“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.” ~ Michelangelo
We are all guilty of flying under the radar at some stage of our lives. Many of us are taught this at an early age.
Here’s an exercise if you would like to participate and choose not to fly under tha radar!
Raise your hand. Go on!
Now raise it higher.
Hmmmmmm. I bet you could raise it higher! I did when I went through that exercise too. So what is that telling us?? Why didn’t you raise it to your full capacity when you were first asked to? Was it because you raised it until it felt slightly uncomfortable? Did you just raise it so you could say you did the exercise?
There will be different reasons for different people. My reason – I just raised it to where it felt comfortable. High but certainly not extended to my full potential.
So where else is this playing out in my life and in my work?
Yep I have been guilty of flying under the radar. I’ve kept quiet just in case my answer was wrong. I’ve stood behind someone so they couldn’t see me and I wouldn’t be chosen to do or say something. I’ve done all of that! Until I wouldn’t do it anymore because I was falling behind.
It’s when I got my first leadership role that I realized I could never do that anymore. With me being the leader of people and the business, I needed to be heard, I needed to think on my feet, get the answer wrong and learn from my mistakes. I needed to show others that flying under the radar is not a success principle and they needed to stand up and be heard in this crazy world of ours. In a way that’s authentic to them, to you and to me.
I bet some of your team are flying under the radar and you get incredibly frustrated by it. And perhaps you’re flying under the radar too and wondering why you aren’t being heard or noticed or asked to be part of things.
Not everyone strives to be seen, but as leaders if you are guilty of flying to low, you won’t be seen and you won’t be heard. Problem with that is we need you right now. We need to know how to do this in a confused workplace and we need you to show us.