Once every three weeks, my colleagues and I invest 90 minutes into what we’ve fondly termed “Learning Hour”. It’s a ritual we deliberately carved out after discovering, by accident, that we were spending most of our planning hour on reflections, and only a fraction of time on actual planning. Making it a deliberate ritual opened up opportunities and conversations that were impossible otherwise, particularly when the team was split between two cities, and connected by a strand of light.
The quality of these conversations is astonishing. People feel safe to share their thoughts honestly even when they are the minority view. Often, they’re able to persuade the others to consider their point of view, and maybe even change their opinions. “Strong opinions, weakly held” means we can change our minds when the evidence is presented without losing face amongst peers.
There was a moving story shared today about a colleague from another team who has been an incredible supporter to one of us. The person may not be an “innovator” as the term applies yet has created and nourished a relationship that has allowed us to flourish in the face of challenges. They may not be remembered by the rest of the organistion but to us they are a legend.