Bob and Leslie were already into the dialogue of their regular ISP coaching session when Bob saw an incoming text from one of his other ISPees. It was simply marked: “Very Urgent”.
<Bob> Leslie, I have just received an urgent SMS that I think I need to investigate immediately. Could we put this conversation on ice for 10 minutes and I will call you back?
<Leslie> Of course. I have lots to do. Please do not rush back if it requires more time.
<Bob> Thank you.
Ten minutes later Leslie saw that Bob was phoning and picked up.
<Leslie> Hi Bob. I hope you were able to sort out the urgent problem. The fact that you are back suggests you did.
<Bob> Hi Leslie. Thank you for your understanding and patience. The issue was urgent and the root cause is not yet solved, but lessons are being learned. And this is one you are going to come up against too so it may be an opportune time to explore it.
<Leslie> H’mm. Now you have pricked my curiosity. But you can’t discuss someone else’s problem with me surely!
<Bob> No indeed. Strict confidentiality is essential. We can talk about the generic issue though, without disclosing any details. Do you remember that project you were doing last year where you achieved an initial success and then it all seemed to go wobbly?
<Leslie> Yes. At the time you said that I needed to put that one on the shelf and to press on with other projects. I think the phrase you used was “it needs to stew for a while“.
<Bob> And what happened?
<Leslie> The hard won improvement in performance slipped back and I felt like a failure and started to lose confidence. You said not to blame myself but to learn and move on. The lesson was I did not appreciate the difference between circles of control and circles of influence. I was trying to influence others before I had mastered self-control.
<Bob> Yes. There was another factor too but I did not feel it was the time to explore it. Now feels like a better time.
<Leslie> OK … now my curiosity is really fired up.
<Bob> Do you remember last week’s blog about the Improvement Gearbox?
<Leslie> Yes. I really liked the mechanical metaphor. It resonated with so many things. I have used it several times this week in conversations.
<Bob> Well, there is a close relationship between the level of challenge and the gearbox. As complexity increases we need to be able to use more of the gears, and to change up and down with ease and according to need.
<Leslie> Change down? I sort of assumed that once you got to fourth gear you stay there.
<Bob> That is true if the terrain is level and everyone is on board the bus with the same destination in mind. In reality the terrain goes up and down and as we learn we need to stop and let some people get off and take others on board.
<Leslie> So we need to change down gears on the uphill bits, change up gears on the downhill, and go through the whole gear sequence when we deliberately slow to a halt, and then get on our way again.
<Bob> Yes. Well put. The world is changing all the time and the team on board is in dynamic flux. Some arrive, some leave and others stay on the bus but change seats as we move along. Not all seats suit all people. What is comfortable for one may be painful for another.
<Leslie> So how come the urgent call?
<Bob> A fight had broken out on their bus, the tribes were arguing because the improvements they have made have blown away some of the fog and exposed some deeper cultural cracks. Cracks that had been there all the time but were concealed by the fog of the daily chaos and the smoke of the burning martyrs. They had taken their eye off the road and were heading for a blind bend unaware of what was around the corner.
<Leslie> So your intervention was to shout “Pay attention to the road and make a decision … steer or stop!“
<Bob> Yes, that about sums it up. A co-labor-ation call.
<Leslie> Eh? Dis you just say collaboration in a weird way?
<Bob> Yes. I chopped it up into concepts … “co” means together, “labor” means work and “ation” means action or process. If they do not learn to co-labor-ate then they will come off the road, crash, and burn. And join the graveyard of improvement train wrecks that litter the verges of the rocky road of change.
<Leslie> Fourth gear stuff?
<Bob> Whole gearbox stuff. All gears between first and fourth because they are all necessary at different times. Each gear builds on those which go before. There are no good or bad gears just fit-for-current-purpose or not. Bad driving is ineptitude. Not using the vehicle’s gearbox effectively and efficiently and risking the safety and comfort of the passengers and other road users. Poor leadership is analogous to poor driving. Dangerous.
<Leslie> So an effective leader of change needs to be able to use all the gears competently and to know when to use which and when to change. And in doing so demonstrate what a safe pair of leadership hands looks like and what it can achieve … through collaborative effort.
<Bob> Perfect! It is time for you to tear up your L plates.