Let's Talk

I feel like we’ve stopped talking. We may be in back-to-back meetings, and speaking to others all the time, but I don’t think we’re talking.

Almost everyone I speak to has something they want to whinge about but yet in meetings no one asks questions, no one is speaking up and sharing their issues in forums created for those purposes.

A few blogs ago I shared the virtuous circle, and for that to be in our future, near or far, we have to establish effective feedback loops and that means we have to start sharing our thoughts, raising problems (with solutions) that will enabling us to develop the 6 main themes of the circle.

There are many, many virtuous circles, but I chose this one because it’s based on how our differences can create innovation.

At times of uncertainty, with high degrees of change and when we are adjusting to finding the new normal – it’s all recipe for differences and if that can be harnessed for innovation then that’s what we want…

So let’s explore the 6 themes:

Highlight – Inspire, Celebrate, Freedom

If we’re talking straight, as a rule we really suck at celebrating the successes we are having.

Given all that’s been going on and the challenges inside work and outside we do tend focus on what’s not working, rather than what is. We need to find the balance, we need to remember where we’re heading. Hold that North Star in our mind - the purpose, the vision and inspire yourself, your immediate and wider teams by how we can explain the benefits of what we do. To do that we need to shout about the successes! We need to celebrate and use that to inspire others. You each have that freedom.

Analyse – Understand, Emotions, Work Together

Our natural instincts are to analyse where we see things have gone wrong – to seek improvement, but where we see things going well, we need to understand those even more, so we can identify why they work and seek to replicate that.

The key within analysis is to understand - not to judge, not to criticise and not to lift and shift, but to understand. Within that understanding I’d love it if we focussed on 2 main areas –

1. What that success or challenge tells us about how we work together – what that feels like when it’s going well and when it’s not.

2. What are the traits, patterns and habits that we can see and feel. In the current completely virtual world our emotions are even more important.

As shared in other blogs we interpret written communications in a more negative way, we don’t take on board as many of the non-verbal behavioural cues over video etc – so the emotional aspect of what is working well in this environment we really need to understand.

Learn – Constructive, Positive, Share

This is where I want to focus – we are not enabling ourselves to learn as we are not sharing – positive or constructive in effective and consistent ways.

I love the adage “don’t say something about someone you wouldn’t say to them” – and we need to start being honest, transparent and acting with integrity in how we share our experience, our opinion and our advice.

If there are reasons why you don’t feel you can share your views or raise your questions, then that is something that needs to be addressed. We all want to work in an environment where you feel free to raise your voice, free to express yourself and free to challenge us to be the best we can be. That doesn’t always mean your POV will be able to be included, or that it will adjust or be factored it in, but it should always be heard, discussed and fedback to you, so you’re comfortable as to why the chosen path was picked. Context and Content belong to all of us.

Build – Creativity, Knowledge, Experience

A learning mindset and culture that I’ve described above would mean that when we do design and build aspects of our world – technical, operational or otherwise we can do so being cognisant of the experience we want to create, impart the knowledge that we have garnered from the analysis of positive and negative current examples and factor in the viewpoints of all that want to be heard.

I’ve talked previously about each of us being aware of our biases and being led by our sub-conscious habit brain and behaviours. A lot of what we need to do here will involve us having to change those habit and embrace creativity by means to being open to the knowledge and experience of others. That starts with needing to hear them

Define – Common Values, Common Goals, Constant Learning

Company purposes, visions, strategic priorities, and ways of working all give us a set of common values and goals. We all know the benefits of being aligned, or aiming at the same endpoint – that doesn’t mean we all need to take the same path – there are many ways to summit the mountain.

Each path gives us a challenge, opportunities to learn, to grow and expand ourselves. Again, that all starts with being open-minded and willing to both listen to others and share with others.

Cultivate – Richness, Growth, Better World

I firmly believe that nearly all people within a compan or team, regardless of whether they are perm or contract – want their output to be put to good use, to move the journey forward, to improve the experience, the quality – to work in a team that are striving. To be part of something that’s adds value – that provides growth = for the individual, the team, the company, the member, society.

These are lofty desires, but we can cultivate them. We are here to set the example, to lead the change, to add the richness and growth and create a better world – wharever world you are in, no matter how small your teams' inputs may feel - aim high, aim for the BHAG (Big hairy audacious goal).

This can only be the outcome of a team that trusts, that works together, that are open, honest and focussed on the outcome more than on their individual part of it, leaving ego and hierarchy at the door and finding the nuggets of gold in each and every one of us. We all have something to add, something to benefit others – that’s how we enrich the world.

And every journey starts with a first step. That first step – let it be a question, an observation or a suggestion made in the forum where it can add value to the total…

Until next time...