You Can’t Afford to Keep Wondering if You Have What it Takes

In My Head or In Over My Head?

There once came a moment in my career as a wellness consultant when I felt I was in way over my head. I was working with a client organization where I had identified several issues that were impacting the efficacy of the employee wellness strategy. I sat with my findings for a few months to be sure my assessment of the dynamics was correct.

After some time passed, I found myself in a rare moment where I had the CEO’s undivided attention, and I didn’t want to lose the opportunity to open the conversation. In a bold move, I finally started naming the issues I had identified that were preventing positive progress. My risk paid off. The CEO agreed with my assessment and I was granted pathways to begin addressing the issues. The opportunity I had been waiting for was wide open. The HR Director and I briefly celebrated this feat and then got right to work.

The truth was that I had never addressed these high-level dynamics in an organization before. I always knew they existed, but I was always dependent on someone else to solve them.

As the days drew nearer to the implementation of this work, which would put me squarely at the center of these issues, I found my internal confidence waning. The truth was that I had never addressed these high-level dynamics in an organization before. I always knew they existed, but I was always dependent on someone else to solve them.

I wrestled with feeling like an imposter and the internal feedback was deafening.
“Do you have what it takes?”
“Who do you think you are?”
“They are going to see right through you.”

Getting Out of My Head

On the day before the big meeting, as I was walking out of the building, I finally asked myself this one question, “Are you going to back out?” No. I wasn’t going to back out. And I wasn’t going to back out just because I didn’t want to look like a fool, but also because I had worked diligently, thoughtfully, and intentionally over my career to do this exact work that I believed could create a better outcome for employees and their leaders. I was fulfilling my purpose!

I simply had to accept that I would do my best and that would have to be enough.

If I wasn’t going to run, I had to quit wondering if I had what it takes. I simply had to accept that I would do my best and that would have to be enough. In that acceptance there came a new perspective in my internal voice. “Who else is going to do this work if you don’t? No one else raised their hand to solve this. You did. And they gave you a pathway to do it. It’s worth trying.”

Was I nervous to be front and center to a leadership team and their biggest issues? Certainly. My change in perspective didn’t make the vulnerability any easier, but it did give me something to root into.

Chances are, you are the only person who has been looking at company dynamics through the lens of employee well-being.

Staying in the Fight

As the work of corporate well-being continues to expand in ways we have been fighting for, don’t take yourself out of the fight. Chances are, you are the only person who has been looking at company dynamics through the lens of employee well-being. You have immense value to add to the conversation as it comes to the forefront of a company’s priorities this year. As for WELCOA, we’ll be behind you all the way. It’s our mission to support your success. Game on.

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