Stories save us in learning, they are what help us understand what to avoid, where to go, and what to do. They save the work of trying everything out on your own. They can be simple or complex, but in the end, the value they provide to what you are doing is what makes adoption simpler. They tear down the barriers to growth by getting through the what-ifs. They can make you smile and relax…
A team needs principles, tenets, values, a mantra, a song, a theme… They need something they can get behind, something they can always fall back on when they are not sure what to do. If you’re making one for your team, some thoughts; Don’t do it by yourself – it can be a great team exercise. Keep it digestible – a page, a print-out, something that can be viewed everywhere and anywhere and doesn’t require…
Some of my most memorable one-on-ones have been a walk to get a coffee (or let’s be honest tea). They are not planned, they are not structured and they start with a simple question – “How is it going?” or “What do you think of this?”. You don’t need to make them a complex lunch, planning session, build-up that takes 1 hour. Most times you’ll get more out of that relaxed 15 min discussion.
No really, what are your goals? What do you want to get to? What do you want to achieve? Where do you want to go? And most importantly, what matters to you most? If you’re not asking yourself those questions, you’re not any closer to reaching your goals.
New teams need trust, fast. They need that groundwork, that foundation that established teams already have. They are having to change the rocket fuel while the rocket is soaring through the sky without it falling to the ground. What they don’t know, is that the rocket can slow down, it can take a hiccup, it can hit a different switch to get them back on track, as long as everyone sees where they are going,…