The value of challenges 3- Better interpersonal communication born from shared challenge

A challenge is an idea that is often synonymous with conflicts. But that’s more because of how the word is used in the English language than anything else. For instance, it’s common enough to say, “challenge someone” in terms of a fight. Then, there’s the other expression of “it was a challenge to get along with” someone. Yet another common parlance is “it was a challenging session” with him or her.

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Meaningful challenges foster better communication among change agents

Such expressions tend to paint a particular bleak picture of the idea of a challenge. 

But as we get carried along by the negative connotations of the word, something that we tend to forget is the values of challenges. Certain aspects- like how a challenge helps your better your skills and even personality- may be obvious advantages of challenges which one may at least think of intellectually even when one doesn’t follow it in practice.

But then, there are other- less obvious but equally important benefits that challenges bring in their wake.

One of these is improved communication amongst team members.

Communication and team’s efficiency

One of the fundamental elements that makes a team strong is clear and objective-driven communication among the team members. Such focused communication is in turn possible only with two things:

A clear understanding of not just each other’s skills but also their aspirations and values- This helps the team members open up more to each other, also enabling them to gauge who would be more approachable for them for when they want to tackle together.

A clear purpose which they could work towards- This is perhaps an obvious factor in bringing about communication. After all, with a worthy purpose in sight, it’s common enough to see even people who oppose each other on some front work together to achieve their common goal. That being the case, you could imagine how team members who are supposed to work together for their collective victory would fare if they are presented with just such a worthy purpose.

Meaningful challenges to bolster communication

Now, before proceeding any further, it must be said that not every challenge would be beneficial for a team. Indeed, it’s more than plausible that some challenges could have a degradinge effect on the team’s morale. For the challenges should be such that they improve the team-spirit among the team members.

Put another way, only meaningful challenges would yield the desirable results.

The question which needed to be asked at this point is this: How to create challenges that would enhance the quality of communication among the team members. In other words,s what’s the basis on which you create such a challenge? Just as a challenging over for a batsman is in a game of cricket is delivered within the framework of a match, there needs to be some framework within which you as the leader could devise the challenges.

What then is this basis?

Importance of True Personal Vision and Compelling Shared Vision

 

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True Personal Vision is the vision that resides in your self and which could be found nowhere else. Unique and formidable, this vision acts as a destination you could guide your team or organization towards.

More than that, it provides you with the essential framework to create meaningful challenges for your team members.

Compelling Shared vision, on the other hand is the shared goal towards which a team could move.

Temenos Vision Lab or TVL is a unique session developed by Temenos+Agility to help you realize your True Personal Vision. Using proprietary tools, TVL is conducted by some of the best leadership coaches in business with extensive experience in conducting transformative sessions.

In the course of discovering their vision, team members are encouraged to share their personal narratives in the step called Personal Mythology. Here, they share not just their aspirations but also the challenges they faced in the past and how they overcame them. This provides an unparalleled look into the person’s soul which would otherwise remain inaccessible to the other team members.

As mentioned before, such a thorough mutual understanding of each other smoothens communication among the team members.

Now, you have the basis with which to provide challenges- any formidable task that would help the team move closer towards the leader’s True Personal Vision. Also, TVL offers a ringside view of matters of the soul that may otherwise have remain hidden.




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