Thought for Friday: Words Matter

Here’s short mastery session by Robin Sharma on “Why Your Words Matter” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-uSqm05RrM  (6:52) [Robin Sharma, 29-Jan-2016].

In the video he discusses caring about the language we use. He makes the distinction that people can be a leader or a victim but they can’t be both. The words we use can lift our energy and shape our worlds, words are powerful. He introduces the concept of the language of leadership. Talking about loving doing, opportunities, what inspires, the future and being fuelled by what is pleasurablebuilds this language.  For us, this is part of stakeholder management and how we show up in our lives.

Some things to consider:

  • Moving from a language of toxicity.  Checking in on our words, are they helping or hindering?

  • The language we use is a lens on the way we see the world. Shifting our language to shift our lens.

  • Getting words out to clear the way for new ones. Journaling for internal clarity.

What are your words doing for you? Where are they getting in the way? What sayings can be changed to start different conversations?

How does this thinking apply to you as a Project Manager? What messages are you giving your teams? Who is inspired when you talk? What is the lens of feedback telling you? How are communications received?

Why is this important? Good question. Words can build us up or tear us down. Being present when we speak or write helps shape the story we need to tell. Talking to “us” uses the words that we can relate to in a way that we feel we want to be onboard. Pausing can be our greatest ally, creating time to reflect and select the words to say next.

For further reading:

Inviting you to have a view / read and to have a chat with me about your thoughts.

[Originally posted internally in my role as Project Management Practice Lead at The Warehouse Group.]

Thought for Friday: Embracing Qualities that Don't Come Naturally

Here’s a small and powerful article by author and business strategist Andreas Jones on “Five Irrefutable Paradoxes Of Leadership”https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2016/10/24/five-irrefutable-paradoxes-of-leadership  (850 words) [Forbes Coaches Council, 24-Oct-2016].

In the article he explores how as leaders we have to embrace qualities that don’t come naturally and make space for those under us to lead. Choosing to engage in the five paradoxes, he notes, takes courage and a willingness to be vulnerable. This helps us to become more effective, confident and more able to make impactful decisions. For us, this is part of stakeholder engagement, organisational governance and management controls.

Consider the five paradoxes:

  • Success comes from failure.  Building resilience, it’s the smart way to learn from failure.

  • Humility is a key characteristic of great leaders. Talking less and listening more. Recognising valuable contributions.

  • Learn by doing. Encouraging growth, giving people the gift of stretching their wings.

  • Don’t rush your employees' development. Developing patience, even when mistakes are made.

  • Leadership is about relationships, not unilateral decision-making. Getting to know your teams, as people.

What failures have made you more resilient? When was the last time you sat with your team and gave space for them to shine as people? What growth opportunities are waiting for people to spread their wings?

How does this thinking apply to you as a Project Manager? What failures have been ignored? Are you listening to celebrate everyday success? What relationships need to be deepened?

Why is this important? Good question. We are people before we are leaders. In the journey that is leadership we often lean into what is comfortable and familiar. Though, leadership is a journey and ignoring the qualities that don’t come naturally along the way builds a pedestal to stand on. This leaves a void that can only be filled by engagement and acceptance that mistakes happen. Its how we respond as people in the void that defines the best leaders.

Inviting you to have a read and to have a chat with me about your thoughts.

[Originally posted internally in my role as Project Management Practice Lead at The Warehouse Group.]

Thought for Friday: Gateway to Creativity

Here’s a TED talk by Manoush Zomorodi on “How boredom can lead to your most brilliant ideas” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c73Q8oQmwzo (16:13) [TED, 30-Aug-2017].

In the video she talks about how our minds wander when we have nothing to do. She notes that boredom is the gateway into the default mode in our brains; the birthplace of creativity. The cracks in our days are often filled with distractions that keep our minds busy. Nowadays there are taskmasters that used to be tools competing for these cracks. The choice is ours to consider: interact with these taskmasters or don’t and re-open the cracks in our days for whatever comes. For us, this is part of how we structure our days and forms part of management controls.

Some things that neuroplasticity and informatics experts suggest we consider:

  • Doing nothing, no really.  Not getting stuff done, opening up the space to connect disparate ideas

  • Multitasking is actually the fast switching of the brain. Reducing the pace of our shifting attention to use less brain energy

  • Mindlessness is not mindfulness. Unwinding inside a taskmaster activates the brain leaving less space for our minds to wander

What taskmasters call for your time? What cracks can you claim back? Where are your distractions? What is your relationship with boredom?

How does this thinking apply to you as a Project Manager? What are your teams distracted by? What initiative tasks fill up space without adding value? When is there time to be with a problem? Who is too busy doing to create?

Why is this important? Good question. Creativity is an essential part of our lives. It brings “new” into the conversation and brings challenge that generates engagement. Accepting time for our minds to wander opens up these avenues. These avenues are where day-dreams start coming to life.

For further reading:

Inviting you to have a view / read and to have a chat with me about your thoughts.

[Originally posted internally in my role as Project Management Practice Lead at The Warehouse Group.]

Thought for Friday: Open to Possibility

Here’s the music video for the U2 song “Beautiful Day” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co6WMzDOh1o (4:10) and the lyricshttps://www.u2.com/discography/lyrics/song/22  [U2, 30-Oct-2000].

The song centres around being open to finding place / space in this world. It acknowledges that there are rhythms in our lives and at times turning to look at the beauty of the day is all that is needed to open ourselves up to possibility. For us, this is part of stakeholder engagement and governance controls.

Some things to consider:

  • Possibilities arise when we are open to them. Being ready to receive the emergent

  • Rhythms and cadences are all around us. Now is real, though is a moment in time. The rhythm of our lives are full of these moments

  • Moments in time don’t define us, our lives do. We are our past, our present and our future

What moment are you in? What can you turn to for inspiration? What rhythm or cadence needs to be celebrated? What rhythm or cadence needs to change?

How does this thinking apply to you as a Project Manager? What are your teams stuck on? Where are you in the rhythms / cadences of your initiative? What outside perspective do you need? Who is looking for assistance? What can you do to assist?

Why is this important? Good question. In our darkest times there is always a moment where there is beauty if we are open to the possibility. This beauty may be the avenue to a new rhythm or cadence that sets us on a different path. Each path that we go down continues to build on the richness that is our lives.

For further reading:

Inviting you to have a view / read and to have a chat with me about your thoughts.

[Originally posted internally in my role as Project Management Practice Lead at The Warehouse Group.]

Thought for Friday: Smart in a Social Context

Here’s a video from Peter Senge, Senior Lecturer MIT and author of The Fifth Discipline on “Navigating Webs of Interdependence”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOPfVVMCwYg (5:16) [IBM, posted 13-Sep-2011].

In the video Senge explores interdependence through the lens of systems thinking.  A word of caution, systems thinking is not expertise in computer systems or how we work in management systems. Instead, experiencing the consequences of how people act and how people feel both independently and interdependently helps us understand the webs we navigate. These consequences may be unintended. Senge notes that the unintended consequences can only be solved by a commitment to real learning. This means that we need to be prepared to be wrong and to be challenged by others who see things differently. Doing this may take time and commitment to develop, adopt and apply alternate approaches and behaviours. This is being smart in a social context. For us, this is part of organisational governance, organisational change management, stakeholder engagement and risk management.

Some things to consider:

  • Balance the short term and the long term. What we can give up in the short term to cement a long term benefit

  • Engage the collective intelligence. Bringing people together to discuss: agree, disagree and come to a reasoned way forward 

  • Wellbeing is wider than people. Acknowledging that people sit within a context of social, ecological and economic wellbeing

What unintended consequences are you grappling with? What is your contribution? What social web can you navigate to work on resolving these? What cultural norms need to be considered / challenged?

How does this thinking apply to you as a Project Manager? What are your teams delivering that may not show immediate value? Who is challenging you? What are you learning from this challenge? What unintended consequences have occurred? How are you shaping your initiatives to accommodate these consequences?

Why is this important? Good question. If we think of ourselves as being independent then we rob ourselves of the opportunity to engage with others / to engage in other contexts. These opportunities form the web that both nurtures and challenges us. Without this interdependent web we can’t navigate being wrong, learning and celebrating difference. Perhaps this is the core reason to be smart in a social context.

For further reading:

Inviting you to have a view / read and to have a chat with me about your thoughts.

[Originally posted internally in my role as Project Management Practice Lead at The Warehouse Group.]

Thought for Friday: The Hidden Value of Exponential Change

Here’s a video from Pascal Finette of Singularity U on “Understanding the linear and exponential deception” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwlDfrW81gI (13:32) [DraperTV, 2-Jul-2016].

In the video Finette shows that, in general, people have an inability to think and understand exponentially. He notes that we live in a natural world where change is linear and predictable and this is how our thinking has evolved. In innovation cycles such as the current technology and information / knowledge cycles the change is exponential and challenges our way of thinking. He notes that exponential change starts slow and often results in disappointment. By building momentum the change eventually reaches a point of crossover with our linear thought process, a point of acceptance. From this point onwards the change moves past our linear thinking to chaos and amazement at the speed and complexity of the change. The value comes from capitalising on this chaos and amazement. For us, this is part of stakeholder engagement, organisational change management, management controls and risk management.

The Art of Holiday Facilitation

It is holiday season at the moment and I am on a road trip with my family. A great time to stop and unwind, or so I would have thought. Instead we planned a full itinerary where I could show and tell my young children what I value about New Zealand. This started off OK - for about five minutes - and went downhill in spectacular fashion.

I stewed for three days.

Then I realised that all I need to do is open the door to these new experiences, providing guidance where needed, to watch the joy and learning unfold.

Although I am still learning - This is the true art of facilitation and from where I find my deepest satisfaction.

Personal Sustainability

I have been reflecting on how we sustain our worlds and have come to the realisation that without sustaining our selves that anything we do in our worlds may not last at long as we intend, or end up as waste.

With this in mind I wrote the following piece to contribute to our syndicate vision for our last Leadership New Zealand retreat in November 2014.

Personal Sustainability

I am the one and only,
I make me whole or blow me apart.
My actions determine my environment
I alone choose to be sustainable, connected and whole
I feed my body, my mind and my soul
Every day – I build relationships through honour and humility.
I lament and cry to cleanse, and laugh and play to enrich

Mostly I learn, I learn to teach.

Teaching the next generation and the generations before
A mix of beauty and tragedy played out on a world stage
Raising consciousness, building bridges and feeding the world with aroha.

Holding safety; safety in place, safety in relationship and safety in self.
Breathing the air that is clean, the water that is pure and the food that is of the land.

I hold the wisdom of elders and peers and pass this on freely

This is the legacy I want “for the children of Aotearoa, New Zealand”