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Reinventing Yourself

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Fixing a weakness is very different from the task of developing a strength. Because they seem to be related under the banner of “improvement”, the two tasks can be confusing. I have worked at both of these tasks, and deity knows, I have plenty of weaknesses and great room to go in developing the strength side of things. The following is what I am learning.
 
There exists a fairly straightforward and apparent method of improving a weakness: you define the problem, and through the learning and application of basic techniques, improvement follows through steady and measurable increments. This process takes dedication and discipline, but measurable results do appear through linear development. Think of tasks such as improving public speaking, exercising, or communication skills. As a language instructor once said to me, "You gotta' wanta' "
 
However, when it comes to developing a strength, the road to improvement comes through working on complementary skills—what the literature calls “nonlinear” development, or what is called “cross-training” in athletics. To move from good to “better” (let’s not even pretend to play with the idea of going from “good” to “great”; how about the idea of going from “good” to “better” first?), consider where you can “cross-train”? Think of the areas where you spend most of your professional energy, or the top 3 areas in your job description. For me, this cross-training has, and continues, to take place in the areas of technology, economics, and marketing.
 
According to a recent Harvard Business Review article “Making Yourself Indispensable”, cross-training for leadership skills involves the following 4 steps:
  • Identify your strength (there are many formal and informal programs available today to do this);
  • Choose a strength to focus on according to its importance to the organization and how passionately you feel about it (choosing a strength that is not important to your organization is essentially a hobby);
  • Select a complementary behavior you’d like to enhance (look at your organization’s mission or purpose statement, or some other document that identifies what is central to your larger work area);
  • Develop it in a linear (incremental) way (outline the plan, and write down the possible steps).
The HBR article states, “What makes leaders indispensable to their organizations…is not being good at many things but being uniquely outstanding at a few things.”
 

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Comments

  1. Dear Tim,
     
    Good article, good ideas to “cross train” purposely. I certainly use my ballet training in many ways in conducting and even my knowledge of dance history to give another dimension to rehearsals and performances.
     
    But what about using those skills and coping mechanisms we use for our every-day-life?  I became a better teacher, a better conductor and a better person because of a challenge presented to me through no choice of my own.  And, I began using those skills I had to learn for my child without realizing it, initially.  I could *suddenly* break down a musically phrase to make it easier to learn.  I became more *compact* in my conducting movements and more concise in my instructions, saving time in rehearsal.   I was more willing to give my singers and students a pass about things not that important to our performances–becoming a more understanding and easier to work with conductor has it’s benefits! I also found another niche–a niche I had no idea about or even cared about until it became important to me, personally.
     
    Though many would think having a child with autism could not be good, in any way, I know I am a better person and musician because of Russell.  It has taken many years to understand I CAN use skills I have to use for him in my *real* work and it’s okay.  My singers have no idea how I can look at something and break it down the way I do…….having to break down living skills and communication skills for a while gives me a sixth sense what will work, and what will not.
     
    We forget to bring ourselves to our work–whether it’s Taekwondo or a fondness for Blue Grass–but we are so much more of a complete musician and conductor when we bring them to the Choral Table.
     
    Marie

  2. Amy, Thank you for this comment. I had the same conversation with Gary Weidenaar last evening, and he affirmed that his cross-training in Taekwondo has contributed to his conducting skills. I’m sure we all can apply the strength that practicing another instrument contributes to our vocal work, and I have had some adult voice students (non-music professionals) in the past that would regularly comment on how their voice study contributed to other strengths in their non-music profession. Thank you for your post.

  3. Nice post! I’ve had my own experience in cross-training: I discovered that practicing tai chi has improved my conducting immensely. I’m a lot more relaxed, I can distinguish piano and forte better, and my overall disposition is more even and streamlined. Again, good post.

  4. Two thoughts: 
     
    First thought:  “Graveyards are full of indispensible people.”  My point:  just because you’ve gotten very good, even outstandingly so, at a few things, does NOT guarantee being truly indispensible.  Everyone can be replaced.  Therefore, you need a psychological strategy for rejection, even IF you’re the best thing in town – because sometimes the best thing in town is on the road there.
     
    Second thought: Non-linear training can also be useful in reducing or eliminating weaknesses.  It may also be useful to look at corresponding neighboring weaknesses as well and working on eliminating those, which will help the targeted weakness to be minimized or even disappear.  Thinking outside the box in approaching a particular weakness may require addressing a related weakness.  For example:  if one is a poor public speaker, one may have to look at poor writing skills, or stage fright (and the consequent understanding that it’s normal), etc.  If one’s confidence in one’s writing improves because it improves, then one may be more confident in addressing a group of people.  One will not necessarily have gained the technique of good speaking skills, but eliminating one of the bases for no confidence in one’s skills can be of considerable help.  It’s just another approach.
     
    Good article, though.
     
    Ron

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