Stretch

Overheard during a conversation between a hiring manager and a job candidate: "He's a sharp technical leader, but he is too involved in the details. He needs to stretch himself in ways that take him away from that core strength. His team needs him to do that. The key will be to make him stretch without him knowing it."

Stretching is a wonderful metaphor for personal growth. Stretching promotes flexibility and assurance that we can get the most out of our bodies in the physical realm. So, too, does 'stretching' in personal and professional roles promote flexibility and maximum success.

The main take-away from the overheard conversation is that it had me asking, "Is someone saying the same thing about me? Are there ways I need to stretch to help my team? Am I too comfortable in the current, successful role, and thus missing an opportunity for even greater success?"

How do you need to stretch today?