MOMENTUM BLOG
Common Terms and Clarity
Do you consider who your audience is when you use this language? If we don’t, we lose people in the communication.
Lose Yourself in the Service of Others
At Momentum Consulting, we consider ourselves both consultants and students of high performance. We are right there with you in this endeavor, one moment at a time. And if you’re around any of us long enough you’ll hear us talk about the power of listening. This is not just hearing things with our ears. This is how we receive and process information. And when done generously, it can even be a way to honor the one(s) speaking.
The Customer is Always Right?
“The customer is always right” is a phrase pioneered by Harry Gordon Selfridge, John Wanamaker and Marshall Field, highly successful retailers who understood that the success of their stores depended on the happiness of their customers.
Dignity as a Birthright
Our founding principle at Momentum Consulting is Dignity as a Birthright. This short narrative discusses this principle in relation to workplace safety.
When You Know Better, Do Better
But, there is a lot more to this than obvious first impressions. First of all, your best right now is simply your best in this moment in time. This "best" of you now is different from your "best" of years past. Your childhood best is not your adult best, and it wouldn't even be fair to compare. Nor should we expect to compare a current "best" from person to person.
Letting Go of the Need to Be Right
I believe that giving up your need to be right starts with the willingness to listen generously. Curiosity is a foundation of generous listening. When we become curious, it exponentially increases our ability to learn.
Making a Request
Making a request requires generous listening first, and then in speaking straight, respectfully. We have to be out of reaction mode in order to be effective.
Listening Generously... or by Default?
Are you listening with generosity, or are you listening by default? Accepting accountability for how we listen to each other changes the conversation.
But First, Integrity
I believe that so many of our other key fundamentals are rooted in integrity, for example:
Honor commitments
Be accountable
Respect confidentiality
Practice blameless problem solving
Fix problems at the source
Appreciate and acknowledge
Speak straight, respectfully
Always do your best
From Fired to Fired Up
When we experience a core value violation, our default listening kicks into overdrive, and our reaction to stimulus can be severe. The drive to obey these default emotions can be seductively strong, but there is another option.
Adjusting the Lens for Detail
There are seven basic learning styles, as shown here in this briefing by Mindvalley.
Visual / Spacial: can see detail in design, shapes, and space
Aural: can hear detail in music and are very affected by sound
Verbal: have detailed vocabulary and thrive in written and spoken word
Physical / Kinesthetic: feel detail in how the body moves and learn through doing
Logical / Mathematic: see detail in numbers and calculations
Social / Interpersonal: need to be around others in order to learn
Solitary / Intrapersonal: learn better alone
Balancing Positive Intent
As we are all doing our best to navigate this pandemic, the roller coaster of emotions and thoughts is very real. On the one hand, I want to watch the news to stay informed and understand what’s really happening in the world. I wonder if the news has informed me with their best intentions.
Keeping it Clean
The idea of “keeping it clean” is the greatest reward I see in practicing recovery. Yes, we try to get it right the first time and avoid mistakes. But, knowing we have the ability to clean something up provides freedom, adventure and innovation in moments of business, relationships and life.
Please Respond...
Your lack of response, timeliness or enthusiasm signals to team members that urgency is not expected or required. Further, during this current time of uncertainty, they look to you to provide necessary structure to rely on.
Don't Wait for Others to Change
The fabric of Texas Association of Counties is their fundamentals, twenty-five standards that each member uses to determine the direction of their work. Number seventeen, "LEAD BY EXAMPLE," is a fundamental that places each person in a role as a leader. Knowing that each person leads by example gives each member a sense of accountability, all the way to the security department.
We All Could Use An "Atta-Girl"
By appreciating our teammates or work mates, we are helping with their brain function and their health!
Focus on the Fix
“The proactive approach to a mistake is to acknowledge it instantly, correct and learn from it. This literally turns a failure into a success.” -Stephen R. Covey
What is that Noise?
When I work with clients who are in similar situations, I usually tell them, “Find yourself at the source of your suffering.” They rarely like to hear this, and now I find myself reluctant to take my own medicine. It initially seems like I’m asking myself to take responsibility for someone else’s mistake, but that’s not it. I’m reminding myself to be accountable for my own experience. The suffering really is optional, and blaming just increases it for everyone.
Good Leaders are Good Learners
As a leader, it is imperative that you practice continual learning. Good leaders are good learners. You have demonstrated learned knowledge and skills in getting to a leadership position, but now is when you need to develop a laser focus on learning more.
Respect Confidentiality
What people are willing to share with us is a gift and it enhances our ability to be clear and to make good decisions. The less willing people are to confide in us, the weaker the information we have to make good decisions.
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