Introducing "Food for Thought" #26. The formula is simple: three short messages once a week to feed your mind.
Leadership
Failure vs. failing
Sports can offer valuable lessons in leadership. An example of this occurred recently in the NBA basketball playoffs. The Milwaukee Bucks, who were considered the favorite, suffered an upset loss in the first round.
However, the most telling moment of the series came at the post-elimination press conference. Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was asked by a reporter whether the season should be considered a failure. His answer quickly went viral!
Teamwork
Getting to know each other
Every opportunity is a good one for getting to know each other. The context changes, people evolve and have different experiences at different times. So it's a good idea to keep working at it, even if the team seems to know each other well from the start.
Here's a team ice-breaker to get to know each other with the TeamTalk game. Hand out a card to each participant. Each person then goes to another participant and asks the question indicated on their own card. The other participant also asks his or her question in return. Then swap cards and choose a new questioner.
Productivity
Carry out an internal Kaizen
The term Kaizen is of Japanese origin and means "change for the better" or "continuous improvement". Before carrying out a task, get into the habit of doing an internal Kaizen. Follow these two steps:
- Assessing added value: Before starting a task, ask yourself the following question: Does this task provide significant added value to our organization?
- Process automation: When you perform a task repeatedly, ask yourself the following question: How can I automate this task to save time and effort in the future?
