One of the keys to finding Triple Wins is knowing how to look for them... often they are all around us, but we are often so lost in the current complexities of our own world that we let them slip right by. Worse yet, there are times when, due to our current perspective, they turn out to be Triple Losses. A 'Triple Loss' is where no one wins and energy is actually lost during the process.
I had one of these the other day and it’s worth sharing because it expresses this point so directly:
I work with a senior team and we come together occasionally (not as often as I would like) to discuss things that are needed to move the organization forward. On this morning one of my colleagues was discussing our new proposed Annual Review process and the overhaul that was being made to it.
OK… I’ll admit it, the Annual Review process is very important to me. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen Triple Losses come from Annual Review processes. Your manager, who has only spoken to you six times the whole year, is now going to tell you how great he is and how you should get better at your weaknesses. Oh, and then, if your lucky, you might get a raise that has nothing to do with the value you bring to the organization, but is based on economical conditions - more about making the Annual Review process a Triple Win in my next post :D
As I was listening to the explanation of our new Annual Review process, this was all I could think about… were we creating a Triple Win out of this process or a Triple Loss?
As I continued to listen I moved more and more into a reactionary mode (…something I am working at trying not to do). At the first breath of air my colleague took I jumped in with full force of frustration, expressing how we have committed to doing these types of things differently… and how I felt we were off track. As you can imagine, the perfect storm was about to come together.
Just then our most senior (wise) team member spoke up and mentioned his frustrations. That, as a team, we weren’t working together and we weren’t giving each other enough face time and we weren’t creating a journey out of the work we were trying to get done. Have you ever seen the Wizard of Oz when the picture goes from black and white to color? How the exact same objects all had new meanings… well that’s what happened to me in that moment.
A good chunk of Triple Wins exist in the journey… the gray gooey part between concept and implementation and in sharing this with others. The key is all parties (most, anyway) need to be aware of it and understand the time given to it is not wasted, but is actually adding value.
The journey comment was right on target… no matter where the Annual Review process was and where we wanted to take it, wouldn’t I learn something from the journey? Couldn’t I build a stronger relationship with my colleagues through it? And could we not make a Triple Win, not only out of the process itself, but out of the journey we traversed to come up with this? Absolutely! Absolutely to each!
After the meeting I synced up with my colleague and we started the journey of creating a Triple Win Annual Review process.
So I ask... are you looking for journeys or still waiting for Munchkins to pop out from behind flowers?
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