Would someone turn his or her chair for you?

A new season of The Voice has started and the Blind Auditions are over. I love watching this show because people put themselves out there for the “chance of a lifetime”…the chance to be coached by a famous recording artist.

If you’ve never watched the show, here it is in a nutshell. Four coaches sit in chairs with their back to the performer. The singer has 90 seconds to WOW them. If the coach is interested in having the person on his or her team, he or she pushes a button and the chair turns to face the singer. A big sign lights up that says “I WANT YOU”. Sometimes all four chairs turn; sometimes no chairs turn (and everywhere in-between).

90 seconds in a BLIND audition to WOW the coaches – talk about pressure!

Here’s my question for you?

When someone is listening to you for 90 seconds at work would he or she push the button and turn the chair for you based on your performance?

Would he or she WANT YOU to be a part of the team?

You’re probably thinking, “It depends on which part of my day they are hearing”. My challenge to you is to consistently deliver at peak performance levels (those times when you are satisfied, energized & productive – AKA engaged) so that it wouldn’t matter which 90 seconds was heard.

Yes. I get that it’s hard to be “on” every moment of every day. So start by paying attention to those times when your inner Chain Gang member (the disengaged version of you) rears his or her ugly head and minimize the impact to those around you. Conversely, notice the times when the coach would happily push the button and turn the chair to include you on the team (those Chief Paradise Officer experiences).

Here’s the good news. You aren’t on a reality TV contest program. Your work is your REAL world. The one who benefits the most from you being a “star” is YOU! So, look for ways to have fewer Chain Gang performances and more Chief Paradise Officer moments everyday. Because in the end, it isn’t someone else’s job to coach you to stardom. You’ve Got the Power to do that all on your own.