Written by Heather L. Cole, December 2nd 2022

Can you believe it’s December 2022 already?  This week I celebrated my birthday by sitting on the beach and chillaxing with my husband, Gary.  Taking time out is essential to be a high performer and it allows for reflection and goal setting.  I decided this is the year!  This is the year I’ll make an even bigger difference in the world of Performance Management and Analytics!  But for me to achieve my goal, there is one extremely important step I must take!  This one step can change one’s life!  The step is SURROUNDING YOURSELF FOR SUCCESS!

What Does Surrounding Yourself for Success Mean?

Think about your biggest accomplishment.  Who was by your side?  Or who was in front of you leading the way?  Maybe they were behind you pushing you to achieve your vision.  In my life I have found that ALL my achievements had someone that somehow cheered me on!

The cheerleaders were employees and team members that were in the trenches with me, they were family members, and even strangers, but there was always someone.  So, what I have learned is that surrounding yourself for success starts with surrounding myself with the right people.  I believe there are 4 main categories of people that help me reach success faster.  However there have been times that I found myself in the company of people that not only were not my cheerleaders, but they held me back. Some people are even toxic. So, let’s explore these four categories.  It’s important to note that all these categories are important.  If you are significantly lacking in one, it could slow down your success.

But I also want to challenge you to do a little reflection on your situation.  Are you surrounding yourself with the right people… Is it time to level up?

Leadership/Mentors

The first category is Leadership and Mentors.  This could be your boss or another leader in your organization, or it could be a mentor or trusted advisor, even a coach you hire.  These are individuals that aren’t just your manager, but they take an interest in your success, hopefully in all areas of your life.  They will ask you the tough questions and should help you become strategic about your actions and future. 

In my life these have not been my bosses, but I have found when I have hired the right coach or joined the right mastermind, it’s like getting in the express lane.  My goals get achieved faster without as much challenge.  Do you have the right coaches, and leaders in your life?  If you are thinking about a career change, I encourage you to not just look at the company and the job but are there leaders within the organization you would benefit from having in your circle?

Team/Co-Workers

The second category of people I put in my circle of success are team members and co-workers.  These are not necessarily just people in the company I work in but can be people working on a project with me.  When we have teams that have a common goal and work effectively, we will be successful.  Unfortunately, we see all too often that teams are put together without consideration of how the personalities will meld.  Organizations just look for skills and knowledge, and then wonder why projects fail. 

In the world of business analytics, I see organizations hiring people just because they know Cognos, or Power BI or IBM Planning Analytics and they fail to look at the most important component, ATTITUDE!

What I have discovered is that many hiring managers fail to define their core values for their team and then find people that have those core values and attitudes.   

When I first took the time to define the core values for our Lodestar Solutions Team and then evaluated our team members it was like lightning struck!  My struggles were because I had a few team members that did not have the right cores values or attitude for our goals.  This epiphany caused me to act.  I immediately talked to the team members in question and helped them find jobs elsewhere that was a better fit for them.  

If you are looking to learn more about building your team and hiring top talent join us for our upcoming webinar.

Tackling the Top 3 Performance Management and Budgeting Struggles: Talent, Time and Tech

Monday, December 12, 2022 10-11AM Eastern

Registration Link

Next week we will address the two other categories in the Circle of Success.