Winging It

While working with an executive client a few months ago, a revelation hit both of us like a ton of bricks when I looked at him and said,

“You are great at winging it, but you won't be great if you always wing it.”

It was a simple thought, yet a powerful one. He looked at me, shook his head, and acknowledged that much of his life he has gotten away with winging it—often using charm, charisma, or likability to talk his way out of challenging situations or into ideal ones. I looked back at him and acknowledged that I knew exactly what he was talking about, as I have often gotten away with winging it as well. What do I mean by “winging it?” Here’s my attempt to share:

For me, I am good at holding space for people. Asking them questions. Figuring out in-roads to conversations. I remember my best friend’s mom saying when I was little that I had the “gift of gab.” But with our gifts often come curses. When I was younger, I would turn in papers without editing them. I would get decent grades, but it often held me back from getting great grades. I was talented enough that my grades weren’t awful, but I never excelled at school and I think it largely had to do with my desire to wing it.

Winging it can show up in our relationships, work, parenting-style, hobbies. There is definitely a time to wing it; we all have to adapt and improvise in the game of life. But, I don’t think greatness occurs from winging it. In fact, I think the belief that we can wing it often holds us back from reaching our potential.  

Where are you winging it in your life? How could you invest a little bit more preparation and intention? What would that do for your performance? Greatness often occurs when a talent works as if it is talented. We all have gifts. In order to nurture our nature, we need to avoid the trap of winging it.