Patterns in our thinking

We see patterns in fabrics, in nature and in design and architecture. 

Patterns exist in many other parts of our world: 
The time we wake up. 
How we behave. 
The actions we take. 
The way we tackle and complete tasks. 

Some of the patterns that go unnoticed - or at least under noticed - are the patterns in our thinking. 

How we solve problems. 
How we learn. 
How we make sense of things. 

If we’re unaware of our thinking patterns, were less able to change them to ways that will work for us. 

First we can get better at noticing. It’s turning up our powers of observation, taking note, capturing an insight, connecting the dots. 

This is Sensemaking and it’s a powerful skill in these times of change and uncertainty. 

Where are the patterns in your thinking? What do you see and notice? What dots can you connect?

The better we are at observing and identifying patterns, the easier it becomes to interrupt them, in pursuit of better ways of working. 

Doing more in times of less

There may be less people in the team than there used to be. 
Or less budget for training, learning, projects or initiatives. 
Maybe the long list of ideas for customer solutions can’t be pursued fully now. 

It can be disappointing and restricting to have such plans and hopes get paused, stopped or shelved. 

These are times of austerity. 

Austerity - it means restraint, moderation, frugality. 

Governments are doing it, businesses are doing it and families and households are too. 

We might be working with budgets we’ve not seen before yet we still have to deliver solutions and outcomes like never before. 

This is the austerity wave that covid has brought us. 

What will we do? 

Get dumped by it? 
Get dragged back out to sea? 
Or ride that sucker!?

Let’s ride!! 

Focus on these 3 ways:
- Think better 
- Work smarter 
- Connect faster. 

These kinds of responses don’t depend on economies. 

Explore your thinking - remember to act

If we’re the only creatures on earth who can think about how they think ... how well do we use that power? 

Because it is a power. It’s one of the greatest reflections we have available to us. 

To pause and think ... ‘wow, I wonder why or how I think about things?’

This can send us into a thinking vortex though, where we just keep thinking about thinking about thinking!

Some reflection is good but then what? 

When we are Sensemaking and not just thinking, we get to shift to some action. 

1. What’s going on here
2. What do I need to do about it
3. Now do it

If we are caught up in the first question of ‘what’s going on here’ ... analysis paralysis can be never ending. 

The second question - now we are getting somewhere - is, ‘what do I need to do about it?’ 

Here is the bias towards us taking an action. 

Thinking. 
Thinking. 
Now do it. 

...

...

...


Umm.... but then we return to thinking mode again to ‘work it out’ or ‘understand what’s going on’ or ‘run scenarios’ - more thinking. 

The ‘now do it’ gives us the opportunity to see what happens as a result of our actions. 

THEN we get some new stuff to think about ... but at least we have advanced.

Think ... sure. 
Now act. 

Making sense in healthcare

As health services the world over have adapted and responded to the impacts of a pandemic, they have been Sensemaking. 

On one day they had a level of knowledge or understanding ... and then new facts, results or data came to light. This changes their perspective and in turn influences their next responses and actions. 

While changing situations might annoy some people, the role of change and Sensemaking in the health sector is vitally important. 

As health services respond, they observe, monitor and track to make sense of what’s going on. 

No system is perfect or faultless. 

They observe and understand what is happening ... and we can too, in our industries and sectors. 

What about you : What actions are you taking? 
What is happening as a result of your actions? 

We make sense as new information comes to light. 

🙏🏻Here’s a ‘thank you’ to healthcare workers the world over. 

Recommitting to a decision

A decision made once, may need to be remade each day. 

Or several times a day!

It’s almost as if we are making the decision over and over again, to recommit, refocus and remind ourselves of what we’re doing and why. 

We could expect that once we’ve decided, all will be good and the magic will just happen. 

It would be like signing up to a course but not doing any of the course work. As if deciding will magically give us all the results we’re looking for!

Nope.

We need to recommit and do the work that’s required. 

To do the reading, the exercises, watch the videos, participate in the discussions, work on the assessments ... to go through the experiences and get the skills and knowledge. 

If you’ve decided to do something recently, is there an opportunity to recommit to your decision? 

It can help us to embark on it again, to inspire us or to simply help us keep on making progress.