Gauri Chhabra
“I don’t know what we’d do without him!” That’s what the CEO of a well- known company told about one of my friends, Rahul. In organizations large and small, managers spoke of their dependence on colleagues who have business-critical expertise, built up through years of experience, which helps them make wise, swift decisions about both strategy and tactics. These mavens may be top salespeople, technical wizards, risk managers, or operations troubleshooters, but they are all the “go-to” people for a given type of knowledge in their organizations.
Who is a “Go To”?
A ‘go to’ person is the one who has adopted a skilled way of thinking, making decisions, and behaving that leads to success again and again because of the deep rooted experience he has developed over time. He is the one the organization does not seem to do without, he is the one who is recession proof – there is always some or the other organization looking for him as an asset to have in the company.
You can’t and don’t want to become a carbon copy of another person. Go to’sare unique-a product of their particular mind-set, education, and experience. But you should be able to identify the elements of their knowledge and behavior that make them so valuable to the organization. They are the ones who could effortlessly solve any technical problem and always got the best out of people.
They always motivate the team members by matching their roles to their interests, offering them opportunities to present to clients, and taking personal responsibility for shortfalls and mistakes, while giving others credit for progress. On the technical front, they use certain identifiable diagnostic questions to understand complex issues.
So, how do you become a “Go To”? Here are a few tips:
Prepare:
Some claim these go-to people have a “sixth sense”. They always seem to be around the action. Somehow, they can see steps ahead that most couldn’t fathom. But it isn’t anything supernatural. The same is true of any manager who anticipates problems with project launches or employee relationships. You can also be one. All you need is to prepare more and process faster. As a result, your reactions would become unconsciously instinctive.
Prepare not only for the best but also for the worst. Presume adversity will hit and watch for the unexpected. Don’t marry yourselfto one process or scheme. Simply trust in yourself and find a way to get things done.
Take ownership:
“Someone has to do it. Why not me?” That realization has launched every scientific breakthrough and literary masterpiece. Most people wait for life to come to them. They play small. They tip-toe through their lives, intimidated by the prospect of stepping forward and exposing themselves. When difficulty presents itself, their first reactions are disbelief, denial, doubt, and dejection.
If you wish to be a go- to person, just get out in front and assert when others shrink back. Go all in, the spotlight can feed you as much as it can embarrass you.When crunch time arrives, have the ball in your hands. Own the outcome.
And that doesn’t come from waiting around to be asked…
Example is better than precept:
Leadership is less about sermons but more about the examples you set every day. Day in and day out, your team is taking cues from you. And they measure themselves against you. The go-to people are the ones who always go above-and-beyond, whether it’s running laps or killing sales goals. They don’t take shortcuts, knowing their teammates will grow sloppy if they do. They’re consistent in their day-to-day, so their peers know they’ll be steady when it really counts. And they set the bar high, understanding that expectations are self-fulfilling for everyone.
Attack rather than defend:
One of the winning rules of any game is to attack. Want to know the top reason why people fail? They react. Go-to people attack. They appreciate that they may only get one shot. So they live in that moment, recognizing its significance. They step back, breathe, patiently survey the landscape, and focus so all the moving pieces slow down. They don’t get ahead of themselves by worrying about any fallout. They’re not paralyzed by the fear of falling short. And they don’t let themselves be distracted by what their opponents are doing. They just concern themselves with what they can control.
In that moment, hesitation is the worst possible reaction. So the big-game performers are 100 percent certain and 100 percent committed.
So, be a catalyst; the world has to react to you not the other way round.
Failure is a part of success:
Winners know that the distance between winning and losing is often a matter of inches. They are humbled by the knowledge that they can always fall short no matter how far they came. Despite any setbacks, leaders don’t dwell on the moment or feel sorry for themselves. They come to terms when they cough up the ball or botch the pitch. They move on. Their lives don’t end. Their loved ones still care for them.Even when performers stop fearing letdowns, they still keep score. They neverforget. Failure hurts. It makes them hungrier – and more determined to never experience that pain again. Winners can’t stand to hear about “moral victories.” They want to go out and notch real ones. That makes them driven, obsessed even.
Learning how to win entails a lot of losing. And when you lose your confidence, you lose your will. Once you lose those, it can all unravel so fast.
Always remember, there would always be a next time…
Be accountable:
Pressure situations can bring out your best. But they can also expose your worst instincts. Even our star performers aren’t saints. They possess flaws. And they sometimes disappoint. What separates the winners is they do not blame anyone for their failure. They realize that they set the standard. So they get back on their feet and lift their heads high. And their response signals to everyone else to do the same. Let the critics bray. Go-to performers have already been through this before. And it has given them a thick skin.
Take criticism for fuel, telling yourself “I’ll show them. I’m the right person”.
It’s all about human touch:
Call it what you want: Charisma or magnetism. The winners carry an innate air…a vibe…a spark. They exude energy. People gravitate towards them. They feed off their confidence and enthusiasm. Most important, they trust the go-to performers to take them where they can’t take themselves.
The go-to people start with themselves. They force themselves to do what feels unnatural, even agonizing. They set the tone by their word and deed.
They understand it is their responsibility to pull people together, remove uncertainty, drive up intensity, and shield others from distractions. When their followers grow lethargic, sloppy, and entitled, they step forward to remind everyone what’s expected and hold everyone accountable for it.Just as important, they forge relationships. To succeed, everyone must believe in each other long before the moment of truth comes.
So, connect with your teammates. Look for ways to keep everyone involved and contributing, always evaluating what each is capable of doing. And constantly ask “How can I make them better?” and “How can I prepare them so we never have to face crunch time in the first place?”
One step backward is two steps forward:
Being the winner sometimes means stepping back, accepting a lesser role, and playing to your strengths. You may only be able to control one small area, but you can set the pick or handle the grunt work that ultimately influences the outcome.
Never forget: Sacrificing for someone else… is what the ‘Go To ‘ is all about..
Follow our WhatsApp channel
