Optional is Beautiful

If you are a leader trying to improve results in your organization, you might be thinking of mandating some sweeping new changes. Usually, the people who do the work have no say in what that change is. They are simply told:

“This change is the new way we work.”

“And if you do not like it, you can consider finding another job.”

And this is usually exactly what the very best people end up doing. The most talented people usually have many options. Right? And of course in a situation like this, we can expect the very best- the most talented- to exercise their options.

But wait. This situation is pointing to one of the secrets to real and genuine workplace improvement. As leaders, we can leverage this idea.

When people exercise options, they are voting.

For example, if a meeting is optional to attend, attending is actually a kind of vote. And so is refraining from attending. These votes provide instant feedback on what is valuable to participants, and what is not.

The act of defining your meeting as optional-to-attend is an act of leadership courage. You are trusting your people to allocate their scarce time and attention to the places where it can do the most good.

This is an experiment that can fail. What if no one shows up? This is a very common question I am asked when consulting to executives and managers. What if no one attends my meeting? The answer is very simple: these people were never really fully present in the first place.

If they were, they would be opting-in to attending your next meeting.

Right here.

Right now.

All of this is explained in my book, THE CULTURE GAME, in the section entitled Game Your Meetings.

Options are beautiful, because options engage people. And engagement is the name of the game. Engagement is beautiful.

It sounds really simple, and it is.

But you are going to need some guts to try it.

DANIEL MEZICK is an expert on extending Agile culture beyond software. His books and workshops teach you how.

A frequent speaker at industry conferences, Daniel’s list of clients include Capital One, INTUIT, CIGNA, SIEMENS Healthcare, Pitney Bowes, Harvard University, and dozens of mid-sized and smaller enterprises.

You can learn more and contact Daniel at www.DanielMezick.com.