Shunryu Suzuki, a Zen teacher, had a famous quote that states: “Each of you is perfect the way you are … and you can use a little improvement.” What he was pointing to is that your underlying self is wonderful, but you are still called to improve your external behavior.
At first glance, the words “continuous improvement” may sound ominous or tiring to consider. But there’s a positive, practical way to look at areas that need refinement. As we often say, a little goes a long way and consistency is key.
In the 1980s, the Japanese coined an idea to describe continuous improvement called Kaizen. It was formally designed as an approach to creating ongoing refinement. You could even call it quality assurance. The foundational idea is that small, constant changes lead to significant improvements over time. This covers four areas of life: personal, home, social and work. Kaizen embraces all aspects of life.
Kaizen in the workplace is based on collaboration, cooperation and commitment. The principles can apply to any aspect of life. Kaizen guidelines are: know your customer; let it flow; follow the action — value is created where things happen; be transparent; and empower others.
How can these principles be applied in all parts of your life? Let’s apply these concepts to family life. In this case, your customers are your loved ones. What do you know about them and how can you better meet their needs? Letting it flow with family means to understand that relationships are organic and that people are human. Can you bend a little and practice being flexible with them?
Can you go to where the action is and create value with your colleagues, friends and relatives? Be transparent with your people. Secrets are harmful to those you are in a relationship with. Be as forthright and honest as possible. You’ll tend to have better results. Do your best, day by day. Reach out today for support in gaining consensus with your team!
Language is essential in communicating with others. Words describe or represent meaning about an idea, an object, or an experience. Being able to accurately or deliberately use words is necessary in communication.
One word can make or break the success of a project or relationship. Words matter greatly. The words themselves and how you speak them make a difference in their effect. You would likely agree that saying the word “no” forcefully contrasts considerably with saying it softly. In deliberate talk, you purposely speak in a slow and measured way. You carefully select your words, and you intentionally say them slowly. This allows you to hear and monitor yourself in terms of speed and tone, and for the receiver to understand and digest the message better.
We’ve all likely used words and tones which we later regretted. Once spoken, the bell cannot be un-rung. So, wise choices in how you talk to someone is paramount to having positive results.
This includes your internal talk, your inner assessment of yourself. Calling yourself stupid, an idiot, crazy and other unflattering words does little to move you forward. In fact, it can be a detrimental, self-sabotaging habit but one you can alter immediately. Try this moving forward:
- Concentrate on breathing slowly and deeply, especially in difficult conversations with work teams or family members.
- Rehearse heavy conversations aloud and in advance of challenging talks. Practice using pleasant, non-threatening language.
- Practicing focusing on the goal. What are you hoping to achieve in the conversation with this person? Remember that conversations are organic, so be prepared to hear new information.
Realize that every conversation is not a life-or-death situation. Therefore, give yourself and others grace to be imperfect in your discussions with them. It’s a win-win.
Convincing others to move forward with an idea isn’t always easy. And if an idea has an element of financial risk or there’s another perceived possible downfall in the equation, there tends to be resistance. Some people resist an idea until they can be rationally persuaded. Others need to feel emotionally safe to really consider the idea. Some will resist change at nearly any cost.
#Consensus fundamentally means agreement. Gaining agreement indicates that there has been some process of inclusion in moving forward with a plan. To be clear, it doesn’t mean that everyone agrees but that everyone in some way has input in the process. A majority vote may move an idea forward, but the minority opinions have at least been acknowledged.
Gaining consensus is not only important when possible, in organizations but even in families. Ultimately, there may be decisions made for the safety or the financial stability of the group even if there is disagreement. But at least members have an input in some way.
When approaching others, even children, your body language makes a statement beyond your words. Also, your choice of words and how you state them makes a vast difference in the outcome. Consider the contrast between “you have to” versus “it looks like we may need.” Both have the same goal in mind but are said differently.
If, for instance, you need someone to improve a particular behavior in an organization or at home, think about the difference in the phrasing “you need to stop” versus “I need your help with.” You can gain consensus with different word phrases. In fact, sometimes, you can gain consensus or buy-in from another person based on one word.
This is not to say that sometimes you just have to make a decision knowing that it will be an unpopular one. When you can gain consensus, it is more likely that the idea will be solid and successful. Reach out to us today to help you and your organization gain consensus!
What do you think about the emergence of artificial intelligence in the world? Are you a science-fiction fan or fearful of it? As AI is becoming more prevalent in every aspect of our lives, what are your thoughts, feeling and responses to it? In our work, we hear mixed responses to AI, both positive and negative.
Many of our executive friends and clients think that AI is replacing humans in the workforce. This can create a lot of fear. People don’t want to be irrelevant or eradicated. If you look back on history though, Google replaced encyclopedias and tractors replaced some manual laborer positions. Debit cards emerged as the new normal. People were and still are suspicious. People did lose jobs. Eventually, many adapted and found new jobs aligned with the new technology. As humans, it is our nature to evolve and operate on a totally different and unfamiliar plane at times. Adaptability is one of our greatest strengths. We have often learned about our adaptable strengths through struggles, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
However, we don’t want to let AI replace our humanity and our human connection, which is unique and irreplaceable. You can use the benefits and efficiency of AI while also retaining the invaluable facets of human presence and contribution in the process. We also want to keep a discerning eye on AI appropriating our intellectual capital. ChatGPT and other platforms can scoop your intellectual property and offer to others without crediting you for what you’ve created. This is egregious to many content creators, organizations, and entrepreneurs.
This is happening, so how can you get on board with the emerging future of AI while also protecting yourself? Learn as much as you can about it. Be curious. Be discerning. Ask others about their perspectives and experiences with it. Be open minded while also utilizing quality control in your life.