Investing in Me - Theory U
Sheri Lynn Fella
In early January, I had an encounter that would change my life… like every other encounter has the potential to – if I am open to it. If I choose to be open hearted, open willed, and open minded enough to let go of what might be and get so deeply present that I let in what is to be. That encounter was meeting Marian Goodman from The Presencing Institute at MIT, and what ensued was a team development journey that will continue to unfold in the years ahead. All because I was open and present enough to trust a conversation – no agenda, no expectations – just openness to show up, be courageously vulnerable and learn.
The past four months have been rich with learning for team Bloombase as we embarked on our own Theory U journey led by Marian. Interior journeys like these require courage, commitment, and connection. Courage to enter the cave you fear most – the cave of you and all of your fears, stories, limiting beliefs, and blind spots. Commitment to show up – fully, vulnerably and intentionally present with your attention. Connection because we all need safe mirrors to reflect how we are showing up so we can learn how consistently close our actions are to our intentions.
The 3 C’s are required ground in order to build a foundation of team growth because that is what is required for the individuals within the team to grow. Teams only grow as much as each individual. One individual cannot become a master grower for a teammate who decides not to grow themselves at all. Our team is no different than most. We each have different learning styles and beliefs, varying needs for safety, multiple levels of courage… all of those differences make us stronger. And all of those differences become essential fertilizer to keep the foundation strong so that we may all choose to stand on it together – every day.
When you have good soil and a team that embraces the richness of their differences, you can plant a lot of seeds for each other. And those seeds will grow within you and around you if they are watered with behaviors that consistently support our shared values. As leaders, blind spots will always be fertile ground for us to plow… and safe, values-based space will always be needed to support that hard work of turning over the soil in each of our caves.
I remember reading Theory U when it was first published years ago. I didn’t understand much of it, but I was drawn to it and kept coming back to it over the years until it became part of my leadership practice. Now, having gone through such a transformative experience with my team, I feel like Theory U is finally embedded in me – not all of it of course, but clearly enough of it to provide me leadership levers that I can pull on daily. The practice of developing and sustaining new levers, new behaviors, new mindsets… I don’t know how to do that alone. I don’t think it can be done alone. Yes, I am responsible for me and only I can choose to make changes for me, and I also know that I cannot accurately or objectively experience me the way others can. It is that experience with others that creates the most informative, powerful learning for me.
My reflection, my exploration, my practice – all that is essential too. I own that. I crave those parts of my own practice. And I am clear that without my team (and many others), all of those investments I put into me would not produce the ROI I get from having others on the journey with me. This chapter of investment we have each made in each other will have a return for a lifetime – all because of one encounter and the choice to be open.
