This weeks leadership tip comes from the kitchen.
As I have mentioned, my next workshop is on Direction, Alignment & Commitment, thus here is a “sweet” story I have about providing clear direction for those you lead.
The story goes like this: I was baking my mom’s DELICIOUS cheesecake this week (BONUS RECIPE IN THIS WEEKS POST - SEE BELOW). After I had placed the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the mixer - the directions said “mix until light and fluffy.” Thus - thinking I knew what I was doing, I turned on the mixer and began watching the yummy, low calorie (LOL), goodness begin to work towards the end goal.
BUT!! I suddenly realized, I have no idea what “light and fluffy” means??? Hence, I feared over mixing, under mixing, wondering if “light and fluffy” was based on time, questioning what the consistency should be, etc. - and the panic of ruining the entire cheesecake set in. A call to Mom was in order. I called her and asked - “What does mix until light and fluffy mean?”
She answers, with such clarity and confidence, because she knows the DIRECTION of this recipe so well, she is clear, she has years of experience and years of talent and ultimately a very clear vision of this process - “Annie, it's when the mixture climbs to about three-quarters (3/4) of the way up the side of the bowl.” - THERE IT IS, I understand exactly what the direction is now. So simple, BUT a world of difference in me having the ability to align with the intended end results.
My ask to you this week - are you giving direction that is “light and fluffy” to your team OR are leading your program, project, event, organization with the clarity of “3/4 of the way up the side of the bowl?”
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