Inspire Me

Me and my Shadow

Most well-read people now agree that learning is best done in action, while working, playing, whatever - but that doesn't make it any easier to experience full integration between our learning and our daily lives. Our clients recognise this, so we 'shadow' them on site while they conduct their normal daily business, and help them apply their learning in situ. Sometimes this means sitting in on meetings or conferences, often it means turning up on a day when there's nothing special planned. Even when there's nothing much in the diary, it's astonishing how much really is going on below the surface. In every apparently small interaction, during a phone call, or when someone is just sitting in their office doing the admin, there are things happening on a number of levels. The fun starts when an exec explains why this stranger (me that is) is sitting in and apparently doing absolutely nothing; they're a bit nervous about it, but people are fascinated about their boss actually investing in their own personal development. Between meetings we debrief on what just happened, and seek ways to apply learning more fully next time. The insights are often profound, and shadowing is a great opportunity either for initial diagnostic work, or to deepen the learning we've already explored off site.

Never Mind the Mentor

One of the top teams I worked with last year reported back to me the other day. They've formed themselves into a Learning Set, meeting every month to support each other's learning and development. They choose their own topics for exploration, and usually take the opportunity to have a decent meal while they're at it! In my view this is one of the best ways to provide a role model for the organisation downline, and to stimulate self-directed learning at all levels. Rock on!

Being Real even if you're the Boss

An Inspired Exec has been promoted (as they usually are - see prev issue), given his boss' job, and moved to group headquarters. He's got a swanky office, executive restaurant, and is surrounded by people either bowing and scraping or swaggering about. The atmosphere is intensely hierarchical, and most people when they reach this level buckle and conform. My friend, on the other hand, refuses to do this and insists on having a genuine human relationship with his colleagues, boss and the various 'minions' who run about pandering to the needs of the senior execs. This is a bit of a shock to the long servers on his floor, and is standing him in good stead so far. People just pop into his office and tell him what they think or ask a question rather than composing the usual lengthy, boring, and rather indirect memos. What a relief.

To Boldly Go

A courageous team has recently embarked on an eighteen month journey towards mastery in 'Humanistic Leadership'. These are capable businessmen, facing the difficult challenge to process re-engineer their business, including closing sites and opening new ones, and build morale and well-being in their staff at the same time. Before I met them they were on line to achieve the business objectives - but recognised that unless they reviewed and improved their leadership style the outcomes would not be sustainable. These are busy, action oriented people dealing with challenging situations every day. By an heroic effort they've found ways to free up time to reassess their situation in depth, and identify the key areas for development that will allow them to lead their organisation to sustainable success, and longer term achievements. Their energy and stamina is impressive, and the next year and a half promise to be both rewarding and regenerative, not just for the team itself but for the thousands of people for whom they are responsible.

Who Shall I Be Today?

A lot of people tell me they want to feel more flexible and free in the way they express themselves, yet are not sure how to do this without either letting their colleagues down or losing others' approval. We've been helping them explore the options and get to know their various 'subpersonalities' better - so they can manage the risk involved in experimenting with new ways of being at work. One of the methods we use involves larking about in any way you like, expressing as many sides of yourself as you like, wearing whatever (or as little!) as you like, while someone takes loads of photos. After the prints are made you go through them and 'meet' yourself in different ways. It's a very releasing and enjoyable process - a little scary at first - and only you and the photographer get to see the photos!

Thank you for reading