A question to start closing the year

In our newsletter's second year, the promise remains -?one question, once a week.?It’s the cognitive kick-starter that takes only five seconds to read but is packed with endless possibilities.?So, make sure that you SUBSCRIBE!

Our goal:?To make the world a curlier place where people cognitively connect, think outside-the-box and step into the unknown with confidence and curiosity.

The last month of the year usually comes in a blur. We all get distracted by the holiday rush and all the year-end activities (professional and personal) that come with it. Unstoppable leaders though, want to ensure loose ends are settled and often think of how to keep the momentum going as the new year transition starts. This week’s question is a good one to use to start that initial conversation — so you and your team can finish the year strong.?

Note the way this question is structured -- it preconceives shared team accountability which makes it easier to receive (and answer) the question.

Ask this simple question in any conversation to check that nothing important has been overlooked.

Unstoppable teams have a shared value of accountability.?To learn how Kate can help you build unstoppable teams, find out more here .

The story behind Curly Question of the Week

Hey there! I'm Kate.

In 25 years as a global executive, I led large teams through uncharted territory in some of the most challenging economies in the world.

But that wasn't my biggest challenge.?It was that most of my team members didn't directly report to me.?I didn't control their bonuses or their performance appraisals. They had their own bosses to do that (who also had their own priorities).

Being responsible for delivering business-critical results without having any levers of 'control' can be tough.

I recognised early in my career that 'influence' and using 'the formal channels' wasn't enough.

I needed to learn how to do three things.

• Create?rapid, deep engagement from the inside-out and at scale
• Build momentum?behind work and outcomes that mattered?(not just to the business, but to people and customers)
• Achieve the above while?navigating unknown and complex business terrain

Several years ago I synthesised three decades of experience and insights into a set of frameworks, language and collaborative tools called the 'Curly Approach' (you can read about it here .)

Curly Questions sit at the heart of it.

Today I'm an adaptive performance specialist and use the Curly Approach to help leaders build unstoppable teams who achieve unbeatable performance in disrupted and ambiguous environments.

I hope you enjoy Curly Question of the Week as much as I enjoy sharing it with you.

#unstoppableteams #thecurlyapproach #curlyquestions