TRIPLE III TIME: Taking A BIG Leap!
“Failure is an inevitable part of success, so we need to get comfortable with the idea that sometimes the work we produce will be below par or simply not good enough at all. We have to stop striving for perfection and instead get things wrong a few times. If we are so worried about getting things right that we never step outside our comfort zone, then we will never push ourselves. Finally, it often takes many, many tries until that magical moment when what you’re trying to build comes to life. It requires perseverance. It requires imperfection.” (Reshma Saujani: Teach Girls Bravery Not Perfection, 2016)(Harriet Minter: Great TED Talks-LEADERSHIP, 2020)
Please know that I have shared my position on perfection many times during my professional career: “Perfection Does NOT Exist”! So it was a real satisfying moment when I came a cross the statements provided in the quotes that are the beginning part of this TRIPLE III TIME message.
I believe it is critical that as you consider initiating a new innovative product or service and/or taking a more creative means of doing your job…Taking A BIG Leap! down these paths is both progressive and positive!! Too often people shy away from Taking A BIG Leap! in their worlds of work because of imperfection fears. The result is personal, professional and performance growth limitations plus regular performance hesitancy everyday…EVERYDAY!
I standardly encourage professionals into Taking A BIG Leap! as part of their continuous improvement job strategy. Does it often cause professional discomfort via co-workers and organizational supervision…YES! But if your innovative/creative concept moves everyone a little forward… Taking A BIG Leap! makes you the leader that you should be!
TRIPLE III TIME: Exit Interview
Bottomline: The “Exit” Interview IS a very good appropriate continuous improvement action…for both parties! Professional discomfort is as important as gratitude and praise. Therefore be sure to prepare Exit interview question/discussion points around: Reasons for Leaving/Change/Compensation/Workplace Environment/Professional Development/Leadership/Teaming and QUESTIONS NEVER ASKED!TRIPLE III TIME: The Absence of LEADERSHIP
One topic area we have not ever addressed in our special blog format, is finding progress during The Absence of LEADERSHIP.
Think real hard about what is being stated in the TRIPLE III TIME opening sentence… The Absence of LEADERSHIP.
I am NOT referring to times when certain people are on vacation…dealing with an extended illness or having to address a special personal issue that requires a longer time away from work than planned. No…I am thinking about the fact that we are all leaders in some way-shape-or form in our workplaces (no matter the position we hold)…and how do WE respond to The Absence of LEADERSHIP situations.
And just for the record-books…I will admit that I have had my own The Absence of LEADERSHIP moments. Are they frustrating…kind of numbing…and sometimes even anger-generating when you are unsure of who to look to for guidance. However regardless of the feelings…finding the best way forward is totally on YOU! But in case you need a little help…consider and appreciate these unique TOP 10 factors:
- Admitting you need LEADERSHIP help is progress.
- Realizing even the greatest leaders you admire have needed LEADERSHIP help on occasion.
- Appreciating that people in your circle really do rely on you for LEADERSHIP growth.
- Understanding extended LEADERSHIP stagnation can become a bad habit quickly.
- Trying even baby LEADERSHIP steps…is better than zero steps.
- Reaching back into your network for reliable LEADERSHIP help is always a good strategy.
- Not ignoring that you are often someone’s special LEADERSHIP example-setter.
- Prolonging LEADERSHIP absence results in unrecoverable development-time shrinkage.
- Delegating to a colleague for inspiration is an acceptable LEADERSHIP absence recovery option.
- Accepting new LEADERSHIP priorities is a critical part of your professional responsibility.
I hope this TOP 10 helps reverse The Absence of LEADERSHIP for you.
TRIPLE III TIME: Are YOU a “NO” Person? (Or Just A “What About” Person?
During these change-critical times… everyone… yes EVERYONE in any type of leadership role needs a special “NO/WHAT ABOUT?” personality check! Specifically I am recommending that you honestly assess your typical first response to a co-worker when they pose a new idea, alternate action, personnel change and/or service redesign.
Is your immediate response: “NO… not at this time.” Or something like: “WHAT ABOUT cost or that thing failed in the past.” Do these words sound even remotely accurate?
This week’s TRIPLE III TIME message is all about creating and maintaining a culture of new idea generation. Good ideas are hard to come by! Even if the concept is way too difficult to initiate… or too costly to the organization/business… a single “stifling-word” can eliminate a truckload of high-value unique thoughts and possible innovations!
As you complete your initial response assessment…ask these kind of questions:
- Is NO an answer of convenience and no extra leadership effort is needed?
- Are finances a true concern or is lack of money an easy hiding place for having to try something new?
- Is it really a fact that no one has tried a suggested new idea or is innovation a personal fear factor?
- Has there really been similar innovations that have failed badly?
I am going to use some of my previous words to offer my position on today’s topic:
“During these change-critical times… good ideas are hard to come by!”
Change waits for no one… so be the leader that sparks the cool change… rather than the leader who is always dreading the need to change.
LEARNING MOMENTS: Unhealthy Professional Competition
This month’s Inspiring Innovations LEARNING MOMENTS podcast is all about progressively dealing with Unhealthy Professional Competition. As the title suggests, motivation and encouragement brought on by competition in the workplace may bring about good results… however, there are often “unhealthy” outcomes too.
Decline in creativity, reduction in production, and less project collaboration are all examples of Unhealthy Professional Competition outcomes. They may occur in a subtle fashion or be hidden behind/within other regular organizational functions.
I tried to do my best to cover this topic in a concise way… but addressing Unhealthy Professional Competition requires more than a few minutes.
Enjoy the listen!
Public Administration: “What Else Mapping”
As you can guess from this week’s TRIPLE III TIME message title… my quarterly guest author American Society For Public Administration article has been published!
The article Public Administration: “What Else Mapping” stresses the importance of gathering groups of common-purposed professionals together in an effort to strategically consider “what-else” public service or product opportunities are missing? Then after identifying a few “what else” concepts… a discussion of “mapping” (who can do what) is described as part of special leadership sessions.
My Public Administration: “What Else Mapping” idea is another version of strategic planning for the public/private sector. I hope it generates innovation in YOUR professional development planning.
TRIPLE III TIME: Realizing My Professional Landscape
First let me point out that no matter your job and/or citizen status… everyone has some form of “Professional Landscape”. Ok… Ok… I am already assuming that most readers are identifying with those that work with designing, installing and maintaining outdoor areas and the plants that are part of making an area look great… right? To better get everyone focused let me restart this TRIPLE III TIME message by offering MY definition of “Professional Landscaping”. In my teaching/consultant world, I periodically think about the local people… geography… culture… customers… colleagues…businesses… communities that are all a part of me… and MY “Professional Landscape”! And as I am collectively Realizing My “Professional Landscape”… I better understand and strategically take stock of impactors that somehow affect my professional situations.
What am I referring to? Well let’s consider a special TOP 10 Realizing My “Professional Landscape” impactors:
– Growth Source Options
– Declining Clients/Students
– Service Potential Versus Customer Volume
– Need for Innovation
– Performance Results
– Special Niche Areas
– Personal Capacities
– Rate-of-Change Factors
– Situational Uncontrollables
– Travel/Time Limitations
I guess what I’m trying to encourage…is that everyone take a moment to accurately, progressively begin Realizing YOUR “Professional Landscape”! Think about the impacts the listed TOP 10 can make on your current job…learning ideas…network connections…you know what I mean. Too often we don’t take the time or apply a unique approach to consider potential improvements for ourselves.
Realizing YOUR “Professional Landscape” may be necessary at different points in your career planning…so give it a try.
TRIPLE III TIME: TRUST YOURSELF
Planning and preparing to be the leader/facilitator for any special event/training/presentation can and IS a professional challenge every time!
Think about it.
Quality for these occurrences is often experienced by the “little-extras” that are provided to all in attendance. And depending on the number of individuals invited and participating in the occasion… overall preparation can be somewhat easy… or become the case for sleepless nights, irritability and/or a chronic state of being overwhelmed!
So what are the TRIPLE III TIME recommendations for easing planning/preparation strains…TRUST YOURSELF.
All the outside advice in the world will NOT resolve your concern for planning confidence… right? Rather it may be appropriately wise to TRUST YOURSELF and apply the following:
- Use your own processional judgement on planning/prep time and effort invested.
- Relook and calculate your preparation work already supplied… and ask if you have over-projected event/training/presentation planning expectations? (Have you maybe already doubled what time will allow?)
- Prior to the activity trade chairs with attendees and decide if they could absorb a little more…be getting “just enough” or are you in the “way too much” service category?
Finally, for fun become an official timekeeper of yourself and apply some historic activity limits/expectations. Consider college classes that recommend one-hour study/prep-time for every hour of class time. Or car repairs that often reflect time labor costs that are similar to the overall cost of repair parts?!
Regardless…take effective and efficient steps to TRUST YOURSELF! when planning/preparing for leading/facilitating important events/trainings/or presentations. Very recently I avoided all of these common sense recommendations and drove myself crazy preparing for a consultant session.
And guess what… I did just fine.
TRIPLE III TIME: Dealing With Diminished Listening
In my roles as college course instructor and Inspiring Innovations consultant, there really seems to be no limit or common theme regarding topics or questions on special issues that are raised. One recent particular area of interest and discussion however is the short and long-term impacts from the COVID years and advancement of virtual/remote learning and its life-style acceptance. Almost in every instance… both issue areas seem to be uniquely linked and unfortunately the result of most discussions are negative.
So for this TRIPLE III TIME message, I will provide what I feel is the most negative outcome stemming from COVID impacts…blended with virtual/remote learning and usage: Dealing With Diminished Listening.
I believe our greatest personal and professional loss related to these two situations… is Dealing With Diminished Listening in all sectors of our lives.
Think about it.
Consider first todays altered “locations” for professional learning and listening. Maybe it is just sitting alone in a room and staring at a screen. Interpersonal listening is totally minimalized. Quality listening is questionable.
Next think about large or small interruptions… that others may not see during virtual learning experiences. If someone in a learning situation is facing off screen interruptions… how can they offer their full listening attention?
Also when Dealing With Diminished Listening situations are participating individuals becoming less engaged in professional discussion? Some people get into a poor mindset and wait for someone else to ask a certain question… or hesitate to participate “just because”?! So are they engaged?
Finally consider the negative level of Dealing With Diminished Listening when others enrolled in a class or involved in a business meeting are represented by a black box with their name on a screen! Complete listening is demonstrated by facial expressions, quizative looks and smiles too… right?
Unfortunately “listening” in this (I’m just dialed-in) fashion can contribute to a sense of disinterest and even disrespect to others involved in the session. Likewise in a distance learning situation there is often a loss of interaction spontaneity and hesitation to participate that somehow is just an unnatural human reaction to the growing listening gaps.
Bottomline: I guess what I am trying to say with my Dealing With Diminished Listening message title and brief examples is that peoples ability and willingness to provide quality listening in many situations has gone significantly down. And yes we can blame it on COVID and the evolution of technology. BUT… rebuilding LISTENING is totally up to all of us!
LEARNING MOMENTS: Learn – Grow + Earn Tour
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