Act
Outside Your Comfort Zone
By
Catherine Robinson, Managing
Editor
If you find value in the Signature newsletter, consider contributing articles. We need feature articles, advice, technical workarounds for problems you have encountered, and some plain old helpful tips.
If you want to improve your writing skills, contribute articles. You will have the opportunity to work with our great copyeditors who can give you pointers and help you improve your skills.
Contact us at: stcsignature@yahoo.com.
As
I work my way through the first year of the Signature newsletter
season in a role other than proofreader, I find myself challenged with
new things that I previously did not have the initiative to tackle. For
example, in the past I would renew my yearly STC membership, proofread
the newsletter and submit my comments, and attend membership meetings
to listen to the presentations. As the managing editor for the 2003-2004
Signature newsletter publishing season, I have forced myself
to act outside my comfort zone.
My year as managing editor started with many new challenges. Because I
have decided to face these challenges head on, I have encouraged myself
to act outside my comfort zone.
My comfort zone included avoiding networking, doing things solo a lot
of the time, and, frankly, not taking advantage of what my membership
really had to offer—other resources and experts in our field.
As I found myself having to keep up with the rigorous publishing schedule
and trying to find ways to get good content for the newsletter, I stepped
out of my comfort zone.
I began to network, contact people, hold others accountable to their commitments,
take into consideration the risks involved if I lose commitments or resources,
and learn what I had to do in order to grow in the role and let the newsletter
flourish. It has been a process in which I have had to recondition myself.
The results after our first few publications of the newsletter have been
astounding. I feel great about meeting all the wonderful people, including
our great copyeditors who help me to understand more about writing and
the wonderful technical experts who have helped me to solve a lot of the
technical problems. I have also become comfortable when I've been faced
with problems because I have learned about commitment and trust. I now
focus on solutions rather than the looming problems.
The next time you think you are faced with a challenge that is way over
your head, try acting outside your comfort zone. I can assure you that
you will be pleasantly surprised.
