Pushback. When I receive pushback, I know I’m doing my job.
Pushback is a Sign of Risk-Taking
If I make a statement that a client doesn’t agree with or that ruffles feathers among my co-workers, that is when I know I’m going in the right direction. I’m not talking about making vulgar statements. Instead, I am talking about offering solutions that may not be the standard response. Usually, I will get pushback, but I know my capabilities in delivering. Every time I try to provide the best product or solution means I am stepping out of the known and into the unknown. But taking that risk means improving the quality of service provided to customers.
Pushback is Uncomfortable
Risk-taking is uncomfortable. It is doing something you don’t know what the outcome will be. Getting pushback for your decisions is also uncomfortable, nobody likes to be wrong. Feeling this will make you question if it is the best decision. A lot of times you can’t really know. Yes, it’s uncomfortable, but is it because of pushback or is it because I came up with a really bad solution. If it’s the latter then maybe I should go back to the drawing board.
But if it’s the former, I should probably move forward with the idea. Yes, pushback is hard. Pushback is uncomfortable. But not trying to improve somebody’s life because of a feeling things might go wrong isn’t worth it.
Not Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone is Lazy
If you have a job where you can be lazy and/or cowardly without risk of losing your income, you should quit. It’s bad for you. – Isaac Morehouse
The Stoics like to do something called “negative visualization.” The idea is that you think of a perceived future where you lose everything, in this situation your job, over a decision and you find some form of solace if the potential outcome were to happen. For me, whenever I make a decision within my job, I also have to imagine the worst possible outcome. My question is “If I promise something to the client, what might happen to me?” Rarely, if ever, do I think it’ll end in me being fired, so I go on with my plan and take action. Maybe one day I’ll make a decision that means losing my job, but that means I’m not being lazy. Stepping out of your comfort zone, and taking risks, requires there to be at least some element of unknown.
Making these decisions, even if it were to mean losing my job, is required to offer a better product. I will continue to step out of my comfort zone and I will continue to experience pushback. Otherwise, I’m not doing my best.