Many of us have a pet elephant. This is often an issue or problem that is standing there in the corner of our minds that is getting in the way of us moving forward.
The elephant could also be standing in the room between team members – an unresolved conflict, lack of trust, individual’s not taking 100% ownership etc.
If we don’t call out this elephant, it continues to get bigger and bigger and bigger and before we know it, there is no room to move at all in the room as the elephant is preventing any manoeuvring whatsoever.
So,,,, the faster you deal with, recognise, manage, call out this elephant, the more opportunity you have to proactively manage their presence.
Try this simple and yet very effective exercise:
Name Your Elephant_________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
What is the associated emotion you are experiencing? _______________________________________________________
Consider CIA. Decide and circle whether the issue:
• is something you have Control over,
• that you can Influence or
• that you need to Accept.
Look at the elephant through the 4 Ws
• Why am I (or we) doing this (or why is this happening)?
_______________________________________________________
• What am I (or are we) doing about it?
_______________________________________________________
• Who can resolve this?
_______________________________________________________
• When can I / we resolve this?
_______________________________________________________
Just by commencing your thought process – you have started to consider you or your team’s ability to get that elephant out of the room.
Want some help managing or exiting the elephant from your room? Send me an email at michelle@bakjacconsulting.com to enquire about coaching and training to build you and your team’s strategies.
Michelle Bakjac is an experienced Psychologist, Organisational Consultant, Coach, Speaker and Facilitator. As Director of Bakjac Consulting, she is a credentialed Coach with the International Coach Federation (ICF) and a member of Mental Toughness Partners and an MTQ48 accredited Mental Toughness practitioner. Michelle assists individuals and organisations to develop their Mental Toughness to improve performance, leadership, behaviour and wellbeing. You can find her at www.bakjacconsulting.com or michelle@bakjacconsulting.com
