“In a strange way, being apart can teach us how to communicate. Online or over the phone, we never assume that the other person should be able to read our minds without us having explained what is in them. We accept that we will have to describe our days, as well as our desires, in words and pictures. The imposition of distance is a crash course in the necessities of elucidating our thoughts.”
- Connecting When Disconnected, The School of Life
Ironically, it’s during a pandemic that we are reminded of being HUMAN. It is a most difficult time for all of us so it's understandable that emotions may be high and patience might be running low. The silver lining here when it comes to remote collaboration is that despite (or because of) everything, we have become more mindful. More mindful of tasks, more mindful of other people’s ways of working, more mindful of time and processes— probably also because everything is new to us. May it be the kind of “new” that will bring us back to our more human side– to our innate sense of empathy towards others, mindfulness towards our behaviours, and having the spirit of celebrating small wins and good news.
Intentionality and high-level action identification are 2 important philosophies to embrace to embody mindfulness. Having mindfulness as a core quality or state of mind in your team allows each one to be fully present and aware of actions, tasks, and of each other's rhythms. This kind of awareness and presence is important especially at this time when there is little to no margin for error.
Intentionality
Merriam-Webster defines intentionality as done by intention or design. According to Britannica, it is, in phenomenology, the characteristic of consciousness whereby it is conscious of something—i.e., its directedness toward an object. In the context of teams and the workplace, it's being intentional about every little detail and knowing that every little action matters.
“Whatever you do, do it well. Do it so well that when people see you do it, they will want to come back and see you do it again, and they will want to bring others and show them how well you do what you do.”
- Walt Disney
"The sustained success of Disney parks and resorts in creating exceptional CX is achieved not only by focusing on the large, obvious elements of the experience, but also by being intentional about the small, seemingly insignificant details that tend to be easily overlooked or ignored.
Take, for example, Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room attraction at Disneyland Park where “all the birds sing words and the flowers croon.” Of course, throughout the show, the audio-animatronic figures blink, move and sing, but something not everyone may have noticed is that the birds also breathe."
While not everyone (in fact, maybe only a handful) will notice that the animatronic birds in Disney's Tiki Room are breathing, Walt Disney made sure that this detail was not left out. Because intentionality is the cornerstone of how everything is and should be done in Disney, the consistency of their brand experience as "magical" has been exceptional. This is evident in their customer service, company culture, and leadership style.
Intentionality is making sure you spell every word properly before sending out that email. It is using punctuation marks correctly to make sure that you convey the right message, especially at this time when we're not able to communicate face to face. It is making sure you name each file correctly and store them properly. It is making sure that the conference room has been cleaned and primed for the next meeting— whiteboards erased, desks cleared, and seats stowed. It is coming into the next call prepared, it is giving instructions with clarity, it is choosing the appropriate kind of training for your team. It is bringing your A-game to everything you do and being intentionally consistent about it. In doing so, mindfulness becomes second nature to us and those around us.
For Disney, intentionality starts with hiring the right people, as not everyone is a culture fit for every company and vice versa. Disney is intentional in their screening process, in making sure that the probationary period is used well, and that proper evaluation takes place. Every company faces struggles and challenges when it comes to culture and engagement. Being intentional about finding the right fit and honing the right talent from the start prevents bigger problems and complications in the future.
"And then he gets to the 3rd guy who says, I'm building a cathedral. The 3rd brick layer had a sense of purpose. He understood that the laying of bricks that he was doing, perhaps a tedious task, was in fact absolutely vital to creating something meaningful, far larger than himself. And by feeling a part of something larger than yourself, you're more engaged, you're more inspired, and you're more psychologically safe."
- Amy Edmonson
Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School
High-Level Identity
"The potential identities for an action, although diverse by many criteria, are hierarchically related in an identity structure. Lower-level identities in this hierarchy convey the details of the action and thus indicate how the action is done. Higher-level identities convey a more general understanding of the action, indicating why the action is done or what its effects and implications are." - What Do People Think They're Doing? Action Identification and Human Behavior; Robin R. Vallacher and Daniel M. Wegner
Identifying one's actions on a high-level entails understanding the deeper reasons why the action is needed, more than understanding how to do the act itself. For example, right now I am either "typing away words" (low-level identity), or "helping others navigate through uncertainty" (high-level identity). In Amy Edmonson's example, the 3rd bricklayer wasn't just "laying bricks, one over another", but was "building a cathedral". When you understand the WHYs of what you are doing, you're able to find purpose that is bigger than yourself. You're able to attach meaning into your work and this paves the way for building intrinsic motivation.
"The concept of intrinsic motivation, or engaging in activities for the inherent rewards of the behavior itself, plays an important role in self-determination theory. Self-determination theory grew out of the work of psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, who first introduced their ideas in their 1985 book Self-Determination and Intrinsic Motivation in Human Behavior. They developed a theory of motivation which suggested that people tend to be driven by a need to grow and gain fulfillment.
Self-determination can play an important role in how people function in many different areas of their lives. Feeling in control and intrinsically motivated can help people feel more committed, passionate, interested, and satisfied with the things that they do.
In the Workplace:
People who feel that they are able to have a positive effect at work tend to feel more engaged and motivated. How else can employers build self-determination in their workers?
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Managers and leaders can foster this sense of self-determination by allowing team members to take an active role.
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Offer employees responsibilities, provide meaningful feedback, and offer support and encouragement.
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Employers should be careful not to overuse extrinsic rewards. Too many rewards can undercut intrinsic motivation (a phenomenon known as the overjustification effect), yet too few can cause employees to feel unappreciated."
- Verywellmind.com