Jann’s Jottings #15
Jann’s Jottings # 15
“The most practical pages for perusal on the web”
Jotting (defn): short details of significant events, behaviours and conversations about wellbeing, growth, and career.
Wellbeing Jot: The value of rest
If you are like me, I only fill up my car when the fuel tank gets very close to empty. However, our bodies and minds are not like fuel tanks. It turns out that taking a break has at least three benefits:
Time away from work helps us sustain the passion we have;
Rest helps unlock fresh ideas – did you know great composers like Beethoven and Tchaikovsky regularly took walks nearly as long as their work days and Lin Manuel Miranda dreamed up the hit show Hamilton sitting on a pool float?
Rest deepens our learning. In chasing excellence we can pay the price of exhaustion so let’s think about rest as an investment in our wellbeing, a reset and a source of joy to enable us to do that which we love with passion (From Hidden Potential by Adam Grant 2023).
Ponder this: What is the single best thing you can do or stop doing right now to enable rest?
Growth Jot: Consistency over intensity
Ever tried to do something new? It feels awkward, weird and uncomfortable. For example, if you want to practice asking and listening rather than directing to improve team communication, you are changing the pattern of the way others interact with you. This point is called an inflection point and it is hard. Often, because of the discomfort we stop. However, if like a surfer we can ride the wave of discomfort and keep going we will create better communication within our team. Asking and listening consistently has a positive flow on effect as everyone feels their voice is valued and the message is clear. Staying consistent is the key.
Ponder this: Where can you be more consistent in your communication?
Career Jot: “You can’t talk yourself out of a problem you have behaved yourself into.” (Stephen Covey)
Clear and consistent communication is a pre-requisite for building trust in our teams. Our teams are not only engaging with us through various forms of communication, they are also watching our actions and reactions. As Stephen Covey said, we can’t talk our way out of a situation we behaved ourselves into. If we act one way and say something else our people are going to pay more attention to our actions than our words. Additionally, if we don’t communicate in a timely way people will make up the narrative themselves and mostly it will have a negative slant.
So, what do we need to do? Our character plus our competence creates credibility. Credibility starts with honesty or integrity followed by clearly stating our intent or motive/agenda. If we have messed up and our behaviour is impacting others negatively, we need to apologize, extend trust and be honest about our motives. Easier said than done however credibility rests on simply doing what we said we would do, honouring those around us and working on restoring trust. These three actions will see your team’s ability to collaborate improve and share information in a timelier way with greater energy, commitment and satisfaction.
Coaching can help with that.
“You are loved, valued and worthy. Keep up the great work!”
