On a train…
Before 0700.
Usual commuter types.
Then mother and 18 month old daughter get on.
The child is full of life.
Loving the novelty.
Looking out the window – in wonder at the moving world.
Pointing and calling every man ‘daddy’ (much to the mothers embarrassment!)
This isn’t ‘normal’
Normally…
No kids
No (visible) joy
No uber-curiosity – at least not externally demonstrated.
Rather, we are internally focused in sleep, the papers, laptops and blackberries.
There is a legacy to what we say and do.
A legacy to others – and for us.
We create our reality in how we talk.
In the conversations
– with call centre staff
– in a store
– with a family member
– with a friend
– with a partner
– with a business colleague
Talking well with – and of – others matters…
In your organisation, how do you share important information?
How is knowledge created and passed about?
Through computer repositories or community conversations…….by digital text or time to talk?
How might you try to do a bit more of the ‘other’?
Tags: behaviour, communication
Conflict is simply defined as any difference of perspective in terms of opinion and want.
The key challenge in many teams and organisations is not avoiding but harnessing this difference to ensure ideas are fully tested and the best outcomes are achieved.
As part of our advanced team training we introduce colleagues to the work of John Heron and Thomas (and) Kilman to provide some practice tools and ideas. One method we return to time and time again is Dilemma Resolution.
They key? How get into the 2nd person point of view (ie see things through the other persons eyes) as well as the 3rd person perspective too .
Do contact us if you want information on any of these tools.
Tags: change, communication
How many modes
(including ways of speaking/interacting such as tone of voice, physical stance, speed and gaps in speech)
do you have…
When you lead a meeting?
When you speak with your staff?
When you meet people 1:1?
How aware are you of your style – and the choices you have about that?
If we create what we talk about, should you start your day with an argumentative media source?
Or with laughter and love?
Really, we have a choice…
An interesting interview from the guardian picks up the caution of starting the day with BBC Today programme and the power of Twitter.
Well, at least as long as it has only one mode of operation: argument.
A US-based collaboration provides an option for seeing the media as “an agent of world benefit”.
If you love news, why not skim read a number arguing different points of view – but do it lightly, and only for a while.
All this links to what we ‘feed’ to our heads and hearts during the day – and the power of positive thinking (see our think piece from a few years ago).
As someone who travels by nearly all modes of transport and who has benefited from advanced driver lessons, I am taken by the potential for advanced cyclist training when I see some very scary bike work each day!
A small number of cyclists give the rest in Cambridge or London a bad name and generate less leeway for others from rageful drivers.
The same maybe true in teams. A few bits of bad behaviour undermine the efforts of the many.
I did three fun game based training sessions yesterday. These were to explore and emphasise the behaviours needed for great group work – ways of working that would help underpin that organisations stated values (nb they do indeed use their values in their recruitment and appraisal processes – so they are right up there at level 5 of our values model – but that is another story).
Anyhow this work got me thinking of about Advanced Team Training and how rarely that happens in a planned way.
What would you put in the curriculum?
I would include;
…amongst many others to develop the disciplines for great team work and experience.
Our Noble Purpose business briefing has led to lots of conversations.
One the questions that comes up a fair bit is this:
“Is commerce more honest?”
By this, people ask, is it easier to be honest about motivations at work in environments where the clear purpose does not claim the high moral ground of nobility of intention? And, does it matter…?
Discuss…
Tags: culture
One of our team pointed this out…
In keeping with a positive theme at Apple’s retail stores,
those who hold the title of “Genius” are reportedly told to say
“as it turns out”
rather than use the word
“unfortunately”.
This choice of language is intended to sound less negative for situations when a Genius cannot solve a customer’s problem.
Might you try that?
Tags: communication, values
The workshop dilemma from a previous post is a dynamic we face a lot.
As we move through the decision making diamond, getting the right moment to shift from divergent to convergent thinking, takes some attention.
We think of it a bit like catching a wave when surfing. If you are successful, the group thinking and energy is easy and fun. Time it wrong, and it is a bit of a struggle! Rushing and dawdling can have similar results…
Tags: Decision-making
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