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SOAR

Situation
Opportunity/Obstacle
Action
Result

This is a useful frame for approaching presentation of work, even if it's not a traditional 'presentation'. I'm interested in the idea of storytelling, and agree that stories are a lot more memorable than reeling off a list. Again related to personal brand - it could be useful to think of these stories in the context of 'Stand for, Stand with, Stand out' - how can we use these stories to reinforce our answers to those three questions?

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These three phrases are a great frame for creating our own awareness of our personal brand, or at least what we want that to be. Again, it's very similar to the idea of a leader casting a shadow, and being conscious of what we want that shadow to be.

I tried to find the Jack Graham article that I think was mentioned, but no luck so far. I did, however, find an episode in which he is interviewed: https://www.amazingif.com/listen/squiggly-career-stories-live/

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Squiggly Career Stories Live | Amazing If

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This week Helen and Sarah take Squiggly Careers Live. Listen as they are joined in London by founder of social enterprise Year Here, Jack Graham, entrepreneur Shaa Wasmund and founder of MOBOs, Kanya King. Hear stories of tenacity, resilience and amazing career support networks that have helped guests on this episode succeed in their squiggly [...]

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I recently read 'Measure What Matters' by John Doerr. It was fantastic! It talks about the concept of OKRs, i.e., Objectives and Key Results. An Objective  is a somewhat abstract goal to work towards in the medium- to long-term. Key Results are the specific, measurable items that will show that you have reached that objective. It's really made me think about clarifying goals (both individual goals and team goals), and how to clarify the day-to-day work to get there. I like how this episode refers to how it is working towards these longer-term goals that build grit, and the book has helped me understand how to do this on a practical level.

https://www.whatmatters.com/

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OKRs-Objectives and Key Results-can propel you and your team to achieve the audacious, like Google. Learn how with OKR success stories, FAQs, and resources by John Doerr's team.

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I've been thinking of this concept a lot recently - we all have an idea of what a leader's 'shadow' can feel like within a team, but it's a different story when we are the leader. The idea of identifying specific areas that would be in the shadow we cast as a leader is helpful to me, especially in the context of leadering laterally rather than via the hierarchy.

This approach is very similar to Episode 19, Personal Brand, i.e., 'What do people say about you when you're not in the room?' I think I want the answer to that to be very similar to the specifics that I'd identify in my 'leadership shadow list'. The initial challenge, however, comes in really identiifying those items, and then actively working to pursue them and show them day-to-day.

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I enjoyed this episode as I think it gives good insight into reframing 'conflict' and our go-to ways of adressing it, which may not always be the best ways.

For me, the best takeaway at the moment is 'Seek first to understand, then to be understood'. The advise of asking open, curious questions will surely help with this too.

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One of the skills least likely to be replaced by AI

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One of the skills least likely to be replaced by AI

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I love this fact! It's highlights the importance of keeping our brains inquisitive and finding interesting and alternative ways to approach challenges.

This episode reminded me a lot of the episode on Curiosity. I watched this video with Sarah Stein Greenberg who was mentioned on that episode - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Js1K5rRXrFo . One of the things she mentions is the importance not only of 'problem solving' but also of 'problem finding'. I really like that idea of trying to find things that can be addressed to make something better. Not only is that a creative approach in itself, but it also allows for creativity to be used when solving these new problems.

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Creative Acts for Curious People with Sarah Stein Greenberg

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This is a very simple approach to gaining more information, and relates also to the episode about conversations. Asking 'What did you enjoy about X?' can give much better understanding of others and their point of view than just asking 'Did you enjoy X?'

For ease, here is the HBR article mentioned: https://hbr.org/2015/03/relearning-the-art-of-asking-questions

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Focus on the problem you’re trying to solve.

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Don't start with the 'I', start with the 'They'

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Don't start with the 'I', start with the 'They'

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I think this is a great reminder, especially that further piece about 'How can I help them to say yes to me?' - this brings it back to the 'I', to my own objectives, but by approaching it from the 'they' perspective may mean that the entire negotiation, whether big or small, will result in a better outcome for all then if a more personal focus is pursued from the off.

Interestingly, Chris Voss has masterclass.com class: https://www.masterclass.com/classes/chris-voss-teaches-the-art-of-negotiation?campaignid=16368239458&adgroupid=140461787504&adid=660374740937&utm_term=masterclass%20chris%20voss&utm_campaign=%5BMC%5C+%7C+Search+%7C+Brand+%7C+Instructor+T1+%7C+ROW+%7C+EN+%7C+MAX+%7C+EG%7CPP+%7C+BRD+%7C+ROW&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=660374740937&hsa_acc=9801000675&hsa_cam=16368239458&hsa_grp=140461787504&hsa_ad=660374740937&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=aud-403004115315:kwd-932985237583&hsa_kw=masterclass%20chris%20voss&hsa_mt=e&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrfymBhCTARIsADXTabn1jMye6_4O71tLMbYXE3tMm2VhyPkd32Gxs6VGeCitwI1F6OPHFIwaAjVkEALw_wcB

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This is an important distinction to bear in mind - that it's a fine line between the two (to the listener), but it's possible with specific actions to be only assertive and not aggressive. I listened to the recommended podcast on this and they go into more detail on the 'I am OK' and 'You are OK' approach to ensure this, which I found helpful. I also think that aligning a opinion to an outside goal, e.g., a team goal, can make a message easier to deliver when faced with (or likely to be faced with) a dissenting view.

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Lots of interesting videos here it seems...
https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=557735838&rlz=1C1GCEA_en-GBIE1058IE1058&sxsrf=AB5stBizrjGg5JuoggAMryaf3EQciiEGUQ:1692263309901&q=sarah+stein+greenberg&tbm=vid&source=lnms&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwibvs-LrOOAAxVCW0EAHaCpA64Q0pQJegQICxAB&biw=1920&bih=931&dpr=1

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I love this phrase - it really simply drives home the importance of staying curious and how it ultimately can result in results!

I also love the 'collect and connect' approach - I think staying inquisitive and being open to learning any subject will aid that approach in the workplace, and ultimately aid a better understanding of different approaches and spotting new opportunities.

I've researched the book mentioned also - it looks amazing!

https://dschool.stanford.edu/book-collections/creative-acts-for-curious-people

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Available for purchase on

Book Overview

We're excited to share a brand new resource with you: Creative Acts for Curious People. It's a vibrant, illustrated book full of unconventional and practical ways to help you bring creative approaches to any challenge you face. Exercises like Expert Eyes hone your observation skills, How to Talk to Strangers fosters understanding, and Designing Tools for Teams builds creative leadership. They're at once light-hearted, tough, surprising, and impactful - and they'll help you turn curiosity into ideas, and ideas into action.

Creative Acts for Curious People includes more than eighty assignments, countless ideas, and memorable stories from throughout the d.school's decade-plus history. This collection was curated by executive director Sarah Stein Greenberg from some of the world's most inventive minds, including d.school and IDEO founder David Kelley, Readymade magazine founder Grace Hawthorne, innovative choreographer Aleta Hayes, Google chief innovation evangelist Frederik Pferdt, and many more.

This book was so much fun to create, and it will be even more exciting to see what you create with it.

Order a bundle of books

Start your d.school book collection and sign up to receive a bundle! You can order the first five books or the complete collection of twelve. In addition to getting brand new reading material mailed to you when it's published, you'll get a discount on all of the books.

Order your bundle

Creative Acts in the News

To thrive in our dynamic century, you need to learn 'how to learn'

Read

The secret to creating amazing work? You have to hate it first

Read

Creative Acts Chosen as Best Business Book: Innovation & Creativity

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Authors and contributors

Sarah Stein Greenberg is the Executive Director of the Stanford d.school. She leads a community of designers, faculty, and other innovative thinkers who help people unlock their creative abilities and apply them to the world. Sarah speaks regularly at universities and global conferences on design, business, and education. She holds an MBA from Stanford's Graduate School of Business and a BA in history from Oberlin College. Sarah also serves as a trustee for the global conservation organization Rare. She lives in San Francisco.

Michael Hirshon is an award-winning illustrator and Assistant Professor of Illustration at the University of Utah. His drawings have appeared on book covers, beer cans, board games, and thousands of sketchbook pages. Michael revels in the creative process and can usually be found doodling animals on available white space.

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Creative Acts for Curious People - Stanford d.school

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Sarah Stein Greenberg Learn more and buy a copy

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Love love love exploring curiosity - and the collect and connect really inspired me today. :)

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Love love love exploring curiosity - and the collect and connect really inspired me today. :)

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I work with someone who is the master at conversations - particularly on whatsapp which can of course be really transactional. I will say - Loving x today and she will always follow up with a curious question. It made me think I miss opportunities for deeper conversation as I might just say ...yes me too.

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I work with someone who is the master at conversations - particularly on whatsapp which can of course be really transactional. I will say - Loving x today and she will always follow up with a curious question. It made me think I miss opportunities for deeper conversation as I might just say ...yes me too.

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I am in a new phase of my life - setting up on my own and this was a great episode for me to capture my problem statements and worked through with a friend who has been freelance for 6 years. Naming the frame is something I have to work more on as I was tending to take the first thing that came into my head rather than the more valuable one which needed some thought. i loved the quote - about options, decisions and results!

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I am in a new phase of my life - setting up on my own and this was a great episode for me to capture my problem statements and worked through with a friend who has been freelance for 6 years. Naming the frame is something I have to work more on as I was tending to take the first thing that came into my head rather than the more valuable one which needed some thought. i loved the quote - about options, decisions and results!

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The episode on listening was a revelation to me ... to think about interruptions! It made me think about what cultures of listening look like so that interruptions are rare. I know in teams or organisations where I have worked where I felt truly valued, interruptions were lower.

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The episode on listening was a revelation to me ... to think about interruptions! It made me think about what cultures of listening look like so that interruptions are rare. I know in teams or organisations where I have worked where I felt truly valued, interruptions were lower.

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Resilience is a hard word for me - having worked in the space of mental health at work. I sometimes think that its used to dismiss others - who are seen as not resilient! That's why I am a fan of the expansion to the "resilient we" Loved this episode - as it was a good chance to reframe and think about what am I doing right now to build my own reserves. This sprinting is really helping me as I love the focus for each day. 

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Resilience is a hard word for me - having worked in the space of mental health at work. I sometimes think that its used to dismiss others - who are seen as not resilient! That's why I am a fan of the expansion to the "resilient we" Loved this episode - as it was a good chance to reframe and think about what am I doing right now to build my own reserves. This sprinting is really helping me as I love the focus for each day. 

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This is something I don't overly understand, or think about in my day-to-day. I think having the structure of 'frames' may help when faced with a roadblock or with a difference of opinions. I may look into this more as a way to approach these types of difficulties - maybe I can consciously identify my own 'frame' and that of others, and then change my frame if needed.

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High quality attention leading to high quality thinking

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High quality attention leading to high quality thinking

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I really like this topic. The simple insight from Nancy Kline about high quality attention leading to high quality thinking a simple articulation of something we all know but probably easily let slide sometimes.

I listened to the recommended podcast #319 with Kate Murphy and found her comments on phones really interesting - she explained how the quality of a conversation goes down when a phone is in sight on a table, even if it's not used. I try to make a conscious effort since I heard that to put my phone away when I am meeting people face-to-face. It makes me be more present in the conversation, instead of feeling like I may be distracted at any stage.

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I like the theme of this episode, and definitely think it's food for thought, but I'll have to have a good think about what 'gremlins' would be best for me to focus on in terms of acting on keeping them caged. One that comes to mind is imposter syndrome - I'm slowly getting better with that one as I develop and upskill, and bringing that to the room may benefit me, e.g., instead of thinking 'I don't deserve to be here', that could be reframed as 'I can learn so much from this group of people'.....as I said, food for thought!

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The examples given such as 'What have you enjoyed the most today?' and 'What's given you the most energy today?' are great ideas. I also found Helen's LinkedIn post that she mentioned which gives other ideas and opinions on this topic - worth a read!  https://www.linkedin.com/posts/helentupper_from-%3F%3F%3F%3F-%3F%3F-%3F%3F%3F-%3F%3F-to-%3F%3F%3F%3F-activity-7077899797981999104-FHSN?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

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The examples given such as 'What have you enjoyed the most today?' and 'What's given you the most energy today?' are great ideas. I also found Helen's LinkedIn post that she mentioned which gives other ideas and opinions on this topic - worth a read!  https://www.linkedin.com/posts/helentupper_from-%3F%3F%3F%3F-%3F%3F-%3F%3F%3F-%3F%3F-to-%3F%3F%3F%3F-activity-7077899797981999104-FHSN?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

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Having the structure of these is great - I find I think about things a lot, but I don't have a structure in place to filter those thoughts. The sample questions given are a good help for those check in moments, even if it is just a case of answering them with a couple of sentences as was suggested.

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Catching up on the last 2 sprints - so great that they are bite size and this is achievable. Episode 5 highlight for me was to think about the 3 stages. I am good at the imagining... excel at the doing and then forget to reflect and evaluate on the usefulness to me ( or others). 

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Catching up on the last 2 sprints - so great that they are bite size and this is achievable. Episode 5 highlight for me was to think about the 3 stages. I am good at the imagining... excel at the doing and then forget to reflect and evaluate on the usefulness to me ( or others). 

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"Greatness, it turns out, is largely a function of conscious choice and discipline." - Jim Collins

Intentional accountability + continual effort

--> I have been thinking and reading a lot about objectives recently, including how best to set them and how to measure your progress towards achieving them. I was particularly caught by this piece, i.e., the continual 'turning up' needed to achieve. In line with a clear priority set, I think this is a key action to bear in mind while working towards something, particularly something difficult - decide what it is you want to achieve, and keep focusing and working on that. Keep turning up! Related to prioritising, it's important not to get side-tracked on that journey.

I'd recommend reading John Doerr's 'Measure What Matters' on this too.

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I haven't stayed consistent with journaling... and so going to explore that more to support improvement in my self awareness. I am going to use contrast questions as a structure to write things down. 

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I haven't stayed consistent with journaling... and so going to explore that more to support improvement in my self awareness. I am going to use contrast questions as a structure to write things down. 

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I also committed to thinking about the direction of my monkeys! It was also a good discussion with a colleague yesterday as I know she is being thrown lots and is feeling overworked and under pressure :( also the reminder that people who are good at this are intentional with accountability - they review how they spend time, what choices they make and put in continuous effort 

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I also committed to thinking about the direction of my monkeys! It was also a good discussion with a colleague yesterday as I know she is being thrown lots and is feeling overworked and under pressure :( also the reminder that people who are good at this are intentional with accountability - they review how they spend time, what choices they make and put in continuous effort 

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little side chat - just want to say my brain is buzzing with this sprint ... it has come at such a great time for me and so pleased to have this little offshoot - Thanks Orna for setting up and Joanne for joining

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little side chat - just want to say my brain is buzzing with this sprint ... it has come at such a great time for me and so pleased to have this little offshoot - Thanks Orna for setting up and Joanne for joining

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This is an interesting approach, and obvious when you hear it! It makes it easier to ask, in that it allows the person asking to be clear on where the support is needed. It's easier too for the person being asked - they are clear on what their input can be, or indeed if they feel they cannot support the need, they can feel better refusing (and hopefully pointing towards someone who can help).

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To be clear is to be kind - my action is to always give myself the time to prepare for feedback. To ensure that I focus on clarity 

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To be clear is to be kind - my action is to always give myself the time to prepare for feedback. To ensure that I focus on clarity 

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Anna - I am assigning people I know to the 3 S's .... and going to close the loop on some help people have given me in recent weeks. Being unemployed and starting on a new journey requires a lot of help so I know I am going to have to get much better at it . 

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Anna - I am assigning people I know to the 3 S's .... and going to close the loop on some help people have given me in recent weeks. Being unemployed and starting on a new journey requires a lot of help so I know I am going to have to get much better at it . 

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I really like the idea of assessing whether we are showing up the way we intend by asking for explicit feedback. It makes asking for feedback less daunting - and similar to what was said about being clear when giving feedback, it allows us to be clear when asking for feedback too.
- Orna