The Getting Sh!t Done event saw audiences around Australia and New Zealand learn from some very bright sparks. I had the privilege to share the stage with them, and take notes for myself along the way.
Events like this are a great way to expand your leadership perspective and create new action. Same point of view, same action. New point of view, new action.
Small leadership actions for big results
Here are key takeaways for you:
Lisa O’Neill: Manage your energy. The little things are big levers. Do the basics: be an adult and put yourself to bed at a good time. Feed yourself for the next 3 hours. Be nice to yourself.
I love Lisa’s ruthless commitment to living life on her terms, even if it’s not politically correct or an accepted norm. Apparently as a parent you do NOT have to sit and watch sport on the sidelines every Saturday morning.
Simon Waller: Digital transformation is doomed to fail. Focus on little things to improve in IT instead of starting with the biggest and hardest thing to do first.
Simon has been very helpful in my business in upgrading our tech savvy-ness. His tips have saved us hours and hours each week. We started one bit at a time. We will do more little bits at a time!
Vy Vu: Any movement is good. Constant little fidgeting accumulates bigger energy outputs than a vigorous gym workout followed by a day at the desk.
Vy is a reformed physical trainer perfectionist. She gave up the idealised body for a more holistic view of health. I find myself moving more in small ways now.
Colin Ellis: Project management methodology (like Agile or Six Sigma) is moot without people. Focus on emotional intelligence and culture first.
It’s amazing what people can get done if they’re just a little more empathetic, a little more courteous, and a little more sensitive. Col and I are completely aligned in this work.
Kieran Flanigan: Creativity is really just working harder at the iteration of ideas.
Kieran is a marvel. She managed to simplify both change and creativity from scary beasties to practical techniques. I know my creativity needs a workout. And that’s the key message - iteration and application. Instead of just three book titles, go for 50 and watch new ideas emerge!
Bernie Ferguson: Be a hero and not a villain as a team leader. Use questions to gain engagement and leverage collective wisdom.
Bernie did a beautiful job of teasing out how we can be villainous as leaders - dictating outcomes, instead of encouraging participation. He mapped the stages of group development in Tuckman’s model (forming/norming/storming/performing/adjourning) and added different facilitated activities that you can do as a leader at each stage - straight from his Atlassian playbook.
Boost leadership effectiveness with creativity
And from me?
Perspective is the gateway to agency. How we see and author ourselves makes a huge difference between massive action, or none at all. We pick up perspectives often by default, without querying their veracity or usefulness. This is how biases develop and cloud our judgment. Better is to choose an avatar or an archetype to channel our choices. We are always at choice in how we perceive our world and how we show up in it. Choose to be ruler of your domain, not a slave to it.
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Related Articles:
E77 - Personal perspectives: 3 journeys you need to take to be Boundless
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About the author, Canberra leadership expert Zoë Routh:
Canberra based leadership expert, Zoe Routh, on boosting your leadership effectiveness with creativity.
Zoë Routh is one of Australia’s leading experts on people stuff - the stuff that gets in our way of producing results, and the stuff that lights us up. She works with the growers, makers, builders to make people stuff fun and practical.
Zoë is the author of four books: Composure - How centered leaders make the biggest impact, Moments - Leadership when it matters most, Loyalty - Stop unwanted staff turnover, boost engagement, and build lifelong advocates, and People Stuff - Beyond Personalities: An advanced handbook for leadership. People Stuff was awarded Book of the Year 2020 by the Smart WFM Australian Business Book Awards.
Zoë is also the producer of The Zoë Routh Leadership Podcast.