Optimism + Passivity = Idleness
Optimism + Greed = Loneliness
Optimism + Directionless = Waste
Optimism + Ambition = Progress
While optimism is a strategy and a skill. However, it will forever remain important to pair it with complementary traits that enable the best parts of optimism (positivity, creativity, growth) and mitigate against the risky bits (naivete, risk, waste) so we can arrive at the optimal outcome.
The Project Management Institute breaks down their body of knowledge into Domains, Tasks, and Enablers. Domain is the high level knowledge area essential to the practice, Task is the underlying responsibilities of the project manager in that domain, and Enablers are illustrative examples of the work associated to the task.
Ensure Team Members/Stakeholders Are Adequately Trained is the fifth task under the PMI’s first Domain, “People”. I’m a firm believer in investing a significant amount of time prior to any project launch where you are enabling autonomous process and change champions. When it comes to training, empowerment, and updating you can take many strategies. Pick what works best for your stakeholder pool, but it all boils down to your communication plan. Make sure everyone knows that the change is coming, how it impacts them, and how they can learn what their new role will be.
People Domain
Task 5 -Ensure team members/stakeholders are adequately trained
As change makers and leaders, we have a high motor to drive change and get things off our to-do lists.
But we need to be careful. If we are not optimally taking care of ourselves we cannot optimally take care of business.
Get a solid night’s sleep. Move your body around. Eat right. Be adventurous. Invest your reference set.
You are the foundation for all your work. Make sure that foundation is strong and prepared for the storms ahead.
We have lots of ideas. We are pushing the envelope. We reverse engineer what others have done and attempt to apply it to our lives in an improved way.
We are constantly trying to grow. But how do we realize that growth?
I find talking it out to be the most impactful and clarifying way to understand what is exactly going on in your head.
Because now you’re on the hook.
Instead of this messy, hidden thought that feels like you know exactly what it is you end up having to verbalize it to someone (or something) and make the subject objective.
You may find by explaining it you find a certain clarity that resonates. You may even surprise yourself with what you end up saying.
You may also find what you have to say unimpressive. Perhaps you didn’t articulate it the right way or maybe it was missing something.
But because you put it out there you now know. You can build on it. Consciously or subconsciously.
When you have these ideas talk them out. Or journal them. Or blog them. Or communicate it in any way that gets it out of your head. You’ll be able to take the next steps accordingly.
We have felt like we aren’t qualified. We have experienced the encroaching thought “I think others are thinking I am not experienced enough to do this”.
Those feelings mean we are on the precipice. We are growing. Of course, you feel energy and nerves, and anxiety around doing new things. You haven’t done them before!
We can determine if that energy is something we channel in a positive or negative way. The Imposter Syndrome phenomenon can be something we leverage or fall prey to.
The reality is, we fake our abilities all the time. How else are we to do things like fall asleep? We must put ourselves in a position (our bed) to arrive at a destination (sleep) by faking it first (closing our eyes).
Like Seth Godin shares, if you feel Imposter Syndrome you are onto something.
“If you find yourself asking yourself (and your friends), “Am I really a writer? Am I really an artist?” chances are you are. The counterfeit innovator is wildly self-confident. The real one is scared to death.”
― Steven Pressfield
First comes clarity. Make sure their is a clear message on what is happening. A shared understanding that other’s can easily digest, identify with, and then tell others.
Next is alignment. What role do your stakeholders play?
Last is movement. Now that we are clear on what is happening AND we know our role, what are the actions that all involved need to be take.
Customer Service is transactional and meets what is required.
Customer Experience is relational. It is built on empathy, stories, and impact.
The better business model utilizes Customer Experience.
But we shouldn’t view Customer Experience exercises as revenue-generating, self-serving SOPs. The magic of Customer Experience, like when giving any gift, is not expecting something in return.
We can hope that our interactions with the customer build enough trust and loyalty that they come back, but if they do not we can still know we did right by them.
But it is not in our control if they decide to come back, tell their network, or repeat business. What is in our control is the way we treat and serve them. If those actions allow for a greater probability that they do come back and give us their business, fantastic.
But the key is where your intent lies. And your customer will know.
In each problem we face as leaders and change-makers, we have the ability to ignore, address, or wait.
When we ignore we know exactly what we are doing. When we wait, it could be strategic. But when we address we don’t need to remedy it completely.
Apply a small amount of effort now so you can make it a future problem that is easier to tackle.
When we work towards solving a smaller percentage of the issue now we ease the current pressure, we don’t put a strain on our resources and give ourselves time to strategize a plan to tackle the rest when the time comes.
This is the 80/20 principle we talk about often.
