Going slow

In a fast-paced world, going slow can be mistaken for shyness, lack of conviction, or fear of action. People who are fast to speak, act, or think get noticed. While people who think and speak slowly, feel overwhelmed about keeping pace with others, or dealing with people who interrupt and cut their speech and thought process. One of my friends handles this by letting others know that he has something to share, or he has not finished. All he did was remind others of his need for expression at his own pace. By going slow, there are fewer chances of rash conclusions and more deliberate responses. Slowing down can be a gift in a fast-paced world.

“I am a slow walker, but I never walk back.” – Abraham Lincoln

Making hope happen

I recently came across Dr. Lopez’s work ‘Making Hope Happen’ on the feeling of hope. Hope is our relationship with our future self and it is a choice. I learned that hope can be cultivated with three elements.

Goal: By having an authentic desire to create something in our lives. The absence of inner vision can make us feel lost and hopeless.
Pathway: By knowing that there can be many ways that can lead to our goal, some of which can be revealed through creative exploration.
Agency: By believing that we have in our ability to shape our future. Lack of agency makes us feel stuck.

Hope has the potential to shape our future-self.

“How we hope—determines how well we live our lives.” – Shane J Lopez

Enabling Articulation

I had the opportunity to witness a leader enable one of his team members to articulate her thoughts when she was feeling apprehensive about doing so. Eventually, with the leader’s support, she could express her thoughts freely and also sought guidance. What did the leader do?
He showed curiosity to understand by asking a team member to elaborate with an example
He was patient and attentive during each pause and did not fill in the gaps
He validated what was expressed by her before offering his perspective
It was evident that she felt heard and valued at the end of the conversation. Curiosity, patience, attentiveness, and validation can go a long way in establishing trust and confidence in team members.

“Each person holds so much power within themselves that needs to be let out. Sometimes they just need a little nudge, a little direction, a little support, a little coaching, and the greatest things can happen.” – Pete Carroll