Radio Gaga

Have you ever listened to one of those radio talk shows where the host raises the  important topic of the day? They have a couple of 'experts' with polar opposite opinions debate the issue and then  invite listeners to phone in with their views.   Of course, to make good radio, any comment has to increase the chance of disagreement and conflict.  It drives me mad!!!

I was recently moved to call into one of these radio stations, to put my view across.  My text and email was ignored and after phoning in and being put on hold for 10 minutes I gave up.  I now make a point of avoiding that particular show altogether.  

The following month I was talking to a team leader about the nature of communication in their organisation.  Their description reminded me of that talk show.  They are talked at and there is little opportunity of feeding back, or holding a constructive conversation about how to improve effectiveness or efficiency.  The effect?  The team leaders tune out, keep their ideas to themselves and, as Ken Blanchard said, quit and stay.

How do you manage and facilitate communication within and across your teams?  Is everyone tuned in or is it radio gaga?

What's in Your Loft?

Last winter’s cold weather prompted me to get the loft re-insulated.  In preparation, we had to empty the loft and wow, what a job that was.  As well as cherished memories – photo’s, keepsakes and the like, there was also a lot of junk that we didn’t know what to do with at the time.  Putting it in the loft was an easy answer – out of sight out of mind.  Now, with sweat pouring down my face and fibre glass strands making me itch like I had measles, the decision to put it out of sight was coming back to haunt me.

Recently a man was trapped in his bedroom when 70 boxes of old yachting magazines fell on him after his ceiling gave way under the weight.  It took 45 minutes for the fire service to rescue him and he could easily have been injured or worse. But that wasn’t on my mind.  What I was thinking about was how much we store out of sight in our minds, hanging on to stuff that isn’t really useful.

All those small and insignificant incidents that build up one by one and box by box.  Un-accomplished goals, the if only’s, the impossible wishes. A pattern of thinking develops and leads to a pattern of behaviour.  The behaviour leads to a path you would not have chosen, but find yourself walking.  

So what’s in your loft?  Is there a large magazine collection building up in there?  Are you storing away thoughts and feelings that over time will limit your growth and development? 

If left unattended, the weight of all that unhelpful thinking and building resentment will eventually come crashing down, trap you and lead to unwanted and unintended consequences.  Is it time for a spring clean?