The Brilliance of Abstract Thinking (Conceptual and Analytical)

Understanding Abstract Thinkers (Conceptual + Analytical)

The motto for Abstract Thinkers says it best:

I see the forest and want others to count the trees.

If you're an Abstract Thinker, you're probably saying "Yes!" to that idea.
If you're not an Abstract Thinker, you might be rolling your eyes right now!

These thinking preferences might seem to be at odds with one another. How can an intuitive vision about ideas survive combined with data? Well, that's the power of this combination! When these preferences are present, individuals have the unique ability to easily problem solve with a big picture view.

So, how do you work better with someone who has these preferences?

• Skip the details and stay focused on the high-level (think: bullet points)

• Leave time for questions and tangents as they arise

• Honor their experiences and ideas with openness and curiosity

• Ask open-ended questions to allow their mind to explore and evaluate the possibilities

• Change things up with graphs and imagery if you are presenting information

• Have some data points from a credible source to back up your thoughts

• Invite fun and humor into the conversation – it’s not all about data and reasoning!

The team at Emergenetics International wrote a great blog on this topic. Check it out here!

Here's an example of Abstract Thinking in action

If you're an Abstract Thinker, consider how you can leverage your imaginative and data-driven approach to support your team. Can you help brainstorm a solution to a problem? Can you connect the dots on some big ideas?

Let that brilliance shine!

Having Difficult Conversations With Empathy

Is "having difficult conversations" on your Top 10 Things I Enjoy Doing list?

I doubt it.

As humans, we often avoid having difficult conversations because we make the conversation about what it means for us - not the person we need to have the conversation with. We worry about saying the wrong thing, making someone angry (or worse, causing them to cry), and causing stress in the relationship.

It's not about you.

It's about providing guidance or correction to someone on your team so they can learn and grow. It's about addressing a problem with empathy so someone has an opportunity to improve. It's about speaking truth to strengthen the relationship.

It's about them.

You are human, which means you're likely still thinking about what this means for you. (It's ok, we're all working on it.)

So, here are some Emotional Intelligence and Emergenetics tips to help you prepare for that difficult conversation:

Check your perspective. What is your "horn"?

Do you recognize how your "horn" might be shaping how you see the situation?

Self-awareness is the starting point for evaluating how to approach a difficult conversation.

What unconscious bias might you be bringing to the conversation?

Reflecting on what experiences you've had in the past (both positive and negative) might shape your approach.

How can you look past your "horn" and bring empathy to the conversation?

Consider what else might be affecting the individual or contributing to the situation you need to discuss.

Let's get practical using Emergenetics to shape difficult conversations

Understanding the thinking and behavioral preferences of the individual you need to have the difficult conversation with (as well as your own) can help shape the way you approach the conversation.  

(And, if you don't know their preferences, I've found that these are all best practices regardless of profile type!)

• Give a heads-up about the topic you’d like to discuss when possible.

• Consider the pace at which you need to have your discussion.

• Stay focused on the topic at hand before moving on to others.

• Bring facts and ask questions.

• Provide specific examples and next steps.

• Show empathy and assume positive intent.

• Embrace new perspectives and possible solutions.

If you'd like to explore these in detail, I'd recommend this blog post from Emergenetics.

If you'd like to understand the role of emotional intelligence and empathy in shaping difficult conversations, check out this video from Brene Brown.

Is your team having an upcoming meeting where you'd like to "shake things up" and try a different way of working together to have these hard conversations? I am an expert facilitator who can help you navigate or reimagine your meetings. If you're curious, schedule an exploratory call here.

See the human first. (And remember, you're human, too.)

Psychological Safety

“Shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking.”

- Amy Edmondson, Professor, Harvard Business School and Author of Fearless Organization

Of course, we're not talking about any unethical or illegal risks here...we're talking about small risks like voicing your opinion about a topic, bringing a new idea forward, or challenging decisions.  

It seems simple enough, right?

Not if you are in an environment where you feel like you might be openly reprimanded, passively excluded, or outright ignored. 

Not sure if your work environment is psychologically safe or not?

Here's what a safe team or organization looks like:

• Conversational turn-taking

• Social Sensitivity

• Acknowledging and learning from mistakes

• Encouraging curiosity and question asking

• Being vulnerable (Able to say "I don't know" or "Help me understand")

You can build a safe environment for your team using Emergenetics.

Each thinking attribute is looking for specific things to feel safe enough to take the risks that drive innovation, fuel growth, and lead to professional success:

ANALYTICAL

• To be able to trust teammates’ abilities.

• Accurate information.

• Freedom to ask questions.

CONCEPTUAL

• The ability to share ideas without judgement.

• The freedom to take risks and try new things.

• To understand the overall vision of the team.

STRUCTURAL

• To be able to trust that teammates will follow through on commitments.

• Respect for their time.

• Clear expectations and understanding of their role in the group.

SOCIAL

• To feel like they can trust teammates with information shared.

• The freedom to share about their life outside of work.

• To feel like others care about their well being.

Be the leader whose team answers "Yes!" when asked if they feel like they can safely take risks at work - the team that is growing, innovating, and leading change.

Did you know you can measure psychological safety?

I'm a certified Fearless Organization Scan practioner, who can administer the survey designed by Amy Edmonson, and help you determine where your team is on the safety continuum. It is a quick survey that provides deep insights.  I love how it takes a somewhat ambiguous concept and turns it into to data to take action on (but that's my Analytical preference talking!)
If you'd like to add this assessment into your team development plans this fall, you can schedule time to explore it with me here.

I also want to acknowledge (or introduce you to) the fact that not all spaces can be "safe" for every individual. There are social dynamics at work that make true safety hard to achieve.  While I appreciate the language of psychological safety (and Amy Edmonson's work on it), as I have studied this work more deeply, I have leaned more into the idea of creating courageous spaces, rather than safe ones.  So you will hear me use this language interchangeably! We can all appreciate spaces where we can practice being more courageous, right?

Here's to creating spaces where we and our teams can be courageous!

Back To School for YOU

I'll confess, I was a total geek when it came to school. I LOVED it! I still do, actually.

(You can't keep me out of the school supply aisle this time of year!)

One of the things I loved most was opening up my books for the first time and looking through everything I was going to learn. A close second for my favorite thing was the first page of a brand-new notebook...ah, the possibilities!

That's how I felt when I received my copy of the Wake Up and Wondershift journal from my fellow Emergenetics colleague, Judy Goldberg.  This is a workbook designed for you and about you!

As Judy describes it, "With five powerful themes and 50 thought-provoking exercises, this journal offers an opportunity to shape or reshape your mindset, find harmony, unleash your imagination, and strengthen your focus."

Sounds great, right? It is.

I had so much fun working with this journal -- and thought you might too! While it is not specifically Emergenetics focused, it is absolutely designed with preferences in mind.  You'll notice as you work through it that there is something for each preference.

A sneak peek...

Start Your Shift Today

If you're ready to take those back-to-school vibes and focus on yourself, this is a wonderful way to do so! And, if you have others on your team or in your life that are wondering about which direction they should go, if they should make a change, or how to just shift the quality of their life up a notch, this would be a powerful resource!

Anyone else a fellow school geek?

Building Your Best Possible Relationship (at work and at home)

Looking for an easy, high-impact way to work on your leadership skills this summer?

START HERE.

Emergenetics is a strong foundation to build your relationships at work and at home.
This book helps you take that work up a level!

After learning about Emergenetics, I often get asked "Now what?" and "How do I apply this even more?" Going forward, this book is going to be my answer to those questions!

This is an actionable, easy-to-read, easy-to-apply text about building your "Best Possible Relationship" that integrates easily with what you already know from Emergenetics.  Whether you are an experienced leader or brand new leader, the tips in this book will help you strengthen your relationship skills.

I was totally energized while reading it -- and thought you might be too!

Ten things this book will teach you
(From www.bestpossiblerelationship.com)

1  How critical your working relationships are to your success and happiness.

2  Why safe, vital, and repairable are the hallmarks of a flourishing and resilient working relationship.

3  The unexpected focus of a Keystone Conversation (this is what makes it work so well).

4  The Five Questions of the Keystone Conversation.

5  The one thing you need to do before any Keystone Conversation (and exactly how to prepare).

6  The exact words you can use to invite someone to a Keystone Conversation (this will make things easier for both of you).

7  How to finish a Keystone Conversation, so it ends strong and clear.

8  The six principles of maintenance, so things keep flourishing after the Keystone Conversation.

9  What to do with the "awkward" part of all of this. (You’re not the only one to think this might be awkward.)

10  Ten unique exercises to deepen your self-awareness, so you can bring your best to any working relationship.

No, I don't get a kickback for raving about this book - ha!

I know that the people who embrace Emergenetics tend to be on a journey for continuous improvement -- and I'm here to help in whatever way I can!

If you think this book would be useful for your team, I'm building a "book club" approach to how we actually implement these ideas and would love to help you!

Excited to hear about your Best Possible Relationship!