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- The Parliament Vol. 1, No. 8
The Parliament Vol. 1, No. 8
Changing Your Mind
Thomas Greek
August 30, 2024
COACHING PROMPT OF THE WEEK
“What could change your mind?”
Leaders can be quick to lock into a belief or course of action. It might be helpful to get curious and help the leaders you work with examine their thinking and explore alternatives. This prompt encourages a moment of reflection that can lead to more intentional and effective decision-making.
Here are a few probing questions to keep the conversation going:
What evidence supports your current belief?
What are the core reasons for your current perspective?
If you were to see things from a different perspective, what might change?
Remember that coaching isn’t telling! Coaching is about staying curious and making space for those in our care to become confident authors of their own stories.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
When I took my first formal leadership role some 25 years ago, I didn't have any idea how to create the kind of workplace my team would be excited to come to 5 days a week. I knew a lot about the function the team was performing, and I could manage up with the best of them. But like many new leaders - and even some experienced ones - I often leaned on my positional authority rather than making the time to really take care of my team.
Creating a work environment where team members can thrive is hard stuff. Especially given that many (if not most) leadership training courses place more emphasis on how to manage an operation than they do on how to be leaders their teams genuinely want to follow.
There's a time and place for leveraging one's title, but great leaders know that creating and maintaining conditions where team members can both perform AND thrive is a much bigger challenge. In his book 'Blind Spot,' Jon Clifton makes a passionate and data-driven case for how leaders can transform their work environments by focusing on their team members' happiness and well-being.
What can you do to create an environment where your teams thrive at work?
Want more leadership & coaching tips?! Check out our YouTube channel, and while you’re there, be sure to subscribe!
Roy E. Disney is credited as having said “It’s not hard to make decisions once you know what your values are.” Or…something to that effect. Found a few versions of this one out there 🤷♂️🤷♂️.
Regardless of how exactly he phrased it, his point is a good one. It’s important to know who and what matters most to you. To know what drives you. I'd argue that some decisions are still pretty hard, but understanding these values helps you make more confident decisions and strengthen relationships.
I work with my clients to unpack their values so that they develop a strong sense of self, where they can tap into their convictions and stand up for what they believe in. And with a solid foundation, they're less likely to be swayed by external forces or succumb to negative influences.
What drives you? What are your core values?
RECOMMENDED BY THOMAS
Featured Reading:
The book referenced in this week’s Motivational Minute, Blind Spot, by Jon Clifton, brilliantly illuminates the alarming decline in global happiness and exposes the critical oversight by leaders. It’s a ‘must read’ for leaders looking to find ways to help their teams thrive at work!
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WORK WITH US!
Book a consultation today!
Here’s what other clients are saying…
“Throughout the coaching journey, Thomas encouraged self-reflection, which enabled me to find actionable opportunities for improvement in both my professional and personal life. He was instrumental in many of my successes this past year which included navigating a career change.
I hope others are lucky enough to benefit from Thomas’s coaching - it was transformational.”
- Matt C.
BE A FORCE MULTIPLIER!
Have a conversation with your team about any potential “Blind Spots” in your organization and explore opportunities to prioritize and improve well-being. Examine some strategies to create more social connection (even in a remote or hybrid environment!), add some levity, and look for ways to develop your workforce.
