“It is the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too)
those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed.”
— Charles Darwin
I believe that everyday experiences and formative life experiences are good fodder for building competencies and character.
Out of college, my original career was in the field of education. My mother was an educator, my sister an educator, and I have the heart of an educator — especially for differently-abled individuals. So, when I left the field of public education for a business position, the most immediate translation of my skills was to become a corporate trainer.
Everything that contributed to my success and effectiveness with children who were differently-abled was translatable into working to help adults acquire skills and abilities to contribute, grow, and change as the workplace was changing. My quiet mantra was, “they are just kids in big bodies” who want to learn, receive praise, work together without conflict, and appreciate a break and a snack in the afternoon.
My days as a consultant were spent doing instructional design, selecting materials and assessments, and delivering content designed for adult learning. I loved my work and I learned along with everyone.
This career of consulting and training was constantly being reinvented and I have migrated to more facilitation than training and can do that face-to-face or remotely now.
I have also learned that adults come with experience from previous jobs and from life. These experiences should be tapped into and leveraged. When I am with a group, I respectfully understand that collectively they are more wise than I will ever be and it is my responsibility to create the climate for that sharing. When only one person is talking or “teaching” you miss out on all the collective knowledge. I now see myself as a liberator of that life/work wisdom and a facilitator of deductive learning.
I also love a good experiential exercise in which to practice skills that may have become dormant or need a little exercise. Rather than create a scenario that has nothing to do with the workplace, I love to find a real-life activity that can reinforce the competencies needed to be practiced. My family knows that everything for me can turn into a team-building activity.
This morning, as I was making my bed with fresh bedding, I ruminated about this household chore that is the perfect team, relationship, and communication practice piece.
Most things are more fun with a partner. And making the bed is a good example of this.
Especially when it includes putting the feather comforter into the IKEA duvet cover. This is the perfect opportunity to practice teamwork and effective communication.
Can you envision this?
I have a favorite feather comforter. I cover it with a duvet cover that I buy at IKEA. I have come to love the Swedish style of making my bed in the summer with a fitted sheet on the bottom and the duvet as the top. It reminds me of my trips to this country that I love so much and is just the right weight and temperature in the summer. The duvet cover gets washed regularly and the struggle to fit the feather comforter inside takes a half hour on a good day — if the outcome is to be something flat and square and not like a big lump of pizza dough. It is a larger version of putting the pillows into the pillow covers.
One person can do it with effort and practice and persistence. But it is most often lumpy.
I shared with a friend my challenge and he proudly showed me a picture of his new comforter and cover perfectly flat on his bed. He was confused as to why it was such a challenge to me as his are a matched pair, sized for each other and made with little ties on the inside corners for ease of use. Hmmmmm.
Mine are not matched. Not the same size. The feather comforter is larger than the duvet cover so some lumps will always be present and stuffing is part of the process. I have no corner ties but have perfected a methodology.
It is easier and more fun with two people but quickly becomes a test of communication, styles, and willingness to give and take.
I tried this with another person only to discover it took four times as long and a fight ensued. That was because people approach things differently, often they don’t share their plan openly, they don’t always communicate their intentions. My simple household chore illuminated the cracks in a relationship.
I have never forgotten, however, and hold on to this teachable moment as my next kooky team building activity.
• What from your everyday life could you bring to your work life as fun practice and reconnection?
One of my favorite activities for coworkers is preparing a meal together.
As we make our way back into the workplace, think about finding some fun and simple ways that will help us find our way back into our relationship. We all might be a little rusty in our relating.
• Do you have any fun teachable moments to share?
Leslie
“There is no technique, there is just the way to do it.
Now, are we going to measure
or are we going to cook?”
— Frances Mayes
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