growth

Isolated : Insulated

Just because we are not isolated does not mean we are not insulated.

Change, progress, movement, improvement, growth happens when we ensure we are not isolated as well as not insulated.

Exposure. Reflection. Conceptualization. Application. Repeat. This is the route to growth. Any isolation or insulation will only slow/limit this growth.

David Kolb’s learning styles as well as Tara Fenwick’s practice-based-learning talks more deeply about this concept. Ed Batista summarizes and adds to Kolb’s Learning Cycle.

Coaching Round Table: What I Need to Grow

I see a new blog post that intrigues me.
I read a book where I’m feverishly underlining.
I listen to a podcast and I find myself continually going back 15 seconds to write down what someone said.

All this is not enough for me.

In order to truly grow, we must deeply consider and apply ideas and concepts.

This is best done among others.
Hearing and seeing what others are learning.
Getting energized by the way someone else is applying a jointly learned concept.
Being challenged to stretch thinking and imagine beyond your status quo.

Starting mid November 2020, I’ll be hosting a Coaching Round Table.
A space to share what you’re learning, hear what others are learning, and go together to be better.

We will focus on topics around coaching and leadership. However we will break down the walls of considering how this applies to a day job.

“Who we are is how we lead.”

Brene Brown on the Dare to Lead Podcast

If you’re interested to join, complete the form or email me.

We will all be better if you are there. Hope to see you around the table!

Interested? Click Here

When stuck, be generous

Feeling stuck? Lacking motivation? Unsure of what is true?

Make a gift. Do something generous. Get back to who you are and give something generous.

For me this looks like calling a friend, writing a letter/postcard, making a little trinket for someone, sending someone a book with a note in it, offering a few coaching sessions to someone doing work I care about.

When I give, I find more of myself.

Austin Kleon’s Chapter 4 from Keep Going

Inspired by Austin Kleon’s Keep Going book.

Curiosity Needs Time and Space

Continually learning and growing is key to staying engaged in work, succeeding professionally, being our best.

We cannot expect to fill our entire day with back to back meetings or project time and learn most effectively.

We need at least a little time and space. Not hours on end to read a book, but maybe. Not years in a career to complete a degree, but maybe.

I’m more so talking about 15 minutes after a meeting to reflect and grow. 5 minutes to let your head dream and drift. 30 minutes to journal or write each day.

I’m also not just talking about time. A workspace that allows for you to observe and see things clearly. Rhythms in your day that set you up for clarity. Relationships that challenge you beyond the what did you do but how did you feel, what does that mean for where you’re going.

For example, I’m trying to schedule each day with at least 30 minutes outside of lunch to sit in my comfy chair and read or think. I also start my day with 5 minutes of mediation. I end my work day with 15 minutes of journaling at a separate desk in my office designed for analog processing…think big paper, post it notes, colored sharpies, and scissors.

Of course we can learn even in the midst of back to back but I find I learn best with a little time and space. And I find I have to fight for that time and space…or at least proactively set it up.

Change Calls for Sacrifice

Any change we make, political or policy change, organizational change, personal change, requires something to be sacrificed.

Maybe you want to workout more, hours of sleep is going to sacrifice.

If we want to change policy so those who are oppressed have burden lifted from them, we have to put a burden on someone else…that is of course if it’s a finite system…maybe our economic system is not as finite as we think…

Anytime we shoot for change, we should identify what is sacrificing. And choose the structure of the change with ideal sacrifice.

This is easier thought through and applied with personal change because it’s a system we understand. More complex policy or political system have been made complex and are tough to understand and change.

Anytime you look to change or grow, call out what you’ll be sacrificing and accept that. Change then can come with more clarity and swift results.

Learning and Accountability

As we undergo change, learn something new, grow, we need to keep accountable to make the change or apply it to our daily lives.

Sometimes we can learn and keep ourselves accountable.

Most often I find I best apply my learning and growth when it’s done with others. They help me learn deeper as well as stay motivated to put the learning into reality.

Find a cohort. Find a colleague. Find a partner to go with.

You’ll probably make the most of your investment of learning or change if you have people along for the ride with you.

Offer a New Map Instead of a Compass

Often we don’t have leverage to change someone’s mind.

If someone doesn’t know how to use a compass, they likely won’t pick one up.

But if they already are holding a compass, we can show them a new map. Maybe an updated version or a different territory.

Sometimes someone may not have a compass but we can point out the mountains in the difference. They may not have a compass to get there but we can meet them where they are and help towards some change.

When someone is ready to learn to use a compass, we’d better not bombard them with the map but teach them to use the compass first. Being ready to also meet them where they are.

We need to know our audience and build what we offer based on that or be brave enough to say, “This isn’t for them.”

What is the compass needed to navigate?

What is the new map you could offer?

Who is your audience?

Seth Godin discusses this idea at the end of this podcast in the question section.

Motivated by the Surprise

When we face a truly unique or difficult challenge, we are unsure of the outcome.

Some challenges, we can be certain how they will end and in those situations are they really challenges?

I’m looking for more challenges in which, I’m uncertain of the ending. I’m uncertain of the solution. I don’t know the right answer.

This propels a new motivation inside of me. One of anticipating and seeking out the surprise.

As I work towards solving a problem with very unknown outcome or path, the surprise is exciting and engaging. At the end of a working session, I will see something anew. See the world a different way. Realize a truth about myself I did not know. Distill a solution which feels original to me.

To me, these are the challenges worth investing in. Not to overcome fully but to seek the surprise and grow from it.

I heard of this idea on a podcast featuring Austin Kleon where he describes his favorite part of the creative process being the surprise during that creativity.

Our Illustrative Future

What attribute should I develop?

What skill gap should I train?

What box am I not checking off?

Which competency am I low on?

What habit can I form to grow?

All these above questions are not nearly illustrative for the future of work and the future of self development.

It won’t matter that you can check off the boxes or show well rounded nature.

Habits are the development plan of yesterday. (Not that they can’t be a start but they definitely are not enough on their own)

What is the development plan of tomorrow?

It is bound to carry with it vagueness.

The boxes are being blown up. We don’t need more checklists, we need innovation. We need resilience. We need ownership.

I am not searching for the habits to build nor teach but what am I searching for? I’m not sure yet.