Page 16 - IFV_Issue 3_March_2022

Business

a knife and ask them how many ways find that we create opportunities to SHIFT 2: FROM PERFECTION TO
would they be able to use it. What think about things in a different way. DONE
would that knife be for? By the time There’s a real permissiveness, we get Our second shift is ‘done is better
it takes you to think of three ways permission to try. I can’t do this, yet. than perfect’. It means letting go of
you would use the knife they have This doesn’t work, yet. I don’t know, perfection. One of the challenges with
probably rattled off about 20 uses. yet. That little word opens up amazing perfection is that it can often create
That imagination and what’s possible opportunities for us when it comes to paralysis - we stop what we’re doing
in a beginner’s mindset is actually thinking differently. because it’s just not good enough. We
incredible. And I think it can be a really lovely know that if we stop what we’re doing
In Zen Buddhism we call it Shoshin, thing to do around your peers to be we’re not being agile and we’re not
the beginner’s mind. able to help them, to coach them, to responding to relentless change.
catch them saying things that shut The other thing about perfection
IN THE BEGINNER’S MIND THERE ARE down opportunities and just add the is that it is always subjective. There is
MANY POSSIBILITIES, IN THE EXPERT’S term yet to that sentence. rarely an objective measure of what
MIND THERE ARE FEW On the first line on your piece of is perfect because it depends on how
One of the easiest ways to move paper, write expert on the left, and you see perfection. When we shift
into a beginner’s mindset is to use the beginner on the right. Where would our mindset to ‘done’, what we do is
work of Carol Dweck on the growth you put your mindset at the moment? we invite feedback and collaboration
mindset. This is a little tool that I use You don’t have to show it to anybody, from other people. Is this done yet? So
every day. It’s the power of ‘yet’ - three this is just a little moment of self- again we’re bringing ‘yet’ back into the
little letters. When we add the word reflection to think about the mindset conversation. It aligns with the progress
yet to the end of our sentences, we shifts you might want to make. principle which rewards small wins.

PHOTOGRAPH BY KRAKEN IMAGES, UNSPLASH

14 • Issue 3 2022 • The Villager