🧠 I’ve Been Thinking…
…about reality and perception.
In “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” there’s an image some people see as an old woman’s face, others see as a young woman in a long gown. Both views are correct because both are perspectives, not facts. Yet when groups of people are shown these images, arguments often erupt because people in each group are wedded to the idea that there is only one right answer. Until they can see what the other group sees, they remain convinced they are right and others are wrong.
Life is like that too.
I could take this philosophical concept in a lot of directions, but today I’m using it to frame a question for us: How often do we question what we hold to be true?
Our world changes rapidly; perhaps some of those shifts provide better vantage points for reconsidering the information on which we base decisions. To take advantage of a new perspective, we need to pause to recognize we have new information to work with.
Last weekend, I intentionally did a relook. I had coffee with one friend and lunch with another. I shared what I was experiencing. They listened intently, asked brilliant clarifying questions, and helped put me in a position to dive deeper on my own. In the afternoon, I went into quiet mode for a few hours and came away with new insights and a much higher vibe that has continued throughout this week.
I highly recommend periodically investing the time to ask yourself if your decision-making is based on your current cache of info. If not, think about it a bit, tee up some questions for a trusted advisor or two, and package up their inputs to unpack on your own shortly afterwards. We’re in flurry times, but they don’t have to be blurry times. Get your clarity on!
🚀 Information & Resources to Help You Drive Change
Here are my shares for this week:
SPECIAL NOTE: If you hit a paywall on any of the stories I share, go to Google Search, enter the name of the publication and something about the story (author, title, subject) to get a natural search link that usually by-passes the pay wall. And hey, if you like the publication, consider subscribing to it—that’s how they keep the good info rolling! I’m hearing some paywalls are impenetrable, so for pubs like The Wall Street Journal and the NY Times, I’ll share a bit more here for those of you without subscriptions.
- Are compassionate workplaces calm and harmonious? Not always. In fact, some of the best teams, “genius teams,” have what Merete Wedell-Wedellsborg calls generative tension. The 3 key characteristics that define her “genius teams” are: each member brings characteristics that complement the others; they aim high; and “The energy on the teams is sparked by benevolent friction, conflict, impatience, and even well-intentioned intolerance. What truly sets genius teams apart from other high-performing executive teams is their ability to manage — and willingness to generate — this tension in the service of the larger challenges they’re drawn to solve.” Well worth the read, here you go.
- If you need more convincing, here’s another piece on the very same topic. Neela Singh talks about what she’s learned and shares data to make her case, including a 2024 study by Tech Rapidly that found companies where healthy disagreement is embraced earned more than their competitors.
- @ThePlanetDoctor has advice on how to win an argument every time. Ties to my opening today on perspective.
Sensing a theme here? Good, glad you’re paying attention. 😊 Mixing it up and experimenting is a good thing. Here comes more…
- Smart leaders aren’t being complacent about the decline in people seeking work elsewhere. Your best people want new challenges and learning experiences and job swapping can be part of the answer. Learn about what companies including Synchrony Financial and McKinsey are doing to provide new career experiences when promotions aren’t an option, like a job swap.
- And while we’re helping our colleagues to foster better work cultures through generative tension, work swapping for new experiences, and arguing in healthier ways, we can also reap the benefits of a new emphasis on what were traditionally called “soft skills.” Turns out, they are must-haves for companies to thrive. So, let’s get better at leveraging them so we can not only make our companies stronger, we can make the world better too.
- New C-Suite title: Chief AI Officer.
- And look at this list of companies tomorrow’s workforce (today’s high school students) wants to work for. Tech no longer reigns supreme, and Aki Ito writing for Business Insider gives us lots of reasons why. So, what’s at the top of the list? Healthcare companies! When we talk about the need for more kindness and compassion in the workplace to help our businesses thrive, pay attention to what’s important to the young people who will become your workforce. Your 2034 self is sending me texts right now. You’re welcome. 😎
🌟 Do Good Spotlight: The Conservation Fund
Conserve Land. Combat Climate Change. Build Vibrant Communities. The Conservation Fund is working on all these through its comprehensive programs. They’ve protected 8,880,336 acres of land and water nationwide since 1985. Check out their mission, their success, and how you can help.
🖋 Noteworthy: Greenly
Q: How do you start to reduce your company’s carbon footprint?
A: Learn via Greenly. They’ve helped over 2,000 companies plan and implement programs that work specifically for them. Awesome.
🎵 On a Personal Note
Sometimes all that’s needed is a little distance—time and space—to help you see things differently and respond better.
Do you need to do it now? Say it now? Might you be a better version of yourself if you put a little distance between the person, challenge, or the opportunity and your response?
I’ve learned there’s a lot less that requires a decision “right now” than I used to believe. Just putting it out there…
