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Today I want you to think about where you are and where you are going? How fast are things changing and are you in control? This is an annual check that I think is helpful for your team.
This exercise is to get you and your team to start thinking about the upcoming process and to understand how well coordinated you are as a team.
The Map
Please take a clean sheet of paper and put on the table in front of your. This is the map for your future journey.
Put a dot on the page showing where you are now. Now put a dot where you are going.
The only thing on the page is two dots. If you have others working with you have them do the same thing.
Next draw a line between the dots showing the path you expect the journey to take.
The line can be drawn in a number of different ways. Straight line, up and down trending toward the goal, a curved line down and upward to the target, a curved line up and downward to the target.
This line represents how you expect the journey to occur. If several team members have done this process discuss why you are different.
The speedometer
Now get another page and draw a speedometer. This speedometer represent how fast you think things are changing around you. The speedometer should show speeds from 0 to 150 mph. The speed limit it 55.
Have each of your team members put the speed they feel that things are changing around them.
These two exercises give you two things:
How consistent the team sees the path to the future. I have seen teams total in sync and others with the team split on the path and the destination. It is good to use a discussion of this to create debate for planning.
The speedometer shows the speed of change and how the team members feel or think about the speed of change. Generally some have very low speeds and others have high speeds. Those with low speeds are frustrated with the speed of change. Those with high speeds may be feeling out of control with how quickly they perceive that change is occurring. The target is to bring everyone into a safe speed of change.
Please send me a copy of your map and speedometer with any questions and I will give you feedback.
Chuck Hudson. Hcichuck@stagesofgrowth.org Stagesofgrowth.org
Please feel free to send this to others.
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