Month: April 2023

So, what is a conscious thought?

When you become ‘consciously’ aware of something you will notice it and realise it’s happening: this is the definition of a conscious thought.

In our SPEAK programme we share principles to help guide you to success. One of these is Think Consciously, Do It On Purpose.

Here’s a great example of thinking consciously. As a child, when you learn something new like how to ride a bike, you become consciously aware of the process and engage with it. Every time you topple over, scuff the front of your trainers, lose control of the handlebars or fall off and graze your knee you simply get back up and keep going. Why?

Because the thought of being able to gain your freedom, being with your friends on their bikes, cycling with the wind rushing through your hair is so compelling that you persevere through every wobble or fall, you get back up and have another go. You persevere because the outcome will feel great.

Before you know it you are a bike rider, and you hop on without a second thought, free to ride anywhere you like. You build your skills; you go faster and you test your limits.

Skip forward to the future and even if you haven’t ridden a bike for years you can jump on and you suddenly experience an automatic thought process that says ‘I can do this, its familiar, I can ride a bike’.
Your conscious thoughts back then, as a child that engaged in learning a new skill, gave the future you a helpful habit. This skill became so ingrained you’re now on full auto-pilot. You don’t need to think about how you do it, you just do it.

Now it’s time to start that journey and build another habit. This time, with your thinking.

Our programmes help you learn to understand the importance of being aware of your thinking and why when you think consciously and do it on purpose, you’ll get far closer to the results you need.
Imagine the communication and decision-making powers you can implement when you know you’re thinking clearly and with intention.

By using structure and tools, we can help you to challenge your old way of approaching topics and avoid the pitfalls such as group-think and bias. It’s those pitfalls that keep us stuck or at worst, lead us to faulty decision-making. Unlocking your thinking will help you unlock innovation.

When you think differently, new ideas and solutions can take shape.

The great news is we are all capable of doing this. How do we know that? Because it’s the ability to think differently that took you from riding your bike with stabilisers to the moment when you realise you can let go of the handle-bars and shout “look, no hands!”.

What we do know is that learning to spot and be aware of your thoughts requires some attention and discipline but in any situation it will help you to think better. With the same determination you applied as a child eventually thinking consciously and on purpose will become your powerful default setting.

Talk to us to learn more about the 8 principles that are embedded into our BRAVE programme

Healthy disagreement is an important part of any work or personal relationship. And yet, it’s much rarer than you think.

Disagreement often has negative connotations but in fact it’s entirely natural for people to have different perspectives and opinions, and the ability to disagree well is key to resolving conflicts and finding common ground.

One of the most important principles of healthy disagreement is our principle of ‘debating the idea, not the person’. When we engage in a discussion or debate it’s important to focus on the idea being presented rather than attacking or criticising the person presenting them. It’s important to be able to separate the two, to reach the best decision or outcome.  

‘Debate the idea, not the person sharing it’

Instead, we should focus on the merits of the debate itself. This means being curious and listening carefully to what the other person is saying – not something that’s always easy.  Start with asking questions to clarify & understand their position first, then present your perspective clearly and calmly.  Even if we don’t agree with someone else’s position, we can still respect them as a person and engage in a productive disagreement! 

Another important aspect of healthy disagreement is the ability to recognise and address our own biases and assumptions.

We all have our own experiences, beliefs and values that shape how we see the world. It’s important to be aware of these biases and to own how they show up in any disagreement.  By actively engaging with different perspectives and viewpoints we broaden our understanding of the world.

Finally, disagreeing well is about being willing to look for and find common ground.  Broadening our understanding of a situation may mean that whilst we don’t always fully agree with the other person we can find ways to work together and find solutions that meet everyone’s needs.  The very act of engaging with healthy disagreement brings  clarity to where we agree and where we may need to work harder to find a middle ground. 

That clarity creates an opportunity for progress and all progress begins with a BRAVE decision. 

You can learn more about BRAVE, our principles and how we can help healthy disagreement prosper in your business by getting in touch today.

Rhi x