When we decided to launch our new website together with a blog, both Dave and I talked about the discipline we would need to ensure we kept blogging! I was full of bravado about how this would not be a problem … and here it is 2 weeks later and we have yet to do a second blog!
Well, I do have excuses … we did just move, we are still surrounded by boxes and still spend a lot of time wandering around the new place wondering where this or that is. But again … excuses. What is it about deciding to do something new that is challenging?
I’m reminded of the struggle of some of our leadership clients when they decide to take a good look at their leadership and make some changes. There are two ways that a new behavior can take root. You can work from the outside in (change your behavior … fake it til you make it) or from the inside out (change your thinking and watch the behavior follow).
One client of ours was working on how he contributed ideas, etc in meetings. He tended to express himself a lot and quite strongly. People tended to ignore him and so he was trying to adjust his behavior. We tried working with the wrist watch idea … put your wrist watch on your other hand and whenever you look at it, it reminds you to practice a certain behavior (in his case … listening more and contributing less!).
That worked … somewhat. But the real progress was made when we dug into his beliefs about his contributions. Turns out he really believed that if he didn’t speak up a lot, other people would come up with his ideas or he would fade into the background and people would forget about him. When he realized that it is often the person who contributes at key times (not all of the time!) and that supporting others in their ideas is what leadership is really about, that he shifted his mental model and really began to see an impact in his leadership.
I think blogging is the same for me. I have a few beliefs about it (it takes time, it’s hard, I don’t have ideas, etc) that are probably getting in the way. Shifting those to “I can’t wait to blog” will no doubt be far more effective than discipline.
For more on the idea of inside out change, check out our store where you can find a deck of cards full of ideas!
