by Spiral by Design | Jun 27, 2022 | Uncategorized
LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®
The world has changed. We have spent the last two years of our lives living through unprecedented times that have altered the way we see ourselves and others. We’ve watched our workspaces go from being communal, to being in isolation, working in silos, and learning to connect with colleagues using technology and not face to face. Social distancing – avoiding other people which is not how we humans are wired.
The fact that technology was in place for all of this new way of working to flourish as well as it has is remarkable. Amazingly, we had all the tools to make it happen, and we found new ways to reach out, to share information, all the while remaining as productive or perhaps even more productively than ever (no cubicle farms at my house, at least).
So if we had all the tools we needed and seemingly had it all together, why do we all feel so exhausted? Why does it feel like things take so much more effort and we are having a hard time adjusting?
In our recent posts, we have been talking about resiliency, defining this to be our ability to “bounce back” from stress or emotional injury or “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties.”
Each of us as individuals has demonstrated our resilience, or what I like to call “bounce”, to a greater or lesser extent over the last two years. As we continue to move through this pandemic, we are now at the point where we are returning to some of our old ways of working with the new knowledge of all the things we’ve learned about ourselves during this time. But even the old, somewhat familiar, seems strange and new, causing us stress and anxiety about what should be “normal”.
How do we stay resilient with so much change happening all around us? How do we reconnect with colleagues in this world we all live in now? As leaders, does your current toolbox include the tools you need so you can better support the teams that are looking to you to navigate them through this new reality?
Sharing with each other about what we’ve learned during these pandemic times can be an effective way to help each other build resilience and a better ability to bounce back.
The pandemic is not yet over. Hybrid work environments are now the norm where we must fully engage and make room for. It’s critical that the way we work evolves and reflects our changed reality.
As colleagues and storytellers, we each have a role to play in helping our organization operate such that each team is firing on all cylinders. It’s not about hierarchy – but rather how we use our role that really matters.
As a leader no matter your title, we need to make sure to take time to look within yourself to recharge your own levels of personal resilience. Why is it particularly important for leaders? “Resilient leaders have the ability to sustain their energy level under pressure, to cope with disruptive changes and adapt. They bounce back from setbacks”.
At Spiral by Design Consulting, we are fully aware of the shifts within teams and individuals during the pandemic and want to support you and your people to “bounce back.” Our Lego Serious Play Workshops are geared towards identifying the lay of the land in terms of how your teams and your team leaders are functioning. Who’s playing well together, and who (and what) needs more support and attention? Lego works as a stress-reliever for everyone in the group – play and conversation are a magical combination!
As the saying goes, no man is an island. Working collaboratively allows for exponential growth not only for us individually, but for our organizations as well. I would love to connect with you and see how we can work together. Let’s shine a light on what your version of resilience might look like.
Connecting bricks and people.
by Spiral by Design | Jun 21, 2022 | Uncategorized
RESILIENCE IS A PERSONALITY TRAIT
Picture it for a moment: you are presented with a really challenging moment in your life. And you have the choice to buckle down under the pressure of it all, or dive in and make something work. And yes, Virginia, this is a choice, and a perspective!
For many of us, buckling is an option – for a while at least – as the weight of a given situation can be seriously heavy. This is also a very natural reaction. And it’s okay to be human. Our initial reactions to shocking news can be extreme and don’t tend to reach our heads but remain in our hearts and emotions.
Some of us intrinsically have more bounce than others. Making the decision to face bad news head on, confront it, and work your way through it to succeed is an incredible thing. Not everyone can do it, and let’s remind ourselves no one can bounce all the time, but for those for whom it comes more easily – it’s a formidable personality trait.
Think about the people in your life who have gone through a personal struggle – how did they handle it? It’s easy to see that people react very differently.
And let’s not kid ourselves. With every decision that gets made, there is sacrifice involved. That too comes with making choices. A yes to this means a no to something else. We can’t have everything. And this isn’t easy.
Part of increasing your resilience is making a choice, the decision to look for that silver lining. And yes I believe every situation has a silver lining – and happy to have you weigh in on this idea.
At Spiral By Design Consulting, I would love to connect with you to discuss how we can collaborate to increase your personal level of bounce. Building upon the skills that you already have (and trust me you’ve got this – we are all stronger than we know!) and sharing them with your team and your colleagues is one of our super powers. Reach out to me for a chat about coaching and workshops for yourself and/or your team.
Reach out at darcy@spiralbydesign.ca – one step at a time.
#resilience #bounce #startingover #loveyourwork
by Spiral by Design | Jun 14, 2022 | Uncategorized
Continuing our conversation around resiliency, I want to talk about the moments where your own personal resiliency comes into play. These would be most apparent during a big life change. Loss, gains, struggles, happiness: each of these life cycles require resiliency in various forms. The famous and sometimes annoying saying “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” is all about your spirit.
Resiliency is often thought of during the moments which are perceived as negative. But resiliency also plays a part in our positive experiences as well. Turning points like the birth of a new baby, marrying (try marrying for the first time in your mid 40s like me – talk about change and the need for some bounce!), travelling together, new experiences. These turning points tap into a reserve within you that helps you navigate these new roads.
In the world that we live in right now, life changes are all around us and some days it feels like they’re happening almost daily. We can feel the changing tides, and the constant movement and shuffling that is happening with so many of us. Connect with me – together we can explore some tools and perspectives that will help you navigate our changing world.
Reach out at darcy@spiralbydesign.ca – one step at a time.
#resilience #bounce #startingover #loveyourwork
by Spiral by Design | Jun 7, 2022 | Uncategorized
This month I’m sharing ideas about resiliency.
Does anyone remember that Monty Python skit “nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition”? Our lives are full of the unexpected, never mind the Spanish Inquisition! One of the biggest – and trust me, very common – “rugs being pulled out from under you” moments is when you unexpectedly lose your job.
Situations like this have a tendency to bring out the best or worst in people – because we are at our most vulnerable. For those who place a lot of weight on their professional lives and define their world through their work, being let go can feel like the end of the world. And yet – pushing reset on your professional life can be a real game changer for some. You are given the gift of time to assess and reassess where you’re at and what you’d like to going forward.
There’s a saying that goes “Jump – and the net will appear”. Starting over is always a difficult thing to do – more or less scary. And yet, at the end of the day, to make things happen, you must take that jump to see where you land.
If this connects with you in some way because you have lived through a reset experience and are now adjusting to a new reality, Spiral By Design Consulting specializes in supporting people just like you. I would love to connect with you to see how we can collaborate and find the joy in starting over.
Reach out at darcy@spiralbydesign.ca – one step at a time.
https://workandplay.spiralbydesign.ca
#resilience #bounce #startingover #loveyourwork
by Spiral by Design | Feb 1, 2022 | Uncategorized
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