We Not Me

Disagreements can quickly escalate into a fight for survival, triggering a limbic response in the brain that can lead to destructive behaviour. But none of us has privileged access to the truth. We all have different perspectives, and so by engaging with the unpredictability and uncertainty of our environment, we can get to a more precise, accurate, and nuanced understanding.

To nurture a culture of healthy disagreement, we need to remember we don't know everything, and that assumptions can be challenged. This takes curiosity and a willingness to change our position and the position of others.

In this second and final part of Dan and Pia’s conversation with Matthew Bellringer, our guest explores ways we can start to disagree agreeably, by being clear about what we don't know, situating our perspective, and sharing why we think a certain way.

Takeaways from Dan and Pia

• Considering other perspectives is essential for positive disagreement and progress, and bringing us further into the group, rather than risking the feeling of banishment.
• Making assumptions harms our attention to detail and critical thinking. Truth is often complex, but we can tend to prioritise being right and looking for quick fixes.
• If we feel threatened by a differing viewpoint, we can lose our ability to reason at a higher level, and can be compelled to make our point at all costs. We need to find ways to detach from emotions and try to understand our own responses.
• Healthy debate should recognise the middle ground, and be able to see both sides. It’s a position of strength, not weakness.

Links

• Connect with Matthew via LinkedIn
• Delightful Dissent – Matthew’s podcast
• Curious Being
• Leave us a voice note

There are plenty of leadership “gurus” who can simplify complex topics. But how often do we consider the accuracy of their statements? Lots has been written about the purpose movement, but there’s another approach: embracing the absurdity of our current situations, and holding up a mirror to them.

Irony in teams can give us an interesting perspective on performance and management, and can be a vital bonding agent within teams. Dr Richard Claydon has done extensive research on organisational irony and its role in leadership. He teaches leadership programmes and has developed facilitation techniques to help people learn and develop leadership skills in a practical way. And he challenges some of the received wisdom of “gurus” many hold in high esteem.

Takeaways from Dan and Pia

• Not all of us can find purpose in our work, so we seek it elsewhere. And trying too hard to find purpose in your work – and not following your own intrinsic purpose – can lead to difficulties.
• Richard challenges some of the claims and statements Simon Sinek makes – from an academic’s point of view – but the fact that it resonates with so many people can’t be ignored.
• When faced with absurdity – or with things being taken too seriously – the key is to face it with a wry smile. Just don’t take it to the point of sarcasm.
• There can be comfort in finding people who share your ironic take on things.
• Leadership can be dark – it’s not always plain sailing.

Links

• Connect with Richard via LinkedIn
• Are you a Sinek cynic? – Richard’s LinkedIn post
• How Great Leaders Inspire Action – Simon Sinek’s “Golden Circle” TED talk
• EQ Lab
• The Human Factor
• Leave us a voice note

There comes a time when a startup moves to a scale-up, where small ideas take off and before you know it, you’ve got a hit on your hands. But with the highs come the responsibilities of leadership. In this episode, Dan shares his experience creating a successful music festival in his hometown of Ilkley, and offers valuable insights on how to make it work.

Defining your values as you grow

Dan and Pia discuss how Ilkley Live’s leadership is evolving, just as it does with any startup. The process looks like this:

1. Determine your purpose and values
2. Communicate them clearly to your team and stakeholders
3. Be open to feedback and make adjustments
4. Give people autonomy to take ownership
5. Stay invested in your values, even as the project grows

Losing sight of your core values puts the support of your team at risk, so while they don’t necessarily need to be on paper, they do need to be held.

Links

• Leave us a voice note

W\hen you’re managing a crises, you need well-structured governance and communication framework in place. This will ensure all stakeholders are on the same page and working towards the same goal. Empowering team members with knowledge and delegating tasks is key. But we also need to be willing to take charge and get things sorted out when resources or support are needed.

This week’s guest is Bernadette Welch, a retired public servant with a long career in Australia and Fiji. She coordinated Fiji's initial COVID response and organised the largest international meeting the country had ever hosted. She’s been the CEO 6,000-person organisation, and Permanent Secretary for Civil Service and Health in Fiji.

Takeaways from Dan and Pia

• Well-structured governance and communications frameworks are essential when dealing with complex projects.
• When you’re clear about your purpose and setup a climate of safety, people find it easier to work together because they can see and identify the boundaries.
• “The discipline of the process creates freedom of choice.” – Solid structures allow for autonomy within individuals.
• While effective leaders take responsibility, it’s important to strike a balance between protecting your team from distractions, and removing some of their potential agency.

Links

• Connect with Burnadette via LinkedIn
• Leave us a voice note

Building a diverse and inclusive culture is a complex challenge, especially in a geographically and culturally diverse environment. It takes a common set of values and behaviours to be established across the organisation, as well as a focus on communication, respect, and empowerment.

But while diversity is invaluable, it doesn’t create equity and inclusion. Creating equity means addressing systemic issues and biases that may affect certain groups more than others. And support for people from less advantaged backgrounds needs to be in place to allow them to thrive.

Sahera Sumar is a leadership consultant who specialises in inclusive leadership and building inclusive cultures. She has worked in both the corporate and non-profit sectors and has a passion for understanding and unpacking leadership in different cultural contexts. She currently works with a steel company located in 10 different countries within Africa, where she focuses on diversity and inclusion and strengthening the leadership capacity of the organisation.

Takeaways from Dan and Pia

• Rather than try and understand the myriad and minute differences between various cultures, stick to a simple code of conduct. “Instead of many rules, have one behaviour.”
• Central to working with people from different backgrounds is appreciation and acceptance. These are two of Sahera’s five As.
• Starting with shared values and behaviours can lead to a long-standing and collaborative team environment.

Links

• Connect with Sahera via LinkedIn
• Diversity in Teams – We Not Me episode 11
• Leave us a voice note

Creating a community around a shared interest or passion can lead to unexpected outcomes. Matt Trinetti followed the energy of an idea and provided a space for like-minded people to come together and form a community.

The London Writers’ Salon has grown and evolved over time, with daily writing sessions and weekly interviews with writers, and is now a profitable business formed from a simple idea at the start of the UK’s first covid lockdown.

Takeaways from Pia and Dan

• Follow the energy in the conversations you’re having, as more often than not, they’ll lead you to more fruitful decisions.
• Collaborating virtually or in person gives us a sense of moving forwards. Sometimes all it takes is for someone to hold space.
• Matt’s inclusive vision exposes the falsehood that collaboration can and must only happen in the same physical space.

Links

• Connect with Matt via LinkedIn
• Give, Live, Explore – Matt’s travel blog
• Writer’s Hour
• Atomic Habits, by James Clear
• Leave us a voice note

AI has the potential to revolutionise collaboration and teamwork, but it has limitations and potential biases we need to watch out for.

Benjamin Dehant is a specialist with experience using AI in collaboration and teamwork settings. He believes that in the future, every team member will have their own AI assistant that will help us work faster and more efficiently. But with those tools come limitations, and he raises the question of whether we want AI to do everything for us – and make decisions in our best interests – or if we want to maintain the value of doing things ourselves.

Takeaways from Dan and Pia

• Governments may not be adequately prepared for the impact of AI. We need proactive governance and preparedness.
• We need to make a conscious choice when implementing AI, taking into consideration the potential benefits and risks, and regulating it in a way that benefits society as a whole.
• A general AI that knows everything about an organisation can provide valuable insights and data, joining dots together quicker than humans can. This could fuel more efficient and effective collaboration within teams.
• We must remain in charge of desired outcomes and not delegate responsibility to AI, especially given the potential for inaccuracies in AI-generated data.
• AI is a useful tool for enhancing human decision-making, but we need to remain vigilant and responsible in the process.

Links

• Connect with Benjamin via LinkedIn
• Teams in the metaverse – We Not Me episode 16, with Ian Smith
• Artificial general intelligence (AGI)
• ChatGPT – AI text generation
• Midjourney – AI image generation
• Leave us a voice note

Removing hierarchy and implementing self-management in an organisation can be challenging, but it can also lead to positive changes and benefits for businesses willing to take the leap.

Agency founder Tom McLaughlin felt he needed to let go of some control and delegate more as the company grew. He wanted to remove the hierarchy and power dynamics in the organisation, so worked with an expert in the field of self-management, and set about restructuring his company.

Tom’s book recommendations

• Maverick
• The Go Giver
• Song of Significance

Takeaways from Pia and Dan

• Leaders who put a shell around themselves and are not open to feedback may be immune from criticism, but being open to feedback invites scrutiny and improves the system.
• The ultimate accountability for the business falls on the person responsible for the last penny in the bank, and it takes a team of trustworthy individuals to manage tough decisions together.
• There's a difference between a role and hierarchical power, so instead of shying away from leadership roles, team members can take ownership and accountability for decisions while still valuing everyone's input.
• Team members have the potential to see career opportunities differently in a flat organisation and value the freedom to explore and challenge themselves.

Links

• The Push-up Challenge
• Find an emergency hotline where you are
• Connect with Tom via LinkedIn
• SEO Travel
• Psychological safety in teams – episode 3 of We Not Me, with Dr Jessica Tonissen
• Leave us a voice note

Embracing neurodiversity can bring valuable perspectives, innovation, and organisational endurance to teams. By recognising the strengths that come with neurodivergent conditions, individuals and teams can benefit from a plurality of perspectives and explore new ways of thinking and working together.

Matthew Bellringer is a consultant, practitioner, speaker, and author who focuses on systems engineering, human systems, and ecosystems. They have a background in tech engineering but have always been interested in people more than technology. Matthew has ADHD and an adulthood autism diagnoses, and is a strong advocate for neurodiversity within teams. They are the chair of Neurodiverse IT, a group for neurodivergent IT professionals, and run their own community called Curious Being.

Takeaways from Dan and Pia

• Team leaders must consider not only the individual benefits of diversity and inclusion, but also the significance of having diverse views within organisations. Organisations need to be adaptable and able to change and move with the times, rather than being brittle.
• Time constraints can prevent meaningful conversations around neurodivergence from happening. By giving ourselves more time and space, more innovative ideas can be co-created. But in order to achieve this, we need to let go of our egos and be open to different viewpoints.
• We can build a new team view from diverse perspectives in order to “go our own way together”. It's not just about having different opinions all the time; it's about using these perspectives to come to a better path as a team.
• There may be those who, when under pressure, feel that the last thing they need is a “difficult person” coming up with alternative viewpoints. But those voices must be heard and engaged with.
• We can also take the opportunity, and the time, to delve deeper into the assumptions underlying viewpoints, as it’s often at this level where we can resolve issues.

Links

• Connect with Matthew via LinkedIn
• Delightful Dissent – Matthew’s podcast
• Curious Being
• Neurodiverse IT
• Leave us a voice note

Teams need to prioritise creating and maintaining clarity, especially during times of disruption and uncertainty. While purpose and shared goals have held steady in Squadify’s latest Team Tracker data, the importance and presence of more granular aspects like a clear plan and measures of success have dropped, creating a significant clarity gap.

Juliet Hammond joins Dan and Pia to discuss how teams need to focus on defining short-term priorities, experimenting, and reflecting in order to stay aligned and effective in a rapidly changing environment.

Takeaways from Dan and Pia

• Teams can create a holistic map for their outcomes, by setting a clear purpose and strategy, along with interdependency and prioritisation choices.
• By creating a shared purpose, organisation can bring their teams together and avoid burdening senior leaders with the responsibility of coordinating everything.
• Most teams are merely groups of people, rather than coordinated units.
• Flexibility is important when setting goals, and while clarity is key, goals should be held lightly and be subject to change while still ensuring that everyone knows what they’re working towards.
• Being overwhelmed by ambiguity and finding it difficult to land on a goal is a natural human reaction. But it's important to seek clarity by focusing on what is undeniable and to make micro adjustments to avoid sailing down the wrong route for too long.

Links

• Connect with Juliet via LinkedIn
• VUCA: Volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity
• Locke's Goal-Setting Theory
• Gallup's Q12 Employee Engagement Survey
• Leave us a voice note