This simple question changed the course of my entire day.  I asked each member of my management team to bring two different answers to this question to our Monday meeting.  One answer regarding what they were most excited about for HSI as a whole and one answer specifically for their department.  Plus, it was not allowed for anyone to say “I’ll piggyback on that” when it came to the HSI as a whole answers.  That meant no repeats.  It was probably the most fun we’ve had in a Monday meeting in a long time.

I was incredibly encouraged by the enthusiasm and excitement that each team member brought with them.  It was outstanding to hear about 11 different things happening at the departmental level to make us better.  However, the best part was probably hearing the team go on and on about 11 unique answers to what they were most excited about in the life of HSI.

The team left the meeting energized for the week!  Too often we get together and talk about where we don’t measure up to our standards, how we can improve or where we are weak.  Then discussion turns to how we fill in the gaps.  This makes the focus the gaps.  Many of the areas highlighted today were the same gaps, but from a different perspective.  When those same issues were approached as things to be excited about, the meeting had an overwhelmingly positive tone.  Yes, we talked about fixing some product yields that are lower than we like.  Yes, we talked about some systems that we hope to see improve.  And yes, we even talked about some areas where performance has been lackluster as of late.  But we were talking about what is being done to change them and they only made the list if we were excited and optimistic that they would be fixed.  We talked about how it was going to make the difference, not why it was dragging us down.

I think we should do this as a group more often! #momentum

One last thing.  I just realized that this is how I approach each workday.  One of the last things I do before I go to bed and one of the first things I do after I wake up is to look at my calendar and find the one, two or three items on my calendar I am most excited about.  I always feel blessed to work in a place I love, doing work I find meaningful, with teammates I enjoy spending time with.   Finding something to be excited about each day may be one more nugget of truth as to why I go to work energized and ready to make a difference. #lovemyjob