The e-newsletter from Forrest WorkshopsFrom the pine...Closing the book on a busy Q1, did that rarest of things the other day... took an hour, alone, a pot of tea, Hutt St, on the footpath, in the sunshine, and mulled. No client stuff, no writing-more-of-these-enewsletters stuff, no preconceived output or agenda... just contemplating. Free association stuff. Troy Forrest, Forrest Workshops & Strategy Road. Strategic play – The horizon, the compass & the name on the boatPurpose, Vision and Values are statements that savvy organisations craft, reminding them to be what they believe in, to head where they desire and to deliver a legacy that means something to them. The example above, one I crafted nearly a year ago for my umbrella brand, tells you nothing of the "how" Strategy Road is going about its work. How it is presently organised as an organic collective of 16 diverse, independent-but-aligned professionals seeking common ground opportunities to build better and deliver greater value for more. Tells you nothing of the service package Strategy Road "The Entity" has developed and is delivering to these "Swarm Members" to try and help them thrive (and in turn, help more of their clients flourish). Tells you nothing of the financial model, the systems and processes, the talents within or the mechanisms of engagement. What it does tell you is what the brand and those behind it believe in. What it stands for. What its guiding principles are, irrespective of the "how" of the day (for the "how" always, always changes). It's true, you can run a well-oiled piece of machinery that punches out great stuff, and do it awhile without a set of guiding principles like these. The Vision - a horizon that, as you near it, needs resetting. But far enough away to keep your eyes moving beyond just daily operational metrics. The Values - compass behaviours that guide and test your actions against your moral and ethical beliefs. Aspirational, but that need to be real, and while they may never change much, need reflection and calibration over time. And the Purpose? The name on the boat. The thing that will be remembered for what it stood for, for what it delivered, for why it bothered, for its legacy. Decide what you want it to be now (or let the world label you when you're gone). From "Don't shoot the dog! The New Art of Teaching & Training" by Karen Pryor. The Green RoomGood wood from smart guest contributors. This edition…. James McGill from Chatham Capital Exchange, with ideas on developing and delivering "The Pitch". 5 upsides to writing a beneficiaries listWhen was the last time you took a texta to the whiteboard, or pen to paper, and listed out all the beneficiaries of your professional endeavours? Your client list, your staff, their clients, your boss, your colleagues... people you help (and want to help) via your daily actions. Why bother?
Workshop observation...Visual stimulus.a. Scrolling through a well-crafted & stimulating slide deck helps open eyes and minds, but Seeds3 questions to sort the truly committed from the tyre kickers…
Remote roads, better journeyed with trusted company. The Swarm GuideMeet Strategy Road Associate Randal Brooks, a highly experienced Chartered Accountant, Strategic Business Advisor and Management Consultant, who helps organisations with "what-if" analysis (growth path assessment), investment and business case development, and business plan review and development. His financial and management experience and skills are deep and varied - check out his business Results Business Management. BloomingThe "just because" gift...When did you last go out of your way to gift something to someone in your world "just because"? A sticky note on their favourite chocolate bar. A book from your shelf you think they'd enjoy (it's just gathering dust, right?). A small "I was in the shop and saw this and thought of you, so..." token. A latte or a sticky bun. Doesn't have to cost the farm. Can be hand made. Small as small can be. But thoughtful. Not for a birthday, anniversary or payback because you feel you owe them. Just because. You know who gets the bigger reward there, right? You don't get speccy sunsets without a few clouds... Discomfort = un-soft "Soft" isn't a positive descriptor. Be emotionally intelligent, be kind and generous and warm-hearted, but "soft"... means easily harmed. And because comfort feeds soft, and the changing world serves up discomfort daily, maybe embracing it, seeking it out, can help you;
Don't break yourself, and don't deny yourself moments of comfort, but don't languish in the soft spots too long (because the market-served consequences of being soft are pretty hard). Worth a Bo Peep...Smart daily aggregation of all things happening in the Aus media, advertising and marketing world. Free to your inbox - http://mumbrella.com.au. Luft balloons* (imagine...)What are they really asking for? The famous Henry Ford line... "If I'd asked my customers what they wanted, they'd have said "a faster horse"."
... is there something else,
something deeper they're asking? Slide deck specials It's one thing to come up with lots of great "wooden doll" ideas and concepts in a workshop... Workshop fun "Why so serious?" Me with a bunch of my youngest's friends a few years back. If you've organised and run a kids birthday party (and survived), then you can facilitate a workshop. I know you've got serious strategic imperatives to define and map. I know the shareholder and stakeholder consequences of getting it wrong are massive. And I know it's a finite pot of hours you have, dear grown ups, to do the important work in the workshop room. But "fun" and "delivering the greatest outcomes possible" aren't mutually exclusive. With colour, with thought, with imagery and exercises and chocolate and the smart interlacing of light-heartedness and intelligent process, you can get a crew to the end of the day where they've delivered and enjoyed. Be mindful that for every dose of "fun", you have to add an extra dose of "smart" (be that through research, planning, time management or deftly woven agendas aligned to target outcomes). But don't make that a reason to not do it. Lazy workshops are boring workshops, and vice versa. Ask the question, "if we leave this room today, and every piece of output / decision made was rendered useless tomorrow for reasons beyond our control, would we STILL have given the team a great memory, a terrific day of bonding and spending time (enjoyable) in each others company?" You need both, Don't ignore the fun bit. Orange wigs entirely optional. The trees for the woods…It's funny because it's #true... Wanna sign up?If a mate has forwarded this free e-share to you and you’d like it once or twice a month, click here and type "sign me up, Scotty!" – thanks! Thank you for reading! Forrest Workshops custom-builds and facilitates team workshops on topics ranging from strategic planning, leadership and sales practice development, to innovation, customer experience creation and collaborating with your supply chain in an evolving market. Based in Adelaide, serving clients nationally and internationally, from SMEs to Fortune 500s. NEW! Forrest Workshops For One are tailored Coaching & mentoring programs for leaders, business owners, sales and service professionals. High-touch, deep- and long-term impact support. Contact Troy Forrest from Forrest Workshops on 0430 308963 or troy@forrestworkshops.com.au for a discussion. |