FGX Goals — What does ‘Energising’ really mean?
Last week we shared our five FGX Goals that describe what the experience of working with and working for FutureGov should be. They provide a clear target for us all to aim for, so together, we can deliver positive change and impact.
It’s not enough for us to simply outline five, easy to remember goals. We want to be open about what led us to these FGX Goals and what each means to us. So, we’re continuing this blog series with an in-depth look at each goal, exploring why it’s important and valuable, with examples of how and where we’ve seen successful delivery of this experience to our clients and staff.
Introducing…ENERGISING
Change is hard. For those working in constantly evolving environments, change can also be both exciting and rewarding, as well as hugely challenging and draining. What we’ve heard from listening to clients and staff is that part of FutureGov’s uniqueness and value is the energy that we bring to the work we’re involved in.
Whether you’re the driver of change, experiencing the on-going challenge and push back, or on the receiving end of change, where it can be unsettling and tiring to adapt, there’s no doubt that to make change happen, a team needs energy. We know that our clients have passion and ideas but sometimes we all need a power-up. Fresh energy in the form of new ideas, creative ways of working and doing things, enthusiasm and optimism to get stuff done. It’s our job to bring the energy, passion and creativity needed to support change in the work we do.
What does energising look like?
Energy literally comes to us in all sorts of ways. For example, through the design of engaging, accessible communication. Our powerpoint slide templates bring energy. They’re bright, vibrant and concise. Compare these to the slide decks most of us are used to in the public sector and these are a breath of fresh air. It’s a small example of little interactions that we focus on to support.
We want to be clear that energising does not mean constant jazz hands and overtly fake positivity. At times, energising a room is totally needed. I love that Matthew Cain, Head of Digital and Data at Hackney Council, provided emergency pom-poms at a Hackney Hackathon to revive teams if energy levels were low!
But sometimes, bringing energy is more about noticing when a teammate needs support or reading a room and understanding which relationships need attention.
There are some people that you meet that leave you feeling buoyed with fresh ideas, perspectives and energy. My colleague (and friend) Rob Bates is one of these people. I so look forward to my meetings with Rob, knowing I’ll leave feeling inspired and energised through new perspectives and brain fuel. Meeting a FutureGover should feel like this. Whether we’re bringing ideas to the table, expert knowledge, or a practical, pragmatic attitude, you should leave any interaction feeling energised.
Energy comes in many forms and we’re encouraging our teams and those we work with to find their way of contributing to an energising experience. Each of us can draw on our different strengths and skills to contribute passion, creativity and enthusiasm. It might be:
- reading a room and understanding who and which relationships need attention
- producing engaging visuals which help clarify and make the complex digestible
- bringing new, fresh and different ideas to the table
- being really pragmatic and practical to help get things done
- bringing an optimistic upbeat attitude
- taking care and looking after teammates when they need support
- providing a clear narrative and helping to articulate challenges and opportunities
- giving strong direction and leadership so the team are clear on direction, roles and strategy
How do you deliver energising experiences when you are working in change?
