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In today’s world, organisations need individuals who don’t just do their job well but can perform at their highest point of contribution. They need people who can do more with less, learn and adapt, and get things done with minimal supervision. Such people are called Impact Players.
Impact Players break through and leave an impact, while others may get stuck despite going through the same motions. When the workload feels heavy, other people tend to suffer and may end up giving up, while Impact Players make work feel lighter for everyone and to see it through to the finish line.
In her latest bestselling book, Impact Players: How to take the Lead, Play Bigger, and Multiply Your Impact, celebrated author and researcher Liz Wiseman, explores the concept of Impact Players in the workplace. She identified certain traits and behaviours that differentiate high-performing individuals from hard-working smart contributors.
In this blog article, we take a look at the mindset that Impact Players have that helps them succeed and thrive in the modern (or fast-paced) workplace.
Every organisation has some indispensable colleagues you know you can count on in dire situations. They are the ones who are given high-profile assignments and new opportunities. However, the only thing that differentiates them from others is their mindset and how they view challenges.
Most individuals just do their job, and very well too! Impact Players, on the other hand, seek opportunities where they can be useful and do the job that is needed. They tackle messy problems, often ambient problems that others overlook. They go beyond their assigned roles and KPIs and ensure the job that needs to be done right now is completed.
To succeed in today’s workplace fraught with uncertainty, which often leads to unclear roles, it’s essential to step up and take the lead. Impact Players don’t wait to be asked; instead, they get started and involve others, even if they are not officially in charge.
However, it is also essential to make sure that you are not overstepping any boundaries when the role does become clear. Knowing when to take the lead and when to take a step back and follow is a major skill mastered by Impact Players.
In case of an unforeseen obstacle, most individuals escalate the problem to their seniors and shrug it off as someone else’s responsibility. Impact Players, however, see the task until its end. They take ownership of the job at hand and get it completed without the need for supervision. They have what Liz calls the completion gene.
Being flexible and adaptable is perhaps the most underrated soft skill in the modern workplace. Even if you are good at something, to stay relevant and updated with the constant market changes, you need to be open to feedback and adapt and upgrade yourself as required. If you stick to what you know best and do not venture into new horizons, it won’t take long for your skills to become obsolete. So many talented individuals are lost to rigidity.
With a growth mindset, we see ourselves capable of learning and changing. Feedback and criticisms are seen as opportunities to learn and grow rather than threats.
Impact Players are easy to work with. Instead of complaining about work, they bring a sense of buoyancy and positivity, increasing overall team productivity. A culture of collaboration and inclusion helps build high-performing teams and makes heavy demands feel lighter.
Everyone wants to contribute in a meaningful way and make an impact. If individuals feel their work doesn’t have value and is not contributing to the organisation’s success, it will quickly lead to demotivation and ultimately burnout. Even daily tasks can start becoming monotonous and tedious in this case.
However, greater impact isn’t about working harder or longer. It is about creating extraordinary value wherever you go. While this mindset and approach may come naturally to some people, it may not be so instinctive to others. Fortunately, the mindset to grow can be learned. To make an impact, you need to possess the right behaviours and mindset, which can be achieved with a little coaching and practice.
Biz Group has been working with Liz Wiseman to deliver Leadership Development Training in the Middle East since 2010. In partnership with The Wiseman Group, we bring the concepts of Impact Players through interactive keynotes and workshops. Get in touch with us to learn more about Impact Players, which helps leaders and individuals take the lead and increase their influence and impact in the workplace.
