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Shadowing Success: Being Here Now

Writer's picture: Paul DeChant MD, MBAPaul DeChant MD, MBA

Updated: Jan 20


Shadowing success

You're on your way to shadowing success! If you've been tracking the last few blogs posted on this site, you are preparing yourself to become a more successful leader.


This is because you will be learning more about what works, and more importantly what doesn't work, in your organization's operations. It's only when you know what's wrong that you can develop the most effective solutions.


In order to learn the most from your shadowing experience, you need to pay attention while you are there. Sounds simple and logical, but it's not so easy. With all the distractions and uncertainty in a complex organization, with multiple stakeholders vying for your attention, it can be a real challenge to focus on the people and activities that you are shadowing.


So in the words of the late guru Ram Das, when you are shadowing, "Be Here Now." Make sure you will not be interrupted by other administrative demands. If you've committed to focusing on a person or work unit, honor that commitment.


If you spend time putting out fires in some other part of your organization, people will wonder if you care about them. They will feel disrespected and undervalued. They will wonder if you honor your commitments.


And all the preparation you and others have put into the shadowing experience will be wasted. You'll risk missing out on what you are there to learn.


I'm so focused on this because I know how easy it is for your attention to be pulled away from the shadowing experience.


By clearly putting your focus on the person and/or team you are shadowing, even letting them know that you are prioritizing them over other concerns, you will lay the foundation for future shadowing success of other teams. Others will want you to come see their work. Engagement will grow.


In the next post, we'll talk specifics of what to do, and not to do, while shadowing. To learn more about those details, schedule a call with me, I'd love to help you do this right.


Dr. Paul DeChant is a leadership coach dedicated to helping CEOs create organizations where their people and their businesses thrive.




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