The old phrase says that seeing is believing. If that is true, noticing is understanding. Reality often differs greatly from our belief when we have to see it to believe it. What if reality exists beyond what we have experienced? Noticing what we see is a subtle discipline that promotes learning for everyone who is willing to
When problems arise, it is important to notice what has happened. When we notice things, we see patterns and causes. When we simply see the circumstances, we only experience the problem as a result we are not happy with. When we can’t explain something, we will likely randomly assign blame to any number of sources that fit our
When we sacrifice accuracy for speed while troubleshooting, we invariably miss the mark we are aiming for. There are ramifications for shooting from the hip. Teams are not always making decisions on a safe firing range where the worst thing that happens is the source of a problem remains unresolved. Just as in shooting an actual gun,
A good definition of literacy is to be fast and accurate. When we troubleshoot, we want things resolved in quick order. Unfortunately, the same general principle holds true with actual shooting. As the rate of fire increases, accuracy tends to decrease. This happens when our team tries to explain away a problem too quickly. Symptoms of a problem
A team cannot address a problem without agreeing on the source of the problem. When we troubleshoot as a team, we must be aware of the reasons behind the differing theories. Great teams free themselves of selfish agendas, but teams are made of human individuals and those individuals each have their own minds and agendas… and from
Great teammates understand the vision and purpose of the team. They understand the team is attempting to move toward that vision. They also work hard to understand the obstacles that may be standing in the way of the vision, purpose and goal of the team. A lot gets said about the importance of vision-casting when leading a
My attitude toward accountability speaks volumes to the reputation I will have as a teammate. We probably all think we are great teammates to have on a team. How easy am I to work with? Do I say what I mean and mean what I say? Do I meet deadlines? Do I deliver the quality that the
Why wouldn’t I want people in my life to ask the hard questions? I know I hate moments of accountability when I can’t give the answer people are looking for. I don’t want to let someone down. I don’t want to seem incompetent. I don’t want to communicate that the thing I said I care about isn’t
When accountability is not valued, those who are charged with holding people accountable are going to be vilified. People can earn the villain title by doing things that are controlling or demeaning. Accountability is awkward enough and doesn’t need the power trips that can accompany the role. However, there are people who are vilified for simply doing
All teammates are ultimately accountable to the team. Everyone doing what is right in their own mind without accountability is not a team, but a group of individuals forsaking the advantage of teamwork for the freedom to do as they please. There is a sweet spot of accountability that doesn’t look like policing but it also doesn’t