Activating Passion on your Team
A great question to consider in these times of great change. What you are passionate about informs your choices and conversely, your choices reveal what you are passionate about. In other words what you DO will show what’s important to you.
We are hearing from many clients and others that what they are passionate is evolving, and doing that for the good. The key is in how we choose to align the 3 spaces that exist in every organization. More specifically, putting a greater emphasis on our relational space; who we are and why we matter (keep reading and I will explain). This time apart, in different surroundings and with new business delivery platforms has allowed each of us to re-consider these spaces and how they might look as we relaunch.
Okay so let’s look at these 3 spaces I’m talking about; transactional, relational and creative. Our transactional space holds what we do and how we do it; the mission goals and objectives, and this is practically carried out by our operations, budgets, company policies etc. Meanwhile our relational space holds who we are and why we matter; the vision and values individually and together along with our people. Our creative space is the outcome of the transactional and relational space working well together, and this fuels creativity, innovation, productivity, engagement and profitability.
We have the opportunity to be intentional with how we engage these spaces. As people re-evaluate their priorities in terms of what they value most (what they are passionate about) and where they want to invest themselves, their weighting of the 3 spaces will change. What was a priority to us individually and organizationally before this season of crisis may be different as we recover and re-launch.
Where the transactional space has traditionally dominated the 3 spaces, there is clearly a shift to more importance on our relational space. Organizations that traditionally placed a high emphasis on the transactional space will find a greater need to invest in the soft skills of their people and be intentional with creating a system that ensures they are valued and heard. Casting vision with the relational space and the transactional space working together will help activate the creative space. More innovation, empowerment, prosperity, joy and inspiration, clearly things that we all desire.
Organizations and their leaders who help facilitate a workplace culture that brings together the relational and transactional space will experience a renewed and more powerful creative space. A creative space that perhaps got buried under structure, or that you knew was there and just didn’t know how to tap into it.
Let me leave you with 3 action steps that will help you optimize the 3 spaces and set your people and organization up for success:
1. Help your team feel more confident with the relational space by increasing their emotional intelligence; self-awareness, communication and teamwork skills. We have included a link to a great diagnostic HERE to get you started.
2. Be intentional with celebrating the wins both transactionally with the mission, relationally with the values and creatively with the vision. This could look like incorporating a time into your meetings for team members to share their wins from the past week.
3. Be curious, without expectations, about what you and your team, individually and together, are passionate about. In other words, the WHY behind what you do or have decided upon. Great leaders ask great questions. This may take some time to train yourself to do but will have huge payoffs as a leader.
For those leaders who are serious about growth and making a positive impact in their spheres and would like some help with that, you can reach out to Michael Walker for a complimentary 45minute coaching conversation. You can reach Coach Mike at michael@capstonecoaching.ca We look forward to helping you achieve your desired success!
