“I would prefer to reconsider the thought of “from hero to zero” and instead reframe to the thought of “I went from zero to my own hero.” – M. Brechka
There is a common saying in sales when one has closed out a profitable fiscal year one day and then the very next day a whole new fiscal year starts. The saying is “From hero to zero”. The close of 2022 should make all of us feel like heroes. Whereas 2020 and 2021 had many challenges as we worked from our home offices and attempted to balance work as it blurred into life. 2022 brought its own special challenges where the comforts of home felt more like a prison at times, and we started exploring outside of our cages once again. The economy slowed, inflation spiked, gas prices soared and when it came to business deals “easy come easy go” became more like “hard to come by and easy to lose”.
There is not really anyone I have spoken to in the last few months that have said anything about work, that has been “easy”. No one has expressed the ease of getting a deal done or has even said, work is not consuming me right now. Everyone I have discussed work with has basically said “It is hard, everything is hard.”
I recently had a meeting with a colleague that is in a senior role to me. They scheduled the call to review a recent situation that they were frustrated by; unbeknownst to them, they did not have all the right facts which ultimately contributed to their frustration. I prepared for the call over a number of days, gathering information, consulting with team members and colleagues, compiling a timeline, speaking with mentors to gather their thoughts. I prepared for the call assuming I would have an individual interested in understanding the full story and a colleague invested in a moment of coaching and guidance. I was wrong. The conversation was tense, not supportive; the feeling was of being attacked not of being in a discussion. The preparation I did was not beneficial and there was little to no consideration of the timeline or work I had prepared to share the “rest of the story”.
I am experiencing and hearing from others that unfortunately these types of interactions are becoming more common these days. People are tired, colleagues are overworked, and heightened frustrations are leading to conversations where a colleague is criticized like the competition and the “rest of the story” no longer matters. The most concerning part to me is that the behavior is contagious much like the pandemic we recently survived. The immediate thought is “if my boss demonstrates this behavior or another colleague, then I have a right to pass it on and do it to someone else.” To someone that does not see things the way that I see them. In an environment where time is not on our side and patience is running thin, steamrolling and criticizing can feel like the path of least resistance and also feel quite good when you are on the winning side of the argument.
The ultimate issue with this approach amongst individuals in a corporation is that the person being attacked is someone within your own organization. When on the receiving end of this attack the natural tendency is to want to retaliate, to protect ourselves from further ridicule. In certain situations, this may be necessary, but I would argue that two wrongs do not make a right.
As I reflect on 2022 and prepare for the new fiscal start of 2023; I would prefer to reconsider the thought of “from hero to zero” and instead reframe to the thought of “I went from zero to my own hero.” This new fiscal year will bring on all kinds of attacks, the battle will be bruising at times. Even my own team will experience moments of frustration and misguided aggression from the inside. However, I will challenge myself to be better than that. To lead with purpose, to rise above the frustration. The feeling of “winning” when someone from within is “losing” is a feeling that I will try not to search out. I am certainly not the picture of perfection and if I follow my own advice 50% of the time then I am heading in the right direction.
In 2023, may we all seek to be our own heroes, may we find ways to learn and grow together without leaving a single individual left behind.
The Heart of the Middle 