Non-Exempt Individual Contributor: Mastery

Resourcefulness starts with a plan. A good plan leads to better use of resources and facilitates getting things done efficiently. Lay out the work from A to Z. What are your goals? What is mission critical and what is trivial? What’s the timeline? What resources do you need? Break complex projects into a series of tasks. Set aside 20 minutes at the start of each week to review your plan, prioritize, and manage your resources.

Do you think it can’t be done? That it’ll never work? This is negative self-talk. It reinforces the beliefs that limit what is possible. Learn to eliminate negative self-talk and replace it with something more helpful. Look at complex problems and believe that they can be solved even when others tell you otherwise. Turn negatives such as: “I can’t do this” or “This is impossible” into positive questions such as: “How can I do this?” or “How is this possible?” What you think shapes your reality. In the words of Henry Ford: “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.”

Resourcefulness is, in part, about finding creative new ways of doing things, or experimenting when an initial approach doesn’t work. If you find yourself relying on the same methods time after time, reflect on what’s preventing you from being more creative. Is it fear of failure? Being creative means putting what’s new and unique up for review and critique. Get out of your comfort zone. Focus on: “What haven’t I tried” or “What would happen if…” Think and act differently, try new things, and break free from your restraints.