Fix The Drip

We have had a nagging plumbing issue for several months. It wasn't one of those major catastrophes where immediate action was needed. Just an annoying problem that I thought I had fixed once, but after a few weeks the problem reappeared. The first time it showed up I called the manufacturer and they walked me through some troubleshooting to remedy the situation. And it seemed to work. Until it didn't. A few weeks later the problem resurfaced. And I tried my best to tweak it, yet it still didn't seem to fix it. And every day I would wake up and think, "I need to call them again." But I didn't. Then one day I had had it. I decided today was the day and as soon as customer service opened, I placed the call. And in a few minutes we had the problem corrected and - so far - it hasn't reappeared. So why is a leadership coach telling you about my plumbing? I think it has a lot of lessons that many leaders in today's world can learn from...

1) Swallow your pride. In retrospect, why didn't I call again sooner? Because I was regretting not having been able to fix it the first time? A mark of my incompetence? A trigger into the wound I already carry about not being all that handy in the "Mr. Fix-it" category? Honestly it was because I thought I "SHOULD" have been able to fix it and it was embarrassing for me to admit I couldn't. Many leaders today are also struggling to admit they've never led in an environment like this. Today's cultures demand a different style of leadership - yet many leaders are not humble enough to make the call and ask for help. Just like me.

2) Start your day with action. I called first thing in the morning. It set my intention for the day and put me into an action orientation for the day. It doesn't have to be monumental but just take action toward one of the problems you face. And because you have the mentality of taking action, momentum is created and more actions result.

3) Celebrate your ability to bring about change. The plumbing was a constant annoyance and every time I would hear it, it would remind me of what I should have been doing or what I wasn't competent enough to do on my own. I had gotten comfortable tolerating the status quo. (I mean really, what is it hurting really? ) As a result, my energy would drain slowly as part of my brain was being drawn away from my creativity into my world of reactivity. I wasn't funneling more brain energy to my business or my clients. And my battery was never operating at 100%. But now that the problem is gone, instead of feeling dread every time I walk past that plumbing, I feel a sense of pride and a reminder that I have the ability to create change. This is an amazing energy boost... and mood enhancer. I have more brain and emotional space to solve more complex and challenging problems.

I'm sure you have those annoying drips in your life too and they might be costing you more than you'd otherwise imagine. Take the time to eliminate those energy drains from your life and see what new sources of creativity and energy fill the vacuum left behind!