Talk Tracks (Old Story on Repeat)
Growing up, I remember four vinyl records I played on repeat: Disco Duck, Michael McDonald's latest album, the original Star Wars score, and Michael Jackson's Thriller.
Eclectic, I know! It was a wild mix for an 8-year-old, but man, I loved those albums.
Vinyl records are both simple and a bit mysterious (at least to me). When the needle drops and hits the groove, music fills our ears.
I think something similar happens for leaders, and it can sometimes hold us back.
We all have hidden, deeply rooted thoughts or talk tracks that play in our minds.
When certain tensions, pressures, or new leadership challenges show up, those tracks start playing automatically.
When I first started my ICF coaching training in 2016, a few exercises revealed and illuminated my main talk track: "I'm not equipped."
Growing up in a blue-collar family in Kentucky, I learned that I had deep-seated beliefs that I didn't have the right background or education to actually belong in certain situations or have certain opportunities.
As a new leader, your mindset may sound a little bit different from mine. See if any of these resonate with you:
"I have to have all the answers."
"Delegating is going to make me look weak."
"I can't say no."
These thoughts can seem like facts or disguise themselves as facts, but they are really just old, self-limiting beliefs. A recent Harvard Business Review article by Muriel Wilkins explains that these beliefs often lead to micromanagement, perfectionism, and burnout.
These are some of the traps that hold new leaders back. They keep us stuck in a false sense of reality and make decisions even harder.
Choose to Change the Song
To lead effectively, you first need to name the story you're telling yourself. Over the next couple of months, we're going to look at how talk tracks are just one type of story that we carry.
And once you notice the needle drop and the track starts to play, if you realize in the midst of it that it's not really serving you, you can intentionally change the song.
Some helpful reframes include shifting
from "I have to have all the answers" to "My job is to ask better questions," or;
from "Delegating is going to make me look weak" to "Delegating is how I scale my leadership and develop my team."
What's Emerging This Week
What thoughts have you been repeating in your mind lately? Try to notice them, question those old patterns, and choose a new story for yourself.
By the way, if you didn't grow up with vinyl records like I did back in the 1900s and you're wondering what I mean, you can always look up how they work on YouTube. :-)
With intention,
Scott
P.S. If this message resonated with you and you're not sure where to start for yourself or your team, just comment down below. My team will help set up a time for us to talk about your leadership, what's holding you back, and how to move forward.
Prefer to get EMERGENCE straight to your inbox? Subscribe Here
Explore Scott’s Frameworks: https://www.scottschultz.co/thought-leadership
