Are You Really Doing Your Best? Or Just Trying Hard?
We’ve all heard and used the term “just do your best” since childhood. Though often applied to children, it is also frequently used in a professional context.
But what does it mean in a work environment?
According to Merriam-Webster, to "do your best" means
to perform as well as you can, or
to put in the utmost possible effort
In fact, there is a great deal of difference between these two definitions.
“To perform as well as you can” implies the application of skills, training and/or expertise. Therefore, the standard by which you measure your best will necessarily change as your knowledge and experience continue to grow. Clearly, someone who has been working for fifteen years has “better” skills than they did at the start of their career.
As you gain experience, others’ expectations of your best should also evolve. Annual reviews are an excellent opportunity to check in with what precisely those expectations are. Perhaps your supervisor, upper management or the board has a static view of your best, based on what they knew when you first joined the organization. Their perceptions may even be holding you back from potential projects. raises or promotions. You may want to offer feedback as to the proficiency, capabilities and understanding you have achieved.
If their view of the best you can do is unrealistically high, you may choose to correct them - or put yourself on a crash course to measure up!
On the other hand, “to put in the utmost possible effort” lacks any implied measure of experience or learning and simply means to try as hard as you can.
As a leader, it is up to you to be clear as to your expectations regarding your team’s “best” and to make sure you are also doing the best job you can, with the best effort you can make!
“Do your best when no one is looking. If you do that, you can be successful in anything you put your mind to.”
- Bob Cousy
~ Tracey
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Fundamental of the Week #5: ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST
Develop the practice of doing your best each day. As it becomes a habit, what constitutes your best will change and improve over time.
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