19 Nov 2019

Anyone who has worked with me can vouch that if I ask you to cast an eye over something, it isn’t 80% finished, it is 95% finished and I am actually asking for you to check that I haven’t waffled too much. This doesn’t make me a perfectionist; it is just the way I like to work although sometimes time pressures take over and I have no option but to stop reviewing what I have done and just commit to it.

The process that goes on before this ‘almost finished’ output will look something like this;

Blank paper, couple of coloured pens and lots of circling, bullets and linking of words. I am very visual when planning work and putting thoughts onto paper, this is an important part of my thinking process and you can see ideas unfolding over the pages as I refine my thoughts.

I usually ask for feedback or talk through at this stage more than others would. I am not the expert in everything so seek facts and ideas from others, I like to talk things through, not to qualify my own thoughts but to make sure I capture and engaged team members and their contributions. At the end of the day, a recommendation I make, needs to be implemented and I tend to lead, so I need to make sure that my team are happy to be part of this journey. If it is my own piece of work that I will own and take forward, I need to be sure that I believe in what I have presented.

There are a lot of methods for planning, giving/ receiving feedback and methods of editing work and over time you find something that works for you. I am always open to new ideas and approaches and maybe I will be able to work out a way to move away from being so reliant on paper at some point. I do like having a pen in my hand though v always typing away.

Tomorrow I have a day of writing, I need to pull together recommendations on leadership development and I will need to find the various scribbles and notes and present this in a concise way. I will be armed with coffee and block out all distractions until I am finished.

Interestingly last week, I was sat mulling over one of my posts and tweaking a word here and there, and someone I know well remarked that I am probably my biggest critic. This is so very true!!

#challenge #100days #HR