What I’ve always known that feels more clear to me now, more urgent, is that it’s not individuals that create change. Relationships create change. How we engage people creates change.
While relationships with our creative and operational partners are important, what is equally as important are the relationships we establish with folks in the spaces we are working in. Bring folks in. Engage them in brainstorming, decision making, and implementation. This engagement enhances ideas, making them better and stronger, and it fosters community and buy-in.
There are a few elements that are important to tap into when engaging people in addressing complex problems: Direction, Playful Generosity, Consistency, and Faith.
DIRECTION. Taking the time and energy to articulate a shared high-level goal is essential. Often, we dive into the WHAT or the HOW without anchoring in our WHY. We must do this and create a cadence for reflecting on our shared goal, making adjustments as needed.
PLAYFUL GENEROSITY. This is about being curious about what keeps people up at night, engaging in deep listening without judgement, and sharing some lightness — playing — when needed. The problem spaces we work in are challenging. This work brings up all kinds of feelings. Being generous, curious, and playful helps deepen understanding and trust.
CONSISTENCY. This one is about showing up. Showing up even when we don’t feel like it. Even when we feel unprepared. Showing up signals that we care. And showing up moves the work forward. Forward motion is progress no matter the speed. We can pause if we need to because self care is important. But let folks know when we plan to return. Show up.
FAITH. Working on complex problems means working with a lot of uncertainty. That uncertainty, unchecked, can be a huge distraction and derailment. We can choose to believe that if we keep working at it, if we engage in relationships with a sense of direction and playful generosity, good things will come. Choose to believe.
TUNING Design Co. 