7 Proactive Steps

Have you ever been approached by your manager to work on a project with little or no knowledge or skills on the topic?

Suppose you are sitting in your office on a Friday afternoon, your manager walks in, and the conversation goes something like this:

MANAGER:
“I have something really important to discuss with you. I just met with the department VP and we have identified an urgent need with the team.

As you know the department is relatively new and we are still ironing out some of the organizational details, including training."

MANAGER:
"We need to create an overall project management training strategy to bring the project managers up to the skill level required to effectively operate the department.

And, to be honest, none of us have a clue how to do that."

This actually happened to me while in the very early stages of transitioning out of scientific research and into learning and development.

Quite frankly, I was a bit surprised by the conversation. I wondered to myself, why do they think I can do this if they don’t have a clue?

.

What if this ultimately reveals my level of incompetence as per the Peter Principle?

After all, the department was new, my role was new, and even the roles of my manager and the VP were new.

I was just beginning to understand my own learning curve and here I was expected to pull together a learning strategy to address the skill gaps of a role I knew nothing about.

In spite of all that, it was pretty clear that I was expected to deliver.

And it was equally clear that this was an assignment that would stretch me beyond my knowledge and skill level at that time.

I spent the weekend preparing for how I would respond when the follow-up discussion on Monday rolled around.

I researched and learned a lot over the weekend which boosted my confidence. I walked in on Monday with an I-can-do-this attitude.

When it was all said and done I received two Star Awards for developing a Project Planning and Management Excellence:

Professional Development
Resources Guide and Customized Plans for Project Management Training, which included a two-tiered certification program.

In hindsight I have defined seven distinct proactive steps that I took to manage the expectations for this stretch assignment.

#1: Recognize a stretch assignment when presented with one

The skills required to get a job are not always the same skills required to do a job.

Thus, employees run the risk of being promoted to a job or assigned to a project that they are unable to perform properly.

This was a concern for me when presented with this challenge and I knew right away this was a very real stretch assignment.

A “stretch assignment” is a project or task given to employees which is beyond their current knowledge or skill set.

Stretch assignments challenge employees by placing them into uncomfortable situations in order to learn and grow.

Initially, I was somewhat concerned that I was getting stretched beyond what I could handle, which led me to Proactive Step #2.

#2: Evaluate your learning curve and transferable skills

I came into a new training manager role with pretty impressive skills but no formal training in the discipline of learning and development.

At the onset my manager and I worked to create a learning plan to bring me up to speed.

About six months into the new role I was presented with this stretch assignment.

In that moment my learning curve got steeper, mainly as a function of the short time frame. I developed a dynamic personal profile using a mind map to analyze my skill inventory.

Using this tool I identified key transferable skills honed during my career as a research scientist

What I Learned as a Research Scientist

• Learning and metacognitive skills
• Analytcal skills
• Communication skills
• Collaboration skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Communcation skills

#3: Recognize and manage any fear or trepidation

And Move Ahead Anyway!
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Fear is often a normal response when faced with the uncertainty of a new challenge, such as a stretch assignment.

The key is to acknowledge that the fear exists, identify the type of the fear (e.g., fear of failure or rejection, nervous excitement), and cultivate the confidence and the courage to move forward in spite of it.

#4: Acknowledge that a stretch assignment is a development opportunity

Having said all that, it is worthy to note that stretch assignments are indeed learning and development opportunities.

Once you achieve success in one stretch assignment, taking on others gets easier as your confidence increases.

It is equally important to recognize that failure is an important learning opportunity that is linked to success.

The key is to take the assignment and learn from it.

This was a huge lesson for me as I took on the first of many stretch assignments in my role as a learning manager.

#5: Take the SMART approach to meeting expectations and requirements

Keep It SIMPLE
–
Generally speaking, there is no need to make a challenging situation more complex than it already is.

MANAGE Your Work
–
Take proactive steps to manage your work by collaborating with your manager and other team members. Build and leverage other relationships to support your project.

Be AUTHENTIC
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Keep it real and do not pretend to be something you are not.

Fake it until you make it does not apply here because you want to genuinely build your confidence, not stretch it by sustaining a false countenance.

Be REALISTIC
–
Be honest and transparent with yourself when evaluating your learning curve and transferable skills.

Remember a stretch assignment is about meeting project expectations and requirement and learning and developing new skills.

Be TACTICAL
–
Execute your stretch assignment tactically.

A tactical plan includes deliverables, a schedule, resources, a budget, and a process to make it all happen.

#6: Use the resources you have and identify the ones you need

Being tactical requires that you have a good handle on the resources you will need to deliver on your stretch assignment.

Take an inventory of which resources are readily available.
Also identify which resources you need, where to get them, and who to contact for access.

#7: Make a decision, develop a plan, and execute with gusto

If you are faced with having to make a decision about accepting a stretch assignment, keep in mind that there are reasons to NOT accept an assignment.

Muse recommends you avoid assignments that...
Stretch you too thin.
Don't build your strengths.
Don't meaningfully expand your network.
Don't build the reputation you want.
https://www.themuse.com/advice/4-times-you-should-say-no-to-additional-resp...

Finally, if you do decide to take on the stretch assignment be sure to collaborate with the right people to develop a plan.
Then execute the plan from beginning to end with gusto!

7 PROACTIVE STEPS SUMMARY

#1: Recognize a stretch assignment when presented
#2: Evaluate your learning curve and transferable skills
#3: Recognize and manage any fear or trepidation
#4: A stretch assignment is a development opportunity
#5: Take the SMART approach to meeting expectations
#6: Use the resources you have, identify what you need
#7: Make a decision, develop a plan, execute with gusto

Anita D Russell