Intention is one of the most powerful forces there is.
Here is one quote, one question and one idea to contemplate.
“Intention is one of the most powerful forces there is. What you mean when you do a thing will always determine the outcome.”
- Brenna Yovanoff
How could intentions help you foster understanding amongst
and with your team?
I'm not into the whole New Year's resolution scene, but being intentional? That's a different story. For me, it's about setting a purpose for the year and creating the structures to achieve it.
January is the perfect time to identify a purpose and outline my intentions and the structures that will support it. In UNDERSTOOD: The Greatest Human Need and the Key to Engagement, I discuss how crucial intention is in fostering understanding and engagement.
When we set an intention, we fire up a part of our brain called the Reticular Activating System (RAS). This nifty little system acts as a go-between for our conscious and subconscious minds. It takes orders from our conscious mind and passes them along to our subconscious. So, whatever we focus on or think about seeps into our subconscious and pops up again down the road.
This year, I'm especially conscious of the need to deepen understanding. Our world is fast-paced and unpredictable and so are our workplaces. Intentions can help us build bridges of clarity and connection in a complex world.
As leaders, what if we set a purpose to foster more understanding amongst and with our team? One intention to help us get there might be about creating more opportunities to listen when we're chatting with them.
Now, what kind of structure would back up that intention? To figure this out, I like to imagine I'm a "fly on the wall". What would I see myself doing if I was listening more? For me, it would look something like this:
Asking more questions
Allowing more silence between my words
Letting others finish their sentences
Handing over the reins in meetings to someone else
In 2025, I'm placing special emphasis on harnessing the power of intention to create islands of clarity and connection amidst the sea of constant change. It's not just about what we do, but the purpose and intention behind our actions that truly determines their impact.
As we navigate the unpredictable waters of our fast-paced world, our intentional focus on deepening understanding can serve as our compass, guiding us towards stronger relationships, enhanced resilience, and more effective navigation of complexity. In essence, we're intentionally crafting the working relationships we want to experience, one intentional interaction at a time.
Until next time,
Maria
P.S. If this has been helpful, then feel free to pass it along to someone else who might enjoy it too.
‘UNDERSTOOD: The Greatest Human Need and the Key to Engagement’ will be out soon!
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Foster greater understanding and workplace engagement through this series of new workshops. Learn more about them by clicking on the titles below:
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why we struggle to understand others
the roots and impacts of misunderstanding
the art of understanding others
strategies to foster understanding and advance engagement
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