One by one all manner of birds come to the feeder outside our bay window and we are graced with their playful serious foraging presence. Woodpeckers several types, wren’s, chickadees and others - each one choosing their favourite seed from the feeder or the ground. Giving each other space to pick one at a time. no one mad about the other being there - no need for competition here - they favour different seeds and there is plenty to go around.
How does your organization feel? Are you in a space of abundance or scarcity? What are your leaders role modelling?
Two clients are feeling the pinch of the current economic downturn, trying to close what deals they can and ensure all their clients that can be set up for renewals are happy. John has an abundance mindset, and he is noticing his pace quickening and his work slipping into the evenings taking away time from family and other important personal commitments like exercise. He is noticing and we are making meaning from the experience. Is it the push to the quarter’s end and that pressure or is there something more systemic in the way he’s set up his team or processes, maybe a bit of both. He is left with some reflection questions on his preference for empathy over directness in expectation setting and accountability and his tendency towards a lack of structure where one like a monthly check in to review progress on the business might make all the difference. He will reflect and we’ll talk again.
Jane is hard driving to close some deals and she is feeling fearful about the year ahead. Inflation the down ward pressure on people signing deals or buying what she has to offer. Her team is feeling it too and so she is singularly focused on helping them close any deals they have before year end, so they can each make the commission they hoped for the year. She is not looking up or around - she is looking down and in. We talk about her perspective - hard driving is great - is the fear useful to drive her action? Is there room for another perspective? She says - I’ll get to that over the break, not now. Now we have to close these deals. What will be the impact of this approach on her team? On their abilities for next year? For now, she’s ok where she is
The birds come one by one - they are in the now of things and faith, absolute faith in their own abilities to forage, build shelter and their ancestral knowledge.
What do we stand upon to serve our actions?
Note - all names and contexts are changed to protect the sacred confidentiality of my coaching client relationship. And, i ask permission of my clients if I may write about their situations in order to help others - it is with their permission I share some of these scenarios.
One by one in abundance