Why Your Team Is Like A Can Of Biscuits
I have been asked many times what a training event with me is like. Usually people that are inquiring about my services and looking to jump start their team come to me hoping for an easy answer; the proverbial silver bullet. As with most things in life, there isn’t one.
One of my favorite ways of describing an event with me I got from a friend of mine in Georgia. Those of you who are familiar with the South know that there are some hilarious colloquialisms that are used and this one was no different. We had just finished Thanksgiving dinner and he sat back and his chair and said with a wonderful Georgia drawl, “Maaaan, I feel like a can of biscuits!” as he patted his full belly. The image of the small can from the store that POPS as soon as you tap on it came to mind, with the biscuit dough spilling out from the sides. This is the image I see on some faces from a few different angles after I finish a training session or a coaching session.
One angle is that of overflowing with energy and excitement. One of my main goals of any opportunity I get to be in front of a team is that they feel better than they did before I got their about several areas:
Their company and boss, for investing in them through me.
Their team, because they have new tools to help develop them.
Their customers, because they appreciate and understand them better.
And, finally, themselves, because they are growing and improving.
The vision of the “can of biscuits” is one of contained energy just waiting to come out. It is the focus on growth and the mission to “think differently” than they have before. It’s the awakening of ideas and a belief that they can make a difference in the company. When you see that light go on and feel the palpable energy in the room — that is the POP!
On the other hand, the information, tactics and strategies they get out of our time add a second layer that wants to burst. I laugh constantly at people worried that “we won’t have enough time” when we first get start to get the value out of the session. Their concern is about quantity of information per hour. I laugh because usually after a session, most people are nearly begging me to stop because they run out of mental energy to continue to absorb the information. Much like a pitcher of water, I can continue to pour it in, but at some point, it just runs over the top and you are getting no value any more.
The key to any coaching or training program is not the quantity, but the quality and the spaced repetition of the information so that you can process it and actually put it to use. I am sure many of you have been to all-day seminars or several-day workshops. They are rough. As an ideal, what if you could take that seminar and have just the best portions of it for a part of a day, then actually go practice it, then have a review after you practice for a while to make sure you get it? Would it be more effective? I want my clients to leave with actionable items that can be put into use TODAY that will make you and everyone around you better — and therefore make you money and increase your enjoyment of life.
So consider your team that can of biscuits. They have the potential to blow up in a good way and turn into your greatest asset. Or you can leave them in the can, waiting for someone else to tap them on the counter. You can have them all read a book that may or may not pertain to them, or you can go after their pain points and opportunities directly. You can hope they all figure it out and just cycle through the ones that don’t, or you can show them how much you believe in them and are willing to invest to help them grow. The choice is yours. The oven is preheated and the cans are in the fridge.
