Volatile times are creating an environment where organisations are constantly confronting new business challenges, undergoing profound change, and being asked to pivot to meet new and tougher expectations.
Like many buzzwords before it, ‘pivot’, is gaining traction and likely to be the most overused word in the workplace for 2017. When people use the word pivot what they really mean is change direction, yet pivot implies a technical sense of ease with a short sharp movement. What it doesn’t describe is the reluctance, fear and foot dragging individuals associate and experience with change.
At Sharpstone Skinner we believe that change can only really come about from understanding yourself, others and learning how to work together in a positive way. This is not a luxury but a necessity, and something for individuals, teams, and leaders to work towards.
Maya Angelou said ‘If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.’ This seems easier said than done and wishing your team would just get on with it when they feel they have no control over a change is a tough ask. Some of the frustration heard at senior levels centres around the drive for people to be agile, disruptive and to pivot. These technical terms sound great as they are crisp and to the point, but they remove concepts of emotional response, resource, and time from the equation.
One of the most critical decisions leaders make is to know when to stay the course versus change direction. On top of this, the modern leader must also factor in time, resource, and people. If you pivot you must take them with you. Change can feel dramatic and this in turn can influence team motivation and performance – we call these Defining Moments and they can be both positive and negative.
Many of our solutions involve an underpinning of self-awareness and the valuing of differences in others, that’s why we are Licensed Practitioners of the Insights model. We believe it is a great framework to begin conversations around differences and how to harness them for higher performance, greater wellbeing, and change management.
We use Insights Discovery for personal effectiveness where individuals can gain a deep understanding of themselves and their colleagues. We also use Insights for leadership and management development, team coaching and feedback.
For more information on Insights or how we can help your team pivot, contact us today.