Earlier in the same day I was at an open space meeting for an organisation coming to grips with a recent merger. It was the first time they had come together in their new form and so had much to talk about. Which they did. They had rich and varied conversations, if albeit somewhat predictable (which is often the case in a one-day open space event).
Still, some people complained at the end that nothing happened except talk. “Without tangible actions the day would be a waste.” Since when did engaging in conversations about what’s important to a business classify as nothing? Since when did building relationships with new colleagues and strengthening existing ones be seen as a waste of time?
By this measure, Stephen Fry did nothing. Was a waste of time.
That’s not how I see it. I see people so busy proving how busy they are that they forget the substance of human connection – conversations and relationships. Organisations and businesses often talk about being resilient and responsive. If that’s what they really want, they should take better care to value the time and energy it actually takes to build and nurture relationships, both within and outside of the business, that will weather the good and bad times.
Having a conversation is doing something – something important, necessary and nourishing.
Most people act before they know what is really going on - You may get very busy doing the wrong thing.
Many people want to act before the larger group is ready. Off you go alone because the larger group is not with you.
Have you not been surprised if you have talked over time abut a complex problem - how new aspects seem to emerge that you had no idea about before? What if you had just rushed in to action before you knew as much as you do now?
Have you not found that when you really converse with each other, at a deep level, how you feel closer and more trusting about the other folks on the team. How does this trust and closeness affect the action when you finally come to take it?
Who are the people who are so strident about action? What is their track record for effectiveness?
I think that we don't talk enough. I think that the cause of our constant inability to make progress on the complex challenges that confront is is that we act too soon.
More exploration and more trust is needed. - So there I have spoken!
