Today’s Tuesday Reading is from Jason McKinney, Assistant Director, IT Service Excellence at the University of Illinois Chicago and a MOR program participant. Jason may be reached at [email protected] or via LinkedIn.
As a Little League baseball coach, I often talk to my players about the “snowball effect.” For those unfamiliar, it starts with something small that, if left unchecked, grows into something much bigger, like a snowball rolling down a hill. While this can be about small things becoming large things, this is a story about the snowball effect of gaining momentum of my MOR experience.
Ready for Transformation
I came home from my first MOR workshop believing I was in line for a “transformational” experience in this program. I learned so much and had already begun implementing some of the changes I wanted to make while I was still there. I intentionally was more extroverted and volunteered when opportunities arose. I recognized what I needed to change: be more strategic, engage more, start overcoming imposter syndrome, and step out of my comfort zone more frequently. I had big plans and was ready to get to work.
Then… I Got Back Home
It is easy to make excuses for why things changed. I got home at 2:30 a.m. the day after the workshop, so I did not work that day. Then I got sick. Then I threw my back out. My personal life is busy. I could go on and on. The point is, I got home and let myself fall right back into my comfort zone despite all my big plans. I spent the first week digging out from everything I missed while I was away and told myself I would start “next week.”
The next week came, and it was more of the same. There is always another project, another ticket, another reason to stick with what we are doing. Sure, I felt some guilt. I knew what I was “supposed” to be doing and what I wanted to be doing. Wasn’t this supposed to be transformational?
My Turning Point
A month later, I had had enough of my excuses and procrastination. I knew that if I wanted to see any change, let alone a transformational one, I had to take the first step. I reached a point where I had to choose between “sticking with what works” and putting in the effort to better myself. I had a plan to get back on my feet with MOR.
I decided that this reflection would be the first step. The “old me,” the comfortable me, would have waited to even begin writing it. I have a habit of procrastinating, I have often justified it. I take the urgency of a looming deadline and channel it into productivity. This time, however, my goal is to start tasks as soon as I am able. This gave me more time to focus on my MOR learnings and become more proactive about my goals. I can achieve transformational change through small, consistent steps. It does not have to come from one giant leap.
The Snowball Effect
I feel like I have gotten back on the right path, momentum is building, the snowball is growing larger. Sure, there are moments, days, or even weeks when I fall behind or do not fully apply what I have learned, but I think that is true for everyone. In an ideal world, I would be completely consistent and have all the time I need to stay the course. But we do not live in an ideal world, and things are rarely perfect. During tougher moments, I have continued to give myself grace and remind myself that even small steps are still progress.
I am very fortunate to have a strong support system at my institution for my MOR journey. This combination of MOR alum who strongly believe in the program and others in my MOR cohort help hold me accountable and make a meaningful impact on my journey.
One of the biggest changes I have noticed is a significant increase in self-awareness. While I still occasionally slip back into my comfort zone, I am much more aware when it happens, which makes it easier to correct course. This awareness extends beyond work and into my personal life as well. My renewed self-awareness has helped me stop slipping back into my comfort zone before that snowball even starts to return.
Transformation in Progress
I have also become much less nervous about reaching out to and connecting with new people. One of my goals in MOR was to expand my network and I have found the experience far more enjoyable than I expected. I am typically introverted around new people, but I have made a conscious effort to push past that. Recently, I have had conversations with several directors at my institution whom I had never spoken with before. It has been rewarding to find common ground, whether it is our favorite baseball teams (Go White Sox!), kids’ sports, or running. These interactions have made me genuinely excited to continue building connections.
That said, even with all these positives, it is still easy to slip back into my comfort zone at times. The old version of me, the one before MOR, would have settled in there. The version of me I am continuing to build now sees the comfort zone as just a brief pit stop along the journey. That shift in mindset is one of the most valuable things MOR has given me.
Keep giving yourself grace and keep moving forward, one small step at a time. Every step is part of a much longer journey. Every step forward increases the impact of that snowball.
Which helps you most when you’re trying to keep momentum strong?
Last week, we asked which habit you most want to work on as a leader and a person:
- 24% said weekly reflection
- 22% said weekly planning
- 21% said prioritizing physical health
- 20% said continuing to grow as a leader
- 13% said prioritizing mental health
The relatively even spread of responses shows that our community has a variety of ways we want to learn and grow as leaders. This likely extends to your staff as well: different individuals with different strengths and areas for growth. Working on our own areas for growth and supporting our team members in their growth goals helps raise our collective capabilities as an organization.