Not one way

When I first got my drivers license I drove down a street the wrong way.

The car I was driving was my aunt's and it had interstate license plates on it! Maybe I got away with it. 

I remember the street and when I drive downit now, I'm conscious of how it looks and sounds so different to the whizzing traffic of two-way streets. 

Quiet. Too quiet. 

In a recent workshop, I saw another one way street incident.

A leader presented about a future change program: “everyone will have to do this, that and the other” they said. 

It was all so 'one way'. 

Contrast this with another leader I worked with yesterday, opening the topic up for conversation. She wanted to hear what people thought about what they'd already heard about the change. This was before any presentation. 

In setting up a 'two way street', she heard their concerns and could pitch information to address them. 

It flowed so beautifully well. 

They all talked some, then she responded, then they asked some questions and she engaged further. 

It was the two way street of communication!

And it was abuzz. 

Travel the two way street of communication. A little from them, then over to you, back to them. And repeat. 

It’s a better way of working. 

What does it mean to you

Something happens: what do you think of it? What does it mean to you? 

Is it important to you? Would you fight for it or stand up for it? 

We make meaning hundreds of times a day. 

There are things that
- rile and enrage us 
- irritate and frustrate us
- overjoy and elate us
- satisfy and affirm us. 

There is meaning to be made in meetings, conversations and interactions with others. 

Yet so often we’re not aware of what things mean to us, the importance they hold or their relevance. 

Making sense or understanding is one thing. Working out what things mean to us is another level!

Tune in to the meaning things have for you. 

Even if something is small, simple or trivial to others...

It could be a big chunk of meaning for you and be a clever insight to why you think, react and respond the way you do. 

We are brilliant meaning makers if we would only notice. 

3 tips for leading hybrid groups

Hybrid. It means ‘composite’ or ‘cross’. And the locations of people in this new world of work can certainly create a mix or cross of several things. 

Some people continue to work from home. 
Some are on site or on location with clients or suppliers. 
Others are in offices or shared working spaces. 
Some are mobile. 

And it will change. 

Here are just 3 of the many things to consider when leading a team and working hybrid:

▫️Who’s here ... who’s there. 
Know where people are located. And continue to call them by their name, not by their location. 

▫️Who’s together ... who’s alone 
Know whether people are co-located with others, or working alone. Consider how you’ll encourage greater connection and inclusion among and across the hybrid team. 

▫️On the same page ... on a different page
Identify where people’s thinking is at. Are you aligned and united or is there some work to do to clarify and build understanding?


As we work together in these hybrid ways, new techniques, tools and considerations will help us adapt and do well. 

It’s not easy and it won’t be flawless. 

But it’s worth the persistence for better connections with each other. 

What’s new in your change toolkit

Change is almost always a complex, gnarly process with many moving parts... and people.

Resistance is common.
Misunderstandings frequent.

We’re change fatigued, weary (and wary) of more change to things at work.

And preaching 'change is a constant' doesn't get people into it any quicker or easier. 

It’s hard to engage and inspire people on why it's happening and what their role is.

Many change messages don't cut through the overload and overwhelm people are struggling with, particularly when remote and online. 

Conflict, debate and tension escalates, creating problems beyond the change program.

Your toolkit of change becomes vital. 

How do we do things differently to get the results needed? 

Channel your efforts to:
▪️ ENGAGE 
▪️ LEAD &
▪️ IMPACT. 

Focusing here helps cut through the complex nature of change. It gives the change team 3 elements, a mantra for strong, clear and decisive activity. 

Engage. 
Lead. 
Impact. 

The struggle of decision making

In the times of uncertainty we’ve been experiencing, it can feel too hard or overwhelming to make decisions. 

There are so many options, scenarios and what ifs that are possible

Try this 1-2-3 mantra I use with mentoring clients:


1. Find the path
A path helps give us more certainty of where we’re heading - even if we don’t know all the details or what’s ahead yet. It’s a direction marker. 

It may be a new path for you, or a path another has taken. 


2. Make a decision. 
What are you going to do? 

Our attention, energy and motivation is stolen by unmade decisions. To reduce overwhelm and pressure and move out of inertia, we can make decisions now we have a path. 

There’s less to fear about this because many decisions can be adjusted later (or reversed) if they’re not right for you. 

But make a decision. Making no decision on a path when a decision is needed saps our time, energy and attention. 


3. Take action. 
We can’t think our way through decisions. Action is the best way to work out if what you’ve decided and where you’re going is a good fit. 


You can step out along a safer, less uncertain path:

1. Find the path. 
2. Make decisions. 
3. Take action.