August 15th, 2024

NOTICING AND WONDERING

We often work with companies that are reorganizing, where the structure is being flattened and teams become the central entity. In many ways, this is an opportunity for people to have more power, to cut out unnecessary bureaucracy, and potentially grow into new roles and new ways of working. 

Even so, I notice that this change creates a lot of anxiety for people because of the associated uncertainty. Fear of losing one’s job floods the forefront of mind. The second lowest rung of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (safety and security) quivers with the thought - how will I pay my bills? 

Even if people can muster the cognitive strength to reframe their unruly thoughts, whispers of uncertainty remain. Even if they are “one of the lucky ones” that dodge a layoff, the environment around them will be fundamentally different. The air will be different. The ground will quake yet the tick of work life will move on, unforgivingly. 

I wonder as I sit in these Groops, what would need to happen to see this change as an opportunity. To challenge oneself to see a future that is not yet here and not yet considered. To step into empowerment rather than feeling bulldozed by a potential major life shift. 

How to remain realistic yet hopeful - hopeful for a new future at a changed company or a new future elsewhere?

My thought - we first must paint a mental picture of our best future not only as a coping mechanism, but as a way of living a life of fulfillment. 

I recently read Pattern Breakers by Mike Maples Jr. and Peter Ziebelman (which is my new favorite startup book, btw) and they suggest building tools now for a future we imagine in our minds. They encourage entrepreneurs to notice the inflection points we experience now, intuit the future impact, and build a product to solve the need. I found this incredibly smart. 

It is like visiting the future and returning to the current tool shed to build. 

In Motivational Interviewing (a coaching approach), a fundamental premise is that you cannot accomplish what you cannot see. To make a behavior change, you have to build a clear image in your mind of what life will be like when you make the change you want (such as losing 20 lbs, stopping smoking, or practicing mindfulness). A visual representation allows you to move towards a new and different reality.  

Most of us go through our days without challenging ourselves to think forward (in a productive way) - I do not mean at 2am when you have night sweats and your thoughts are rapidly firing all the potential bad turns your life can take! I mean in a planned, structured way like time traveling to the future with the intention of checking out the landscape. 

It is like mapping out a visit to a beautiful vacation in a city that you have never visited, do not know the language, and are unsure what to expect. But, you get all the details you can find beforehand to pack accordingly so that you have the best trip.

This thought changed the way I am framing Groops. It made me wonder if and how this thought might help anyone sitting in any uncertainty - potential job loss, startup founders, or otherwise? What is your ideal future and what can you do now not only to prepare for it, but to build what you need to support it? 

For me, aside from building Groops, my mind goes to the evolution of our family. My children are getting older and my eldest will be going off to college in a few years. How will that shape my relationship with my partner, other kids, and friends? What am I doing now to invest in those relationships to not just weather that future, but to thrive.  

What comes to mind for you when you think ahead? What do you want to build now to step into empowerment at work, home, or otherwise?

A QUOTE TO THINK ABOUT

A DEEP-ish QUESTION (or Four)

1. If you look at your life and / or the world around you, what would you say are the biggest inflection points (a turning point or something that might cause significant change now or in the future)? 

2. What future problem might arise because of this?

3. What is your vision of a beautiful future, and how can you do something now to address the potential problem in the future?  

4. What would need to happen to get closer to that vision, and how can you build towards it now?

SOMETHING TO TRY

Get out a piece of paper and answer the questions above. Operationalize what a beautiful future is for you and set goals to move towards this with a focus on the weeks, months, and years. What can you do now to build towards that mental image?

ANNOUNCEMENT

We are launching a podcast this fall. We are so excited Jen Fisher, the former Chief Wellbeing Officer / Chief Human Sustainability Officer at Deloitte, will be our first guest!

Drum roll please…. the podcast’s name is - The Psychology of Teams: Why People Do What They Do. We will be analyzing some of the curious, funny, odd, intense, and interesting behaviors we see on teams and help us all understand and empathize a bit more to move towards deeper connection.

WHAT’S NEW

Ever wonder what a psychologist would say if they watched your team meeting? No need to wonder anymore. Groops has integrated the latest in AI technology to provide insights into the cohesiveness and functioning of your team including dynamics, communication styles, approach to conflict, airtime, common group behaviors, tone, and possible opportunities for growth with tips to improve collaboration.

Keep on connecting.

Best,

Bobbi

Bobbi Wegner, Psy.D.
Founder and CEO of Groops​: helping teams feel and function their best
Lecturer at Harvard University in Industrial-Organizational Psychology

If you are curious about a workplace dynamic or issue, send me an email at drbobbiwegner@joingroops.com and I will anonymously post it and respond. If you are thinking it, others are too. We can learn from each other. Also, if you are curious about the cohesion and health of your team, book a complimentary 30-minute consultation HERE with one of our Groop Guides.