Simon says : Start With Why

Simon Sinek's popular TED Talk and book of the same name'Start with Why' came up a few times in workshops, sessions and client meetings recently. 

So I re-listened to his TED Talk this morning and then visually captured the key points on my iPad. This week's visual sip is a distillation of literally what 'Simon says'. 



Over the past week I've watched, listened, graphic recorded, facilitated and provided feedback on a number of presentations, pitches and speeches.

Some of them were brilliant! Like the very talented speakers that came through the Thought Leaders Speaker Showcase in Sydney last week. My visual notes of that inspiring morning are here.  These most compelling presentations started with why!

But out in the workplace over the week, I saw plenty of dull 'n dozy, read these 50 bullet points and 'hurry-up-and-finish' presentations that clearly didn't start with why! Many were soaked with what and how. Uninspired. Uninspiring. 

Highly paid, big hitting leaders were delivering these presentations. Most of them took the 'dim the lights, draw the shades, lock the door ... and make them listen to my damn PowerPoint' approach for their presentation strategy. Who'd want to follow a leader like that?!

If they'd simply started with why, with a story about purpose, about cause and about belief, they would have been way more powerful, compelling, engaging and ... unstoppable across the organisation, and the industry. 

When you next plan to step on to a stage to present or you take position at the front of the room, take note from the Speaker Showcase stars and Simon Sinek and start with why!

That was then. What's now... and next?

Planning and strategising with people often involves looking back as well as looking forward - and a bit of 'what's going on now' too. 

I use this visual template to sort out the then, now and next. Otherwise I find the conversation can get a little knotted!

So on a flip chart or whiteboard or on my ipad or a notepad, I'll draw out a winding road (when is change ever a straight road or a freeway?!)

Then I'll put in the past, present and the future. But I label them with 'Then', 'Now' and 'Next.' It's a different palette or language and sounds more active. 

And I LOVE to use the 'You are Here' red dot from tourist and shopping centre maps, to remind people they are actually in the here and now. Then there is great perspective back as well as forward. Think rear-view mirror as well as the front windscreen. 

Windy road, then, now, next. Now have your discussion. Capture key points, 'Click' to photograph the notes of your discussion - and you'll be able to recall a heap of detail from that conversation, as well as categorise some equally winding content.
 
Now, what's next for you today?

Enlarge the problem space

I'm enjoying having a read through John Kuprenas' book 101 things I learned in Engineering School

It's a lovely hardcover edition and has plenty of great explanations of concepts applicable to normal life beyond engineering.

I'm no engineer, so I think there's something about how engineers, designers and architects think and problem solve that can be helpful to us, no matter the setting. 

One of John's 'things' is to 'Enlarge the problem space'. He says that "almost every problem is larger than it initially appears. Explore and enlarge it at the outset - not to make more work, but because the scope of the problem almost certainly will creep - it will grow larger - on its own. It's easier to reduce the problem space later in the process than to enlarge it after starting down a path toward an inadequate solution".


It's right in line with one of the creative and innovation tools I use in workshops which I call 'It's Bigger'.
I use the A4 visual I've shared with you this week to firstly write the issue, and then add in thoughts about what the bigger issue is, then the b-i-g-g-e-r issue ... and then the BIGGER issue.

From there you can come up with some totally new solutions.
The page is designed as a worksheet, great for thinking alone, in a group or mapping out some possibilities.

John Kuprenas say there is the problem, then the cause of the problem, then the cause of the cause of the problem and the cause of the cause of the cause... you get it! 

It's a process that let's you look at creativity, innovation and problem solving by making it bigger before you get your hands dirty.  And this is a tool I'll be using with a large retailer this week as we workshop some of their new ideas and initiatives. See, you don't need to build bridges or roads or machines to be an engineer!

Another way to handle all that talking

If you've wandered around my website and found many of the resources and templates or read my blog ... you will have seen me 'go on' about my Facilitator 4 Step. 

When you don't have a structure for a conversation, workshop or meeting, this model can really help you out. It can give the team focus and give you a place to go to guide you through the conversation. 

Yesterday in a workshop with a team, they wanted to 'workshop' a topic. What do you do? Just open it up and let things go wherever they go? Or follow a structure?

Well, I did a little of both. I outlined the structure - the Facilitator 4 Step, though I didn't call it that. I said "We'll talk about what we know, the facts... then hear your views and opinions... and then listen out for your ideas and suggestions."

I created three flip charts with headings for the first of the three steps, facts, opinions, ideas - we weren't doing the 'actions' step at this stage. That would come later. 

Then I opened up the discussion and just let it go on... and on. 

As the team talked for the next 20 or 30 minutes or more, I listened and scribed or noted their key points. 

If they said something that was fact based, I wrote it on the facts flip chart. 

If they were talking about their views and opinions, that point went on the opinions flip chart. 

And if they had a suggestion or idea for a solution, I wrote that on the ideas chart. 

I simply let the conversation go on and on, capturing and sorting as they talked. 

Yes, I was dancing and jumping from one chart to the next and back again - each time someone talked. This showed so clearly how our thinking and talking jumps from fact, to opinion to idea or solution - in just one sentence!

It's no wonder teams or groups in conversation can find it difficult to get to actions and commitments when all of this mixed content is happening. 

The flip charts and my sorting helped them see what they were talking about. It was a very efficient use of time. I didn't interrupt, I just let it go. 

The end result: they have a categorised capture of their evidence and facts; their opinions and views; their ideas and opportunities. 

Now they can go and prioritise and commit to action. 

This is just another way to use a model or structure. You can make the group follow it or you can listen and sort as you go. 

Try it out at your next meeting, workshop, strategy or planning session. 

If you scare people you won't get started

Last week I presented at the Agile Australia conference and also attended some brilliant sessions with people like Mary Poppendick, Dave Snowden of Cognitive Edge, and Bjarte Bogsnes author of 'Implementing Beyond Budgeting'.

Bjarte's session, thinking and message was around helping organisations perform to their highest potential. My visualisation of his presentation is here as well as below.

Bjarte delivered some clear messages:

• measurement alone changes nothing
• businesses cut costs because they're not addressing culture and
• if you scare people, you won't get started!

I enjoyed his metaphors of traffic lights vs roundabouts. He asked 'Which is most efficient?,  'Who is in control?' and 'Where are values most important?'

He doesn't want you to get rid of budgets; rather we need to change our mindsets around cost, KPIs and processes. Traditional leadership and management isn't working and the environments we work in are too complex. 

There's a similiar style of presentation from Bjarte here from 2012 if you'd like to see more.