What are your inner obstacles?

Here’s a check list to help you become a better student of your inner obstacles.
Think about a current “learning edge” challenge. A situation where outer challenges and inner challenges meet. One that tends to push your buttons and activate your reactivity.
Then, review the list below and notice which of the phrases most closely reflects your reactive patterns.

Inner Obstacles List

Safety
“Stay out of trouble.”
• Play it safe
• Keep a low profile
• Remain quiet in meetings
• Hesitate to make decisions.
• Avoid taking a public stand
• Shift responsibilities either up or down the organization.
• Criticize others from a distance

Approval
“Peace at any price.”
• Say “yes” when you want to say “no”
• Be a “do gooder”.
• Play by the rules.
• Act to please others.
• Look the other way when things go wrong.
• Smooth over conflict and controversy.
• Delay action until it is clear what others’ need or want.

Control
“Winning isn’t everything – it is the only thing.”

• Seek to “win”, be better than others – even perfect.
• Become angry, irritable, defensive when challenged.
• Tend to make sarcastic comments.
• Fear failure.
• Limit communication to what others “need to know”.
• Become upset by minor imperfections in work output.
• Delegate with lots of detail – micromanage.

Which Inner Obstacles are you most familiar with?

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How do these Inner Obstacles impact you and those you work with?

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