Creating a regular habit to think, or a Think Rhythm, can be a powerful way to:
The purpose of a Think Rhythm is to...wait for it….think. It’s not a time to ready, aim, fire at approaches; rather, it’s a time to slow down before you speed up on execution. It helps you to work smarter instead of harder on achieving breakthroughs for your business.
Sounds fantastic! OK, so let’s pull people together. Great. Who exactly? How often should we meet? What agenda do I send out? Do I just say, “OK guys...let’s think!” Even when faced with the gift of thought, by nature we crave structure.
I am currently facilitating two different Think Rhythms at Rhythm Systems, and here’s how I approached them:
Think of who will be impacted by the outcome of your Think Rhythm. It’s a best practice to include those who will be instrumental in executing on anything that comes out of the Think Rhythm. By doing so, you are considering all angles while getting early buy-in. It’s important for those who will be impacted by change to be part of thinking through the solutions.
I considered our current meeting rhythms and tried to tack on time when we are all assembled - at least to get the Think Rhythm kicked off. We added an hour to our existing monthly company and consulting meetings for the initial meeting. In our first Think meeting, I wanted to get everyone’s input on the meeting cadence we would commit to going forward. In both cases, we ended up committing to one hour per month.
Again, consider the outcomes you wish to achieve. Would meeting monthly get you to your outcome in the desired time? If not, you may want to meet weekly.
I’ve had a few clients who read the BioPlus chapter of Predictable Results and called me all excited, “I get it! I’m ready to get into a Think Rhythm about our core customer...product...exit strategy, etc.” How do I do it?
Here’s an agenda to get you started on your first Think Rhythm:
Allowing the team think time takes a facilitated approach to keep the juices flowing without jumping into execution. Here are some tips:
Photo Credit: iStock by Getty Images