When Was the Last Time YOU Looked in the Mirror?

 

I read an interesting article this morning written by George Roberts, It's Time for Senior Managers to Look in the Mirror, published in the OpenView Labs newsletter. Although Roberts is talking about evaluating the performance of the executive team, and himself (the Chief Executive), I think his comments are valid for project leaders too.

With the start of every new year, organizations are doing annual reviews and evaluating how they did over the previous year. I think this is a good idea for project teams. However, Roberts brings up something we should keep in mind. He suggests, "...it's sometimes easy to evaluate [others], but how often do you turn the mirror on yourself?"

He may be right when he suggests, "The truth is, it doesn't happen often enough." It's always easier to see the faults and shortcomings of others—and decidedly more difficult to see one's own weaknesses. For example, what are the odds that you are the only person on your project team of above average intelligence? I mean really? Is it possible that you contributed to some of the challenges your project team had to overcome last year?

"More than likely" is the right answer.

Roberts suggests three things we should ask ourselves as we look in the mirror:

1. What am I doing well?
2. what am I not doing well?
3. What can I do better?

Simple questions, but honest answers could be very revealing. With the start of a new quarter, a new year, and potentially another year's worth of new projects, now is as good a time as any (and maybe even the best time) to look in the mirror and ask ourselves three simple questions.

What do you think? When was the last time YOU looked in the mirror?