Friday afternoon always ends up to be a lazy time for me, where I rage a battle of mind and will. There is normally two ends to the stick, a desperate need to work off my “to do” list for the week and my total lack of motivation. I can relate very well to a quote by Medea that stated: “I am dragged along by a strange new force. Desire and reason are pulling in different directions. I see the right way and approve it, but follow the wrong.”
During these battles I came to realise that we can still produce some amazing stuff during these off beat times, that has nothing to do with what is on the proverbial to-do list. In all honesty they are quite necessary for survival. It requires the following material…a high back chair that has one of those foot rests (in the absence of a foot rest, use the desk surface, it works just as well)…a nice cup of tea and a do not disturb sign for the door. Once you have all of the above, ensure the sign is up at the door, the room is nice and quiet and your chair and feet are in the right position while you enjoy the cup of tea.
Now here is what you start thinking about:
- What went well in the week that passed? Anything I am proud of or feel I did well?
- Ok so what did not go well?
- What should I do to continue on my winning streak, and how should I improve the areas identified that did not go so well?
- From all the things I identified, what do I need to work at that would benefit me the most?
- Who can I ask to help me this week with to help me change things?
There is a big correlation between these 5 steps and what needs to happen at a team review meeting, with the one exception of a 6th step that relates to motivation. We tend to use team review meetings as blame and shame sessions with no real proactive mechanism to change. The only effect this approach has is to de-motivate the team and reduce individual morale. By following the simple recipe above, we might be able to create an environment where we support one another more than breaking each other down. An environment where we can think about the project we are undertaking in a proactive, positive and relaxed way. Let us know how this worked for you by leaving a comment!
Written by Lizette Venter
Image: David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net