Ximena Pardiñas – Academy Director and Xn practice leader.
We live in a world of constant changes that affect absolutely everyone. So, only those who are willing to adapt quickly, or better yet, to lead the changes, are the ones who will have the chance of not becoming obsolete. If, in addition, we see changes as opportunities, we will be able to enjoy this context of accelerated transformation
We say that someone has an attitude of improvement when they are able to question everything in a positive way, to constantly ask themselves how they could do better?, to promote change, starting with themselves. “Because nothing changes if I don’t change.”
Nor is it about transforming for the sake of transforming, but choose what to transform. Evaluate what is best, put all your energy into it and be aware that perfection does not exist.
“We will seek perfection and we will search tirelessly, knowing that we will never achieve it. But if we look for it, we will find excellence” – (V. Lombardi).
And also be aware that you can’t do everything at once and that time is finite. Those who live the attitude of improvement learn to “drop” the task at the right time because they know that “the perfect is the enemy of the good”.
At the age of 12 I was going to participate in my first international synchronized swimming competition. My trainer had worked on developing many things with me. I had natural strengths and talents: body control, buoyancy, and strength. I managed to develop the technique very well but when I took him to the routine I did it thinking and not feeling. The artistic cost me horrible, they didn’t get me a smile or a grace not even by decree. And besides, it was “hard as a rock” and I had to improve my flexibility a lot. But in that competition in Argentina I smiled and I made an effort in my artistic expression. My flexibility had also improved a lot. And at the end of the competition I positioned myself as the best swimmer in my category.
So I told my coach: ready, I already beat them all.
And she replied: Ready nothing. Now you are going to ask each coach from the other countries, what else can you improve on?
And I thought: How heavy! She never catches up with him! Now I have to go ask one by one and take more homework.
So it was. I got a lot of advice on how to keep improving. And over time I understood the value and the gift those words had been. And much later, in my professional career, I also understood thatThe only way to earn a place in this transformation is continuous training. The more we can acquire new skills, the more valuable and useful we are. And that improvement is an endless road. There is always something we can learn, improve or change.
People with an improvement attitude know that doing things well, always in the same way, is not enough.
For this, the value of humility is fundamental: “If you are not humble it is very difficult to be advised. And if you can’t get advice, it’s very difficult to improve” (P. Drucker).
In our work, being better every day is not just a matter of survival, it is the great opportunity we have to feel better. Confirming that one develops, that one contributes more and more, feels more useful, is very comforting. Knowing that we can be more and more valuable, is a vital food to generate that emotional energy that moves us.
Tips to build the improvement attitude:
1. Question everything in a positive way: remember that changes occur faster and faster and that requires permanent transformation. Do not accept the “here it was always done like this”. Be a constructive critic.
2. Always ask yourself: how could I do better? Remember that you have two jobs: your Job (T) and the Transformation of your Job (TT). Adopt the TT discipline. Continually search for a better way of doing things. Innovate.
3. Learn from the past, but let it go: remember that the seed of failure is sown in success. Take everything that’s worth what it’s made of. Apply lessons learned. Build on what went well, but don’t settle for it.
4. Seek to develop yourself permanently: remember that “charity properly understood begins at home”. The first thing to question is yourself. Be humble. Improve yourself. Be an eternal learner.
5. Consider the impact of the transformation on others: remember that the more you know about the sector of activity you are in, the more valuable your contribution to the team and the organization can be. Learn the business, not just your role.
