Let go, not know, be ok with it

I facilitated a workshop yesterday with a client - just the two of us. Just two brains in the room. 

Some may call it a 'meeting'. (Seth Godin's blog post yesterday on the meeting troll was a gem!) But there were no trolls in the room on this occasion.

My role was to extract and capture information, thinking, ideas and possibilities from my client. 

Her role was to give, let it flow, let it go, speak, think, take risks and ... whatever!

'Let go, not know, be ok with it,' I said. 

She initially wanted such a detailed structure for every moment of the session - so she knew what was coming up next, so she could be prepared. 

But this wasn't a test. It was ok to not know. To throw the idea around, think out loud, talk about stuff ... err, that is what 'workshop' means, no?

I think when many teams set up a 'workshop' they want to hold on so very tight to the structure, format, what is said and what isn't said. 

They can't let go, they don't like not knowing and they're not ok with it. 

With a great facilitator in the room, you can let go and not know. And you will be ok. 

The output of our session was a wall of charts that captured the thinking, the ideas, the strategy, the plan and the outcomes. She was excited and 'pumped' as she said, given what we'd achieved.

Her closing words were that she didn't think we'd get where we needed to go. She'd wanted to direct things more.

I see this as a common trait of many leaders who think holding tight is what will get you your outcomes. It might, but you'll have a team of deflated folks around you whispering 'control freak' as you leave the room. 

Let go, not know, and you will be ok with it... you never know what awesome might come of it that you just weren't planning!

You are the punchline

As my home town Melbourne Australia kicks off the international comedy festival this week, I reckon you've got to ask yourself - "how much fun am I to work with?"

I'm not suggesting you kick off the day with an opening five-minute gig to warm up your colleagues, or deliver a 'lunch time laugh' gig over the public address system.

But I do think you need to 'play well with others' - and often that is about relaxing, laughing and seeing the funny side of things; seeing the funny side of what you've done. 

In this article from Forbes on workplace humour, the difference between false humility and humour that benefits others is a hallmark of leaders with humour. 

In short, you are the punchline. 

Your mistakes, failures, challenges and muck-ups. 

In training teams in facilitation, collaboration and visual thinking skills, I love to share mistakes and challenges. Like the time I tried to draw a giraffe (I have no artistic training by the way) and it looked more like a lama... or when I was guest speaking and left my lapel mic switched to 'on' when it should have been 'off' ... 

Today, these mistakes and challenges make great learning stories and bring laughter to the room, shift the dynamic and impact the environment in a positive way. 

As a leader you're responsible for the environment you're creating in your team. 

How much fun is it to work in your team? Can you handle the hecklers? Do you need some new 'material'?

<Insert applause>

Space matters

I worked with a driven group of industry leaders yesterday, developing their skills in working collaboratively with groups and capturing their innovative thinking. 

The day was a huge reminder about ... space.

The venue 'bumped us' from the booked space we had that was light, airy and open - perfect for thinking, breathing and creating ... to the 'under the stairs' space. Actually, it was next to the stairs. 

Next to the stairs that were the thoroughfare for those other light and airy spaces upstairs that were being used by larger groups with bigger names. 

The space was dirty, dusty and a disaster waiting to happen. Health and safety issues in all corners of the room : tripping hazards, temperature challenges and all round uncomfortable.

We adapted, moved things, liaised, worked around stuff and carried on, keeping it in perspective and working to be collaborative, innovative.

But it was there... all day. It was this 'thing' that was there. The 'space' thing. 

I'm certain it restricted our thinking, impacted on our performance and didn't allow for our best work to be done. 

If you've got the option to take the cheap space... don't. And if you've got an option to not run a session, to change the location, timing or other arrangements ... do. 

You're investing so much time, energy, dollars and people that the space they will work in - where you're wanting them to do their best work - really does matter. 

You are a leader. Prove it.

There are a lot of announcements going on at this time of year in business – reshaping, reshifting, rearranging, budgets cut, departments changing and roles shifting.

But there always will. No matter the time of year.

There will always be things that leaders need to say. Not just write it in an email, hit send and hide. But say it, speak it, announce it and deliver it.

Here is an announcement for leaders: Stop the Spin.

Stop the waffle-laden, couched-in-uncertain words and riddled-with-vague-descriptions announcements. Stop it. They’re not listening and they don’t believe you.

Stop the spin.

Stop the ‘we’d better say it like this or else….’.

Stop the ‘hush hush’ meetings where you’re supposedly ‘framing’ or ‘positioning’ information before you say it.

Admit it. You are spinning.

After my previous career in communications and public relations I know a good spin when I see it or hear it.

Leadership communications –  announcing good news and bad - needs three key things:

Humanity.

It comes first. You’re dealing with people. Not ‘resources’, numbers, EFTs or heads.

Clarity.

You’re confusing people with your long-winded sentences, waffly phrases and ‘I can’t quite say it how I want to say it’ speeches, riddled with workplace catch phrases that send minds into orbit and off topic.  

Get clear. What is the message? In normal speak. Say it like that.

Elegance.

This is different to spin. It means something has style and good taste. It is concise. Take your normal speak message and give it some elegance.

You are a leader. You are a communicator.

Prove it.

Every time you open your mouth. Speak like a leader.

1. Show humanity first.
2. Be clear with your message.
3. Present it elegantly, concisely and with style.

Delete waffle, long sentences, boring phrases and work-speak.

Be original. Be unique.

Everything about a leader speaks, especially when they speak.

Hey, it looks like this...

In a meeting with a client team this week, we were strugglig to understand the crux of a project, the keystone of a piece of work.

Then one of the managers jumped to his feet.

"It looks like this!" he said. His energy and enthusiasm shifted up a level. He stepped to the whiteboard, picked up a marker and drew a circle with two lines leading to it... he finished off with some smaller circles around the edge of the larger circle.

With this quick image, the talk and questioning of the previous 20 minutes were crystallised. So little effort yet with such a huge impact. The power of helping people see what you're thinking.

You've stepped up to a white board or flip chart before, but when you do, there are problems lurking.

My new whitepaper 5 Ways to more engaging flip charts and whiteboards explains how to avoid the problems and make your visual solution more engaging.

Download the whitepaper here and this week, step up, jump up and help people really see what you're thinking.