Many Me's

I may have lost the plot. 

Today I decided to acknowledge the sometimes dysfunctional 'team' that I am in my one-person-business - which is not too dissimilar from how I've seen actual business partners create their function and dysfunction. I needed to find a way to resolve that tension and generate stronger function. 

In my case, there's Get-It-Done-Jen, who can really knuckle down and get things done (let's call her GI Jen). She's great in the detail and can work at depth and speed, but unfortunately she can also easily be derailed by All-The-Big-Thoughts-Jen. 

Big-Thoughts Jen does think a lot - at every possible opportunity. She is interesting, and I love her for her care and insights, but in all honesty she can also be exhausting to share a headspace with. Too often her prolific thoughts will create too many worthwhile yet competing priorities, which can easily lead to overwhelm and even paralysis for poor GI Jen. However, Big-Thoughts Jen does have great insights, and when she gives them a bit of space to develop, away from the pressures and limitations of the To Do list, she is excellent at pulling the right threads of possibility together and pointing the way to the meaningful, fruitful work that needs to get done.  

These gals recognised today that they really need one another, but may also be tripping one another up. So Big-Thoughts Jen wrote an email to GI Jen. She thought about the path ahead and identified the most important immediate result that was needed in the work if that path had any hope of being realised. She didn't define the exact how and when of the work, but rather left that for GI Jen to figure out in the doing - which happens to be GI Jen's favourite part of doing anything and also her greatest strength.

GI Jen then responded (with an actual reply email...don't judge) by explaining her approach in achieving that outcome. In effect, she was simultaneously designing and committing to what she'll be narrow focusing on. She also felt quite relieved to have a moment to create such clarity for herself in next actions, for something very specific, while knowing that the work would end up meaning more than just the effort.

Both Jens wrote their emails as if to another teammate - clear about their own role and that of the other, and both taking responsibility for their own space, while appreciating and supporting the input of the other. Crucially, there was complete equality and respect for the value of the other, even if very different in nature.

In her reply email, GI Jen also took the opportunity to helpfully remind Big-Thoughts Jen that the latter had an additional great thought just that morning while walking the dog, and that some quick action on it would be worthwhile. Before sending the email though, GI Jen looked into it, discovered some technical roadblocks, figured it out and got it sorted. She then noted in the same email that it was DONE. Big-Thoughts Jen was super grateful that 'someone' took that nugget and ran with it. It validated her idea, and refocused her on that particular thought, so it could grow into something real rather than float off on the wind with all the many others.

By the way, that original thought nugget was this blog, but it needed someone to decide quickly where and how to set it up, and do the back-of-house figuring out with DNS settings and the like. Turns out GI Jen was just the gal. And now Blog-Writing Jen has had her fun too. 

So, do I need a nuts-o-meter...? Maybe. I told my husband about this new approach, and let's just say an eyebrow found its way heavenwards real quick. But feck it. When I work in a team with others, I love the dynamic that can be nurtured between different roles and strengths. I love how people can show up for another, knowing what their own strengths are, offering help, and overall just getting smart things done by drawing on the full spectrum of skills available. All while validating and taking care of one another, which brings out the best in each. 

The way work should be. 

Ultimately, this feels a little less lonely in my business. Plus so far it has proven to be a fun way to generate clarity and momentum, while leveraging the multi-dimensional nature of me. We'll see, but I think this might also help in understanding and defining the roles I need in my business, for when I'm ready to expand. 

And it is Friday. I wonder what Weekend-Jen will be getting up to? (Spoiler alert... she has trail running, gardening and pinot grigio plans for herself, and tax return plans for Admin-Nerd-Jen - who was, without a hint of sarcasm, utterly delighted to hear it.)