Partnering for Performance
As we navigate our careers it is very difficult to go it alone. Only you can carve your path, but everyone needs help along the way. If you are lucky you have a trusted colleague who you can confide in and whose perspective you trust and can rely on. I refer to this trusted colleague as a performance partner.
Have you ever competed with a teammate on the same team as you? You pushed yourself to perform better than your teammate and as a result, you ended up doing things that you never thought possible. This is one small example of how we can motivate each other and your performance partner can be more valuable than just simple competition.
I have had the good fortune of having a circle of trusted colleagues and they have helped me become better in many different ways. Yes, I looked to them as examples of excellence, but I have also benefited from being able to confide in them and share the difficulties that I was experiencing at the time. In return, they were able to offer me perspective and feedback pointing out how I could’ve done better. This is a very important point. You need to have a performance partner that is willing to give you the direct feedback you need to hear even if you are not willing to hear it. The trust you have for this person will make it more likely that you will listen to the feedback and as a result improve and stay true to the path you are carving for yourself.
While a performance partner can help push you, it is also important to remember that this person should be someone that you actually want to hang out with. It doesn’t have to be career talk all the time, because you know that they are a friendly ear when you need someone to help keep you grounded.
