BUSINESS INSIGHTS
AS I TELL MY MENTEES , THE LEARNINGS I SHARE ARE OFTEN BASED ON WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE RATHER THAN WHAT I ACTUALLY DID .
This kind of issue is particularly relevant today , when physical distance often serves to entrench people in their silos and makes it harder to achieve the kind of consensus you need . People start to work in a bubble comprising themselves and their immediate team . Tunnel vision sets in , and it becomes harder to see a shared problem from other perspectives .
That ’ s why I believe it ’ s more important than ever that teams work to break down these silos and take a deliberate approach to pursuing consensus . The steps to achieve this are simple , but in my experience across multiple organisations , they are often not taken .
The first thing needed is a clear problem statement that sets out what a team , or group of teams , is trying to achieve . The language really matters , because small differences in terminology can hide major variances in perspective . Until you can agree on the words , you won ’ t be able to set a direction for the project . This is worth investing time in as early as possible . Whatever you agree becomes a North Star for the project .
The second necessity is preparation , especially for time spent together . As I advised my mentee , if you are hosting
Ian Jones , Global SVP for Professional & Education Services , F5
a workshop or group meeting of any significance , then don ’ t leave things to chance . Talk to the attendees , get their perspective and anticipate issues . Build relationships so you are not starting from scratch in an important meeting . Make
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