The office is just another tool to carry out our work.
The office, what is it good for?
This past week, I worked:
in my home office
from a coworking space
on the train, while commuting
outside while walking
in a cafe, drinking a coffee
on the phone
using my computer
using my phone and tablet
over Zoom and Teams, as well as in person.
I got a whole load of stuff done. I worked synchronously and asynchronously. I worked in the space which suited my need the best.
Business leaders should consider how they give their employees the autonomy to work wherever while balancing the team and organisational needs to encourage collaboration, serendipity and the intense bonding that high-performing teams have.
The workplace simply becomes another tool, a tool used to carry out our work. A tool like:
Emails and our calendars.
The telephone, Zoom or Teams.
Slack or Asana.
Dropbox or OneDrive.
OneNote or Notion.
Or any other service and product that enables employees to work smarter, more efficiently, more effectively - to work better.
Just as people need training and guidance on using these tools, they also need help understanding how best to use location.
The future of work isn't any one thing. It will be dynamic, situational, individual, and shared.
📫 - Favourite quote
"Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die."
Olivia Fox Cabane (The Charisma Myth)
Fun fact, variants of this figurative language have been credited to the actress Carrie Fisher and Nelson Mandela, amongst other people.
🧐 - Newly discovered content of interest
One of the questions I often ask when starting a team or group coaching session is for people to share a happy thought, something trivial that has brought a smile to their faces recently. This can be a powerful way of getting the participants in a positive frame of mind.
Anyone looking for something to smile at should watch the short video below.
First, a little bit of background. Mythic Quest is a comedy television series streamed on Apple+. It follows a fictional video game studio that produces a popular game. The cast of characters is brilliant. Well worth a watch.
The quarantine special from Mythic Quest.
It brings a smile to my face every time I watch it.
🧾 - An absorbing and insightful (short) read
"The world needs quiet people. Quiet people make you think. Thinking brings clarity. Thinking can lead to change."
For anyone wanting to develop their coaching style of leadership, this Medium - Mind Cafe article is a nice reminder of the power of silence, whether it is taking the time to answer a question or not interrupting others will they speak and, more importantly, while they are thinking.
Listen to understand, not to respond.
🐣 - Something I am doing differently or entirely new
I have been assisting my eldest child in learning to drive a car. Most, if not all of you, will remember the right of passage that comes with spending many hours in the (literal) driving seat for the first time - the goal of passing "the test" and attaining the long-desired freedom that comes from not having to rely on the taxi service that parents provide.
Through observing my daughter learn and develop the capability to drive a car responsibly, I am reminded of how we learn new skills and behaviours. From the kangaroo juice beginning, which is common with learner drivers trying to cope with manual transmissions - short juddering spurts that lead to one rubbing the back of the neck and hoping to hell that I didn't just get whiplash - to the now smooth left foot on the clutch, right foot off the accelerator, move the gear stick to third gear, right foot back on the accelerator as the clutch is released action. It is remarkable how quickly we can learn something new if we apply ourselves.
There is a simple but powerful four-stage model that helps you to understand how we learn new skills:
* Stage 1: We are unconsciously incompetent
* Stage 2: Consciously incompetent
* Stage 3: Conscious competence
* Stage 4: Unconscious competence
This model can frame people's skill development to be successful at the next, more senior stage in their career. The first step is to clearly perceive the relevant facts and information to identify the skills they need to develop for continued success. Coaching will help provide this insight and raise people's awareness, enabling them to transition through each of the stages on the path to mastering a new skill or forming an enduring habit.
⚖ - Et cetera
Perhaps the following will provide insight and be of help with a problem you are currently facing:
Do you need a new perspective on a challenge you're struggling with?
Are you starting a new role and want to make a positive impact and quickly establish credibility?
My latest article is here - "How we learn"
The RYSE Journal - referred to as "Headspace for professional development".
All the best, until next month.
Rob