IvySea, Inc.

Conscious Remembering ~
How to Face Challenges and Emerge Stronger

The legendary duo of American explorers, Lewis and Clark, reached the first peak west of the source of Missouri river expecting to see the Pacific ocean. They didn't. Instead, they saw the Rocky Mountain range extending out as far as the eye could see. As you might guess, that was no doubt a moment of reckoning and reflecting on the purpose of their journey. At that point, they realized that if they were to persevere, they would need a new plan for moving forward on a longer, more arduous journey than they first expected.

Most teams have experienced this feeling of cresting one "mountain" only to see another standing in the path toward their goal. For some, this is a motivation-deflating experience, where frustration or apathy takes over. For others, it’s proof positive that the skills, tools and mindset that helped them scale one hurdle, having been further strengthened by additional experience, will help them scale another. For these individuals, scaling the peaks of one challenge and then another becomes a journey of fortitude and expansion that in turn allows for a much greater contribution to their fellow beings.

This tip series centers around how to find and build on group strengths; the analogy above is a good example of why this is important. Without a clear vision and motivated team members, groups are markedly less effective and likely to give up at the first hint of challenge. When not accessing the team’s collective gifts and proven skills, all of the effort in the world won’t bring about the same results than the conscious, cohesive and energized version of of the group might have.

How can you turn a mountain into a motivating force?

Recollect past experiences and examples of when your group — and perhaps the individuals in it, if they're willing to share from their personal stories — surmounted what seemed to be impossible odds and emerged stronger and more adept. The realization that all of us have proved capable in the past, whether we've recognized and acknowledged that or not, is an incredibly motivating and confidence-building force.

Here are several tips to use in guiding your group from one peak to the next:

1. Invite and discuss real-life stories of when and how your group previously resolved a challenge effectively and efficiently, while garnering praise from your client. You might be surprised by how many stories there are!

2. Dissect these stories to identify everything that group members did to achieve these results. For instance:

— How did you communicate with each other, the client, etc.?
— What project management tools were in place?
— Was the project goal clear? How? Why?
— What roles did group members play?
— How did the group maintain focus and a healthy mindset?
— What stood out as exceptional in this project?
— What worked in your favor?

3. Distinguish key themes that appear in each story of fortitude, perseverance, growth and success.

4. Link the key themes to the upcoming "mountain," identifying ways to replicate or even improve upon those practices.

5. Be certain to plot development goals that individual group members want to have achieved after cresting this mountain. This will make it easier to monitor and measure growth after each challenge — which is an enormous motivating factor for future challenges and performance in general!

Missed the previous tips in this series? Start here!

Contact us at Ivy Sea for assistance in clarifying your vision and purpose, connecting the people of your organization, and unleashing the full potential of your group, We'd be happy to talk with you about the possibilities and options that best suit your needs, style, culture and budget.

Remember, this information is food-for-thought. The most effective approach is the one that's been tailored to meet the unique needs of your group. If you have questions, connect with someone who can provide a perspective you trust and value, or e-mail us at info@ivysea.com.

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