Connecting with an open mindset leads to enjoyable and successful collaboration
What is your primary view of reality at this moment
The sudden changes, the uncertainties, the forced separation between you and others; how do you view these? What impact does that have on you and your work?
Do you focus on facts in your work and prefer tightly organized online sessions with clear agreements?
Do you tend to share your opinion about the corona measures and their impact on your work and life?
Do you enjoy working from home because the peace and quiet around you allows you to concentrate much better than in an open-plan office?
Do you seek social connection by taking breaks to FaceTime and message with your friends and colleagues?
Do you look forward to new funny videos every day for a quick break?
Do you recognize the challenges your organization faces in these turbulent times, and do you want your colleagues to actively support your initiatives?
What do you experience from the above, and what less or not at all?
Your perception shapes your view of the world
Everyone has their own preferred way of looking at the world. Your preferred perception highlights a certain part of the reality around you, causing other parts to fade. Your interpretation of reality influences how you observe, process, feel, and act. And therefore also determines your behavior, your focus, and your way of communicating. Are you aware of this?
It's very possible that your colleagues or employees operate and live from a different perspective. Especially during times of stress and uncertainty, we tend to cling more tightly to our dominant perceptions, as we are naturally less flexible and prefer things to be seen and handled our way. The underlying message then becomes, 'I expect you to use my approach.'
This quickly leads to miscommunication and friction, resulting in difficult collaboration, misunderstandings, wasted time, and declining results. And that's something we cannot afford, especially now.
Six ways to look at the world, we all have them
Everyone perceives the world around them in at least six distinct ways: through their thoughts, opinions, feelings, inactions, reactions, or actions.
These are not just the filters through which we experience the world; these perceptions determine how we connect with others and how we want others to connect with us. Everyone has a preference, and we can also switch between different perceptions. Which perception do you recognize in yourself?
People with the preferred perception...
Thoughts, value facts. Their worldview is based on identifying and categorizing people and things.
Opinions, value trust. Their worldview is based on evaluating people and situations according to their core beliefs.
Feelings, highly value personal relationships. Their worldview is based on how they feel about people and situations.
Inactions, highly value guidance. Their worldview is based on reflections on what is happening.
Reactions, highly value pleasure. Their worldview is based on how they react to people and situations, with likes and dislikes.
Actions, value initiative. Their worldview is based on experiencing situations and taking action.
The importance of an open mindset
Do you want to remain flexible with an open mindset and connect with others? Then try putting on a different ‘pair of glasses’ and view reality from other perspectives. This is an effective way to connect with a colleague or an organization that operates from different motivations or objectives. Or read an article or column written from a completely different viewpoint than how you naturally think and act.
Have an open conversation with colleagues about current issues or brainstorm innovative solutions.
The perceptions you then encounter can seem very surprising or even unreal to you. They might even seem wrong to you. Just as the person with a different perception might find your experience strange. Be amazed!
Insights gained from an open mindset can be very illuminating. Communication driven by curiosity about other perceptions enriches and broadens your perspective.
If you are in a leadership role, make sure you know what your team members are currently doing and be aware that you shouldn't act solely based on your perception of what you think they are doing. Listen, and listen again. Ask open questions. Talk about your challenges. Give personal attention, give them responsibility, and ask for commitment. Set deadlines and priorities through consultation. Schedule a brainstorming session. Do something positively surprising.
If you are in an employee role, be aware that you are not always privy to the challenges your manager faces. These include targets that need to be met, competing interests, and organizational hurdles that the current way of working entails, all of which must be addressed without wanting to burden you. Provide insight into your vision and ideas. Listen. Make suggestions. Contribute your thoughts. Explain what your priorities are and why.
In every role, be wary of biases, talking about each other, assumptions and interpretations, stubbornness, reluctance, overriding proposals, adapting, or 'never mind' behavior when it doesn't feel right.
Key considerations for enjoyable and successful collaboration, in a checklist format:
- Stay open-minded! We are all variations of each other.
- Establish personal connections.
- Listen and be interested.
- Ask open-ended questions (who.., what.., where.., how.., when.., which..).
- Share your ideas.
- Make suggestions.
- Share what's on your mind and how you view the world.
- Consult and discuss priorities and responsibilities.
- Address difficult issues openly instead of avoiding them.
- Be amazed by the variations in perception, vision, and needs, and use this to empower people, boost projects, and innovate organizations.
- Last but not least: make room for humor and jokes:-)
Success and stay healthy!
#takecareofeachotherandtakecareofyourself
Hetty Jansen-Verhagen, April 28, 2020
Sources:
https://hjtc.nl/cursus-luisteren-in-tijden-van-crisis/ – free downloadable E-book
https://hjtc.nl/de-kantoortuin-op-de-schop-en-een-frisse-wind-er-door/
