I was so honored to be a guest on DisrupTV with my good friend Vala Afshar of Salesforce and Ray Wang, founder of Constellation Research. As to be expected, we had a great time talking blue lobsters, innovation, virtues, strategy and women in tech. Take a look!
Oh wow! A problem.... let's go solve it! It's our first reaction, right? It's human. We see a problem and our instinct is to start fixing it, solving it.
What if, instead of rushing to solve it, we rushed to discover as much as we could about the problem - like, why is it a problem, why is that a problem, why, why, why? What are people doing when this is a problem? Is it only a problem when they are doing that? Where is it a problem? Only there? When is it a problem? Only then? What is the weather when it's a problem? What mood were they in when it was a problem? See? You learn so much when you Rush to Discover first. You learn what really matters and why. And guess what? Then you can work with the people who have this problem together - to create solution(s) that will really make a difference - that will work when, how, where it's a problem.
“Rush to Discover. Don’t rush to Solve!”
So, next time you see a problem, stop, discover and learn....
Yup, I said it and mean the double entendre.
What company doesn’t say people are their greatest asset? How many companies really treat their employees like assets? Not as many, and less than we’d like to think. Too many companies still treat employees like Asses –beasts of burden, tools for labor. And then, managers* get surprised (duh!) when employees act like asses – non-caring beasts of burden and seemingly stupid, stubborn people.
“Golden Rule: It’s a Rule, not an Exception!”
How employees act and engage all depends on T – on how you Treat them. Remember the golden rule? Guess what, it’s a rule, not an exception. Try Treating everyone you encounter this week, especially your employees, as an asset. You might see some Asses become Assets (even you?).
* Not leaders, cuz real leaders don’t treat their employees like asses.
Deb is here to reveal to organizations their beginner's mind while giving them the tools to execute.
