WFH Week 6; What We’ve Heard
As we come to the end of our sixth week of lockdown at Maier, we’re definitely feeling the hit of ‘COVID-19 fatigue’. WFH is great for reflection and perhaps a bit of contemplation and learning but we’ve also, thankfully, been super busy coaching Exec teams and senior leaders – virtually of course. It’s pretty intense though, there’s a lot more focus needed working in the digital medium don’t you think? One of our clients summed it up perfectly, ‘the digital world makes it much easier…but it’s not easy.’
So this week we thought we’d just be a bit random and share some interesting snippets from our many conversations.
Things that made us laugh (very welcome);
- A CEO working from the spare bedroom, arrived late for our MS Teams call and was very apologetic. He’d broken a glass but was keen to assure us it wasn’t his fault! He fessed up to being a bit of ‘a dishwasher fascist’ at the best of times but in lockdown he’s becomes obsessed with how it’s loaded and someone in the house (no names were shared) had got it wrong.
- Having just kicking off a group Zoom call with the usual pleasantries someone’s teenage son came bounding into her room, saw she was in conference and turned on his heel to leave, flashing his bare bottom for all to see in the process!!! What followed was silence and then absolute hysteria.
- A friend was relaying her tale of going to her local London park for her daily exercise slot. Being a warm day there were a few folk sunbathing although socially distanced. Without warning the police arrive and to her astonishment (and amusement) as one all the bodies came to life – hands and legs in the air ‘exercising’ like mad.
Things to reflect on;
- A global CEO we work with saw his company shift from 20% of staff working from home to 80% within the first week of lockdown. That is a HUGE change and in sharing his thoughts he emphasised how aware leaders need to be of the different rates at which people are adapting to the shift; people can become very sensitive, much more so than they normally are and small things can be blown out of all proportion. In his words, ‘you need very good judgement in how, when and what you’re communicating.’
- A great message received after an evening Zoom session, ‘Thank you all for that – I feel nourished by your company.’
- Having referenced a particular model of Old Power/New Power in our Exec team work, it was very gratifying to be told by another CEO how it has become even more relevant in this crisis and how they are utilising it on a daily basis. She’s looking forward to working with us in using it as the foundation for the ‘new normal’ they will be seeking, which links brilliant with a favourite quite of ours at the moment, ‘It may not feel like it at the moment but the foundation for your recovery from this emergency is already being laid.’
Things to think about in the coming week;
- At a conference late last year, before COVID had really hit, Michelle Obama was already talking about the importance of ‘planning in joy’. ‘You might think you should not feel joy when other people are suffering, but you need to find joy or else risk burning out.’ Her advice is to ‘think about what you are going to do this week that is going to make you selfishly smile’. Now even more relevant than ever.
- As we begin to think and plan for a return from lockdown – however tentative and far away that seems, remember that for some this will surface very real anxieties while for others it will represent some much needed hope and energy. Remember to check in with team members individually to gauge where their heads (and hearts) are at.
- Coming together as a team for no reason, is a reason. As we fall into our lockdown routines, working through an ever growing and shifting list of actions and tasks don’t overlook the importance of sometimes just hanging out together.
What we’ve heard – E’s and I’s in isolation
E (extravert) and I (introvert) in MBTI is all about where we get our energy from. E’s choosing to look externally for their energy sources and I’s preferring to look inwardly for theirs. It’s important to remember that everyone spends some time extraverting and some time introverting and we shouldn’t confuse introversion with shyness or reclusiveness. They are not related. But, no matter what we thought we knew about the preferences of E’s and I’s, even we’ve been surprised by their reactions to WFH.
Don’t assume it’s just E’s that ‘hate’ working in isolation, we’ve heard the same from plenty of I’s too. The I’s we’re speaking to are missing the ‘easy’ connection they have when colleagues are close by. Instead I’s are having to consciously make the first move, emailing less, calling in more – some days it can feel relentless. Unable to ‘absorb the atmosphere’ or ‘read the room’ before crafting their response, I’s are having to jump into the mix regardless. But, there are things that make it easier including being part of a truly trusted and trusting team. Lockdown is proving to be a real test of just how comfortable we are with those we work with – after all, we’re now spending time in each other’s kitchens, living rooms, spare bedrooms – how could we not know more about each other by the end of this?
Left to their own devices I’s also face the danger of overthinking everything. Turns out that having too much space to reflect can be as challenging as having too little. Many of the I’s we’ve spoken to are finding their tendency to be introspective almost overwhelming as the day progresses. Never the less there is also a genuine joy in spending time away from the office and for some there’s a real sense of anxiety at the thought of going back to the office routine.
Hearing colleagues talk about WFH being the new way forward is of course filling some E’s with dread. But not as many of them are climbing the walls as you might expect. As long as energy needs are fulfilled with plenty of virtual contact going on some are quite enjoying it, particularly if they also happen to be a J as well. Time to talk things through and then time to get on and DO IT! But, a lot of the E’s we’re in contact with have referenced the impact of lockdown in and out of work. For E’s unable to connect to their wider network as they would have done before the lack of interaction is tough. Whether you’re a leader or colleague make sure you’re reaching out and checking in – and it absolutely doesn’t need to always be linked to work. In fact, even better if it isn’t sometimes.
And finally, nobody we’ve been talking to – E or I – is missing the commute!
‘Better Lives’ – using the power of fashion to tackle issues around equality, social mobility, diversity and sustainability
Image courtesy of shutterstock.
It’s just over a week later and we’re still talking about the amazing event we had the honour of attending at Buckingham Palace, celebrating 10 years of London College of Fashion’s ‘Better Lives’ work which aims to ‘…use fashion as a discipline to drive change, build a sustainable future and improve the way we live’ through:
- Working with brands on projects to improve sustainability processes.
- Embedding social responsibility, diversity and sustainability into the curriculum of our undergraduate courses.
- Working with women in prison to aid their rehabilitative journeys, by giving them professional skills and qualifications in fashion and textiles, and supporting them on release.
- Engaging groups and individuals in local communities in participatory art and fashion education projects.
- By working with young people in partner schools and FE colleges in Greater London, whose parent(s) or guardians do not have a university degree.
With consumer and corporate demand for sustainability increasingly on the rise, it was inspirational to see the difference that the Better Lives work has achieved to date – from creating careers in and around the fashion industry to ensuring students are aware of how to sustain fashion and keep it on the agenda. Better Lives, we salute you!
Jane Shepherdson, Karyn Maier, and Sim Scavazza having the obligatroy ‘Buck Pal Pic’
‘The Vulgar’ and appreciating difference
Image source: the Barbican – Walter van Beirendonck, Fall/Winter 2010/2011. Hat: Stephen Jones © Ronald Stoops
We listened to @BBCWomansHour yesterday with the talented Judith Clark of London College of Fashion who curated the current exhibition ‘The Vulgar’ at the Barbican, alongside partner and psychoanalyst Adam Phillips. The Barbican has described it as ‘the first exhibition to explore the inherently challenging but utterly compelling territory of taste in fashion, from the renaissance through to contemporary design’.
We’re a curious bunch here at Maier, so it’s as no surprise that this exploration of ‘vulgar’ got us talking about the potential parallels between ‘vulgarity’ and appreciating difference in others. A large amount of our work focusses on understanding and appreciating one another’s ‘styles’ and ways of operating. In other words, what might seem perfectly acceptable to one person may feel completely alien to another.Phillips offers an interesting perspective on this when asked in a recent article why we’re in a habit of narrowing ourselves down and seeing ourselves as fixed…
“It seems to me that taste is problematic when it is a militant and aggressive narrowing of the mind, when it says “I know what I like – and don’t like – and you’ve got to agree with me”. A more experimental view of trying new things out is healthier – and there is less of an inclination to mock or be angered by what you don’t understand”.
Perhaps if we applied a more ‘experimental view’ to the way we operate on a daily basis, we could open our mind and thinking in ways we might never have imagined…one to ponder.
Brain teasers
As far as British summers go it might have been a slow start, but things have definitely started to heat up and at Maier we’re putting every effort into extending the summer vibes. While we’re hanging onto the sunglasses for as long as possible we are also keenly focusing on the next few busy months as the ‘holiday season’ comes to an end and the mad dash to Christmas begins.
Having wound down, it’s definitely now time to wind back up so what can we do to keep energy levels high and our brains performing at full potential? Perhaps most importantly, how can you as leaders help your teams take on the post summer slump challenge?
Here comes the science bit…
The more we understand how the brain functions the more we’re able to positively shift behaviours in ourselves and our teams…. for example:
Avoiding ‘information overload’ and ‘leaving by example
Ever heard of automatic and deliberate brain systems? In a nutshell, ‘the automatic system is great at executing plans but not so good at making them. The deliberate system is inefficient for carrying out plans but excels at making them’ (Social Psychology and Human Nature, Roy F. Beumeister). When we’re overtired or stretched thin the brain’s automatic system can begin to execute plans without thinking and that’s where mistakes can happen. Sound familiar?
Solution:
“If leaders can encourage people to go offline when doing their most important work, as well as taking more frequent breaks, they’ll see an uptick in productivity, innovation, and morale” (McKinsey)
Whilst it may sound too good to be true research says otherwise and, as leaders, a few small changes to your own daily routine could make all the difference. For example, try role modelling behaviours or ‘leaving by example’ – show that you’re switching off, make a point of leaving your desk, set a timer to ensure you take time out.
“It’s become a collective thing in the office now. And everyone’s decided that breaks are a legitimate use of time because we get so much more done afterward.” (McKinsey)
Even the smallest of insights into how our brains work can potentially have a huge impact on productivity, so perhaps think about how you can apply some of the science to the day-to-day and you never know, it might just pay off.
Tapping into ‘discovery mode’
We’ve all had times where a business problem can knock you off course or leave you feeling flat and demotivated. When thinking for example about delivering bad news it’s key to reflect on not just the what but the how – it’s genuinely what can make all the difference. Yet we still get so caught up in the content of the message that we neglect the delivery don’t we?
InBusiness sums it up nicely: ‘The more we understand what is happening in the brain, the more we can make adjustments that have real productivity gains’.
Ultimately by creating a positive frame for difficult tasks or discussions you’re more likely to get to a solution quickly. In a recent interview, Caroline Webb, author of ‘How to have a good day’ discusses the impact that ‘discovery mode’ can have with regards to decision making:
Simply put, listing the positives and focussing on the ideal outcome can make all the difference between a team in defence mode vs. discovery mode. It’s about looking at the other side of the same coin.
Trends and transformations; the story of 2016
Never at our best as ‘followers’, our idea of being ‘on trend’ is to be at the very head of the curve…or the ‘Conga Line’ as our favourite simile goes for those of you who know us well. Having spent 2015 delving deep into the inner workings of some of the ‘greatest and latest’ in business – we’re in a pretty good position to throw a spot light on what’s likely to dominate hearts, minds and boardrooms in 2016.
Data science; not just for nerds!
Accessing data isn’t a problem, but understanding the vast amounts of information collected definitely is. How to extract what really matters and quickly may well become our biggest leadership challenge yet. As LBS (London Business School) point out, ‘Too much emphasis on information leads to analysis paralysis, sterile decision making and a loss of competitive differentiation.’ There may be value in big data, but it comes at a cost. Great leaders still know when to trust their intuition too.
All the young dudes
With 3.6 million baby boomers set to retire, a new generation of leaders is getting ready to take over the world. Millennials are all about transformational leadership, social engagement, rapid career progression and mentors and not bosses. Globally astute and tech-savvy, organisations will need to deliver these cultural expectations in spades if they want to hang onto the millennial talent of the future. Katherine Dugan at Strategy& sums it up nicely: ‘Millennials have an abundance of talent to offer organisations as they move through the ranks in the workforce….they have the desire to derive significant meaning from their work. Managers must play a key role in harnessing and directing that energy…’
For us the whole thing brings to mind our creative video production friends, Spindle. Radical in their approach with a conviction of purpose and creatively brilliant, they define the millennial ethos perfectly.
The evolution of flexibility
This isn’t just about the hours we work, it’s about the space we operate in too. The traditional one person, one desk scenario is fast becoming a thing of the past. Having worked on several accommodation upgrades recently, our role has been about how to make the space work culturally; collaboration, communication, bringing values to life, offering a genuinely new way of working across organisations – all of these and more apply. Within the next 6 years the London College of Fashion will have moved to Stratford. Currently working across 6 separate sites the College will be working as one under the same roof. Beyond how they work and communicate differently they’re also thinking about the implications this has on teaching – what will today’s 14 year olds want and expect from Universities in the future? Evolutionary thinking at its most daring, don’t you think?