Letting go of past practice is a strategy that’s easier to say than do
Bernie Kelly
Fit FOR PURPOSE Leaders & Organisations | Transformation Partner, Speaker, Author, Mentor | Chair, Australian Transformation & Turnaround Association - TransformersUnite! Strategy/ Governance/ Leadership Development.
I am a lot like many of the people I work with.??
I continue to expand my awareness of our world and myself. I am curious and find the people I work with, and the work we do, fascinating. I understand the benefits of bringing different perspectives to our understanding. I hold myself accountable for the actions I take. When I don’t like what I see or hear reflected back by others I aim to amend.?
Those who have worked with me anytime in the last thirty years will know I have a strength around strategy execution. Particularly finding effective paths through?to our targeted outcomes. Greater progress, team engagement, quality, and earnings faster than would otherwise have been achieved. Over the years we have called this strategic discipline different names - Identifying the Critical Few, Big Hitters, Ladder Against the Right Wall, Strategy is Like Rose Pruning.
Recently I have been in the same spot many of my best clients get to.?
It’s frustrating. Intellectually I get all of this, I know to identify and focus on what’s important and the key effectiveness principles, but for me it is not as clear what can be released.?
“To know and not do, is not to know.”?
~ Goethe
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“Those other things ARE relevant,” I tell myself. I try to distract myself wanting to point out where I have already pruned back. I find that, despite my stated intentions when I check in with Mentors, I have drifted back to a blurrier view of the focus on what’s important.
Like many of my clients, a strong work ethic runs deep in my identity.?I grew up in the country and was working with my Dad from childhood. I was acknowledged and rewarded for my ability to work on. As a pattern I tend to turn my frustration at these pressure points to thinking, over-thinking and working ‘harder’.?Even when I know that is not the wise path.?
Accepting that it takes time to clear the twisted knots we have unwittingly created is easier to say than do.?
Have you experienced these growth pains in your journey? Are you experiencing them now as you lead in these disruptive times?
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Bernie
This article is part of the Chief of Transformation topic.
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Bernie is known for building capability and confidence in leaders who need to transform organisations that are continually reshaping to survive and thrive.
His career in whole of enterprise and cross-organisation shifts, and then 10 years Business Transformation Diagnostics, Training, and Mentoring across Australia and SE Asia.?Currently working with leaders who are focused on accelerated development and re-imagination of industry value systems. He loves contributing to leaders, teams and networks successfully transitioning to the next phase.?
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In 2020 Bernie authored Traction: Building Change-fit Leadership Teams.
Bernie welcomes connecting with and talking to leaders tackling the challenges of team and network transitions.
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Contact Bernie via LinkedIn: www.dhirubhai.net/in/berniekelly100/ or Email: [email protected] or Phone: + 61 421 915 608
Or check out his website at BernieKelly.com
Brand & Business Strategist for thought leaders, experts, consultants and coaches - on maternity leave
2 年I so get this, Bernie. I think what can also happen is that we do prune… and then we wobble in the space that we have created. “Have I done the right thing?! Why aren’t I immediately getting what I thought I was going to get from this?” we ask ourselves. We are so tied to having things to do, to being productive and “useful”, to the illusion (however much we don’t think we are doing this) that we understand who we are through the activities we engage in (and so who are we when we are doing less?)… the challenge is staying in the space we have created until the “heck, yes!”/ clarity/ insight/knowing-where-next emerges for us. It will come.
Management Consultant, Entrepreneur, B2B and Startup Growth Specialist
2 年Great post!
Fit FOR PURPOSE Leaders & Organisations | Transformation Partner, Speaker, Author, Mentor | Chair, Australian Transformation & Turnaround Association - TransformersUnite! Strategy/ Governance/ Leadership Development.
2 年Do you see a “strong work ethic” rewarded since childhood getting in the way of pruning back activity to let the important flourish? In my case I worked with my Dad on machinery and in the paddocks and identified proudly as a hard worker from childhood. Kate Burke Judith O. Veronica Haslam Harshitha Rajashekara Robin Vessey Fi Mercer Cynthia Mahoney Anna Lindsay Anthony Pratt Brad Twynham Craig Saphin Dr. Jess Tayel Jude Emmer Fiona Shanks Gavin Clifford Richard Hoskins, Phillip Irvine, GAICD Lisa Teh Stephen M. R. Covey Nigel Mckinnon Tanya Graham
Fit FOR PURPOSE Leaders & Organisations | Transformation Partner, Speaker, Author, Mentor | Chair, Australian Transformation & Turnaround Association - TransformersUnite! Strategy/ Governance/ Leadership Development.
2 年Pruning so the important can flourish