Now, let’s tackle the task at hand.
Now that you’ve calmed down and have a clear head, it’s time to get on with the task. There are all kinds of techniques you can use, but I’ll go over one that I use a lot: the traffic light system.
The traffic light system
First, find out what you know and what you don’t know using the traffic light system.
List all the things you think you need to do; it could be as simple as:
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Create a plan
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Add the timeline
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Build a team
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Speak with someone
And you’ll find that as you think and write, other ideas will come to mind. Keep building on that list, be creative, think of similar problems you’ve faced, and as you do, write them all down.
Once you run out of ideas, go through the list and color code it as follows:
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Know how to do it – GREEN
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Have an idea on how to do it – AMBER
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Absolutely no idea – RED
This process will take you from “I don’t know how” to “I have some ideas about how.” It will give you a visual representation of the task, with steps, and you might be surprised by how much green is in the list. You probably know more than you think you know. We do this often, but fear and panic can hinder clear thinking.
Who do you need to talk to?
Now that you have a better idea of what needs to be done, talk to the people who will help you develop this. They could be part of your team, related teams, a supplier, or maybe even a customer.
This is often easier said than done, as insecurity can come into play. One of my clients once said, “But how can I ask for help? It’s my job and I should know how to do it.
Together, we challenged this view of thinking by analyzing the ABCDE model that neuroscientist Giulia Panozzo talked about in my podcast.
ABCDE stands for:
Action
Dresser
Consequence
Disruptor (another belief)
Power
Find out more by listening to the podcast episode:
Using neuroplasticity for personal growth with Giulia Panozzo — The SEO Mindset Podcast
In my client’s case, it went more or less like this:
Action: Did not want to ask for help.
Belief – He believed that his job was to do everything and know everything, otherwise he would not do his job well.
Consequence: she was stuck in the project
Disruptor: Her manager was someone who was there to support her. Someone she could learn from and this project was an opportunity to grow.
Energize – With this new belief, she may feel energized and move forward.
By talking to others and leveraging their knowledge and expertise, continue to build a business plan and/or solution that will help you make progress.
What do you need to learn?
This step is about understanding what you need to know. This could be a course, a book, learning from someone in your organization, etc. And remember, you don’t have to learn everything, just the part that gets you ahead.
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t learn more, read more, or take the entire course, but as someone with these tendencies, I know that this can delay actual progress of action.
Act
So, remember that traffic light exercise? And the next steps to find out more? Don’t wait until you have a whole green board or “know it all” before you get started. It won’t happen and it really doesn’t need to. When you start trying, you will learn more and the project will open up.
Often, when searching for a perfect solution, it can seem easier and safer to get lost in the details and planning or to engage in other activities. These actions might be rooted in fear of failure, reluctance to venture out of the comfort zone, or feeling confident.
However, confidence will come from action, so just start!