Paint On The Road | Appreciate | Fighting For Our Friendships
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: an energy (good or bad) word and it’s meaning
Action: something to do
Processing: a question to consider
Shout out: something or someone that I want to celebrate or acknowledge
LEARN
Something Worth Sharing
The Paint On The Road
I’ve been “lucky enough” to do several (!) driving speed awareness courses. While I say ‘lucky’ with my tongue in my cheek, there is no doubt that there is value in stopping and reflecting - and learning - more about the importance and impact of speed while driving. However, one of my real take-aways from one of these sessions was not what I expected; did you ever think about the fact that the more paint on the road, the more accidents have occurred right there?
The paint on the road is a retrospective action, and the true impact of this for me now I am conscious of the more paint equalling more accidents, is to think of it in a more significant way. Many systems and processes in life and business are created in this vein. They are, in essence, showing us the scars of the past.
Have you gone to the bathroom at a place of work only to find a printed and laminated sign telling you: ‘if you sprinkle while you tinkle, be sweet and wipe the seat’?. That sign wasn’t put there to be decorative! It’s a scar from how people have treated the shared environment. We aren’t 5 years old and yet this is a common sign!
If you think of the increasing number of health and safety regulations, laminated signs and disciplinary procedures - they are all scars from the past. In our businesses, the number of times something happens that cause an issue isn’t directly proportionate to ‘corrective action’. We can’t possibly throw down more paint because of one thing that went wrong - surely we’re better off investing in our culture and people to ensure these incidents don’t happen in the first place? In other words, go upstream to the real root cause, don’t wait for the accident armed with paint.
ENERGY
An emotion or energy; a stand-out word / s
Appreciate
I remember using ‘appreciation’ as a central part of a workshop a number of years ago. The task was to share what you appreciated about someone - even if you didn’t like or know them well. The word appreciate means: "to esteem or value highly".
The origins of the word are from Late Latin appretiare which means "to set a price to" and is formed from AD "to" + PRETIUM "price". This is where the notion of valuing someone or something comes from. To appreciate also implies wise judgment.
ACTION
Something small that you can do that might make a big difference
Move It!
As the seasons change, it is tempting to go into a hibernation state - or perhaps that’s just here in the rainy and grey UK?! This week, in response to this, let’s all get moving and keep moving. Add an extra walk, dance while cooking dinner, use the stairs rather than an elevator etc.
PROCESSING
A question to think about and consider (you can discuss this with someone or write your thoughts down)
“How am I nurturing my core friendships and can I be offering more?”
Taking our lead on this question from the book I’m featuring in your weekly gift below, I’m suggesting that you give thought to your core friendship/s. The world is busy and it’s easy to neglect checking in and working on your special friendship/s. This is about quality not quantity!
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.
Creating Memories
To create memories through lived experiences is to be human. Shout out to this simple and yet important part of our lives - creating and sharing memories.
BONUS GIFT FOR YOU
The gift is only available to those that subscribe to the weekly LEAPS email
insert sign up form here
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.
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?
