Karyn wears many hats as Business Manager for a small, reputable manufacturing company recently bought by a larger company. She always has been promoted because of her can-do spirit and ability to work well with anyone. Recently, she added another role that was going to be farmed out because she believed she could do it better. She streamlined it and now it takes less time. As she described all she does, I thought of the plate spinner on the Ed Sullivan show in the 1950’s.
When I asked about her vision, she went silent. She hadn’t thought of it. Too busy doing.
Karyn is good at encouraging, giving feedback, explaining, showing, but she hasn’t talked with her people about her vision because she hasn’t thought about it. Nor has she heard the vision from leadership of the company that bought her former employer.
To get her thinking about her vision, I asked what she loves about her job. Her responses flowed easily. Then, I asked what she wants people to say about her company in a year or more? She said, “I want this to be a happy place where people work well together to achieve goals. I want them to know it’s safe. And they have potential to grow here.” Bingo!
She didn’t realize she had just summed up her vision beautifully. Now, the goal is to break it into pieces to work toward making it a reality. But first, she must schedule time to think and write her thoughts. Admittedly, this was uncomfortable because she doesn’t do either. I assured her it will uncover what’s buried beneath all that she’s juggling. Plus, she’ll develop a new skill that will serve her well.
She was hesitant, so I suggested she start by writing: What my instincts are telling me. Write whatever flows out. No judgment. Just write, write, write what’s on the surface of her mind. When she thinks she’s done, ask: What else are my instincts telling me? Go deeper. No doubt, some gems will surface.
It’s a great way to start the new year, and a new approach for someone who wants to grow. She may be surprised at the possibilities that surface, and they will stimulate more thinking.
