As I explore the metaphor of elastic leadership with groups, they continue to find new ways to apply it. One participant recently observed that if an elastic is stretched hard in one direction, it doesn’t have much give available to be stretched in other directions. Sounds familiar, right? We can only stretch so far before we snap, and the demands on our stretchiness feel cumulative.
Continue reading “Zero Sum Adaptability Thinking”Resisting Adaptability in Real Time
One of the most piercing coaching questions I’ve heard (courtesy of Jerry Colonna) is, “How have you been complicit in creating the conditions you say you don’t want?” Ouch.
One condition I say I want is to be “easy to buy.” I want my clients to find the process of working with me to be clear, smooth and easy.
Continue reading “Resisting Adaptability in Real Time”Too Many Ways to Win
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about lessons on adaptability I was learning from a new board game our family enjoys. The post generated lots of interest (including eliciting requests for more board game recommendations, which of course I was happy to provide!), so it’s stayed on my radar.
One insight has taken up residence in my mind since then:
There are lots of ways to win, but if you try to win at all of them, you’ll lose.
Continue reading “Too Many Ways to Win”When Results Aren’t Your Goal
Sometimes the best way to tackle a problem is to come at it sideways rather than head on.
Four recent examples have highlighted the usefulness of this reminder for me:
If you’re feeling a bit stuck today, consider multiple ways you or your group could tackle your challenge indirectly. Instead of skirting the issue, you may find you are effectively solving it instead.
Continue reading “When Results Aren’t Your Goal”Collected Under Pressure
“Well, at least we have enough toilet paper!”
A classic line from a client this week as we considered how to muster the energy to cope with another hard chapter in pandemic life.
We were actually talking about “Emotional Range” within her Adaptability Quotient assessment at the time. Emotional Range is defined as the extent to which people experience emotions because of situations in their environment. At one end of that range are people who are “reactive” – they have stronger stress responses in the face of the unexpected and are easily overwhelmed by uncertainty. Folks at the “collected” end of the range tend to be calm under pressure and in control of their reactions. They can also be [perceived to be] less sensitive when others are struggling.
Continue reading “Collected Under Pressure”