What I Learned This Week: Be an Impact Player

Source: Impact Players: Dare to Lead Podcast

The most valuable lesson I’ve learned this week is the concept of Impact Players from leadership coach Liz Wiseman.

In an interview with Brene Brown, Liz Wiseman says Impact Players aren’t just talented, individual contributors — they make the team and the people around them better.

Impact Players are superstar performers who everyone wants on the team. They do great work, they do the hard stuff, and they do so with an energy that people want to be around.

Here are 5 things you can do to be an Impact Player:

1 - Get Ready and Stay Ready

Don’t wait for someone to tell you everything because that takes time. Make yourself useful and valuable by doing things without being asked, and anticipate problems and have plans.

2 - Be a Great Teammate

Be easy to work with, low maintenance, no drama, while helping your teammates. Don’t make hard work harder. Look for ways to make work easier for everyone. Bring value and good energy.

3 - Do Extra — Go Above and Beyond

Do the job that needs to be done — and do more. Napoleon Hill once said, “The person who does more than he is paid for will soon be paid for more than he does.” Find ways to do a little more or a little extra for others.

4 - Wear Opportunity Goggles

When other people get frustrated and either freak out or check out, look for opportunities to help solve problems. Run to the smoke, chaos, and storms with courage and wisdom. When expectations aren’t clear, don’t freeze or complain. Ask smart questions, make reasonable decisions, and adjust as you learn.

5 - Help Where it Matters Most

Make yourself useful and more valuable by finding out what’s most important and help the team do it. Don’t just do good work — do good work that really matters.

Liz then said leaders can create an environment where Impact Players can thrive by creating equal measures of safety and stretch. Stretch people, challenge them, and invite them to do hard things, but let them know they are safe to try new things and even make mistakes because they will have support and will even be celebrated even in they don’t get the results they wanted.

Question of the Day: Which area can you grow in so you can be more of an Impact Player? How can you create safety and stretch in equal measures so that you can create an environment where Impact Players can thrive?