25.10.2023

One Team | Special | High Performance Culture

Hello there! Welcome to my weekly LEAPS. 

You’re receiving this email because you subscribed to my weekly Wednesday feature or our mailing list. Every Wednesday, I share 5 things using our LEAPS approach: 

Learn: something new or an idea
Energy: something that’s creating an energy (good or bad) - a word
Action: something to do
Processing: a question to consider
Shout out: something or someone that I want to celebrate or acknowledge

HOW ALIGNED AND BALANCED IS YOUR SH*T?
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LEARN
Something Worth Sharing

One Team

I was thrilled to attend a client’s conference last week - a full day of celebrating their people, achievements, sharing their aims for the coming twelve months and making sure they stayed ‘aligned’. As part of their day, they had invited two very special guest speakers - Gabby Logan (BBC presenter) and Gary Neville (English soccer pundit and former player, and successful businessman).

The choice of speaker was, in part, to explore the synergies between business and sport including the key features of high performing teams and cultures. While my attendance was very focused on specific tasks, I couldn’t help but come away with some key learnings. Possibly the biggest take away of the day came from Gary talking about his experience of Manchester United Football Club’s culture compared to when he played for England’s national team. He referred to Manchester as being where his passion was, and that the manager (Sir Alex Ferguson or ‘The Boss’) built a protected and safe environment for his young squad. There was an overwhelming sense of ‘unity’ and alignment as “one team” with a shared focus and purpose - during this time, the team was almost invincible. However, Gary continued to say that this possibly contributed to the feeling within the national team that they were a collection of ‘league’ players. This certainly didn’t feel as if the players viewed themselves as ‘one team’, but rather that they were group of several teams. He continued to say that this created a very different culture and one that possibly impacted their results.

Being ‘one team’ is something that needs to be developed consciously and consists of:

• clarity, vision and purpose to align to

• a collective belief that you can create positive impact, and also weather external impact together

• a willingness to work hard (and efficiently) with clear aims towards the vision

• a harmonious, nurturing culture with communication, commitment and compassion

• a sense of belonging and safety

• foundational confidence that you deserve to be in the team

• clear leadership that empowers and instills passion

• motivation and protection

ENERGY
Focusing on an emotion or energy; a stand-out word / s

Special

The word special can - in my experience - mean something positive and stand out, or something odd. It led me to wonder what the etymology of the word was. I found that it originates from Latin word SPECIALIS meaning "individual, particular". I guess this is just the same as it means now.

It was during the mid 14th century that a more regular understanding developed to be "extraordinary, distinguished, having a distinctive character," on the notion of "used for special occasions;" hence "excellent; precious".

ACTION
Something small that you can do that might make a big difference

Audit Your Consumption

What we consume can often refer to food and drink. However, we consume many different things: we consume directly and indirectly, and through our ears and all of our senses. This week I’ve provided a sheet to help you in considering all the things you consume (the ‘what’), and then to challenge yourself with whether they serve you well (by thinking about the ‘why’). Can you improve your positive consumption and manage the negative?

PROCESSING
A question to think about and consider (you can discuss this with someone or write your thoughts down)

“How are you being useful?”

This question is one that I heard Arnold Schwarzenegger refer to in his documentary. He explained that it was the big thing his father would ask him throughout his life. It was so important that Arnie called his new book “Be Useful”. So today’s question for you is the same, how are you being useful?

I’d love for you to send me your own stories / thoughts about this. Drop me a line with your answer / thoughts on this question

SHOUT OUT
Who / what I think deserves recognition, my gratitude or to be celebrated.

Showing Up

While chatting to a friend recently I described someone as “always showing up”. We both commented on what a great asset that is, when you know someone that will always show up - for you, on a project, on a job. There is the ‘physical’ showing up - just think about how important it is for an audience to show up! But there is also an ‘emotional’ showing up that comes in the form of support, care, compassion and sometimes even honesty and challenge!

Shout out to everyone that has shown up for me and for our clients!

BONUS GIFT FOR YOU
This week’s little extra for you - from me

This week, I’m gifting you my own take on High Performance Cultures - with a visual poster. This connects to this week’s LEARN.

This visual is available to you for free (for 7 days) using the code: GARY when you check out. Access is via the link below.

The artwork featured in this section is all copyrighted and for private use only. If you wish to use these online, in blogs / features or in presentations etc - we are happy to discuss licences. Please get in touch. The downloads do not have watermarks.

If you’d like to discuss having your ideas, business or culture captured visually - you can also let me know via email.

SORT YOUR SH*T TASTER SESSIONS

Start building your confidence and clarity…

LEAPS is a process used by our team and clients all the time - and even my own family on a daily basis. 

I’ll be sharing a set of LEAPS each week with you and encourage you to do your own version:

• L: what have you learned?

• E: what’s your energy / feeling word

• A: what’s one thing you need to do?

• P: what are you thinking / processing?

• S: who or what can you shout out?