Drowning in it

Drowning in it. Have you felt the ‘drowning in it’ feeling? It happens daily in meetings, or on Day 1 of a new job, drowning in all that information!

The Institute for the Future named ‘Cognitive Load Coping' as something we’ll need to be good/better/best at for the 2020s. We can't wait for a magic pill - we need to do better with information, now.

A key is understanding that cognitive overload can happen:

🌕 s-l-o-w-l-y without you barely noticing it (until you're in a daze, like at a conference), or

🌕 swiftly (when someone presents lots of complex info, data, results and - aaargh, we've lost the thread).

We can build skills to manage our own cognitive load (more on that over the coming weeks). But as leaders, we must focus and ruthlessly prioritise when presenting information to others - for their load.

TIP: Package information up in chunks that are easy for digestion. This means losing long lists of bullet points; too tough to make sense of.

Here's my infamous slide presented at a conference on Day 1. (The Day 2 speakers stayed up late deleting all their bullet points! 😆 And the presentations were better!) Ditch the list of dots, it's zzzzz. What helps your cognitive load? 

The secret to leadership is simple

'The secret to leadership is simple’. So said Seth Godin ... and he says many wonderfully frank, clear and compelling things.

The concept, behavior and practice of leadership can get complicated and confusing - especially when you’re in the thick of it.

Like when you’re dealing with the human side (which is most of the time), or handling conflict and tension or leading through a significant and unsettling time of change (which is most of the time).

The slide deck from that leadership program or your ‘colour’ from that diagnostic tool might not help you so much when you’re waist deep in the tricky stuff.

Seth’s quote below here has been a helpful guide to me. So much so, I “elevated” it : that is, I took the words and made an artifact, an anchor, a reminder of it, and put it in front of my face where I can see it...to remind myself to not make leadership too complicated.

Has leadership become too complicated? What helps you with leadership?

The 4 words that show no - or low - empathy

We know that empathy is a key way to build connections with people, deepen a conversation and strengthen trust. But I wonder ...do we too often confuse similarity for empathy?

When someone shares a story or situation with you, and you’ve experienced it too, what do you say?

We can too often rush in to sharing our story, our experience and our situation...because it’s happened to us too! Sharing similarities, finding common ground - sure, yes it builds rapport, connection. But don’t kill the opportunity for deeper connection and empathy in the rush to say your bit.

These four words can kill empathy dead :

Been There Done That.

If you think it helps people feel better that you’ve done it too... pause...because it may not. That’s because it’s not validating their story or their situation they’ve just shared. It’s switched the focus to you.

Empathy is not about being better, bigger, quicker, cleverer, the ‘winner’ or having done it or experienced it before them. Quieten down. Listen. Respond to what they’re saying without making it about you.

Start with shy

In meetings, sessions or workshops, why not start as if everyone in the room is shy?

The MC at the conference who declares after opening housekeeping announcements that everyone needs to ‘go and meet someone you don’t know’ makes me cringe.

The socially anxious, awkward, introverted, fearful ... and others may just want to run and hide.

'Don’t make me meet someone just yet.’

‘Don’t make me break into a group.'

'Don't make me look silly.'

'I just want to run away! (Or at least slip out of the main room and go have a coffee).

We need to build the safety and engagement in rooms, groups, gatherings and meetings and do it better than we are. Stop the rush. Build safety bit by bit, step by step. If the goal is to network, then build towards it. Don’t start with it. It’s all too much, too soon.

Extroverts and social folks love to get talking, and they will, but plan to start with shy. Start with the shyest person in mind to design your agenda, activities & program.

Cater to the most introverted people and you'll build the greatest safety from there.

Pssst, are you shy? How do you like to be engaged and involved in meetings? Like and let me know below.

Outside, inside then outside again.

Working at a client business recently, we were talking about the swing that happens through the IN and OUT door. First it’s ‘we need consultants’, then it’s ‘we’re spending too much on consultants… we need to bring these services in-house’ and then it swings back to ‘we need consultants working on this’.

Have you noticed how the pendulum or swing does indeed swing? Sometimes a team gains support, insight and advice from external sources. It adds to their learning, broadens exposure to information and likely helps them get sh*t done more rapidly.

But then someone queries the cost and wonders about the value received. ‘We can’t be spending THAT much on those consultants!’ Next thing, the recruitment ads go live and the company is now recruiting for a range of in-house roles.

Have you noticed how team composition changes - from engaging consultants and external providers and then the shift to having people full time on the team … and back again?

Have you gone through the IN or the OUT door recently?