Be more Roomba: work out what to do with this four-step process

Herbert the Roomba was stuck “near a cliff”; frozen so he wouldn’t fall to his doom.

He sent out a distress signal to his owner.

The owner discovered that Herbert had mounted a doormat.

Sometimes, we can be a bit like Herbert.

What we think is an insurmountable peak, or a deadly drop, is actually just a little hop (or, a series of little hops).

I know you have seen it: Contract Managers who remain Contract Managers for 10 years (and a lot more in some cases!). A skilled and experienced Revenue Manager who just can’t work out how to make the jump to cluster, or regional. The Director of Sales who never seems to make DOSM.

For those who want to keep climbing the ladder, this is a tough industry. The org chart is generally a steep pyramid, with fewer and fewer opportunities to move upwards. Depending on which sector you’re in, more jobs are taken by technology and automated (the new kind of product manager is taking over from the old kind of product manager).

On top of that, personal development is not a priority, meaning that your boss doesn’t have the time or the tools to help you move up.

When this goes on for too long, you can start to lose confidence in yourself, wonder if you’re not cut out for this business after all, or simply give up.

I bet you aren’t sure what your next move should be… am I right?

So many of us fell into this industry because we love travel, and people, and the magic of hospitality. But we can’t fall upwards into senior positions in the same way, which leaves us feeling stuck, confused, and scared of taking a big leap.

Let’s take another leaf out of Herbert’s book, and be even more Roomba.

Step minus one: send out a distress signal

You can’t change anything if you haven’t accepted that something needs changing.

If you’ve read this far, I assume that you know that you want to get off “the cliff” and start moving. Distress signal received 🦸🏻‍♀️

Step one: scan the area

Herbert the Roomba doesn’t get off the doormat and go at full speed across the kitchen. Herbert takes a look around.

Take some time to do the same.

Think about different areas of your work, your working environment, your colleagues, your boss. Is there anything that gives you a little buzz?

There are a lot of demands on your time and attention. Bring back your focus to yourself. Who are you when you are having a bit of fun at work? Who are you when you do your best?

Step two: the first small step

Next, Herbert takes minute turns and small advances, figuring out if he is still on the cliff or if it was a doormat as his owner said.

You don’t need to do anything wild. Follow that buzzy feeling. Test out more of that.

Take on a new project, shadow someone in a different function, try out something in your free time. See if you feel more or less buzzy when you do those things.

Online courses are ok, but we learn 70% of what we know through experiencing it.

Step three: take bigger steps

Herbert now feels sheepish. He agrees, he was on a doormat not a cliff. He is feeling bolder, and can start moving a bit faster.

Now you know what gives you a buzz, and you’ve built up some experience and some connections, you can go a bit faster and a bit further.

Take bigger hops, but always check in if the buzzy feeling is there. If you try something and you feel unexpectedly unbuzzy, you can always turn five degrees and try something else.

You can build your personal elevator pitch around these things you are enjoying, and become known for them, opening up more opportunities.

As you learn and grow, taking bigger and bigger hops, you will move towards your big and buzzy future. You can’t say that in 5 years you will have a certain job title, but you can know that you want to work in a certain area, with a certain level of impact, a certain amount of interaction with people, and a certain lifestyle.

And you can make yourself a go-to person for those things.

Secret step four: recharge

Even Herbert needs a break. Perhaps ESPECIALLY after the emotional rollercoaster of realising the cliff was a doormat.

Remember to take time off, be kind to yourself and celebrate your wins. Having a full-time job and building a buzzy future takes energy and courage; you can’t do it knackered.

Take a tiny hop into your buzzy future

If you feel like you have no idea what the heck to do next, think of Herbert and follow the twinkly feeling.

With a series of small hops, you can scale a mountain.

If you’d like support with this, book in a call here.

Be more Roomba: work out what the heck to do next with this four-step process