WEBVTT 1 00:00:18.625 --> 00:00:20.885 Hey, it's Rachel Cook, your Modern mentor. 2 00:00:21.385 --> 00:00:24.005 I'm the founder of Lead Above Noise, where we help leaders 3 00:00:24.525 --> 00:00:27.205 activate performance and engagement without burning out. 4 00:00:27.555 --> 00:00:29.365 Whether it's a bootcamp, a keynote, 5 00:00:29.505 --> 00:00:33.205 or a pulse check, we help teams achieve meaningful change if 6 00:00:33.205 --> 00:00:34.445 that's what your organization needs. 7 00:00:34.575 --> 00:00:37.605 Let's talk. So I've been reflecting on something 8 00:00:37.605 --> 00:00:40.205 that comes up in almost every conversation I 9 00:00:40.205 --> 00:00:41.325 have with leaders these days. 10 00:00:41.995 --> 00:00:43.085 It's this question of 11 00:00:43.515 --> 00:00:47.085 what do I do when the challenge my team is facing feels too 12 00:00:47.085 --> 00:00:49.125 big for me to solve, and I get it? 13 00:00:49.275 --> 00:00:53.085 Sometimes, often really the problems, whether it's lack 14 00:00:53.085 --> 00:00:55.085 of resources, frustrating processes 15 00:00:55.085 --> 00:00:56.805 or tensions with other teams, 16 00:00:57.355 --> 00:00:59.365 they can just feel out of our hands. 17 00:01:00.185 --> 00:01:02.645 But here's what I tell them, you don't need 18 00:01:02.645 --> 00:01:04.645 to fix the whole system to make a difference. 19 00:01:05.065 --> 00:01:07.765 In fact, sometimes the most impactful thing you can do 20 00:01:08.305 --> 00:01:10.125 is make things just a little bit easier. 21 00:01:10.935 --> 00:01:14.365 Small in intentional changes can create the kind of relief 22 00:01:14.365 --> 00:01:17.325 that boosts morale, that strengthens relationships, 23 00:01:17.385 --> 00:01:19.605 and that moves your team closer to thriving, 24 00:01:20.155 --> 00:01:22.245 even if the bigger challenge still exists. 25 00:01:23.265 --> 00:01:25.675 This mindset shift sits at the foundation 26 00:01:25.895 --> 00:01:27.755 of the activation Boot camps I run. 27 00:01:28.165 --> 00:01:30.315 These boot camps are designed for cohorts 28 00:01:30.315 --> 00:01:32.755 of leaders within organizations that are looking 29 00:01:32.755 --> 00:01:35.195 to gain the skills, the tools, the practice, 30 00:01:35.335 --> 00:01:36.955 and the confidence to find 31 00:01:36.975 --> 00:01:38.235 and resolve the obstacles, 32 00:01:38.235 --> 00:01:40.475 holding their teams back from their best performance, 33 00:01:41.255 --> 00:01:42.555 and just convincing leaders 34 00:01:42.745 --> 00:01:45.555 that a low stakes first step can have a meaningful 35 00:01:45.555 --> 00:01:47.275 impact, feels like a big win. 36 00:01:47.275 --> 00:01:49.995 Sometimes it's the place where momentum begins. 37 00:01:50.385 --> 00:01:53.355 Instead of spinning on how to solve the unsolvable, 38 00:01:53.775 --> 00:01:55.195 we focus on first steps. 39 00:01:56.155 --> 00:01:58.035 I recently wrapped in Activation Bootcamp 40 00:01:58.165 --> 00:02:00.875 where I was pretty delighted by the actions I saw taken, 41 00:02:01.415 --> 00:02:03.435 and I'd love to share some of them with you today 42 00:02:03.585 --> 00:02:06.315 because maybe there's a mindset shift you need to make 43 00:02:06.615 --> 00:02:07.635 and this can help you make it. 44 00:02:08.735 --> 00:02:11.755 So here are five big challenges that were raised 45 00:02:11.755 --> 00:02:15.075 to these leaders and the five steps that they took not 46 00:02:15.075 --> 00:02:17.635 to solve, but to ease those realities. 47 00:02:18.585 --> 00:02:20.795 Challenge one, not enough. 48 00:02:20.955 --> 00:02:22.075 Learning and development opportunities. 49 00:02:22.945 --> 00:02:24.915 This is a big one, and for good reason, 50 00:02:25.295 --> 00:02:27.715 people wanna grow, but the reality. 51 00:02:28.155 --> 00:02:30.675 Transforming an organization's approach to learning 52 00:02:30.675 --> 00:02:34.595 and development often requires a lot of investment of time, 53 00:02:34.685 --> 00:02:35.835 money, and resources. 54 00:02:36.625 --> 00:02:37.845 So what did one leader do? 55 00:02:38.425 --> 00:02:40.165 She implemented a monthly lunch 56 00:02:40.165 --> 00:02:43.645 and learn series, simple, low cost, and easy to manage. 57 00:02:44.065 --> 00:02:45.805 She tapped into internal experts 58 00:02:45.905 --> 00:02:47.485 to share knowledge on key topics. 59 00:02:47.985 --> 00:02:49.805 She curated some LinkedIn learning courses, 60 00:02:50.025 --> 00:02:51.725 and she screened some TED Talks. 61 00:02:52.185 --> 00:02:54.685 The team created their own little homegrown learning circle. 62 00:02:55.425 --> 00:02:58.325 It wasn't a massive overhaul, but it was a first step, 63 00:02:58.745 --> 00:03:00.445 and it gave people a space to learn 64 00:03:00.585 --> 00:03:02.405 and share ideas and connect. 65 00:03:02.955 --> 00:03:05.245 Challenge number two, frustration 66 00:03:05.275 --> 00:03:07.645 with the mandatory return to office policy. 67 00:03:08.595 --> 00:03:11.805 This team hated the company's policies, compelling them 68 00:03:11.805 --> 00:03:13.605 to commute in more days than they wanted. 69 00:03:14.305 --> 00:03:15.845 The leader couldn't change the policy, 70 00:03:16.505 --> 00:03:19.245 but he could make the experience more meaningful. 71 00:03:19.825 --> 00:03:21.925 He noticed that the frustration was tied to 72 00:03:21.925 --> 00:03:24.205 how unproductive those in-office days felt. 73 00:03:24.465 --> 00:03:26.405 People were commuting in only 74 00:03:26.425 --> 00:03:27.965 to sit on Zoom meetings all day. 75 00:03:28.585 --> 00:03:30.285 So who created a shared document 76 00:03:30.285 --> 00:03:32.205 where team members could post the days they planned 77 00:03:32.205 --> 00:03:33.725 to be in the office and some 78 00:03:33.725 --> 00:03:35.885 of their key topic areas of interest? 79 00:03:36.425 --> 00:03:39.605 The team began to use this to coordinate in-person lunches 80 00:03:39.605 --> 00:03:41.285 and coffees and networking meetups. 81 00:03:42.105 --> 00:03:44.005 It didn't change the RTO mandate, 82 00:03:44.505 --> 00:03:47.565 but it made the time feel more purposeful and connective. 83 00:03:48.415 --> 00:03:50.165 Small steps, little bit of ease. 84 00:03:54.165 --> 00:03:57.895 Challenge three being consulted too late in a process. 85 00:03:59.045 --> 00:04:01.575 This team often found themselves blindsided 86 00:04:01.575 --> 00:04:03.335 by decisions made without their input. 87 00:04:03.755 --> 00:04:06.375 They'd get handed a directive to implement only 88 00:04:06.375 --> 00:04:08.775 to realize they could have contributed valuable insights 89 00:04:08.775 --> 00:04:11.575 earlier in the process, and now they had to work three times 90 00:04:11.635 --> 00:04:13.175 as hard to make it work. 91 00:04:13.175 --> 00:04:16.055 Within these constraints, the leaders fix 92 00:04:16.775 --> 00:04:18.895 a 15 minute simple weekly check-in 93 00:04:18.895 --> 00:04:20.855 with leaders from the other teams involved 94 00:04:20.855 --> 00:04:21.935 in the same projects. 95 00:04:22.565 --> 00:04:24.415 This quick sync allowed him 96 00:04:24.415 --> 00:04:26.455 to surface any potential changes early 97 00:04:26.875 --> 00:04:28.815 and to ensure his team's voice was heard 98 00:04:29.035 --> 00:04:30.655 before decisions were finalized. 99 00:04:31.315 --> 00:04:33.015 It wasn't a complete overhaul 100 00:04:33.175 --> 00:04:34.255 of the decision making process, 101 00:04:34.755 --> 00:04:37.095 but it created more opportunities for this team 102 00:04:37.115 --> 00:04:38.935 to influence the shape of the project, 103 00:04:39.475 --> 00:04:41.935 and it helped to start to reduce their frustration. 104 00:04:42.745 --> 00:04:45.555 Challenge number four, inconsistency in 105 00:04:45.615 --> 00:04:46.995 how requests are received. 106 00:04:47.745 --> 00:04:50.275 This team struggled with messy, unclear, 107 00:04:50.375 --> 00:04:52.795 or incomplete requests coming from other teams. 108 00:04:53.185 --> 00:04:55.955 They had to spend way too much time trying to make sense 109 00:04:55.955 --> 00:04:58.555 of the asks before they could even start the work. 110 00:04:59.575 --> 00:05:02.355 To ease this pain point, the leaders worked with the team 111 00:05:02.415 --> 00:05:04.435 to create a simple intake template. 112 00:05:04.905 --> 00:05:07.195 This template required a basic level of research 113 00:05:07.195 --> 00:05:09.275 and clarity that another team had to do 114 00:05:10.095 --> 00:05:11.795 before putting in a requests. 115 00:05:12.545 --> 00:05:14.955 This small step cut down on the back 116 00:05:14.955 --> 00:05:17.195 and forth communication, and it saved time 117 00:05:17.335 --> 00:05:19.795 and ensured that the team could focus on doing the work 118 00:05:20.055 --> 00:05:21.955 rather than deciphering the request 119 00:05:23.155 --> 00:05:26.615 and challenge five frustration with lazy other teams. 120 00:05:27.805 --> 00:05:29.895 This leader's team felt like they were working 121 00:05:29.895 --> 00:05:30.935 harder than everyone else. 122 00:05:31.435 --> 00:05:34.295 The finger pointing was creating tension and eroding trust. 123 00:05:34.955 --> 00:05:36.135 The leader felt it too, 124 00:05:36.355 --> 00:05:39.815 but also suspected the frustration might be coming from some 125 00:05:39.815 --> 00:05:40.975 incomplete information. 126 00:05:41.555 --> 00:05:43.855 So he implemented a monthly cross team meeting. 127 00:05:44.405 --> 00:05:45.535 Each month, his team 128 00:05:45.635 --> 00:05:47.815 and another team would come together 129 00:05:47.875 --> 00:05:49.935 to discuss a current challenge they were facing. 130 00:05:50.665 --> 00:05:54.415 These conversations increased transparency and built empathy 131 00:05:54.635 --> 00:05:57.605 and highlighted the hard work that all teams were doing. 132 00:05:58.345 --> 00:06:01.165 It turns out no one team was particularly lazy. 133 00:06:01.755 --> 00:06:04.605 It's just that each team didn't fully understand the other 134 00:06:04.625 --> 00:06:06.125 team's roles and priorities. 135 00:06:06.625 --> 00:06:08.925 And these meetings not only improved collaboration, 136 00:06:09.025 --> 00:06:11.845 but also strengthened relationships across teams. 137 00:06:12.585 --> 00:06:14.925 So there you have it, five challenges. 138 00:06:15.475 --> 00:06:17.285 Five eases, not fixes, 139 00:06:17.705 --> 00:06:20.485 but meaningful steps within these leaders control 140 00:06:20.745 --> 00:06:23.885 to create relief, improve workflows, and boost morale. 141 00:06:24.385 --> 00:06:26.885 If your team is facing challenges that feel too big 142 00:06:26.885 --> 00:06:29.205 to solve, I encourage you to think small. 143 00:06:29.755 --> 00:06:31.325 What is one step you can take 144 00:06:31.545 --> 00:06:33.245 to make things just a little bit easier? 145 00:06:33.665 --> 00:06:37.245 You'll be amazed at how small changes can create big impact. 146 00:06:37.785 --> 00:06:40.245 And if you'd like support in uncovering your team's 147 00:06:40.365 --> 00:06:43.165 challenges and finding ways to ease them, reach out 148 00:06:43.165 --> 00:06:46.045 to me at rachel@leadabovenoise.com. 149 00:06:46.275 --> 00:06:48.005 Whether it's a bootcamp, a keynote, 150 00:06:48.065 --> 00:06:49.605 or a pulse check, we'll help you 151 00:06:49.605 --> 00:06:50.765 create that meaningful change. 152 00:06:52.015 --> 00:06:54.105 Join me next week for another great episode. 153 00:06:54.515 --> 00:06:57.585 Until then, visit my website@leadabovenoise.com. 154 00:06:58.165 --> 00:07:00.945 You can follow Modern Mentor on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, 155 00:07:01.165 --> 00:07:02.785 or wherever you listen to podcasts. 156 00:07:03.045 --> 00:07:05.625 Thanks so much for listening and have a successful week. 157 00:07:05.925 --> 00:07:08.065 Modern Mentor is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast. 158 00:07:08.695 --> 00:07:10.665 It's audio engineered by Dan Fand. 159 00:07:11.165 --> 00:07:13.625 Our Director of podcasts is Brandon Getches. 160 00:07:14.005 --> 00:07:16.385 Our podcast and advertising operations specialist 161 00:07:16.445 --> 00:07:17.625 is Morgan Christensen. 162 00:07:18.165 --> 00:07:20.785 Our digital operations specialist is Holly Hutchings. 163 00:07:21.125 --> 00:07:23.865 Our marketing and publicity associate is Davina Tomlin. 164 00:07:24.405 --> 00:07:26.425 Our marketing contractor is Nathaniel Hoops.