Six ways to ‘act yellow’ and up your game at work
If you know London's Southbank Centre you'll probably be familiar with the bright yellow staircase that leads up to the fantastic roof garden. You can’t miss it!
My work friend Nick and I walked by this staircase a few weeks ago on one of my Fuel Safaris. It’s one of my favourite architectural features in this area - I love how it stands out like a beacon against the grey concrete of the Queen Elizabeth Hall. I suggested to Nick that the staircase was symbolic of his unique leadership style and how he shows up at work. ‘Your spirit and energy are just like the yellow staircase!’ I told him.
So much of the business world often feels grey. That’s why I love celebrating the ‘bright yellow’ - leaders, founders, entrepreneurs, brands and businesses doing things differently.
But you can’t fake it. Being different should always be about holding a mirror up to who you are. It’s not about making up an image, it’s sticking to who you really are, and having the confidence to illuminate that.
Here are six ways you can ‘act yellow’ to up your game at work:
Shine the light on your true story, on why you do what you do, the path you're on and what led you to here.
Have a voice on the issues that matter to you and stand by them. Share your opinion, don’t sit on the fence.
Don’t hide the interesting stuff away. I was advising a marketing executive who was looking for a career change. One thing he wasn’t sharing was how he’d started out: a degree in aeronautics and a stint as a software engineer. That made him more interesting than just another marketer.
Inject your personality into how you show-up, letting your interests and passions be present in your work
Have the courage to design your work life your way - stick to the habits and behaviours that fuel your best work.
Stick to who you really are. Remember that your point of difference is You. So stick to who you really are and build on it.
We all have the opportunity to stand out from the grey, to cut through the noise, to be different and bring our unique spark to what we do and how we do it.