Profiting by Putting Wonder to Work
As a leader, you’re supposed to have the answer, to know what to do, right? Wrong. Most of the time, others on your team will come up with the solution. Business has become so complex and specialized that it’s impossible to be the expert in everything.
Your job is twofold: 1) Create a safe and collaborative environment that inspires your people to creatively explore solutions. 2) Wonder about possibilities, often and out loud. It is a wise practice that uplifts everyone and deepens connection, which is putting the energy of love (amare) to work.
Start by wondering about your own wondering:
- Do you believe you’re supposed to know all the answers?
- Do you often spend time wondering before solving?
- Are you willing to be known and respected for wondering?
- Will you create a culture that values active wondering?
Five Amare Ways to be a Leader that Wonders
1. Answer with a Wonder question: When you’re pressed for a solution that may not be yours to provide, ask, “I wonder who knows a lot about this?” Or “I wonder what ideas you have?” Or “I wonder what options we’ve explored?”
2. Be a Wonder Machine! Start wondering about everything: how that flower knew to bloom today, how Spotify chose that song for you, how glue was invented. Not only will your creativity blossom, so will your appreciation of the natural world.
3. Adopt “beginner’s mind”. Explore today something you know virtually nothing about: the history of Esperanto, being double-jointed, why paint hardens, how to play a didgeridoo – could be silly or significant. Then try knowing nothing about everything.
4. Go beyond the obvious. Acknowledge the first and often conventional answer as a good possibility, not a certainty. Say, “Interesting, could be! And what else is possible?” Encourage your people to do the same, and how to move to the answer you’ll use.
5. Reward and train not knowing. Communicate clearly and often that not knowing is acceptable and sometimes expected. Skill up your team in managing ambiguity and uncertainty, finding experts within the organization, and broadly exploring for possible solutions.
Inviting YOU On New Amare Podcast!
Are you a leader who’s putting love to work, even in small ways? Contact me now about appearing on my new Amare Leadership Podcast starting soon. Your story is worth sharing! ―Socrates 4 Steps to Bring Forth Your Genius Five Ways to Flourish in Business and Life Three Essential Leadership Skills NOT for the Faint of Heart Thanks everyone for tuning in to Amare Wave Wednesday! Do YOUR one amare thing today to improve your business and grow the wave! If you like this, share it! _______ With Amare, _________Today’s Amare Wave Wednesday Quote
“Wonder is the beginning of wisdom”
You Might Also Like:
0 Comments