What we find easy (may not be)
I’m always learning it is very difficult to see myself clearly. I’ve had so many conversations with colleagues and friends where they see something in me I either 1) never saw in myself or 2) didn’t think was a big deal at all.
I would be told things like: I’m confident. I’m collaborative. I’m organized. I’m a natural leader. I make good decisions. I’m calm under pressure. I have integrity.
My typical response would be disbelief. I just can’t see nor believe it. I’d think, “How is it possible that you see that? What am I doing that makes you see that?” I actually said that out loud once, and someone said, “Because it's so natural, you don't recognize that you're good at it.” Oh, well, that makes sense.
That made me wonder how many people are walking around in the world not recognizing they are good at something?
We don’t give ourselves credit for those qualities because they come naturally. In fact, we actually devalue what we find easy. We minimize these qualities by saying things like no big deal or that’s just what I do. As a result, those qualities are not recognized nor capitalized in the work environment.
Arts leaders have a responsibility to shed light on these qualities in our people, including musicians.
It is not just how well they play their instruments. There is always more beyond this. Maybe they have a great ear. Maybe they always know the right thing to say in a tense situation. Maybe they have a keen eye for detail. Whatever it is, they probably don’t know they’re good at it.
What we find easy is definitely not easy for everyone else.
Here are three steps to value what people may find easy:
Identify and recognize. We can make a simple comment that reflects back to them what we see. It doesn’t need to be a compliment, just an observation (simply because they can’t see what we see).
Affirm and articulate value. We can share how those qualities had a positive impact on the work we do and how we do it. Show our appreciation for them in this way.
Encourage and capitalize. We can motivate people to lean into these qualities. We can intentionally find ways to use these qualities in our rehearsals, operations, or audience engagement.
I’m so grateful for the people who have taken the time to help identify, affirm, and encourage these qualities in me. I recognize that it is my job as a leader to do this for others.
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