Dimensions of Growth

Mick toddFebruary 7th, 2022

There has never been a more important time to find an integrated way to deliver on the rigours of high-performance personal and professional life. As an c-suite and high performance team and organization coach that works with leaders all over the world the consistent challenge is;

“How do I fit it all in and deliver it all at the level of excellence that I expect of myself?”

This is indeed a challenge my business partner Peter Charles Turner and our team of high-performance coaches have really reflected deeply on this challenge as we continue to look to offer support to leaders that are faced with complex and multi-factorial expectations. We have leveraged several models to enable leaders to understand and develop their own models focused on their unique strengths and unique needs.

Start at the start… Sir John Whitmore’s ‘Dimensions of Growth’ model enables leaders to examine if they have a ‘crisis of meaning’ or a ‘crisis of performance’ – We are all about finding the ‘middle path’… In order to do this we have to help leaders ‘scaffold their lives’ – The Y-Axis is all about ‘meaning’ – “Purpose, Paradigm, Values and Guidelines”. The X-Axis is all about ‘performance’ – “Rituals, Strengths and Goals”. The knack is finding the ‘Middle Path’ and staying there. (At 2b Limitless this is why we focus on our ‘2byb Accountability Document’ – Our way of helping our clients find the ‘Middle Path’.

“The myth of balance!”

One of the most overused words is balance… It is one of the greatest ‘stressors’ in life – Life is not a linear journey therefore linear models tend to create more stress than they relieve. A man that I admire greatly is John Brady, I remember John speaking at the ‘Global Male Suicide Conference’ (Tragically, for men under 45 years of age, in the western world, suicide is the number one cause of death!)

John spoke about the need to let go of a focus on balance and instead focus on an ‘integrated model’ – He referenced his great sporting love ‘Aussie Rules’ saying that there are times in every game when you need to “flood forward, times when you need to hold your ground and times when you need to drop back” – Life is a lot like this too, so understanding the ebb and flow of your life and the ‘rhythm and tempo’ that builds great weeks for you is critical.

‘It starts with setting great expectations!’

The above model applies personally and professionally and is so important when creating a level of ‘expectation’ that engages you and your personal and/or professional team.

Functional Expectations

Roles, Responsibilities and KPI

These are the baseline expectations that are all about roles, responsibilities and goals. They are critical in building clarity personally and professionally. (About 50% of employees say they are not completely clear about what they are expected to deliver at work.) They are also a trap that so many inexperienced leaders fall into thinking that these are the only expectations we need to be clear on… Whilst critical they are baseline and high-performance does not exist without an integrated set of expectations.

Emotional Expectations

Culture, Environment and Values.

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast!” – Peter Drucker

The same logic applies when it comes to expectations… No matter what the functional expectations are if we do not build clarity around what we all expect of one another from a;

• Culture – The behaviours that all members of a family, team or organisation see as the norm and come to depend on to feel a sense of stability and belonging in the way that they interact.
• Environment – The physical conditions that people share, interact and collaborate in. In order to deliver and thrive the environment needs to be conducive to high-performance.
• Values – The principles that the group will not compromise on and around which the group make decisions, align behaviours and evaluate performance.

“A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower

Relational Expectations

Connection, Understanding and Experience

An understanding and mastery of relational expectations is perhaps the most critical factor in thriving as a modern person and leader. These expectations are all about ‘Connection and Understanding’ – The ‘Great Resignation’ has brought these types of expectations into sharp focus as employees connect more with ‘well-being, purpose, engagement and their strengths’ than ever before. As such creating a ‘I have got your back’ environment is key – A place where people feel connected and supported and also enabled to challenge and make ‘agile decisions’. 

Indeed, of all the things that former Wallaby, Coach at Leicester and head of High-Performance for Australian Rugby and Cricket, Pat Howard values, it is the want for people to make agile decisions that he values the most. 

For this to happen there needs to be an environment of TRUST that clear relational expectations create.

“Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.” – Stephen Covey Expectations

• Prioritize and Focus – Delegate – ‘Only do what only you can do!’ – ‘Delegate to discomfort!’
• Behavioural Change – Curiosity, Courage and Excitement
• Focus on the strengths of the individual and team (Gallup StrengthsFinder)
• Leading through

1. Great 1-1s
2. Role Model
3. Empathy – Great Questions

As the 6seconds model of change encourages there needs to be a real ‘move towards’;

• Judgement to Curiosity
• Frustration to Excitement
• Fear to Courage

‘Elevate yourself to the place where your curiosity, energy and passion intersects and then get out of your own way and the way of your team.’ – Ric Lewis (The High Performance Podcast)

Are you happening to the week or is the week happening to you?’ – 2b Limitless

I love the insight from the author of ‘Getting Things Done’, Dr. Dave Allen.

“Either through capacity or conditioning the number one timeframe in high-performance is the week!’

Where is the middle path?

With this in mind we are constantly working with our clients around building their rituals in order for their weeks, months and years to have real rhythm and tempo. Rituals – Targeted, Strengths-Based Behaviours, Practiced ‘On Purpose’, Positioned to ‘Enhance Performance and Engagement’.

 These rituals are the anchor points of great weeks and provide real energy and direction for high performance (Rhythm and Tempo)

 *       Unique – What are those rituals that are the very best of you?

 *       Mind – What are those rituals that get you in the right headspace to succeed – exposing you to new information and experiences?

 *       Body – What are the physical rituals that provide the base to thrive?

 *       Social – ‘95% of the viscosity of your success is down to your sense of belonging and the community with which you interact.’ Dr. Dan McLennan What are the rituals that provide this lubrication?

 *       Professional – What are the key anchor points in a great ‘work week’? – Building Clarity and Raising Expectations.

 *       Adaptive – What will you do this week to build in change and create momentum? Remember… ‘If nothing changes . . . Nothing changes!’

What are your rituals… Do they enable you to create an integrated approach?

‘We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.’ – Albert Einstein

I love these combined insight from two extraordinary minds… The challenge of Einstein and the need for leadership to move from… to… At the heart of this is the challenge that we need to embrace ‘Discipline without rigidity!’ developing agile models of leadership that are at their heart focused on what is right with people. Building models that allign with strengths and create an environment where people can thrive.

Our business, like yours is unique, and so is our model. This is the 2b Limitless model… It is predicated around the unique strengths of our amazing team and we are constantly challenging ourselves to elevate ourselves and create value through the model. We are constantly challenging ourselves to be better versions of ourselves and to challenge one another to elevate – ‘Build Intimacy – Build Community – Create Opportunity’.

‘Purpose – Because your world needs you at your best!’