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A daring culture and feedback
Friday, 15 April 2016 00:00Brené Brown describes a daring culture as one that is honest, constructive, and engages in feedback. She also explains that giving or receiving feedback is likely to result in some discomfort; “feedback thrives in cultures where the goal is not getting comfortable with hard conversations but nomalising discomfort.” By letting people know that this discomfort is normal, is going to happen and why, this actually reduces the anxiety, fear and potential shame. This is consistent with growth and learning being uncomfortable, with individuals stepping outside of their comfort zone in order to learn and grow.
In telling her students that there will be times that they will feel discomfort, discomfort becomes an expectation and the norm, to the point where her students inform her, “I haven’t been uncomfortable yet. I’m concerned.” This in turn leads to key feedback conversations regarding their engagement and also, her teaching, leading to growth and learning for all.
The key for leaders is to foster and support the courage to be uncomfortable; is to be willing to be vulnerable and role-model this daring behaviour; to help the people with whom we work to accept this discomfort as a part, even a sign, of growth and learning.
Brown, B. (2012). Daring greatly: How the courage to be vulnerable transforms the way we live, love, parent and lead. London: Penguin Books.
The influence of language
Tuesday, 05 April 2016 00:00What language do you use? Habitually? Consciously or unconsciously? “Our words create our worlds” – this simple phrase when spoken by David Cooperrider, had considerable impact on my noticing my vocabulary and intentionally changing it to be more positive and to create the space for possibility and growth.
Following are a few more quotes that I have reflected on and have impacted my words and my world:
- “The seeds of change are implicit in the first question we ask. The more positive the questions, the more positive the potential for transformation.” Diana Whitney
- " The power of questions and questioning is to open the door to new possibilities.” David Cooperrider
- “To change behaviour, change the conversation.” Wim Croonen
- “When I tell you my story, you give me colour. I exist, I am in the moment.” Eric Koenen
Innovation - Shift Happens
Tuesday, 22 March 2016 00:00Our last blog discussed how organisations often focus on providing tools for idea generation and evaluation, but fail to create the curious environment that is critical to innovation and that enables the ideas to be generated and evaluated. We suggested that curiosity, courage, fearlessness, vulnerability and playfulness are all important attitudes and mindsets for innovation.
Last week we suggested that you look at a commercial for Apple from the late 1990s. This week, we're offering another YouTube video for your consideration.
While you're watching, you might like to consider:
The world is constantly changing at a fast rate;
- What impact does this have for our organisations, our customers, our products?
- For how we do business?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMB77eJPYs8
Innovation - the Apple Commercial
Wednesday, 16 March 2016 00:00Organisations often focus on providing tools for idea generation and evaluation, but fail to create the curious environment that is critical to innovation and that enables the ideas to be generated and evaluated.
Curiosity, courage, fearlessness, vulnerability and playfulness are all important attitudes and mindsets for innovation.
The following link will take you to a commercial for Apple from the late 1990s. As you watch it, you might like to ask yourself:
- How are we crazy? What does crazy look like for us?
- What do we do so that we are not ignored?
- How will we change the world?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SswMzUWOiJg
insium's newsletter on leadership: March, 2016
Thursday, 10 March 2016 00:00There are a number of apps that are readily available that will support you in building and maintaining your well-being; these apps focus on:
- Meditation
- Mindfulness
- Brain training
- Breathing
- Tracking moods
- Yoga
- Mindset
- Positive practices
- Physical fitness and more
When choosing an app to support your well-being, consider its fit*; that is:
- Fit with your key well-being goal(s)
- Fit with your strengths and motivations
- Fit with your lifestyle
- Fit with what seems natural to you
- Fit with having some fun
Apps that we use regularly, which fit for us, include:
Buddhify 2 – a targeted mindfulness app which provides suggested exercises based on asking you “What are you doing?”; www.buddhify.com
Lumosity – designed to provide your brain with a workout; it’s a lot of fun and can get somewhat competitive in our household!; www.lumosity.com
Mood Meter – helps to identify emotions, thereby building emotional vocabulary which in turn helps in emotional self management/self regulation; www.moodmeterapp.com
Run Keeper – designed to track your physical activities; www.runkeeper.com
If you’d like to see a list of apps that we recommend, please click here
* Adapted from Sonja Lyubomirsky, 2010. “The How of Happiness,” Piatkus, London.
P.S. Does your team/organisation need assistance to build or maintain well-being? If yes, let’s discuss my Melbourne University Master of Applied Positive Psychology Capstone project. I may be able to help!
If you'd like to download a copy of this newsletter, you can do so via this link: insium newsletter March 2016. If you'd like to join our mailing list and receive our newsletter regularly, click on the "News" link in the "About" section of our website and complete the form.
Simon Sinek:Start with Why
Thursday, 03 March 2016 00:00Originally filmed in 2009, I cannot begin to tell you just how relevant “Starting with Why” still is today, and how many conversations I have with leaders, marketers and sales people about the impact of starting with why.
This reminds me of a story told by Stephen Covey in his book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People". He tells the story of a NASA employee who is asked by a visitor what his job is. His reply, “I help send man to the moon.” His job: janitor. Now’s there’s a clear and inspiring example of why.
A few questions that you might like to consider as you watch Simon’s talk:
§ What is your purpose? Why do you get out of bed in the morning? What is your why?
§ What impact does knowing your why have on your well-being?
§ What is the impact of you operating from the inside?
My why is to open doors. I invite you to step through these doorways with me and soak up the other side.
The 5 minute, edited version of Simon’s talk can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPYeCltXpxw
Simon Senek's full TedTalk of around 18 minutes entitled "How Great Leaders Inspire Action" can be found here:
https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action?language=en
Shawn Achor on happiness
Tuesday, 23 February 2016 00:00Shawn Achor defines happiness as “the joy you feel moving towards your potential.” It is not pleasure which is short-lived; joy invests more deeply. In fact, you may feel joy even in those moments that are not pleasurable. For example, have you felt joy at the conclusion of a tough, nail-biting team sport? Whether you were watching or playing? Have you felt joy at the end of robust workplace conversations that have resulted in growth, development and other positive outcomes for the parties involved?
A couple of reflection questions for you:
- How do you define happiness?
- What moments have you experienced that were not pleasurable but have brought you joy?
If you’d like to see Shawn’s talk, you can find it here; it runs for less than 1.5 minutes:
Another TedTalk from Camille Seaman
Wednesday, 17 February 2016 00:00- What are the "interconnections" for you?
- What memories and stories are you reminded of?
- Where do these photos take your imagination?
- What are the emotions that are evoked for you? Why these emotions?
TedTalks - Camille Seaman
Wednesday, 03 February 2016 00:00Attached is a link to a short TedTalks (~4 mins) that we thought you might enjoy. Amongst other messages, Camille Seaman talks about "we're all interconnected" ... as I watched this talk, I thought about collaboration amongst teams/departments and more;
http://www.ted.com/talks/camille_seaman_haunting_photos_of_ice
Additional thoughts and ideas that came up for me included:
- "continuation of the past" ... honouring the work that has been done before and building upon it
- "some icebergs are 1,000s of years old, some 100's of years old" ... regardless of the amount of time in an organisation/team, we all bring new skills, knowledge, experiences and strengths
- "a different side of its' personality" ... we are all different and we all adapt
What comes up for you as you watch and listen?
There are awesome photos and an amazing video of an iceberg rolling. Enjoy!
An offer from insium for your wellbeing! Newsletter January 2016
Wednesday, 27 January 2016 00:00We're at the end of January and I hope you've had a great start to 2016 ... however you define great!
This great start may have been serendipitous for you or may have been planned. We know that if we plan and have goals, we are more likely to achieve these and celebrate success ... however success is defined for you.
So what plans and goals do you have for your success in 2016?