Here are a few of our favorite Big Ideas + Other Cool Stuff from Week 1 of Michael Bungay Stanier's 4-week course Get Your Great Work Groove On.
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The Context
Michael Bungay Stanier is the author of a number of successful books including the best sellers End Malaria (which raised more than $300k for Malaria No More) and Do More Great Work: Stop the busywork. Start the work that matters.
He is also the founder and Senior Partner of Box of Crayons, was the first Canadian Coach of the Year, and is a Rhodes Scholar.
What’s Great Work? Well - you know how some of the stuff you do lights you up? It’s important, exciting and it makes a difference. It’s the stuff that matters. That’s Great Work.
Here are a few of our favorite Big Ideas from Week 1 - What's Great Work?
Big Idea #1: Bad, Good, and Great Work
What is Bad Work?
Mind-numbing, soul-sucking work that makes you want to stab yourself to stop the pain. If you stopped and thought about it, you would truly wonder how you got stuck with this work. It is not why you got involved with the work in the first place – it’s slowly killing you.
What is Good Work?
You feel productive and focused - it's what you do at your company (your job description), what you get paid for, you know how to make money and how to serve customers. There is nothing fundamentally flawed with this – it's good to have some of this in your life. It doesn’t stretch you, and there’s comfort with it.
There is LOTS of Good Work out there.
What is Great Work?
Work that has meaning, you care about it, it makes a difference, lights you up, resonates with you, and reminds you who you want to be in this world!
With all of this work, it's not a measure of quality - we're looking at impact.
Big Ideas #2: What Motivates Us?
Daniel Pink, author of Drive, argues that everything that business tells us motivates us is the opposite of what science tells us motivates us!
According to Pink (and science), Motivation requires three elements:
- Purpose: you can see the connection between task and impact
- Autonomy: you find your own path; not micro-managed and told what to do
- Mastery: growing and stretching and getting better at tasks and skills
The GOOD NEWS: Great Work includes all three!
It's challenging to pursue Great Work, because Good Work is seductive and pulls you back!
It’s true that there are external factors that make life challenging, but we are responsible!
It’s not “they are holding me back”; instead, take the approach:
"Look at how I’M RESPONSIBLE for the amount of Great Work in my life, and how I’m showing up in the world!"
Big Idea #3: 3 Characteristics You Need to Do More Great Work
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Focus: on yourself. Who are you? What do you stand for? What is the Great Work for you? Until you get clear on all that, it is difficult to do more Great Work!
- Look for opportunities around you: your future Great Work is disguised as current Good Work!
- What are you saying YES to? And then, what do you need to say NO to so that YES has a chance of surviving?
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Courage: taking the first steps forward and STARTING your Great Work!
- Who are you willing to upset? If someone is confused, disappointed, or let down, you’re probably close to Great Work: you’re taking a stand for what you want, and as a result, you can’t make everyone else happy.
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Resilience: you’ll trip, doubt yourself, you'll want to lie down and give up - you need the resilience to keep moving!
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How and where will you find support? If you’re doing it by yourself, it might not be Great Work – or it could be so much more if you have others with you. Who can you invite on this journey?
- Coaches
- Mastermind Groups
- Online Communities
- Family
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How and where will you find support? If you’re doing it by yourself, it might not be Great Work – or it could be so much more if you have others with you. Who can you invite on this journey?
Other Cool Stuff
Visit DoMoreGreatWork.com for free stuff! As Michael mentioned, your job is to pillage that site for as much as you can find!
Download the free "Great Work Maps" for templates from the book (these are 15 exercises we’ll touch on in the class).
Here's a fun RSA animated video on Daniel Pink's book Drive:
Homework:
- Stay alert during the next week: what are you doing – is it Bad, Good, or Great Work?
- Go to the this site and download those maps!
We hope you enjoyed and see you in Week 2!
-The en*theos Team
