I manage a team of purchasing agents at work. Recently I had a new member added to my team. The new team member was somebody who knew somebody...he got his foot in the door. I inherited him.
I have experience with being in this position. What position is that? Knowing someone who got my foot in the door. I have worked with family and I have heard the whispers...felt the weight of the glances...I know what it feels like. You can go one of two ways...either not care and ignore it...or...work hard to prove your worth, prove yourself worthy of the position.
When I say I understand what this feels like...I know it all too well. That qualified me to speak into his life....James as we will call him for this blog wasn't feeling like he had to prove anything. James was having issues with tardiness, looking at his smart phone too much, surfing the internet and many other small nuances which added up to a big weight that was dragging our team down. After handling issues with the usual company prescribed methods I decided to steer things in a different direction.
I sat down face to face and heart to heart with James--nothing between us--no desk--just two men talking. I explained to him part of my story where I had come from. I told him how much I tried to prove my worth, my insecurity of never really feeling I had earned my place...Then we talked about a particular goal I was trying to achieve with the whole group. The previous supervisor had emphasized this goal, but it was never realized. I told him if he wanted to prove he belonged, he needed to own it--make it his work identity for the next 8 weeks. We ran reports and measured his progress daily. I explained how until he earned the right to take more than 1 days work with him, we will meet every day. I told him what other supervisor's want from him and need in communication until they know what he is about and trust is earned.
What was the result?
James "owned" it...he walked the walk. He met resistance within our team and outside. He made call after call, tracked down answers like a detective and made countless e-mails to get resolutions. This past week was the day when we would measure the final results. He faced opposition and we talked through each situation and how to handle it. I couldn't have helped him without facing similar situations and messing them up badly in many cases. He doesn't know that but he benefitted from my past mistakes.
Although ultimately he has proven he belongs and was worthy of the opportunity given, what he did speaks about character. Deep character is built through challenges in the tough times...and when he moves on now to another team, he has a foundation to build on to what he has begun.
The ultimate was going into a staff meeting and having the very people that opposed him congratulating him. That was sweet.
I will probably lose James to another team when a position opens for him but he takes with him a little bit of our team and spreads hard work and optimism to another part of the company. He has also joined the employee advisory group which will give him a platform to help others...something that really matters to him. When you do the hard work it allows for some good things to happen...not always--but it does today and here.
He has learned to communicate which will benefit him throughout his career and maybe even in his personal life. He may also be able to give grace forward to someone who needs a chance.
I received a card the other day and the words that were written inside struck me right to my heart "thanks for taking a chance--on a Chance."
Where would any of us be without someone giving us chances?
