Take the elevator or the stairs? That is a reasonable workplace question. The elevator may or may not be faster, depending on the number of floors you are moving between. Elevator rides can be great for networking – unless your building culture is to never speak while on the elevator. Taking the stairs is great for building your own strength and stamina, as well as providing personal contemplation time.
Metaphorically, the question of taking the elevator or the stairs prompts these workplace and team productivity questions.
- Are we looking for the fastest way to complete the project?
- Do we want to build our network and increase collaboration?
- Will the project benefit from a slower approach to reaching the finish line?
- Can the project results be stronger if we choose a different process for completing the work?
- Who else do we need to include the project work? How can we get them involved?
- What work processes will most support us reaching our goal?
- Will we benefit from a pause and some problem-solving or brainstorming discussion?
- When we need team support, who and what are our resources?
Whether team project completion is going well or has hit a stuck point, these and questions like these can refocus team efforts and increase productivity. Often, we think we are taking the best possible path forward, only to discover later that there may have been another option, or three. Pausing mid-project to explore how things are going can be a powerful way to build collaboration, expand possibilities, and increase work accomplishment productivity. Whether the team has worked together for ages or is a newly formed team, a question-exploring pause – or three – throughout the course of a project can increase joy, improve results, and maintain team member willingness to work together.
Ready to explore team productivity?
Contact: Jana Kemp, 208-367-1701 or jana@janakemp.com