Make a conscious effort every day to stop what you’re doing and look around your workplace and beyond. By becoming observant you’ll soon spot people and areas that need your attention.
Make a conscious effort every day to stop what you’re doing and look around your workplace and beyond. By becoming observant you’ll soon spot people and areas that need your attention.
It is worth it to take a step back on a daily basis, if not more frequently, to observe. There is a significant power in observation – for your business, your career and your life.
Although observation sounds easy, it isn’t nearly as easy in reality. A few strategies for success include:
- Start off your day by looking out the window – what do you see? It can go a long way to clear your mind and just observe.
- Observation – As you walk around your workplace, keep an eye out for what others might “step over” – a classic example of this is trash on the production floor. Instead of walking over it (and not noticing it), pick it up. This sounds really simple but can go a long way. Train yourself to “see” what is around you. Do you see oil on the floor? Do you see orders that could be missed?
- Watch for trends – assuming you see the same people each day, watch for noteworthy changes. Is someone who is always happy down one day? The same holds true for machines, products, etc. If the production line always runs in a certain way and it is slightly different one day, take note. Find out what is going on so you can avoid larger problems down-the-line.
- Big picture – Take a step back and “look” at your supply chain – how are your customers, suppliers and other partners? Are there any trends going on?
- “See” your team – whether they report to you, they are peers or they are your superiors, pay attention. 80% of success boils down to people so please pay attention to people!
Getting used to observing can be more challenging than it sounds. I often drive by countless people, cars, situations, etc. that I don’t notice. Practice observing so that you don’t drive by your career, business or life.