Despite our intricately designed lives, we rarely have experiences that go exactly as planned. Perhaps John Lennon said it best when he wrote, "Life is what happens when we're busy making other plans."
We can say the same thing about our lives in business. There are always surprises. Sometimes fortuitous ones fall on our lap, and at other times, we’re not so lucky. The most successful businesses are not necessarily the ones that make the best plans but the ones that make the best
of the plans, with all of the surprises that go with it.
Do you want to cultivate a team of people that is more adept at going with the flow? Would you like to be the mentor for more flexible minds that can pounce on opportunities, rebound from setbacks, and stay motivated through the thick and thin of it all? Then give them a little surprise:
hare your vision with your team of the qualities you’re looking for. They may not know.
se a compelling and passionate metaphor that speaks to your vision…one image that communicates a whole new way of how things could be.
eward the very first signs, no matter how small, of the behavioural and attitudinal shifts you’re looking for. Your positive attention will make them larger in the future and more frequent.
ersonalize it. Get each person on your team to think of the personal benefits they will receive by adapting this more flexible attitude. Sometimes a lack of motivation is really just a lack of clarity around the benefits. Make a fun and creative exercise of it.
ecognize plans that are too rigid for your new vision. Sure, stand firm on the outcomes and deliverables, but allow for possibilities on "how we'll get there".
nspire your team by walking your talk. In what ways could you become more flexible in the face of the "surprises" your team brings to you?
illy it up a bit. Just as rigidity can produce linear thinking, playfulness can produce creative, innovative thinking. Do things to lighten up the day and get people laughing.
xperience the true joys of surprise. What positive surprises can you throw at your team? Free movie tickets tucked under their keyboards, fresh croissants from your local bakery for your early morning status meeting, an afternoon tea party in the middle of the hallway. You get the idea, and soon afterward, you’ll get the smiles.
