NOW SHOW UP! 10 March 2015Tim Robson – Founder, NowShowUp.com4

In the fourth of the current series of 20-Minute Master Classes, Tim Robson – author of “Showing Up: How to Make a Greater Impact at Work” – brought a fresh perspective to performance, work and the professional mind set. He explored how HR can help people bring more of themselves to work and increase their performance, impact and contribution to the world around them.

Over an average four-decade career span, we spend around 10,000 days at work. That’s not as large a number as you might initially think.

How do we create an environment that gets the best out of people at work, that makes the most of their time? How can we nurture their sense of urgency, purpose and excitement?

10,000 days

Wow. If your career is (on average) 10,000 days (40 years) are you set to achieve all you want to? #20MMC

LOOK UP!When driving a car, you can’t afford to focus only as far as the end of the car bonnet. You need to be able keep an eye on the road ahead, to assess risks and opportunities and respond accordingly.

Similarly, employees need to be given the chance to “look up” from their day-to-day activities. Because where your attention is, is where you’ll go.

ON A MISSIONOrganisations define our direction as employees. Often, a mission statement is put up on a wall – like that alone will somehow make it happen! In reality, it’s more about what gets noticed, ignored or talked about that sets the tone for success or otherwise.

The iceberg is a metaphor for the workplace. Only ‘what we do’ is really visible, while ‘what we know’ and ‘what we’re like’ are beneath the surface.

The water in which our iceberg floats is the organisational culture, which defines the waterline – how much of us shows up to work. Is it our best self, that we sold at interview? A version our closest friends and family would recognise and be proud of?

Things that raise the waterline: • Lack of direction

• Distrust

• Poor communications

• Time pressures

• Blame

• Busyness

• Control

• Fear

Organisations must pull out the plug so that the waterline drops – not just on the odd engagement day but every working day. How? Through promoting trust, teamwork, belief, praise, support and development.

What I do

What I know

What ‘m like

IS IT OK FOR ME TO BE ME?

SCHOOLWITHPAY

At its worst, work can feel like school with pay. Managers tend to be teacher figures – “do as you’re told, don’t answer back, play nicely and stay out of trouble” – while the behaviours we used to see in the playground are perpetuated by colleagues in the workplace. This organisational context emphasises power and control, restricts thinking and stunts creativity.

Showingup at your M.O.S.T

MINDSET OUTCOME STRENGTHS

TIME

Time is the stuff of which we have the least but seem to waste the most. When asked how they’re doing, everyone feels under pressure to say they’re busy. But busy doesn’t require talent. How effective we are depends on which version of us shows up.

Giving our M.O.S.T. requires us to have a success mind-set and a well-formed outcome, apply our strengths and use our time wisely.

Time is the thing that is most commonly mismanaged, being busy does not require skills or talent #20MMC

Do I have a success mindset?

Is my outcome well-formed?

How am I using my time?

How am I using my strengths?

MAking an impact in large organisationsIn most large, multi-site organisations, first-line managers have responsibility for over 80% of the workforce. How can they possibly instil enthusiasm in so many others, and not just give them the “what” but the “why” and the “how” of their individual contributions?

Technology is changing the rules of engagement by giving us ways of communicating at scale. Social collaboration tools – especially those featuring video, development content and Twitter-style feedback and guidance, like SAP Jam for example – can enable junior management to create a real community, lower the corporate waterline, and change the prevailing norms and practices that often prevent people from really showing up.

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