A Possibility Mindset

1) FUTURE PROOFING THE WORLD OF WORK  – Everyone will need to be an Entrepreneur by 2030

According to a recent article, the office of the future will bear little resemblance to the workspace of today thanks to the emergence of independent contractors, the trend of outsourcing, the rise in jacks-of-all-trades, intrapreneurs, and even the rise in the use of robots.

The Muse shared an interesting infographic on this very topic which very neatly demonstrates their assertion as to how employees will be replaced by entrepreneurs in their various guises over the coming decades.  The graphic identifies core entrepreneurial behaviours such as the creation of value, taking risks, being ambitious and having a desire to make life better as key drivers of this predicted shift.

The piece serves as a great example as to why a possibility based mindset is so essential to future proofing our organisations.  Operating from a space of possibility and committing to building the “breakthrough” muscles necessary to adapt will be an increasingly fundamental internal capability as our organsiations evolve with an increasing and unforgiving pace.  This kind of seismic shift will undoubtedly throw up a number of “missings” for leaders but those who operate from what is possible versus what’s predictable will see them as just that – a series of missings that need to be addressed in service of a bigger commitment as opposed to a series of reasons as to why things cannot be done.

Take a look at the infographic here

2) INSIGHTS FROM THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF TED … Brazillian CEO Ricardo Selmer shares his insights on what work and life is really all about

In a compelling speech delivered at TED Global in October 2014, Brazillian CEO Ricardo Selmer presented a poignant question - What if your job didn’t control your life?

In this 20 minute talk, Ricardo shares insights into corporate democracy and how his approach has led to rethinking everything from board meetings to how workers report their vacation days (they don’t have to).

We were inspired by his innovative approach to leadership and his commitment to creating a vision based on questioning what work and life is really all about.

Take 20 minutes out of your day this week and watch the talk for yourself – you won’t be disappointed! Click here to view.

3) CREATING BREAKTHROUGH ORGANISATIONS - Arianna Huffington on redesigning wellbeing in the workplace

The concept of wellbeing in the workplace is not new but it is one that is fast gaining currency among employees.  In a recent interview with Success magazine, Huffington post founder, Arianna Huffington, talked about her latest book in which she looks at the discourse around professional achievement and health.

Arianna’s own awakening on the importance of taking responsibility for our own wellbeing came when she collapsed at home of exhaustion, in doing so breaking her cheekbone and requiring five stitches to her eye.  She used this personal experience to redefine the definition of success, saying:

“If you think about it, success in the beginning was really about having a good life. ‘What is a good life?’ the philosophers would ask. And then we shrunk it down to these two metrics—money and power. And that’s really shrinking the definition of what it means to be human. It means we go through life in a place of lack.”

She goes on to say:

“The way the world is designed is not working. Huffington says. “It’s not working for men. It’s not working for women. It’s not working for polar bears.” Those last two words roll off her Greek-inflected tongue with a little extra bite. “So let’s reshape it. Let’s redesign it.”

This article is a great example of the importance of investing in your own wellbeing.  It made us think of the concept of the oxygen mask on an aeroplane, of how in case of an emergency you are first instructed to place the mask on your own face before helping others.  Why?  Because without practicing self-care, you will be of little if any use to those around you.

What are you doing as a leader to promote your wellbeing and the wellbeing of those around you?  How can you help each other to be a 10/10 because this is a sure fire way of delivering the breakthroughs that you are committed to realizing in your business.

Click here to view the article.

4) AND THE WINNER IS … Another recognition for Jacobs Colours author Lyndsay Hawdon

Followers of our blog will know that we are tracing the journey of Friend and colleague Lindsay in her bid to find seven colours in seven countries around the world with her two sons.

Out this April, the book has already been recognised by Huffington Post as one of their “ones to watch”, by Amazon as one of their “Rising Stars” and Lyndsay has added a third accolade this month.

The Independent have recognised her book, Jacobs Colours, as one of the 10 best new fiction books for spring.

We couldn’t be more proud of Lyndsay and are delighted to be sharing in her journey not just in her quest to find seven colours but in her personal path as an esteemed and much loved writer.

Read coverage in the independent article here

5)  ACHIEVE BREAKTHROUGH IN THE PRESS … Are Performance Management Systems broken?

We were featured in this months Personnel Today magazine discussing our views on performance management.  Founder of Achieve Breakthrough, Mike Straw, talks about how the traditional “rank and yank” approach to performance management does not apply to the fast-changing environment in which most employers operate.

Mike says, “We need to improve the quality of the conversations we hold with our people. It is time to kill performance ratings.”

To read the full article and learn more about how some of our pioneering clients are embracing the breakthrough methodology to transform their conventional approach to performance management, click here.

6) STORY FOR INSPIRATION   - An insightful view on what it truly means to “hold space” for someone

One of the key distinctions in our work creating breakthrough leaders and cultures, we talk about the ability to “hold space” for someone.  It’s not an easy concept to understand, but one that was beautifully articulated in a recent blog by Heather Plett.

In the piece, she talks compelling about the death of her mother and how she learned from a palliative care nurse the art of “holding space” for a person.  She wrote,
“It means that we are willing to walk alongside another person in whatever journey they are on without judging them, making them feel inadequate, trying to fix them, or trying to impact the outcome.  When we hold space for other people, we open our hearts, offer unconditional support and let go of judgement and control.”

In this beautiful blog, Heather shares 8 lessons that she has learned from those who have held space for her, many of which resonated with us both in the context of our general work and ethos but also in how powerful these lessons are in leadership.

How often do you “hold space” for your team genuinely without an agenda or attempt to influence an outcome?  Who could you be working with to “hold space” for you?

Read the article in full here

Have you got an extraordinary story that you would like considered for publishing on our monthly blog: 6 Impossible Things? Do get in touch by contacting karen.neal@achievebreakthrough.com