Archive

Macro

Do we take teams and teamwork for granted?

June 5, 2020
Development, Macro, Opinion, Support
Leave a comment
Around the garden feel alone and isolated. Photographer: Mark Nesbit, LIMEfotographic / Marking Time Photography

Today I want to talk briefly about teams, their importance and how, often they are taken for granted.

What is a team? Well, put simply it is a group of individuals working to a common goal or objective with synergy. Of course there are many different types of teams, from sports teams to software developing teams, to Infantry sections and Government teams. They all have different objectives and structures but the fundamentals of good team skills are similar.

Well I know we all understand that there are always effective team and some that are, not so much. We have probably all worked on a team that wasn’t working effectively? There can be many reasons for this but most can be addressed. Clearly this article can’t cover the whole subject.

There are some important considerations at a base level though.

  1. What is the common goal / objective and it it really understood by everyone and are they aware of what their part is in achieving it?

It seems so straightforward, but in my experience, this is one of the most common errors. Confusion and lack of clarity will make team members fill in the gaps which often ends up in team members pulling in different directions or simple standing still, not knowing which way to go.

2. Does each member feel part of the team?

Teams should be organic, they grow and evolve, but some times this can be in a negative way. Dysfunction is a form of function that can come from even one team member that feels isolated. Be aware of the team, the unity takes constant effort and attention that can easily be missed in a busy department.

3. Are there consistent and effective methods of communication adopted?

Seeing this written down, it’s a no brainer, however most team leaders believe that their teams have this down. The reality though is much different. As a team leader, can you categorically say that each member of your team has a voice (that is heard), feels safe (to bring up their ideas), feels respected (given credit for their efforts)? The right methods of communication carried out effectively will certainly be a starting point to building a better team.

There are many ways to fix a team and in most cases there are improvements to be made. Teams can go through constant transitions or change and new members can often be expected to find their own way in. Find their own fit. I saw this happen all the time in the military. In my experience this can work but it certainly is not efficient.

Like always, I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

If you like this blog post or any of the others, please click like and share.

George Floyd.

June 2, 2020
Macro, Opinion, Support
Leave a comment
Tears of the grassland. Sometimes the green green grass of home just does not feel so green.

I find myself (as just another white privileged male) thinking about what is going on in the United States of America. With over 60,000 people having died of #Covid19 so far, the riots seem at odds to my United Kingdom. We are told to socially distance and yet there are thousands of people coming together to fight for their beliefs in spite of the risk.

It makes me think. I don’t know how I feel. I am sad that Mr Floyd’s life has ended, of course. I’m sad that it is at the hand of another ‘white’ policeman. I’m partially bemused by the repetitious nature of this incident. It feels like I’ve seen all this before.

The fact is, I have… we all have.

It’s got me thinking about racism, what it actually is. I don’t think we understand it at all. We seem to have this perception that racism is some kind of violent attack (physical or verbal) on someone who ‘looks’ different to ourselves. It’s not. I think it is much more nuanced than that. In most cases it’s much gentler than that. Yes, you heard me, I said that racism can be gentle, passive. Here lies the problem. We make it out to be so easy to remove the scourge of racism from our society, but the fact remains, it remains. It is there, it is not often violent or even identifiable, but it is there.

I don’t think that most people think they are racist, in fact they will often stand up against racism because it’s wrong, right? Of course it is. We can rationalise it and it’s very wrong yet it survives.

I don’t think it’s truly possible to understand racism unless you have been subject to it. I don’t mean being beaten or spat on or verbally abused. I mean simply being treated differently, being looked at in a certain way, being labelled, being pre judged.

Racism isn’t about the violence, that is just a disturbing consequence perpetrated by a minority. It is cultural, it is systemic and it is self perpetuating and lives in a strange situation where our denial to accept that it is more prevalent than we wish to believe, keeps a society from actually dealing with it.

It’s uncomfortable. My knee-jerk reaction is to deny it, even to myself… but am I then simply allowing it to continue?

I offer no solutions. I really don’t know what the solution is, if indeed there really is one to be had. Clearly something has to change but human nature and its insecurities will always get in the way.

By all means comment and give your point of view, I would love to hear from you. In the mean time my thoughts go to the family of George Floyd and those close to him left behind and I say that with the utmost sincerity.

The importance of goals and breaking them…

June 1, 2020
Advice, Development, Macro, Opinion
Leave a comment
The humble bee knows what it needs to do. It doesn’t need to think about it at all.

At the grand old age of… (nearly 50), I am quite late to the party. I’ve always been pretty ambitious. Probably more ambitious than many people who know me realise. My ambition has been fortunate though. I never seemed to reach my full potential. I always felt I could achieve more. Don’t we all feel like this at times?

I never used to really set goals, I never really had a plan or strategy to get to where I wanted to go. I had a vague idea on the destination but lacked the visualisation. You see a vague idea is fine, I guess. I suppose that is a goal, but it’s not going to drive you.

There are times for a bee when it seems there is plenty, it’s all right there for the taking.

A dream or a goal is fine, but just having that is not going to get you there. I don’t even mean you have to have a super dream or goal. It might just be ‘to be happy’. That seems simple enough? Is it?

Write it down!

Now be it!

Easy right?

Didn’t think so. So what have I learned on my [nearly] fifty year journey? It’s taken a while, but I’ve learned that to achieve any goal, you need to analyse it, find out more about it. Break it down into bite size chunks and tackle each chunk one at a time. Make a strategy and a time line that you can work towards. Be realistic and have honesty with yourself. Don’t just pick a goal because, well, someone else has it or you think it’s what is expected. Have your own goals, set them, really analyse them. How can you achieve them?

Breaking them down into chunks, is the first step. Now comes the really hard part…

Do them.

As Lao Tzu said, “the journey of a thousand miles starts with one step”, and it’s true. Also some goals will feel more like a thousand mile journey too.

There is nothing quite as exciting as reaching a goal that has taken you time to achieve.

The importance of finding time when there is none.

May 29, 2020
Advice, Macro, Opinion
Leave a comment
Life is so full of distractions that it can be difficult to see what is truly important.

At almost 50, you might think I would have a better idea about life. Certainly I can say I have experience. I have a whole heap of experiences. Some good, in fact lots good, some bad and some just…meh!

In this I am no different to anyone, in this we are all united. I used to be comforted by being so busy. It used to make me feel like I was becoming better at things, at life, at work. I was progressing for sure, but was I getting better?

One of the most important things I have learnt in recent months is that we owe ourselves some time for us. We need to be able to look at our situation in the silence and contemplate what really is important to us. Prioritisation is perhaps one of the most important things we should do for us and it must be honest. Making these decisions in and around the busy day at work or the frantic home life is very difficult, almost impossible.

You need to find your own method, but the first step is to make the time. I try to meditate for 10 mins a day in the morning. I don’t make it every day though. I try to exercise for 30 mins every day, but not always. I write down what I’m thinking about. I am better now at planning my following day and better at sticking to it (I will cover this in a later blog). I’m not perfect though. I still make mistakes and think I always will.

I am better when I find the time to evaluate what has gone on, put it into perspective and decide where things sit on the importance scale, the REAL importance scale, because I find we tend to put too much at the top of this scale that leads to distraction, confusion and ultimately failure.

What is important to you? Well my friend, only YOU can answer that and only YOU can give yourself the time to answer that. If I have one piece of advice though. Don’t always expect an easy answer. It can take time to get to the truth…

If only our lives allowed us the single mindedness of the bee.

Covid19 and the work continues…

May 28, 2020
Advice, Landscapes, Macro, Opinion
Leave a comment
Covid has not affected everyones productivity.

Like pretty much everyone else, Covid19 has affected their work lives, the ‘work from home’ scenario should be in full swing now. For most, it has been a change, some for the better and others… well you know?

I must admit, that for me it started pretty well. I could see better communication within the department although the down side was more meetings I did not ‘need’ to be at.

I think that when changes in the work place occur, either by design or necessity, it is very important to keep checking. What starts off as progress can soon lead to complacency and turmoil if not unchecked.

In particular, in these circumstances, when there is such massive change in an organisation, it is important to be heard. Your opinion counts and if you are having issues with a process (they are not working for you), it is better to address them directly and positively than just letting them go on. The chances are, others are feeling the same but possibly don’t have the courage to bring up the problem.

Stay strong, stay polite (although you may not always feel like it), and remember that a team is only as strong as its weakest member.

We all have our imperfections but it does not mean we are useless.