Save Yourself First.
They say there is no 'I' in Team. Actually, 'I' comes before Team. To be an MVP, you have to first be an 'MV-Me'. Believe it or not, some of the companies with the best performance management practices understand this secret. companies with best performance management practices
Hold on, it's not what you think. I am not referring to self-centered, shallow or even narcissistic behaviors. The good news is these behaviors are the minority. Although this behavior trend line has increased, it's still a small number of people. Research shows that Narcissistic Personality Disorder is somewhere between 1 and 6% of the population.
There are no studies which show how many people exhibit self-centered or selfish behaviors because these traits can be episodic and wide ranging. We all exhibit these traits from time to time.
Improving organizational and personal performance can be counter-intuitive.
I want you to think about something. Ok, now go deeper. Go through those doors you keep locked.
The reason 'I' comes before 'We' is because how we perceive ourselves is often how we position ourselves with ourselves rather than with others. That's the byproduct.
What we think and believe about ourselves radiates out. This energy reflects back to you at the same time it is impacting others. We often see ourselves as the victim, rather than the source.
Most of us don't spend a lot of time discovering (or excavating) our authentic selves but rather how we respond to situations and others (me included). And there lies the opportunity.
Take this example.
You show up to a work conference solo, knowing no one. You notice small groups chatting with each other. Their demeanor is relaxed and open.
You stand alone, tense, feeling isolated from the outset. You tell yourself you had reservations about coming to the conference. Why? To justify your perception. Which is just that.
This self-induced perception continues throughout the day. The result is the experience you had, is entirely manufactured by you. You chose a path from the unknown and that became your reality.
You felt excluded. To the others, you seemed stand-offish, distracted and perhaps even a little annoyed. Which you were. So you were given a wide berth by others. All of their responsive behaviors were automatic. Sub-conscious. Responding to your energy.
Peeling it back, you were plagued by doubt tied to something unknown. We as humans hate the unknown and do everything to avoid it and the feelings which come with it.
From this experience, a perception was created. It wasn't true, except it was to only you. Your perception became a burden, which you radiated. You quite literally manufactured your own reality and experience.
This is why it all starts with 'I'. We must work on ourselves first. Be ok with being authentically you. Learn what that feels like. Become more comfortable with the unknown. Because all the unknown really is, is whatever you choose to make it to be.
High performance begin with authentic behaviors and perceptions.