A different look at organizations, teams and ourselves. A few lines I hope will help to change
We might want to stay quiet inside our shells. Maybe we don’t understand how everything ended up like this and spend some time trying to find an explanation. It could not be that crazy before, there was a way out of this, somehow.
Wherever it comes from, this is what happens with disruption. Our life’s are turned upside down. Be careful, take care and why not? jump into the craziness and see if there is something we can do.
Book + Training + Practice this is how some of us have learnt to learn. But life does not come with a manual, there is no book to check on, no teacher, no trial and error process and we can only do our best. Not being sure if the answer it is correct, doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Not having the perfect solution doesn’t mean we have failed.
We should not put on hold trying neither not punish ourselves if it did not go the way we imagined the first time. There will be more. We just need to try again, harder, more focused and aware of what worked and what did not.
Just do not push anything away just because you need to learn the perfect way first, it might be too late or you will might have to rush and it will not be even good enough to go.
The world has changed, so if we want to continue learning from it, we need to look at it through a different glass. Stop watching is not the answer. Still, keep it simple. Always.
When you remain in silence despite disagreeing with what is being said, you keep running in circles, you do something that you do not like, read during a presentation instead of interacting with the public, you are conservative in your approach to a problem solving issue, you do just as you are told or copy from someone who is average, it’s because of fear. And fear, always takes away a piece of happiness from us.
So, Every time… you start a project out of your domain, you speak up, you tell others when something bothers you, when you jump into the unknown, you take risks, you question things, you relocate, you ask when you don’t understand, you meet new people, you walk into a room where you know anyone, you change the approach after realizing that the previous one led nowhere… Every single time you do that, you are moving one step further from your comfort zone, without being aware of it. Firstly the feeling of uncertainty, a different kind of fear. Did I risk too much? What will be the outcome? Could I have done better? Ufff…
The more you move, the less you agree with simply being comfortable, with complying. (If it feels uncomfortable, it’s good: post)
And then, one day, all of the sudden you may find or see something that brings back to your memory that old version of yourself. And you realize instead of jumping into the void (as you feared you were doing), you are greater, better. With new fears ahead.
Usually we think about transformation from a top-down perspective, change must be accepted, promoted and lead by top management. They believe in it, they act consequently, movement begins. But, there are times when this doesn’t happen or it is not enough. A Bottom-up approach is what it is needed.
But, Why is so difficult to change the way we do things? Why is even more complicated to change a Company’s values (through employees’ behavior)? Because of individual ATTITUDE.
Attitude, is what we bring from home, it’s how do we face life. It can be conservative, aggressive, positive, negative, … many things. Is it possible to trigger the change in your attitude? Of course it is. One I like to explore today is by «contagion».
«Contagion way» – «Contagion effect»:
Both patients end up being the one who isn’t like the others. Who goes against the tide. Despite fighting alone, being exposed, knowing they are observed, they keep going. They have a special freedom, the one that is given by consistency.
All of the sudden, another one decides to join patient zero. To get infected. Now both are exposed. But, they keep going. Patient zero does not have to be a natural leader, he can be an occasional one. That is sufficient.
Do not try to infect everyone the very first day. It will take time. Just add more and more people to your different craziness. This will end up in a big group. That’s when it will become the new normal. This is when the old way will no longer be ok. A change in our attitude, the true transformation.
Act positively, be consistent, do never accept what goes against your principles. Your principles tell who you are, no matter where.
Take a look at this video, it adds movement to the contagion effect:
Leadership – contagious behavior
The more I observe change around me and the motives behind it, the more I like this topic.
Road to improvement 