I’m certainly one to try and do things on my own. I’m very independent, and love the feeling of accomplishment I get when I complete a task. I also, whether rightly, or wrongly, believe that there are very few problems that can’t be solved, and I take great enjoyment in troubleshooting situations as they arise.
I’ve had the privilege of working with a supervisor who has taught me how to truly be collaborative. In the past, I had always thought that I was a collaborative person, but I’ve since learned that my past collaborations were often “light” in nature; I was collaborating as a matter of requirement, not necessarily because I saw the tremendous value in doing so.
I’ve since grown to understand the need, and value, in coming to solutions as a group, rather than just alone. And yet, I still sometimes find myself, as a matter of pride, and as a test of my own learning and leading value, to drift into the “Wanting to do it myself” frame. I’m not sure why that desire persists, certainly I’ve come to grow and welcome the opportunity to explore ideas together. But, often, I do find that I’ll say, “I’ve got it” or “I can do this” because I believe that I can. And often, I’m correct.
That said, I need to move beyond welcoming collaboration, to also fully welcoming assistance. I understand that it is valuable to receive help, and I also know how necessary it is to be a self-starter. What I don’t always know is where that balance point is. There are times when I am happy to accept assistance, and others where I’m not. Why do I make those decisions? What would help me become a better evaluator of when I need someone else to push me in the right direction versus when I’ve built up enough steam to push myself?
Truly lessons for me to continue to learn!