What the hell is water?
‘There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says “Morning, boys. How’s the water?” And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes “What the hell is water?”’*
As business leaders, do you know what is hidden in plain sight?
Leaders must have situational awareness – if you don’t, you are a sitting target. You must learn to be open to what is going on in your own environment, to predict behavioural trends, to be better able to evaluate situations and to know who to trust.
How do you build this awareness and prepare for the future of your organisation?
Alignment. High performing teams are aligned not just in terms of the business strategy and goals, but in their purpose, vision, values and identity. Are your leaders and teams aligned?
Engagement. Do you really know your business’ culture? Who are the people you can trust and who are those that are telling you just what you want to hear? What is the true level of engagement at your organisation? (Do you believe everything that the survey says?) Do your employees feel empowered and encouraged to do their roles successfully?
Connection. Do you know your people? Do you know what’s important to them? How well do you understand what drives and motivates them? Are you aware of your communication style? Do you know how to connect with your team and your peers, and importantly, when to back off?!
It is imperative as leaders to build awareness of your surroundings, both internal and external to your organisation. To do this successfully will likely require an external perspective so that you’re not the one asking “What the hell is water?”
If you would like to know more about how I can help you to address these challenges, please call or email me.
Mary Butler +61 409 289 849 or mary@marybutler.net
*David Foster Wallace.
