Emotional Intelligence

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Improvement Versus Growth. Is It All Semantics?

Are your words diminishing your impact on your team? Let’s explore two employee evaluation conversations side by side, one from an improvement perspective and one from a growth perspective:

Here are some examples of evaluation statements using the word improve:

  • John, I would like you to improve the number of sales calls you make.
  • Tyrese, your ability to get projects done on time needs some improvement.
  • Sue, you need to improve your participation in staff meetings.

Here are some examples of evaluation statements using the word growth:

  • John, I would like you to grow the number of sales calls you make.
  • Tyrese, I want you to grow your time management skills this year and get more projects done on time.
  • Sue, I would love to see your involvement in our staff meetings grow.

How do you think the employees feel after the improvement conversation? Do you hear how the word improvement reflects the idea, “not good enough?” Hearing these kinds of statements can be very demotivating. When we feel not good enough, the mental chatter inside our head increases as does our resistance to change. Our focus is on self-justification and self-defense, rather than taking the action needed to make the situation better.

How do you think the employees feel after the growth conversation? Do you hear how the word growth is empowering, allowing someone to grow from their current abilities and performance, without implying that those abilities and performance are “not good enough?” Growth statements strengthen our inner desire to grow. We feel more positive and encouraged to try new things because we are also allowed to feel good about our past performance. We are more willing to stretch beyond our comfort zone. We are prepared to take action because we believe in ourselves and our abilities.

The words we use to lead do impacts our results. Word choice is more than semantics. Word choice reflects our level of emotional intelligence. By ditching the word improvement and using the word growth, you communicate to your staff that you believe in their ability to do more and be more. That belief turns into action which turns into results.

 

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The One Universal Barrier to Success That Everyone Faces

There is a fundamental truth that limits our self-growth; we can only change those things of which we are aware.

  • If you don’t realize that no one on your team understands your vision, you won’t make it more clear to them.
  • If you don’t realize how yelling at your team demoralizes them, you won’t learn how to deliver a firm, but calm message.
  • If you don’t realize how consistently missing your own deadlines undermines your team’s motivation to meet deadlines, you won’t learn how to better delegate and stop procrastinating.
  • If you don’t realize how your own lack of self-confidence undermines your team’s confidence in you, you will continue to over-compensate for the confidence gap with ego-driven leadership tactics.
  • If you don’t understand how your fears hold you back, you won’t release yourself from those fears to reach new heights of success.
  • If you don’t understand your own knee-jerk reactions (automated behaviors), you will continue to feel remorse when you respond in a less than ideal way.
  • If you don’t know yourself deeply, you will never know your true capabilities.

We all have blind spots to our own strengths and weaknesses. No one is exempt from the limitations of self-perception. In order to realize our full potential, we need to remain open to feedback from others. We should seek this feedback from trusted others, such as mentors, colleagues, friends, family and even our team who report to us. These trusted others allow us to increase our self-awareness by better understanding how our thoughts, communications and actions impact those around us. An Executive Coach can also help you significantly increase your self-awareness and create a pathway to reaching your highest potential. Most importantly, we must understand that awareness empowers us to be present, purpose-driven and powerful.