We’ve been talking with teams lately about shifting from Awareness to Action. Below is a simple practice of bringing something from Awareness to Action. It’s a simple 5-Step process we utilize here as a Team. Whether you apply it towards showing gratitude, as a step towards self-care, or integrating powerful work through boundaries or structural organizational change – we hope it serves you during this holiday season and beyond.
5 Steps to Move from Awareness to Action
Step 1 – Set an Intention: Could be simple. I post mine on my whiteboard every month using our Whiteboard methodology (email our team at info@integratingwork.com if you’d like a copy). Intentions are valuable because they have a bit more “flex” than standard goals. Intentions are broad. Goals are narrow. Intentions hold the Vision. Goals are more finite and measurable. They are the path to the Vision. Goals without an intention are simply movement without direction. Intentions without goals are dreams without fruition.
Step 2 – Align Goals and Actions with the Intention: Identify goals and actions that will move you forward. Be realistic and ensure they align with your intentions. Research shows that if we have too many goals – it will backfire. Focus on the highest priority first. My favorite question for this: What is the one action that will “move the needle” most for you? That. Go after that first.
Step 3 – Create a Tangible Reminder: Tangible is key. My mind is quick to forget, and visual reminders have offered me great support over the years. Our clients use a variety of tools: post-it-notes, lock screens and screen savers, calendar reminders or even timers. Reminders work best when we see them often. When you see the reminder, pause. Then choose to act in the moment, or recommit to the action right then and there. You may need to wait for an hour to actually action it (depending on work activities), but at minimum, recommit to the action and set a timer/or note the moment when you can act. There is power in consistency of action as well as our commitment to action.
Step 4 – Track until it becomes Habit or an Adopted Approach: Track your goals and check in on the impact of them by gathering feedback from those around you. If the intention/goals are personal, you can solicit input from family and loved ones. If intention/goals are for your team, track the outcomes within the team and be sure to solicit feedback from key stakeholders and external partners. Feedback and outcome tracking are two primary mechanisms we use to ensure alignment with the intention. Hint: keep tracking simple. The more elaborate the tracking process, the less inclined we are to input and capture data. Often the simple checklists will outperform apps and elaborate spreadsheets. Don’t be afraid to simplify your tracking. More data does not always equal good data.
Step 5 – Measure Progress & Celebrate the Wins (Especially Minor Ones!): I love the work by Dr. Teresa Amabile in this space. If you want real impact – track and measure your Progress. Then share that progress and celebrate those wins consistently. For a good read, check out her book The Progress Principle.
