BeNext - Reignite your spark: Moving from reactive to proactive
What is your spark? How many hats do you wear? What’s your internal voice telling you? Is your ladder leaning on the right wall? And why, why, why are you coming to me with this idea?
These are just a handful of questions which we were asked in a one-hour session during the latest ‘BeNext’ session – “Reignite your spark: Moving from reactive to proactive”. If anyone was still trying to wake from their Christmas break slumber, this session was like a triple shot almond milk cappuccino.
For starters, it was invigorating to see a tapestry of faces belonging to young, aged care leaders quickly dot their way across multiple zoom screens. If there was ever a doubt that the aged care industry was brimming with motivated professionals looking to create an impact, this audience said otherwise.
Part 1: Hats, Hash and Happy Thoughts
Our first break-out room was led by LASA’s very own NSW-ACT State Manager Ian Poalses. Ian asked us to consider how many hats we actually wore. I realised pretty quickly that he wasn’t talking about the army-green cap which donned my head. Soon enough we were introduced to managers, community coordinators, registered nurses, HR professionals and even a fellow physiotherapist. But more than that, we had mothers, brothers, doggy dads, partners and friends. It was brilliant to see the broad scope of not only professionals but people working within our aged services community.
After a brief exploration of the several users of weed (yes, you read that right – it made sense in the context), Ian went on to challenge us to think deeply and critically about any problem which may arise in your workplace. He introduced us to the “ask why, 3 times” method. By doing this, we are able to drill down into the most important details, which can help us to be more effective in our decision making.
Ian stressed the importance of a clear vision, whether that be organisationally or just in your team. He used the analogy of the ladder. It’s the job of a manager to ensure that the organisation or team climbs the ladder as quickly as possible. However, he stressed a good leader will ensure that the ladder is up against the right wall. Sometimes it’s not until we take a step back, that we realise whether we’re climbing the right wall or not.
Immediately I could relate to this analogy. In 2020, a huge focus for myself as the leader of a relatively new business was making sure that our team knew our why. But most importantly, they knew our vision and which wall we were trying to climb. As much as I liked the ladder; as a leader, I think I’d rather build a staircase and make sure it leads to the right level, in the right building. It just seems like a more efficient way to get your entire team to the top, and you don’t have to worry about falling off. Now I know what you’re thinking, why doesn’t he install a lift? Well, I’m a physio, we’ll always tell you to take the stairs!
Ian then highlighting the importance of empowering your team. If they have a clear vision or goal, don’t feel as if it’s your responsibility to tell them how to get there. In fact, people will likely be more motivated if they are empowered to find their own way.
Finally, Ian asked us to consider our own inner voices. It turns out that we speak about 50,000 internal words each day. I knew I wasn’t going crazy. Now imagine if these thousands of words were positive, motivating, reassuring statements. Conversely, what if they were negative, demeaning or doubtful?
It was an interesting process to reflect on the sheer power of our internal dialogue. I know I’ll be taking check of my own thoughts over the coming days and weeks. Ian challenged us to focus more on the NOW. Sure, we’ve learned lessons from the past and we always need to look towards the future, but in order to achieve growth we need to be present.
Ian’s presentation had a number of key themes:
1. Understand who you are
2. Think deeply about any ideas or problems
3. Have a clear vision
4. Empower your team
5. Be present
By doing these 5 things, it’s clear that we can be more proactive than reactive in both our personal and professional lives.
PART 2: Tribes, Teamwork and Time
After a short debrief, where the common theme was “we really covered a lot of ground”, we were onto our 2ndbreak-out room. Our group was led by Danielle Ainsworth – General Manager Home & Disability Services at Australian Unity.
Danielle invited us to explore two topics:
1. How to stay motivated as leaders
2. How to motivate our teams
To kick things off, Danielle stressed the importance of finding your tribe. What is a tribe you ask? A group of people who share a similar passion, have an understanding of your challenges, will celebrate your wins, share your losses and fuel your drive. A tribe allows you to speak freely and offers understanding. In this way, Danielle stressed that you won’t ‘download’ thoughts, feelings and emotions on your own team unnecessarily. I think this is a great lesson for all young leaders.
Danielle challenged us to find a mentor, who can assist in overcoming challenges and discussing issues. Mentors are a great was to grow as a leader and can assist in providing direction. It made me reflect on my own experiences, and the success we’ve had as a business since enlisting the help of a mentor. I liked Danielle’s use of ‘download’ which I could definitely relate to. During my mentoring sessions, I often feel as if I’m just dumping thoughts and ideas on my mentor, spending much more time talking than him. Although friends and colleagues of mine will tell you that this is pretty normal. The one thing I can confidently say, is that I always leave my mentoring sessions more motivated and clearer in my decision making.
We then discussed the importance of self-care. Danielle highlighted how our own actions as leaders are viewed by our teams. She noted the importance of leading by example and that maybe spending 10-hours a day behind our desks without a break may not be driving healthy practices within our teams. In saying that, as a small business owner, an army of workers who do 10-hour days without a break could be pretty useful. Imagine what we could get done!
To achieve balance and efficiency, Danielle noted that “structuring time” was a great way to approach each day. Danielle encouraged us to consider our most productive times. In contrast to Danielle, I’ve always known that I’m most productive first thing in the morning. She encouraged us to recognise these times and schedule our most important tasks within this period. It was interesting to hear that Danielle shares her calendar with her whole team, so they know when she is “on”. This also encourages her team to take a similarly structured approach to their day. I thought this was a great insight.
Finally, Danielle encouraged us to commit time to exploring our passions. Continue to ask yourself why you are doing what you’re doing; or how you can realign with your passion or purpose. This could involve taking on a side project or being clearer in our goal setting. In the chaos of our working weeks, as we progressively pen a growing list of “to-dos”, there’s no doubt that at times we can lose sight of what is actually driving us.
I think Danielle’s session had the following key messages:
1. Make sure you’ve got a support network
2. Practice self-care
3. Use your time effectively
4. Ensure you don’t lose touch with what drives you
Whilst Ian’s presentation provided ways to ensure proactivity in leadership, I think Danielle’s presentation was more about making sure we don’t lose our spark. Both sessions provided a great balance and timely reminders of some of the key lessons which I’ve learned as an age services worker and young leader in recent years.
If I could give one piece of advice to readers looking for their spark for 2021; I’d encourage everyone to be proactive and find ways to expand your thinking and connect with people who inspire and motivate you. In BeNext, you may just reignite your passion, become a stronger leader and find your tribe.