Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer

By Steve Hinton

The UK seems more and more like a Continental European country as every summer comes and goes. More and more people are taking longer and longer holidays and July and August are becoming ghost months in many sectors.

So, what can we do if life is a little less hectic for 4-5 weeks when customer demands are fewer and we may have a bit more time for ourselves?

Well, if you can afford it, why not join the throng? If business is slack, why not revert to the good old “Works Shutdown” and pack up for a couple of weeks?

However, many of us either can’t afford, or don’t want, to reduce activity or take significant time off in this period. So, let’s think about ways to add value to you and your organisation by effective use of some of this “spare time”. I’d like to suggest that you book 4 sessions with yourself, spread over a week or two. In the spirit of the title of this article, I would like you to hold these sessions somewhere pleasant, where you can relax and dream a little. A nice park, a pleasant meadow, a riverbank – you get the idea.

In your first session, dream about your organisation. Dream about how you would like it to be. Be bold, be imaginative, be specific about details – how it will feel and look and sound – and don’t worry about practicalities – this is your chance to be a little crazy, a little hazy.

For your second session, dream about your people. How do they fit into your dream organisation? What would you like them to do more of or do better? Wouldn’t it be great if they did this or didn’t do that? Dream about your key staff – the ones that really make it happen – how could they do even better and how could you help them?

And now for the third session, when you’re going to dream about yourself. What would you do or become in your dreams? What would your contribution to the organisation be and how would people perceive you? Are you ready to make things happen and drive the organisation?

And now reflect on your dreams. Pull your thoughts together in a way that works for you – use a flipchart, draw a mind map, make a list, write a memo, make a podcast. And then have your fourth session but this time with your immediate team and share with them your dreams and aspirations. You will be amazed at how clear your thoughts will be – free of the cloying tangle of day to day details and concerns – and you can use this fourth dream session as the first stage of your next strategic planning cycle. This is where the next vision and challenge will come from – this will inspire your team to move up to the next level and produce a really effective and exciting business plan for the next stage in your organisation’s success.

Sweet dreams!

Written by Steve Hinton Chairman QED Consulting