Words are powerful, they can focus the brain and they can drive action. The words in this question are very deliberate and help to create focus and action. The words “most powerful” help to focus our energy on what can have the greatest impact. Also the word “powerful” suggests that the person has power. This is a very subtle way of empowering our employees. The words “right now” puts our focus on what is in front of us. We are not talking about what can be done in the future.
I recently went to a ropes course with my family where we climbed a course of steel wires with varying levels of difficulty. My daughter went right for one of the high difficulty sections, and I foolishly followed. With grace and elegance she zipped her way across to the next platform. I stepped out on to the wire which immediately started wavering like I was in a category 5 hurricane. Even though I was securely harnessed, I went right back to the platform, looked over at my daughter on the other platform and firmly declared there was no way am was going out there.
Sometimes when we are undertaking something significant, it can be as scary as stepping out on that wire. The instructor suggested that I take one step onto the wire and balance myself before taking another. It was still scary, but I started making my way out on the wire. Similarly, we can help others take action to face something that can be frightful. A few steps can start the journey. After some cautious steps, you realize that you are halfway there and it takes as much energy to go back as it does to go forward.
Projects can sometimes seem overwhelming. We look at everything that need to be done, all the moving parts, the sheer scope of what needs to be done and we retreat to the safety of office saying we will tackle it another day. That is why the workbench in my basement is still disorganized. I keep thinking about it and saying to myself, “Ah that is too much to do, I will do it when I have time.” Yet if we just focused on one thing, right in front of us, we can start to make progress.
Some simple questions that will provoke action are:
What is the most powerful step you can take right now?
What would you do next?
What is the one thing that you think is holding you back?
What are the first few steps you think that will get this going?
What do you need to do to get this in motion?
What do you need to get started?
Now, time to tackle that workbench. Until next time,
Doug