Perspective – ‘what matters’

We tend to avoid asking whether something is worth doing. It is much easier to get busy.  Our culture lavishes rewards on what works.  We are swept up in achieving concrete, measurable results, without a thought for whether we are bringing to the world our unique, personal contribution that could make all the difference.  We sacrifice our deepest passions on the altar of what is doable, practical and popular.

“What really matters?” is a dangerous question. Asking “why?” steers us away from the comfortable, safe and well-worn path of control and predictability.  When we begin to reflect on our passion we notice the road less travelled leading to adventure, challenges and risk.

Read the posting about “What Matters” here…

Technique – ‘what works’

Asking questions about a situation stimulates people to think creatively. In guiding an investigation, the questions you ask will point people to areas you think they should address.  While you collect data, the person you interview will already be working on the topic.Of course, to resolve an issue, everybody should understand, and own, their particular contribution to the problem.  However, none of us engage readily in this level of honesty.  Here are four perspectives that can make a difference:

The four key questions in this model can gently and firmly lead someone to the point where they are able to talk about their role in a situation.  Each question removing further layers of self-protection.

Read the posting about “Four questions” here…

Small Adventures

Long long ago Isuzu aired an advertisement on the radio that consisted of 30 seconds of bird sounds from the Lowveld.  I heard it after an hour of rush-hour traffic and I felt my stress melt away.  It was as though someone had opened a window.  Here is my offering of an open window for you.

A watercolour

And a story

I painted this view of the Shire river sitting on a termite mound under a tree outside Mvuu camp in Malawi.  We had been told not to stray and I had heard Hippo and Hyena round my tent in the night.  However I could not resist the urge to sit in the quiet, listening to the bird calls and painting the scrub and the palms.

You can read about this painting here…

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© 2011 Stephen Quirke, All rights reserved.  You are free to use material from this Conversaction newsletter in whole or in part, as long as you include complete attribution, including live web site link. Please also notify me where the material will appear.The attribution should read:  “By Stephen Quirke of StrategyWorks.  Please visit Stephen’s web site at https://www.strategyworks.co.za/ for more resources on how to hold effective conversations in your organisation.” (Please make sure the link is live if placed in an eZine or in a web site.)

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Stephen assists leaders who collaborate, with conversations to deal with challenges.  Leaders contact us at StrategyWorks when they are ready to do something different.  Sometimes they are not clear on where they want to get to and sometimes they want to get their teams aligned around a plan.  In the process those involved in the conversations feel understood and challenged.  At the end of the intervention, the leaders and their teams feel focused and released around a clear plan of action.

Find out more from our website at:  www.strategyworks.co.za or better still contact us at the email address: stephen@strategyworks.co.za to arrange a meeting with Stephen.