Are You in Sync at Work?

A few years back, my family and I were completely taken by one of the Wii Fit video games called “Rhythm Parade”. It was so much fun and so amusing. And I remember really appreciating how clever and symbolic it was. The goal was to simply march in sync with the music & the beat while working your baton (the Wii remote) as the leader of the band.

When you did this successfully, other musicians would magically appear and follow you down the street as they joined in with their instruments.

But . . . if you slipped out of sync and lost your rhythm, they would, one by one, start to instantly disappear.

Take a peek:

[video_embed video=”NJyXbf6yuag” parameters=”” mp4=”” ogv=”” placeholder=”Wii Fit’s Rhythm Parade” width=”500″ height=”250″] It was fun and exciting when you knew you were rocking it out and managed to attract a full band — and hilariously devastating when you stumbled so much that your followers abandoned ship and you’d find yourself marching alone.

I’ve thought about this game countless times as I’ve pondered my ability to stay in sync with my own rhythm and my own career, and the idea behind it can serve as a remarkably useful way for you to gauge your own professional success as well.

But first, what does it mean to be in sync?

When you are in sync, you are proceeding in a way that honors the whole of you. You are utilizing your natural talents and strengths, you’re engaged in work that you find purposeful and you work for an organization whose core values and culture are aligned, in some meaningful measure, with your own highest values (even if you’re an entrepreneur and the organization is your own).

And it’s equally important to note, that an added element to all of this is also being in sync within yourself. This means that . . .

• You’re self-aware & have a strong sense of the “you” that you desire to grow
• You know how to openly own your missteps and move forward
• You feel congruent and authentic in your actions (personally & professionally)
• You’re comfortable and confident in expressing your views and opinions
• You cultivate personal and professional relationships that elevate and nourish you
• You routinely challenge yourself and expand your comfort zone
• And you consistently commit to practicing good self-care

When you are in sync in these ways, then others (who are also working to get in sync) will naturally gravitate towards you as willful followers, just as in the marching band game. This has huge ramifications for your career, particularly if you operate as a team leader or manager.

Being in sync fuels your professional presence because it serves as an outward signal to others that your life and leadership are congruent and worthy of their attention and trust. And then, sensing that it’s safe, they will more readily and happily follow your lead.

So, if you’re looking around and noticing that the enthusiasm of your followership is waning a bit, maybe, just maybe it’s because you are questionably out of sync with your own rhythm and vibe. It’s definitely worth pondering.

Take a look at the check list that I provided, add your own valued metrics and determine if there are some things that you need to bring into alignment. And then, by all means, adjust accordingly. I’m sure that you’ll find yourself back in sync & rocking it out in your own rhythmic way in no time at all.

Quote of the Week: “Organize yourself & bring rhythm to your life: Because you have things to do, habits to break, dreams to achieve, peace to discover and one life to live” — V.V. Rao