Past to Future
There’s a couple of prevalent themes running through my recent coaching and mentoring conversations.
The first is that the end of year panic and workload has risen dramatically; the workplace vibe is all about ticking things off the list before holidays and that there is no time for reflection or looking forward.
The other theme is almost the opposite. The workplace vibe here is one of “we’re done”, ignoring the current needs, no looking back, and just forging on ahead into 2022.
For every one of these examples, there are numerous combinations of the above. I understand each and every one of them. For so many it has been a tough year and looking ahead to 2022 offers hope and change. I also get that this time of year is one of wanting to clear the decks to take a well-earned holiday, or feel a sense of achievement for having got that thing off the list or that project completed
Past, present and future aren’t an either/or proposition.
Reflecting on what has been and learning from past experiences is exactly what Steve Jobs referred to when he said ‘the dots are connected looking backwards’.
Reflection and learning from the past informs today and the ability to adapt and change the what, how, why and more of our daily work, leading to incremental improvements and higher performance.
And, of course, the past and present inform where we’re going. Sure, we don’t have certainty or control over the future but we do have the ability to set intentions for change and the path we wish to take.
It is a leader’s role - at any time of year, and particularly this time - to guide their team’s focus and attention on the past, present and future. We might then observe a theme of proactive, learning and adaptive teams, with the intent and capability to drive and embed the change necessary to achieve long-term results.
How good would that be to cross off the to-do list?