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measures that are important to them and that are different from formal measures. Monitoring
progress must motivate, so let them decide what will spur them on.

7. Not sure how you’re doing? Find ways to gauge your impact. It’s up to you to ensure you’re
doing the right things, at the right time, in the right way. That you’re delivering to the required
standard. Causing the right outcomes. Having the right impact on others. As well as using formal
measures to monitor how you’re doing, introduce feedback loops into your work. Invite others to
comment on the impact of your actions and behaviors as they experience them. The faster and the
more frequent the cycles, the more opportunities you have to learn. Reflect on what you learn.
Evaluate the feedback in line with what you need to achieve. Make necessary adjustments.

8. Don’t like asking for help? Cast pride aside. If you find it difficult to ask for help, try to establish
why. Perhaps you see it as a sign of weakness? Feel you should be able to deal with situations
alone? The fact is that sometimes two (or more) minds are better than one. It’s likely you often won’t
have all the answers. Especially when it comes to dealing with tough problems. Ask for help when
you need it; don’t wait for a crisis to occur. When it is offered, accept it in good faith. You’ll gather
more information. Gain a broader perspective of the issue. Be better equipped to make the right
decisions. Able to act more quickly. Learn new ways of operating. Start seeing the value of
interdependence with others. Remember that asking for and accepting help from others does not
make you less accountable. It also doesn’t mean you are shirking responsibility. It means you’re
committed to doing the best job you can.

Want to learn more? Take a deep dive…
Fox, J. (2013, December 13). You can get some big things done when it’s not all about you. Harvard
Business Review Blog Network.
The Muse. (2012, September 20). The right way to ask for help at work. Forbes.

Vanderkam, L. (2012, June 12). What the most successful people do before breakfast. Fast
Company.

Wilson, H. J. (2012, April 2). Employees, measure yourselves. The Wall Street Journal.

9. Run away from mistakes? Own up to them. Everyone makes mistakes. Mistakes go with being
human. When a mistake happens, it’s tempting to cover it up, get defensive, or even go on the attack.
Avoid the blame game, whether it’s blaming circumstances or, worse, placing the blame on someone
else. Admit your mistake early. Make it public. Especially if the error could impact other people or
other projects. Let people know quickly to limit the damage. You may have created the problem; now
become part of the solution. You can’t change what happened, but you can help make it right. Talk
about the mistake matter-of-factly. One way to get some good from a misstep is to always ask, “What
can I learn from this?” Turn a bad situation into a valuable lesson—don’t waste it. Apply what you
have learned so the mistake does not happen again. Make learning from mistakes a good habit.
Move on, don’t dwell on it. Learn to be more comfortable admitting your mistakes. Don’t run for cover,
face the music. In doing so, you’ll encourage others to do the same.

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