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Baggage Check

This week’s trek is inspired by Susan David's book, Emotional Agility. In her book she discusses our tendency to "look at the world through the lens of our personal past," which can prevent us from seeing current situations clearly.

Are your current fights really yours or do they better relate to your past?

We all have behavior patterns that we repeat without giving them much thought. Sometimes, though, these patterns will sneak up on us and bring excess baggage to a current relationship that doesn't accurately reflect what's going on today.

Introducing Your Baggage Check Exercise

What It Is
A 15-minute gut check to make sure the beef you have in your current relationship reflects a real conflict and not just baggage from your past.
Why We Love It 
Sometimes the things that bother us most in our current relationships have nothing to do with our current partners. We take an issue from the past and assume the same thing is going on in the present without any evidence of it's pertinence. This exercise provides an opportunity to rethink our patterns to see if they're still relevant to the present day.

How It Works
1. Recall a recent tiff you had with a friend or partner. Take a minute to jot down what specifically bothered you, how you felt, and what you did as a result.

2. As you think through these details ask yourself if you are responding to something that is really present in your relationship today or if you are responding to the conditions of a previous relationship. For example, if you snapped at your partner about not listening to you, did it come from a place of you truly not feeling heard in your relationship or was it because you haven't felt heard in a past relationships?

3. If the issue does exist today, address it with your partner by speaking about the conflict from your perspective and give them a chance to also speak about it from theirs. As you approach the conversation, give some of these tips a go.

4. If you suspect the issue is from your past, take time to notice your behaviors around it. What are you assuming is happening and how does that make you feel? What specifically is your partner doing that might be triggering you? What behaviors are you displaying as a result?

5. Then, consider whether your behaviors in #4 are still beneficial to you. If they aren't, how might you respond differently next time? 

Source: Emotional Agility
Want to dig deeper into this topic?
Shout. It. Out. To Annie Watson for inspiring this exercise!!
Shout. It. Back. To treks@lifetrekkers.me to let us know which treks you like best!
Here's what your fellow trekkers have to say about past treks:

"Inspiration Reservoir was one of my favorite treks. It helped me understand the many sources of inspiration (many of which are in my own backyard) that I can draw upon when needing to unlock the right side of my brain."
-Liz Tverskoy, Account Manager @ Google
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Shankar Desai
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Cheat Sheet

This week’s trek is inspired by the Feynman Technique. Developed by Nobel winning physicist, Richard Feynman, this technique helps you simplify concepts so anyone can understand them.

You know that moment when you're trying to explain something and all you get in response is a bunch of blank stares?

These situations are often followed by a lot of frantic questions and disapproving looks as people try to sort out what the heck you're trying to say. Working out your thoughts in this fashion isn't always a bad thing but in high pressure situations when you know you've got short attention spans to cater to, you have to find a way to make your point as easy to digest as possible. 

Introducing Your Cheat Sheet Exercise

What It Is
A 30-minute gut check to make sure you actually know what the heck you're talking about before a big presentation or meeting.
Why We Love It 
Sometimes you think you know a topic well and then you find yourself unable to make a single coherent point when you are asked to explain it to others. This exercise forces you to distill a concept into its simplest form - via a good old cheat sheet - to make sure you really know what you are talking about before presenting it to others.

How It Works
1. Identify a concept you need to explain and really understand. This could be an issue you want your boss to take note of, a customer insight you want your team to absorb, or an idea you need to present at a big meeting.

2. Take 30 minutes and grab a piece of paper and put the name of your concept at the top. Then, imagine that you are creating a cheat sheet for an eight-year-old on this topic. Using plain language (no business jargon) define the concept, draw specific aspects out, and provide examples of your concept in practice. 

3. As you write everything out, note any areas that tripped you up or that you were shaky on. Then, spend a few minutes reviewing your notes or sources on each of those areas to make sure your understanding is solid.

4. Next, review your cheat sheet once again and circle any jargon or complicated terms. Force yourself to rework those sections by incorporating simple language that a kid would relate to. 

5. Finally, go back to the slides or talking points you had planned for your meeting and see how they compare to your cheat sheet. Look for places to simplify and rework accordingly. 

Source: Farnam Street
Want to dig deeper into this topic?
Have a favorite trek? 
Hit us up at treks@lifetrekkers.me and tell us which one you liked and what you learned!
Here's what your fellow trekkers have to say about past treks:

"The Wake-up Call trek really hit home for me. My best days are the ones when I avoid email until as late as possible and this reminded me to stay mindful. It's key to make sure I get grounded first so I can give important things the attention they deserve."
- Vijay Rajendran, Director, BBVA New Ventures
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Copyright © 2018 LifeTrekkers, All rights reserved.

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Shankar Desai
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#BestBoss

This week’s trek is inspired by James K. Harter's work on employee engagement. In his book, The Elements of Great Managing, he covers best practices from a range of leaders on how to boost employee engagement.

Have you ever had a horrible boss?

A bad manager can make work a major challenge. A recent Gallup study has shown that "managers account for as much as 70% of variance in employee engagement scores." Here's how to avoid becoming one of those bosses.

Introducing Your #BestBoss Exercise

What It Is
A 15-30 minute conversation with your direct reports or team members to better understand how they are feeling about their work and overall career journey. 
Why We Love It 
The best managers know how to build genuine relationships with their team members, but sometimes it can be challenging to find the right way to engage. This exercise provides a series of questions that can help you open up a more meaningful dialogue with your team.

How It Works
1.  Set aside 30-60min with each of your direct reports or team members and walk through these 5 questions courtesy of Inc:
- What do you like about your job?
- Could you describe a good day at work that you recently had?
- Do you feel your skills are being utilized to the fullest?
- Do you feel you get properly recognized for doing good work?
- Do you feel like you are treated with respect?

2. As they respond to each question, approach the conversation like you are just getting to know them. Ask open ended follow up questions and try to understand how they view their role at the company and how that fits into their broader career goals. 

3. At the end of the conversation, pick one thing that you can do immediately to support your team member in improving their work experience. Is there something about their job that they love that you can give them more of? Are there opportunities opening up for them to utilize more of their skill set? Is there something more you can do to recognize their contributions?

4. Once you've completed these chats with your entire team, take 10 minutes to reflect on what you heard. Were there any consistent patterns across the team? If so, what role might you be playing in contributing to those patterns and how might you behave differently to improve the overall team experience?

Source: Inc.
Want to dig deeper into this topic?
Have a favorite trek? 
Hit us up at treks@lifetrekkers.me and tell us which one you liked and what you learned!
Here's what your fellow trekkers have to say about past treks:

"The creative recovery trek was one of my favorites. This exercise helped me push past my creative blocks. I love using it to clear my mind and reflect by rereading it at the end of the week."
- Dama Dipayana, Founder Be Frank
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Copyright © 2018 LifeTrekkers, All rights reserved.

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Shankar Desai