The Next Step!

I think I have shared with you before that I have some home projects I've been working on. Over the weekend I got one of them "finished." There are still some smaller items that need to be done, but for the most part, the project is complete enough that it is usable and working! 

During the weekend we had some friends stop by and we gave them a tour of the project because they had some interest in a similar idea. As we were showing them around, I found myself almost standing at a distance and listening to myself describe all of the steps that were involved in the process. Hearing all of that and knowing the amount of time that has passed during the journey, I realized this was no small undertaking!

That got me reflecting on how we got to this point of "done" in this project? As I thought about it, I realized it didn't happen because of some huge effort or massive push, but because of the persistence of just continuing to take The Next Step. In order to do what I did this past weekend to "finish," I had to do the stuff last weekend that was the step before this one. And before that I had to do the step that was necessary in order to keep moving forward to get to that point.

You see what I mean.

There is the big project, the overall objective, but that doesn't happen all at once. It gets accomplished through a series of small steps that build on each other. As a result, I think that sometimes it's easier to just think about The Next Step. If I stay too focused on the overall project or objective, I can get discouraged at how slow things are moving. But if I can focus on The Next Step, it makes it easier to just work on that knowing that the step after that will reveal itself in due time.

The truth is, there were steps I ended up taking to get this project accomplished that I didn't even know I would need to take at the beginning. And if I had known how much was going to be involved from the very beginning, I may not have even started!  But by focusing on The Next Step along the way, we eventually got there!

How could you take this idea of The Next Step and apply it to your life? Is there a large task you are facing that feels overwhelming and daunting? If you were to think about what just the very Next Step is in keeping that project moving forward, what would it be and how could you tackle just that? Are you leading a team in a significant advancement? Could helping them to focus on just The Next Step reinvigorate a project that feels stalled or totally overwhelming? 

Here's to focusing on just The Next Step this week!

Be Well,

Stephen

Center was created to support individuals and teams so they can live from their Purposeful Center.  We specialize in professional coaching and leadership development and we’d love to support you!  Click on our Services page to book a free consultation.

Teamwork!

I am a big fan of teamwork. Most of my life I have worked in settings that require some form of group effort to get the work done. Currently, one of my roles actually involves a task that would be completely impossible without teamwork. It's amazing when it works well, and it's a real challenge when it doesn't!

Teamwork Challenges

Let's start with some of the things that get in the way of teamwork working well. 

1 - Ego. If one or more people on the team let their ego get in the way, things get bogged down. Some people think there are certain tasks that are beneath them, so they aren't willing to help with that if the person responsible for that is struggling. Other people think they can do everything, so they just jump in and act like the savior in every situation. 

2 - Ego. Some people think they know the best way to do something or to handle a situation, or they think they should know how to do something and they allow their ego to prevent them from asking for help. When our ego causes us to work from a place of arrogance, assumption, or ignorance, the work gets bogged down and critical mistakes can happen. 

Clearly it seems like Ego may be one of the biggest barriers to great teamwork!

Teamwork Synergy

So, what are some of the factors that can help create powerful Teamwork?

1 - Appreciation. When the members of a team recognize the role each unique individual plays in the overall task and they appreciate the unique strengths each of those people bring to the whole, it's easier to let each person take ownership of their own task. When we can trust each other and the abilities we each bring to the whole, there is a sense of accomplishment that only comes from the whole of the team together!

2 - Initiative. While it is critical to trust each member of the team to accomplish their unique part, great teams are also filled with people who are constantly looking around for opportunities to jump in and help their teammates when they can, and when it's appropriate. This isn't about taking over for someone or even becoming the savior of the team (see Ego above!), but is remembering that while we each have unique roles to accomplish, there is still a larger, overall task we are all working toward. If there is something I can do to help someone else toward the greater task, why wouldn't we take the initiative and help?!

What are some of the characteristics of great teams you've been on? Are there lessons you've learned from poor teams that you don't want to repeat again? In what ways are you tempted to let your ego get in the way of being a great team member? What would it look like for you to lean into appreciation this week, and how could you take initiative in a way that helped toward the greater task?

Here's to being a great Team Member this week!

Be Well,

Stephen

Center was created to support individuals and teams so they can live from their Purposeful Center.  We specialize in professional coaching and leadership development and we’d love to support you!  Click on our Services page to book a free consultation.

Traditions With Intent

Hot Take: Every tradition started somewhere!

I know, shocking, right?!  

Seriously, I was thinking about some of the traditions that are about to happen in my life over the next couple of months and I can honestly say, I am not sure where all of them came from or how they got started? Like when did we decide that in our family everyone gets new pajamas on Christmas Eve? And why is it important that there is something cranberry flavored at Thanksgiving, even if it means you open a can and dump a jelly cylinder on a plate?

I once heard a joke about a family who always cut the ends off the ham before they put it in the oven and one of the young children asked why. The parent responded, "Because that's what my mom always did." So, they asked grandma, who said, "That's just what my mom always did." So, they asked great grandma who replied, "Because I didn't have a pan big enough to fit the whole ham."

(Insert Dad Joke Eye Roll Here!)

Back to my hot take - every tradition started somewhere.  If that's true, then it seems like we can play an active role in the traditions in our lives.  If they are working for us, we can continue them. If they aren't working anymore, then we can end them, because if they had a beginning, they can also have an ending! And maybe there is something new we would like to start that just might turn into a beautiful tradition in the days and years to come. 

It seems like the thread that holds this all together is Traditions With Intent. Every tradition was started with some intention. If it's working well, we can intentionally keep embracing it. If it isn't working that great anymore, we can intentionally stop it. And if we want to do something new, we can start it with a sense of intentional purpose.

So, if you were going to lean into the coming holiday seasons with some purpose and intent, what would you do? Are there things you absolutely plan to continue because they still hold deep meaning and value? Are there some traditions you might want to reexamine and consider if they are still serving a purpose? Is there something new you want to start that has special meaning and purpose for you in this season of your life?

Regardless of what traditions you may already have, here's to embracing our Traditions with Intent this week!

Be Well,

Stephen

Center was created to support individuals and teams so they can live from their Purposeful Center.  We specialize in professional coaching and leadership development and we’d love to support you!  Click on our Services page to book a free consultation.