How to Keep You and Your Team Creative During Lockdown

This is something that I have observed great leaders do differently in the way that they control both their own internal dialogue and the conversations within their teams. It’s something I know you will instantly recognise and also that it’s easy to forget when you’re in the thick of it.

Try reading these out load…

”I agree with you but”
“I hear what you’re saying”
“It’s a good idea but”

What do you notice? Most likely that there is a sense of negativity, the potential for an argument and just a very low level of energy around these words, and yet right now and at plenty of other times, they are part of our own internal dialogue and the conversations within our teams, at just the time when they’re really not serving us.

I’ve witnessed people change their internal state, and teams switch from negativity to creativity with just a slight change of language. Try this instead…

“Yes…and…”

Yes we’re facing challenges and the answers are more likely to come from having the right state of mind. Yes your team have ideas and you can work with them to make every idea heard. Yes as an employer you know your team might be anxious or in chaos and it’s your job to lead them out the other side.

Yes there are many ways you can use this language pattern and make a difference as a leader. Give it a go today, it will allow you to appreciate and notice the thought or what has been said without judgement and follow with it with something that will maintain rather than reduce positivity and creativity.