Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Walking Problem Solving - perfect exercise

One of my friends, Heléne Olsson, Directora General of KAIROS FUTURE ESPAÑA responded to my post about Sketch Shape Up Shoes:

Talking about shoes, and walking, let' me introduce you to the concept of
"Power Walks", This is something I recommend in leadership and time
management, and which I practice with my people and customers, when
suitable.

When you get stuck in business, or when you need to talk through
important issues with a customer, colleague, collaborator or superior,
it's time for a "Power Walk". This means having a meeting, just two
persons, getting out of the office, having a brisk walk together for
around an hour, preferably in a park or at a place you do not need to
stop, just go on walking.

The advantages of this are:

1. You take better and quicker decisions than in a meeting room, because
you are walking, not sitting comfortable.

2. You get better inspiration because the environment creates collateral
thinking.

3. You feel better because you make a kind of soft exercise, pumping the
blood up to the brain and around your body, and breathe fresh air
(hopefully).

4. The confidence is higher with the second person, because "walking the
talk" creates trust and is powerful. The small talk helps to cement the
trust.

5. It’s tremendously easy and yet so surprising what you get out of it.

6. Cheap!

Now...

- put a clear purpose of the Power Walk, before walking
- one of the two knows the path to walk in beforehand
- only do it in-between two persons, communication is not good enough with
more people walking together
- don't answer the mobile or connect yourself meanwhile
- walk briskly, not strolling around
- make a small résumé of max 3 bullet points of the output when connected
again

1 comment:

  1. I have used this many times. Other benefits of this: You are side by side, not across from each other. Less confrontational. Any sense of hierarchy tends to be flattened. You're both the same, walking together. Taking a pause is more natural. You can walk a few steps without feeling you have to fill "dead air". You can grab a water or coffee on the way. That small action can help bring you together. Because you're in public, you keep it civil. Voices don't rise.

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