Choosing where to focus your time and money is probably the most challenging question to answer. You face many choices every day, but how do you decide which deserves your attention?
Learn how to make better decisions using the Cost vs. Benefit Matrix.
This powerful tool helps you assess your options objectively, visualize your thought process, and weigh the positives and negatives of each choice.
In this video, Graham Field shares the essence of the matrix, its applications, and how to use it in real-life scenarios. You’ll also get a free downloadable template to make better decisions today. Suitable for anyone looking to enhance their decision-making skills.
By the end of this video, you’ll have a robust framework for navigating decisions with greater confidence and precision. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more valuable tools and strategies.
How to make better risk-based decisions is a question for anyone who needs to assess risk. Using critical thinking tools is one way to make better choices. The Risk vs. Likelihood Matrix enables you to navigate uncertainty with confidence.
Welcome to the Risk vs. Likelihood Matrix, your guide to making informed decisions amid uncertainty.
This matrix helps you categorise risks based on severity and probability, prioritise actions, and allocate resources efficiently. Whether spearheading a project, contemplating investments, or making personal choices, this tool aids in clarifying complex scenarios and guiding your actions with confidence and precision.
Access a complimentary downloadable template to apply the matrix to your personal and professional endeavours. Remember, knowledge is power when it comes to decision-making. Start using the Risk vs. Likelihood Matrix today!
Psychological safety is the cornerstone of high-performing teams and thriving workplaces, enabling open communication, creativity, and innovation. However, even well-intentioned leaders can unknowingly erode this environment through specific actions or habits. Whether dismissing feedback, micromanaging, or prioritising results over relationships, these behaviours can stifle collaboration and suppress team morale. The resulting impact isn’t just limited to strained relationships—companies face diminished learning, reduced creativity, and a decline in overall productivity. This article dives into the subtle ways leaders may undermine psychological safety and provides actionable insights to help leaders foster an atmosphere of trust and openness where employees feel empowered to contribute and take risks without fear of judgment.
The concept of psychological safety is pivotal in today’s corporate environment, as highlighted by Amy Edmondson’s influential work The Fearless Organization. While its benefits are clear—fostering innovation, engagement and a no-blame culture—leaders often hinder the implementation.
Understanding Psychological Safety
Psychological safety creates a corporate culture that values transparency and sees mistakes as learning opportunities. It encourages individuals to voice concerns and share ideas freely, which is crucial for driving forward-thinking and innovation.
Consider the alternative: a culture of fear and shame that drives problems underground, misses learning opportunities and increases the risk of systemic issues. It is human nature to avoid looking foolish and being shunned. So mistakes are hidden and we let things slide.
Learning From History
In the late ’70s and early ’80s, the global aviation industry faced substantial safety issues, declining consumer confidence and air travel numbers. They had little choice but to tackle their safety issues head-on. This required airlines to come together with a common goal to make everyone who flies as safe as possible.
Introducing a nonpunitive reporting policy required pilots to share incidents and near misses within an agreed timeframe. This policy was pivotal to improving standards, making air travel one of the safest forms of travel.
Why Do Businesses Choose To Focus On It?
Businesses now see psychological safety as a beacon for high engagement and empowerment, unlocking hidden potential while making an environment less risky. This pursuit is admirable and noble, but it needs the courage and conviction of leaders to see it through. It is also a journey, not a destination.
What Causes Psychological Safety To Fail?
Teams constantly change, and therefore, dynamics shift. Our primal responses see new people as threats, unknown entities that cause uncertainty and anxiety. Much of this is subconscious, so we might not even realise it’s happening. When you add in internal competition, ego and misaligned goals, the cracks soon appear, and performance levels drop.
Egotistical leaders who place their needs above the group destroy psychological safety. Their obsession with winning causes people to feel unsafe. A more selfless leadership focused on performance—that faces the facts, sharing thoughts, good and bad—can lead to a better future.
How leaders react is crucial, too. When things happen, is their response disproportionate? Or are they balanced, calm and methodical? The personal pressure level will determine a leader’s response, and their feelings can influence whether it’s in proportion.
The leader’s intent may be to tackle the challenge a-on, embrace the learning opportunity and come together to work through it. However, add in the complexity and demands from boardrooms, stock markets, media and the workforce, and that intent may waver. The scale and nature of these pressures can easily bias any leader’s decision-making.
How leaders intellectually spar with their people can be dangerous. It can be healthy to stretch, test and explore with their people, but if they have to “win” the argument, they will likely intimidate their people, who will probably then stay in their lane and play it safe.
I sympathise with those in public roles who are particularly susceptible to this; the risk of failure is so high personally and professionally that adopting a psychological safety culture, while intellectually sensible, can be risky as mistakes and failure are spun in the public eye by the press with a witch hunt as they demand someone to be held accountable—that’s not conducive to psychological safety and definitely a need for strong leadership.
What Happens When Psychological Safety Is Failing?
The absence of psychological safety causes decline, whether it be an existential problem that causes the leader’s downfall or a slow decline.
Without learning and growth, people don’t innovate, take risks or be creative. People who previously felt safe can now feel exposed and seek new opportunities elsewhere, which means losing talent and recruiting becoming harder.
Employees can become less engaged and feel undervalued, marginalized and underappreciated, so delivering organizational goals becomes much more challenging.
Increased stress and anxiety directly impact decision-making. People play it safe, looking for ways not to lose instead of playing to win. Playing to win means being prepared to lose, but knowing failure means learning and growth. In other words, you either win or learn.
The irony is that a psychologically safe culture surfaces issues and allows for debate, discussion, shared learning and more collaborative problem-solving. All of which raise standards across an organization, decreasing risk and driving up performance.
Why You Need To Hold Your Nerve
The alternative to psychological safety doesn’t bear thinking about; a false harmony pervades, and blind spots grow. It makes no sense only to hear what you want to hear; the reality is that bear traps are lying in wait!
Psychological safety doesn’t guarantee a worry-free journey, but the issues can be in plain sight, and your people will be more likely to want to be a part of the solution.
It takes real effort to remain rational and calm when things around you are failing. However, we can train ourselves to look for the learning in the chaos over time. But you must fight your body’s natural fight or flight response, develop strong self-talk and create a narrative that finds the learning once you let the emotions dissipate.
As Kipling said, “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you; If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you but make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting.”
Being human means making mistakes. Being superhuman might just mean having the courage to embrace and learn from them.
This article first appeared on Forbes.com on 27th February 2024
Ricky has been a regular contributor to the Forbes Councils since 2023, where he shares his perspectives on all things leadership, change, culture and productivity, all with Thinking Focus’ unique perspective on metacognition, or as we prefer to say, thinking about thinking.
Purpose: why your success depends on it dives into the concept of purpose and its critical role in driving success both personally and professionally.
Discover how understanding and aligning with your purpose can transform your approach to work, motivate teams, and lead to remarkable achievements.
Have you ever wondered if there’s more to your job than just tasks and deadlines?
Uncover the power of purpose and how it can turn routine into passion, driving you and your team towards success.
Journey to Success: Follow my journey as a Manager, where starting from scratch with a new team, we achieved our annual goal in just ten months. Learn how a clear purpose and a compelling vision inspired my team to overcome challenges and exceed expectations.
Purpose is our driving force; it’s why we do what we do. From global charities like Oxfam to iconic brands like Coca-Cola, we explore how purpose fuels dedication and inspires contributions beyond the ordinary. Discover why purpose is a frontline manager’s secret weapon for motivating teams, making strategic decisions, and fostering a culture of resilience and productivity.
You will gain practical tips and strategies for embedding purpose in your leadership style. Learn how to articulate a vision that resonates, recruit team members aligned with your mission, and continually reinforce the importance of purpose in achieving organizational goals.
Learn how to focus on your goals and why your work goals must pass this test.
In this video, we unpack the holy trinity; the secret to focusing on your goals is the ‘what’, ‘why’, and ‘can I’. These are three hugely important components of any goal. Without these three solid foundations, you will learn how weak your goals are a major issues and how you are leaving the success of you and your team to chance.
Get your holy trinity in check, and you will not only make your planning more effective but also significantly increase your likelihood of success.
Look out for a terrible joke, too; my apologies! What are you waiting for?
Dive in and learn how to make your goals more robust.
Productive teams know how to work together; what helps the high-performing teams is a shared operating system, much like your PC.
A shared operating system allows people to get the work done, but using a unifying set of core principles (like apps on a PC) creates shared understanding. Imagine if you used a slide deck tool incompatible with the Microsft PowerPoint used by a colleague or customer; how frustrating would that be? How much time would be wasted decoding and figuring it out?
There is no decoding with a shared operating system; we all know how we do stuff, so we’re straight into what matters. With a common set of ‘how we get stuff done’ principles, it enables teams to shortcut and accelerate their productivity and increase output.
When it comes to boosting productivity, many people focus on external tools, systems, or processes, hoping these will unlock greater efficiency. However, the real key to sustainable productivity lies within—the “pilot in the box.” This metaphor highlights that it’s not the technology or resources at your disposal but the individual driving them that determines success.
This article explores the critical role of personal mindset, habits, and decision-making in achieving peak performance. It delves into how a growth-oriented mindset, intentional behaviours, and the ability to adapt to challenges are far more powerful than any external solution. By taking ownership of one’s mental focus, creating disciplined routines, and fostering self-awareness, individuals can transform how they work, making every tool and resource exponentially more effective. The message is clear: productivity isn’t about what you have; it’s about how you use it—and the pilot’s role is irreplaceable.
In an age where new productivity tools and apps emerge daily, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that the next shiny toy or methodology will magically make us more productive; I know I have. I love a new gadget—who doesn’t?
Over many years, I have wasted so much money searching for that something special to make me more productive. I would use them until the next shiny, “fantastic new tool that solves all your productivity issues” arrived.
While systems, software and processes play a role in organising and streamlining tasks, when you boil it down, “it all comes down to the pilot in the box.” Now I realise that is a Top Gun: Maverick quote, but it sounds so cool I just had to weave it in somewhere. I mean that it’s down to me, you, us, the masters of our destiny, to change our mindset, habits and behaviour.
1. Mindset: The Power Of Perception
Our beliefs and attitudes can either propel us forward or hold us back. As popularized by Carol Dweck, a growth mindset means believing in the potential for development and seeing challenges as opportunities. When faced with a task, someone with a growth mindset doesn’t get bogged down by the fear of failure; they see it as a learning experience.
Conversely, constantly seeking the “perfect” system might be symptomatic of a fixed mindset—the belief that productivity is an inherent trait rather than something we can develop.
Thus, cultivating a mindset that embraces challenges, remains curious and is resilient in the face of setbacks can be more crucial than the intricacies of any productivity system.
2. Habit: The Rhythm Of Consistency
Every time we turn to a new system or software, there’s a learning curve. Often, once we’re familiar with a tool, we move on to another, forever chasing the promise of enhanced productivity. This constant shifting is a productivity trap in itself. But what if the secret to productivity isn’t in the tool but in the routine?
Habits, once formed, require less mental energy. They become second nature, allowing us to execute tasks efficiently without the cognitive load of decision-making. For example, regularly reviewing tasks could be more beneficial than any software in which those tasks are stored.
Creating positive habits, such as daily planning or setting specific times for checking emails, can profoundly impact your productivity more than perpetually switching between tools and systems.
3. Behavior: Actions Speak Louder Than Tools
Even with the best software and processes in place, our behaviour ultimately determines productivity. Procrastination, for instance, can’t be solved by any app, no matter how sophisticated. It requires introspection, understanding the root cause and taking corrective actions.
Behaviours like setting boundaries, learning to say “no” and prioritising tasks based on importance rather than urgency can drastically improve productivity. These u, rooted in self-awareness and discipline, can determine how effectively we use any system or tool.
Tools Are Tools: People Drive Productivity
Instead of constantly searching for the next big thing in productivity tools like me, it might be time for us all to look inward and realise that we—the “pilot in the box” of our mind, not the tools—are the primary drivers of our productivity.
The intricate dance between habits, mindsets and behaviours is far more profound than any external tool or system we might employ in our quest for productivity. These elements, deeply rooted in our neural pathways, cognitive structures and past experiences, are critical in determining our daily actions and overall effectiveness.
Mindset: Mindset shapes our perceptions and responses to challenges. A growth mindset encourages resilience and biologically primes the brain for adaptability and problem-solving. By embracing this mindset, you can take a proactive approach to tasks, fostering continuous learning and improvement.
Habits: Habits tap into the brain’s propensity to conserve energy. As they become ingrained, they free up our cognitive resources, allowing us to focus on novel tasks and challenges. By consciously establishing routines that align with our goals, we can harness this neurological efficiency for productivity.
Behaviour: By understanding the psychological impetus behind behaviours like procrastination or distraction, we can develop strategies to mitigate them. This introspection enables a more holistic approach to productivity, where we’re not just ticking boxes but addressing core issues that might hold us back.
In the hustle of the modern world, it can be tempting to reach for tangible, external solutions to enhance productivity. Yet the most potent tools lie within our minds. By delving into our habits, mindsets, and behaviours and tailoring these elements to serve our goals, we can unlock a sustainable, effective, and profoundly fulfilling productivity level.
This article first appeared on Forbes.com on 14th November 2023
Ricky has been a regular contributor to the Forbes Councils since 2023, where he shares his perspectives on all things leadership, change, culture and productivity, all with Thinking Focus’ unique perspective on metacognition, or as we prefer to say, thinking about thinking.
In today’s intricate world, decision-making and learning often occur in ambiguous contexts where clear-cut answers are rare. This article delves into the complexities of navigating these “grey areas,” emphasising the importance of critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and adaptability. It highlights how social contexts and cultural influences shape our perceptions and decisions, underscoring the need for continuous learning and cultivating environments that encourage open dialogue and diverse perspectives.
Not all lessons are black and white in the vast expanse of learning and development. Much of what we learn, especially in leadership, management and personal growth, lies in grey areas—complex, nuanced and often without clear-cut answers.
How, then, do you train and develop your people to work in the grey zones when a flowchart, manual, process, or, dare I say it, artificial intelligence (AI) can’t cut it? Not yet, at least.
Serendipity piqued my curiosity, leading me into the world of social learning theory.
A Chance Encounter Inspires A Challenge
When a global automotive manufacturer challenged my company to think differently and to look at a learning problem from another perspective, we had to embrace the opportunity.
The challenge was to address a development gap in their frontline people managers; while skilled and competent in the technical and process aspects of the role, they needed to be more effective in their soft skills. The need was to be able to have impactful people conversations that changed behavior. Challenges where the stock answer is “It depends” are not the happy place for managers who would sooner fix a technical issue than talk to their people. Of course, there were operational constraints and budgetary limits, too.
We train, develop and coach people worldwide for some of the biggest brands, but this needed a new solution, something like gamification. At that time, it was not at all in our sweet spot. So we set about doing our research.
We created a dilemma game for them, one that blended four distinct components:
Gamification to motivate and maintain interest;
Psychological safety to enable participants to feel comfortable surfacing issues or exposing perceived weaknesses (the game element also helps this);
Group coaching, where a facilitator runs the game and asks great questions to cause conversation, exploration and curiosity; and finally,
Social learning, encouraging people to share their experiences, good and bad, for the benefit of the group, all under the pretext of “It’s only a game.”
Players shared more than we ever imagined, and managers grew, not just in learning but in recognising that they are not the only ones who struggle. Additionally, they built an internal support network they can talk to when needed.
The Essence Of Social Learning
Social learning is at the heart of understanding how we navigate the grey areas.
Psychologist Albert Bandura, professor emeritus of social science in psychology at Stanford University, popularised the theory. Bandura suggests that people learn from one another via observation, imitation and modelling.
One of Bandura’s most famous experiments, the Bobo doll study, demonstrated how individuals, particularly children, learn and replicate behaviours they observe in others.
This fundamental concept illuminates the significant impact of environmental and social influences on our learning processes and decision-making abilities. Where you work and who you work with significantly impact what you learn.
Learning From The Environment: The Role Of Observational Learning
From early childhood, our learning is deep-rooted in observation. We watch the actions of those around us—our parents, teachers, and peers—and see the consequences of those actions.
This observational learning extends beyond mere replication of behaviours. It involves understanding the outcomes of actions and adjusting our behaviour in response.
When we witness positive results, we are encouraged to mimic those actions. Conversely, adverse outcomes might deter us but can also pique curiosity and imitation under certain circumstances.
This dynamic interaction with our environment shapes our understanding of the world, especially in areas where the answers could be more straightforward.
The Grey Areas: Navigating Complexity Through Social Contexts
The grey areas of decision-making and ethics represent a significant challenge for personal development and professional training. These are the domains where right and wrong are not easily discernible, where the ethical, practical and effective course of action might vary depending on context and perspective.
Training individuals to navigate these complexities requires a sophisticated approach beyond traditional didactic methods. How you get an answer becomes a more important skill than knowing the answer.
Creating realistic and contextual situations for discussion and exploration is critical. By simulating real-life scenarios that present ethical dilemmas or complex decision-making situations, learners can engage in critical thinking, explore different outcomes and consider the implications of various actions.
This experiential learning approach encourages individuals to reflect on their values, the influence of their actions on others and the broader societal implications.
The Impact Of Peers And Culture
Our peers and the culture we are a part of play crucial roles in shaping our responses to grey areas. The social norms, values and behaviours are prevalent in our immediate environment influence our perceptions of what is acceptable or desirable.
This social context can either reinforce positive behaviors or perpetuate negative ones. Recognizing the power of social influence is crucial for both learners and educators, as it highlights the importance of fostering positive, supportive and ethical communities.
Moving Toward A Future Of Informed
Decision-Making
Training for the shades of gray requires an emphasis on critical thinking, empathy and ethical reasoning. It involves cultivating an environment where questioning is encouraged and diverse perspectives are valued.
By leveraging social learning principles, educators and leaders can create more nuanced training programs that prepare individuals not just to choose between black and white but to navigate the vast spectrum of grey created by current levels of uncertainty with confidence and integrity.
Our Solution
What Would You Do? helps cross-functional groups surface common issues and performance gaps through social learning, gamification, group coaching and psychological safety. You can learn more here.
Conclusion
In a complex and nuanced world, navigating the grey areas is more crucial than ever. Understanding and applying social learning principles can better prepare us and others to make informed, ethical and impactful decisions.
By observing, discussing and reflecting on the multifaceted outcomes of our actions, we grow as managers and leaders, ready to face the challenges of tomorrow with wisdom and compassion.
This article first appeared on Forbes.com on 15th April 2024
Ricky has been a regular contributor to the Forbes Councils since 2023, where he shares his perspectives on all things leadership, change, culture and productivity, all with Thinking Focus’ unique perspective on metacognition, or as we prefer to say, thinking about thinking.
Are you looking to boost your team’s productivity and cohesion?
Ricky dives into the groundbreaking study by Google that sheds light on what truly sets high-performing teams apart. Whether you’re a manager, team leader, or team member or have a curious mind, this video holds transformative insights for you!
Inside this video, you will discover:
Google’s extensive research spanned over two years.
Powerful takeaways from 200+ interviews & analysis of 250 attributes across 180+ active Google teams.
The surprising truth about what really matters in teamwork.
A comprehensive breakdown of Google’s five key dynamics for high-performing teams:
Impact of Work
Meaning of Work
Structure and clarity
Dependability
Psychological Safety
Exclusive Resource: Want to implement psychological safety in your team? Don’t miss the exclusive worksheet that will guide you through the process! Click here for the worksheet
Join Ricky on this enlightening journey and equip yourself with the tools and knowledge to craft a team that doesn’t just work but excels!
Mastering Teamwork: 7 Essential Tips to Be a Stellar Team Player
In this video, we delve deep into the art of teamwork. Whether you’re aiming to enhance your professional collaborations or uplift your personal interactions, being a top-notch team player is the game-changer.
What’s Inside?
Communication Foundations
Valuing Diverse Perspectives
Harnessing Individual Strengths
The Power of Reliability
The Need for Adaptability
Staying Positive in Team Dynamics
Resolving Conflicts the Right Way
Mastering teamwork isn’t just about getting the job done; it’s about fostering relationships, growing personally, and contributing meaningfully to collective efforts. Dive in to explore how you can elevate your team interactions and personal growth journey.
