MODERN THINKING they ’ re kicking goals – and how those goals are completely in line with their purpose – and they can see the next steps , both for them personally and the people around them .
So how do you get the people in your team to focus on this intersection of purpose and progress ?
Hit the reset button It ’ s impossible to step into Stand Out if your people are feeling tired , stressed and chained to their desk – that ’ s a recipe for burn out . When these moments come as they do in a relentless change environment , it ’ s key to create moments to hit the reset button . Tell them to go for a walk , eat outside or even find a lunchtime yoga class . Ask the question – what do you need right now ? ‘ Walk and talk ’ conversations are a great way to change the environment , engage creative thinking in the brain and provide some perspective . A Stand Out culture grows when your people feel supported and take ownership on what to do next .
Adopt a growth mindset People who have a fixed mindset believe that character , intelligence , talent and ability are set and won ’ t change in significant ways , and assume that success is a result of inherent intelligence . On the other hand , a growth mindset thrives on challenges . Failure is not seen as evidence of a lack of intelligence but as an opportunity to learn , develop new skills and grow . A team member telling you they ’ re hopeless at Excel because they ’ ve always sucked at maths , for example , becomes a chance for you to highlight that it doesn ’ t always have to be this way . Possibilities are available through coaching and a focus on an individual ’ s ability to grow .
Feel the fear Fear is what sits between the idea and the action . Being in Stand Out is a time of action and transformation , which brings with it uncertainty and fear . And your staff shouldn ’ t ignore fear or try to smack it down . Sitting with the discomfort and vulnerability of change allows us to step forward into the successes of tomorrow . So provide a space for the people around you ( as well as yourself ) to tune back in with their purpose and set into play the overall strategy to drive progress – what ’ s next ? Use the energy and anticipation that fear can bring to propel them forward .
Commit to experimentation Disruption breeds innovation . When we disrupt the status quo , we start to see new ways of operating in our world that we previously hadn ’ t paid attention to . And a great way to test new ideas is through experimentation . You and your staff can start with a hypothesis ( for example , ‘ I think starting a work running group twice a week would be great for staff ’) and then test the parameters of this hypothesis . Does it work every week ? What happens when deadlines are looming ? What time of day works best for everyone ? An experimentation mindset removes ‘ failure ’ from the equation and suggests that something not quite working the
way we thought it would simply provides us with new data and an opportunity to tweak the conditions . Once you ’ ve got feedback on what works for you and your staff , you can then put the idea into practice – adding to your Stand Out culture .
Create a community Magic happens when people come together in service of each other , and all great progress comes off the back of teams and groups working together . We crave it . But then we sit back and wait for collaboration to magically come knocking on the door or arrive in our in-box . Combat the belief with your staff that they ’ ve got to know all the answers . Encourage them to ask themselves who could help – either within the business or further afield – and then take a chance on reaching out to that person .
Alison Hill is a psychologist and co-founder of Pragmatic Thinking , a behaviour and motivation strategy company . An international and indemand keynote speaker , Alison is also the best-selling co-author of Dealing with the Tough Stuff , and Stand Out : A real world guide to get clear , find purpose and become the boss of busy ( Wiley $ 27.95 ). For more information visit www . alisonhill . com . au or contact info @ pragmaticthinking . com .
October 2016 ModernBusiness 19