Future-Minded
Recently I was listening to a podcast discussing the idea that how an organization views potential change can make or break their future. Having done some studying in mental fitness and wellness, this thought resonates. How an individual approaches or positions themselves in relation to change can have a strong influence on outcomes. This is true for an organization, a family or a team and requires slowing down to do a routine “check-in”.
How an individual or group talks about trouble, whether perceived or real, tells us a lot about how the world is viewed - is it an opportunity for an adventure and discovery or a curse to be dealt with as best as one can. The way an individual, a family or an organization thinks about the future also tells a great deal in terms of predicting future success. Jim Collins in his book “Great by Choice” says that it is not the goal to identify what specifically might happen in the future because you can’t do that, but to acknowledge that there will be something that will happen in the future that will change the current context and it is wise to shore up all possible areas of weakness before that happens.
The 4 recommendations for a “check in”:
Make sure your leadership team is as cohesive as possible. Identify any potential areas of mistrust, politics, infighting and conflict avoiding and address those right away!
Make sure you are aligned around what you as an organization, team or family are really about. The Table Group offers 6 questions to help make sure you are aligned: Why do we exist, How do we behave, What are our 2-3 core values, What business are we in and is it the right one, What’s most important right now, and Who is responsible for what?
Reinforce with everyone who is a stakeholder, through clear and direct communication, what the answers to the previous alignment questions are.
Put in place just enough structure to reinforce clarity around those alignment questions. The answers to these questions will determine how daily life looks - what you say yes and no to and how things are accomplished.
Taking these four recommendations, apply them to your current context at work, in your personal life, as a leader, as a parent or as a team member now before more major change happens. How can you make a difference for the future and those around you by what you do today?
Resources: 5 Dysfunctions of a Team - Lencioni & Great by Choice - Jim Collins