A Conspiracy of Goodness at Work

The first time that I came across this power phrase—a conspiracy of goodness—was in a story about a small French mountain village, Le Chambon-sur-Lignon. During World War II, the entire town took the great risk to quietly shelter five-thousand Jews during the Nazi occupation of France. They were ordinary people, often poverty stricken themselves, doing the right thing day in and day out, not for days but for years! Not one person broke the commitment. And not one Jewish person was lost. It is said that these were a very solid, independent and simple people who ‘acted without agonizing instead of agonized without acting.’
’
Now, admittedly, the work of everyday leadership may not rise to this same magnitude or consequence; but that doesn’t mean that it is any less worthy. We too must be courageous and tenacious. And we must be committed to taking action and doing the right thing, not only when it’s easy or a ‘good hair’ day for us, but rather, day in and day out for the longer term.

What would a conspiracy of goodness look like and feel like at work? For me, it’s all about coming together and co-creating a virtuous cycle instead of the vicious cycle with which we’re more familiar. Here are some everyday ideas to kick start your thinking:

• All of us would choose to show up as capable adults at work and do the right thing throughout the day. Even when others make a different choice. That’s my express definition for accountability.
• We would all choose to be constructive rather than destructive in our relationships.
• We would all make and keep our commitment to be a good influence on our team culture and its performance.
• We would all take the risk of standing up to bullying and intolerance.
• We would all welcome new team members and help them to more easily fit in and belong.
• We would all do these kinds of things unconditionally; without expecting something in return. We would do this because we realize that doing the right thing is its own reward.
• We would all regularly discuss ‘doing the right thing’ and decide together what exactly that is in different situations.
• We would all work together to co-create a sense of goodness within our team.

And the list could go on…..

Can we actually unite, make plans and then with unswerving resolve, work collaboratively to bring about a really good result? Think about it, we probably do it in small bursts today and don’t give ourselves nearly enough credit. What if we played big and thought about it on a larger scale??


Leadership Dare

* If you find the idea of a conspiracy of goodness as intriguing as I did, then learn something more about its origins!  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Chambon-sur-Lignon

* Identify what you can do to rally your team mates together and co-create a conspiracy of goodness on your team.

Own The Moment!

I love this simple, powerful phrase because it embodies the essence of everyday leadership. I’m using it more and more as a memorable call to action to show up as the very best version of yourself throughout your work day.

Here’s why it’s become one of my favorite workplace mantras:

1. It reminds us that we are owners of our experience, our work and the success of the entire organization.
2.  It offers a gentle reminder that the small choices that we make throughout our day – moment by moment – are important and that we are more influential than we think.
3. It makes leading a very intentional, purposeful work life seem more doable. It might seem nearly impossible to choose one’s behaviors, thoughts and attitudes for the entire day, which, for too many of us, stretches beyond the traditional eight hours. But to focus in the moment and make courageous decisions – that suddenly seems possible.
4. It supports a culture of personal accountability in which each of us is seen as a capable adult.
5. It’s easy to remember and uncomplicated in its message.

So, how do we translate ‘owning the moment’ into practical action? For me, it means that:

• We thoughtfully relate to others throughout our day. We pay attention to others and we practice the Platinum Rule, treating others as they want to be treated.
• We plan and prepare for meetings, interviews, conversations, and interactions with each other and with our customers, clients or patients so that we can be most useful in those moments. 
•  We are our best selves more often.
• We consider the consequences, intended and unintended, of our words, non-verbal messaging, attitudes, behaviors and general approach.
• We choose to act as adults.
• We sincerely want to help others to have great outcomes, memorable experiences and success. We let others shine and it feels good to us.
• We keep our word, our commitment, to live by our organizational values, our rules of engagement and our very best practices.
• We affirm a realistic optimism in all that we say and do.
• We stand up and do the right thing, even when it’s hard, risky or unpopular.

What does ‘own the moment’ mean to you? What will you do differently tomorrow to own more moments?

Week 1 Leadership Dare: During the next meeting that you attend, own the moment by helping the facilitator to conduct a successful meeting. What would it look like and feel like to be the best version of yourself at that meeting? Remember, little stuff matters!

Week Two Leadership Dare:  This week, I have challenge that may be really tough, even for the best of us. But it wouldn’t be a challenge if it didn’t stretch us, right? So, here goes:

This week, whenever you receive constructive feedback on some aspect of your approach or behavior, I dare you to OWN THE MOMENT! Instead of a knee jerk reaction to shut down, become defensive, dismiss the person(s) and/or their perspective  or even go on the offense and shoot back a sarcastic or cynical response, choose to be your best self. Really think about what the other person had to say. Consider the real possibility that you may have a blind spot when it comes to your behavior. Allow for the fact that this feedback may be spot on. Ask questions to gain more clarity. Think about other options that you could have considered. Don’t overlook the opportunity to thank the person who delivered the feedback. It’s a courageous best practice. Finally ponder what they said and make a commitment to change if it’s the right thing to do.

Sounds simple but it’s not easy to do, particularly if it’s not your habit today. Take the dare and own the moment!