If we spend a few moments longer, in deeper thought with ourselves, really clarifying what it is that we want to achieve, we can find ourselves progressing with clearer focus, and with more resilience to holding uncertainty in our constantly changing workplaces.
It’s not the detailed plan of how we are going to achieve that outcome that I am worried about. Plans change, constantly, and are rarely robust enough to cope with the complex reality of our work lives. But a clear sense of the broader picture of what we are trying to achieve as an organisation, in our relationships, on this particular day, can help us stay on track – whatever shape emerges in that track as we progress.
John comes to me frustrated with the overly technical content that his team member is trying to share with the business.
“ What can I do to fix this?”
My first response is – “What is the outcome that you are trying to achieve?”.
The strategy we take for solving the same problem can be significantly different, depending on the outcome that is most important for us to achieve in the current context.
Jenny comes to me confused over the collaboration she is working on – her colleague has started the project with a completely different approach to the one she would take.
“What can I do about it?”
Well..."What are you trying to achieve here?”
Clarify the outcome that you want, clarify the outcome that you want to achieve together, and you will find the pathway through much clearer. If nothing else, you at least have a measuring post against which to compare your options!
As you sit down to figure out what is most important to get done this week, as you try to prepare the presentation for next week, as you sit down to work through a problem with your boss – start with this very simple question to yourself:
“What am I really trying to achieve here?”
If we spend a few moments longer, in deeper thought with ourselves, really clarifying what it is that we want to achieve, we can find ourselves progressing with clearer focus, and with more resilience to holding uncertainty in our constantly changing workplaces.
It’s not the detailed plan of how we are going to achieve that outcome that I am worried about. Plans change, constantly, and are rarely robust enough to cope with the complex reality of our work lives. But a clear sense of the broader picture of what we are trying to achieve as an organisation, in our relationships, on this particular day, can help us stay on track – whatever shape emerges in that track as we progress.
John comes to me frustrated with the overly technical content that his team member is trying to share with the business.
“ What can I do to fix this?”
My first response is – “What is the outcome that you are trying to achieve?”.
The strategy we take for solving the same problem can be significantly different, depending on the outcome that is most important for us to achieve in the current context.
Jenny comes to me confused over the collaboration she is working on – her colleague has started the project with a completely different approach to the one she would take.
“What can I do about it?”
Well..."What are you trying to achieve here?”
Clarify the outcome that you want, clarify the outcome that you want to achieve together, and you will find the pathway through much clearer. If nothing else, you at least have a measuring post against which to compare your options!
As you sit down to figure out what is most important to get done this week, as you try to prepare the presentation for next week, as you sit down to work through a problem with your boss – start with this very simple question to yourself:
“What am I really trying to achieve here?”
