is easy to become off balance with your personal life. With accountability and guidance, you can grow both professionally and personally.
We often feel as though others should be our priority – our family, our co-workers, our clients – but if we fail to give ourselves attention and development, everything else will suffer. According to Bridgett, “With a growing family and career, I had neglected to fit ‘me’ into the picture.” But even though this imbalance can lead to exhaustion, a lack of fulfillment, and a loss of motivation, through reprioritizing, encouragement, and accountability, success and growth can occur. “Sandler Training helped me understand that focusing on all aspects of my life was not only okay, but essential to reaching my greatest potential as an executive, and a person!”