Nothing’s Final in the Managed with Aloha Workplace

Next, not Final:

“That’s final!” is a phrase you won’t hear an Alaka‘i Manager say.

They are more inclined to say, “Let’s try this, and then let’s follow up with each other again once we have a track record to talk about, and compare notes with.”

‘Next’ is always around the corner, waiting for us to get there, and hoping we will arrive together – Kākou and Lōkahi – in our readiness for it, ready with shared experiences, and shared learning.

Learning does not exist to replace ignorance. It is there to add to it. ~ Adrian Savage, Readiness, Good Impatience, and Maintaining our Ignorance

There are 2 foundational beliefs behind why “That’s final!” won’t be said by an Alaka‘i Manager:

1. He/she knows that the best decision-making is collaborative and consensual, yes, but also that planning, and thinking about great work needs to kick in to actually having actions taken – and the sooner the better so the energies of positive momentum can continue.
   

   “Inspiration is perishable: Act on it to keep it exciting, alive and well.”

2. He/she feels the best managers are supportive finders, not those who dole out quick answers. They treat decisions as catalysts for whatever work can happen next, and don’t consider their decisions to be pronouncements. They value trying, and they value doing, because they foster the workplace environment of Ho‘ohana: People Who Do Good Work.
   

   “Wishing and hoping are not strategies. Opt for value-verbing instead: Next-stepping and other Verbs.”

Alaka‘i Managers believe in conversing, in partnership, and in culture-building (see those tag-categories in the footnote box) as the healthy consequences of work done with the values of Aloha — because as we know, good values drive good work.

They practice conversing with the Daily 5 Minutes most of all, so they can work from one short conversation to the next one, with each of those short conversations resulting in the agreements answering the “What shall we each do next?” question relative to the topic, issue, or project at hand.

Along the way, those earth-shaking DECISIONS happen rather organically, and as a natural consequence of work, not as presumption and best-guesstimate (and not as seniority or tenure).

And isn’t that how we all want to work, and decide?

The very best decisions we make, will create that confidence of “We did it!” and “We can do anything, if only we try.” WE: The Language of We.

The very best decisions we make will foster sense of hope: Ka lā hiki ola and Leadership: A Sense of Hope.

From Emily Dickinson ~ “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul – and sings the tunes without the words – and never stops at all.”

Postscript: Next has been our theme this year.