How did that happen?

In a recent workshop with a senior leadership team, the highest priority topic of the day wasn't strategy, or competition or finances. It was death and injury. 

'How did that happen?' asked the leaders when it was reported that one of the team had been killed and another injured at work. 

The stark reality is that safety is the most important thing in the workplace. 

After discussion of key points from the day and identifying actions for leaders of all levels to implement, the visual I share with you this week is a reminder that none of us can take safety lightly. 

In your own environment, and with your own team, family and community… please, be safe. 

 

Do you do the things successful people do?

Of the many lists and hints on how to be successful, the 12 things successful people do before breakfast by Jenna Gourdreau in Entrepreneur magazine was … quite tasty!

 
My visual this week is a pictorial reminder, based on the article (which was based on the book of similar name by Laura Vanderkam.)
 
Here they are… 12 things to do before breakfast:



Who could remember the written list after reading it?

The picture I sketched and doodled helps me recall the tips with greater ease… certainly in the early hours of the morning!
 
As always, visuals do a lot of the heavy lifting for you when there's detail or complexity at play.

Pictures help people hear each other… when they're not listening. 

Visuals help people digest smaller pieces of information and make for a more engaging piece of communication than a spreadsheet, data pack or dump of information.
 
How can you help the people you're working with at the moment to digest some of your important information more easily?
 
 

How involved do you want people to be?

When you next need to get input or contributions from people, or you need to consult with a team on something, think first: how involved do you want people to be? 

This really is the question - just how deeply involved?

It can get messy if you think one thing and they think another. 

This quick video outlines a depth of involvement and participation. Go on, get into it. 

 For further information, read up on the IAP2 process here

Is this the best use of your talents?

I heard the phrase 'impact judgement' recently... that is, you make a judgement about the impact you're having on people, things, places, the world.

Last week, many of the technical wizards I met at a technology conference were being encouraged to measure the value of the features they're building. 

In every app on your smart phone or software program on your computer or device, there are heaps of features, buttons and things that the program is capable of doing, but people simply don't use. 

"Oooohhh, I didn't know it could do that." 
"Pffft. Yeah, don't need it."
"I only use it for...."

It's a bit of a waste really! All that development time creating cool things that people don't need, don't know exist or don't add any significant value to what that product does.

So I wanted to get you to think about your impact this week (and beyond). 

• Is this the best use of the brilliant things you do and can do?
• Are the people you're working with, hanging around with, are they getting the best out of you?
• Are you giving the best you have?

I think it's vital that we check on the value of the things we provide; to not wait until it's performance review time to find out that 70% of the 'stuff' we did this year didn't have an impact! <Ouch!> Or that the products we're working hard to design and create aren't needed or won't be purchased. 

Ask yourself: 'is this the best use of my talents?'

Oh, and just as you might be wondering about the impact you are having, help out others around you by letting them know the positive impact they're having on you.

Some encouragement, feedback, responses and a 'thank you, that was brilliant' really do give us the pep up to keep creating, working, delivering and achieving a strong purpose, creating things people want, need and will use. 

Which way are you going?

When I first got my drivers license I remember driving down a local South Melbourne street, York Street, the wrong way! There were a couple of oncoming cars but we were all moving slowly so I think I got away with it.

Plus, the car I was driving was my aunt's and it had interstate number plates on it! "Oh, ok, she's not from around here!"

I've always remembered the intersection to that street and when I drive past it now, I'm so very conscious of how it's 'one way'. It looks and sounds different to the whizzing traffic that flows both ways along a road or motorway. 

Earlier this week in a client workshop, I remembered that one way street incident.

I was listening to a leader communicate their key messages about a change program and how the leaders and team members would have to do this, that, the other ... and oh, this other thing over here. 

It was all so 'one way'. 

Contrast that to another leader who I heard from yesterday. She opened the topic up for conversation. She wanted to hear what people thought about what they'd already heard about the change. This was before her 'sermon' on what was to be. 

By allowing a 'two way street', she was able to hear their key concerns and then pitch her information to address those concerns. 

It all flowed so well. They talked some… then she responded… then they asked some questions… and she engaged further. Yes it was the two way street of communication! So simple, but sometimes so tricky to bring to the situation you're in, particularly if it's a tough or tricky conversation.

She later told me her heart was thumping in anticipation because she didn't know what they'd say or what their questions or concerns might be. She had some ideas, but was really heading into some unknown territory. 

Oh yes… uncertainty! It does wonders for our defences! It brings them on in a flurry.

So rather than head down that one way street like I did, I encourage you to travel the two way street of communication... slowly. A little from them… then over to you… then back to them. It's the push and pull of communication, engagement and facilitation.

Every conversation, meeting, workshop or session you're in can benefit from it. Not to mention the other 'drivers' in that meeting. 

Take it slow, proceed with caution and keep things moving two ways. It's too dangerous otherwise.