Wondering Wednesdays: A Year in Review

Every week in 2022, Shawn Gulyas, Founder and The Thought Catalyst at humanworks8, shared a thought-provoking question in his weekly “Wondering Wednesday” newsletter on LinkedIn. Inspired by the humanworks8 core value of “Wonder,” Shawn’s challenges are designed to help leaders pause, if only for a moment, to think differently about people and people leadership.

These five excerpts come from the posts in 2022 that were most interesting to our network, beginning with Shawn’s kick-off post, The Do-Over.

The Do-Over

Do you believe we have an opportunity for a “do over” in 2022?

Can a year of turmoil be a gift to open our awareness of what truly matters at work and in life? How often do you get the opportunity to start over and think differently about how you want to live your life and run your business? Is this a chance in a lifetime? Will you take it?

Have you ever thought about your business as a museum?

What are all the practices you have collected over time? Have you ever thought about what new exhibit needs to be brought in or what new artist to invest in? What needs to be put away and stored for posterity? What needs to be brought back to life in a new way?

Have you ever seen Yo-Yo Ma play his cello live and in person? Isn’t it amazing what he can do with a last note in a piece – how he extends and transfixes you by it – how quiet, but powerful it is? Have you ever found yourself saying I wish I would have said that better – done that differently? I wonder if there is still time for all of us to practice that last note – to leave others with a word, action, hug, or feeling that they remember and carry with them? What if you added “the last note” leadership practice into your way of working – how might you change your actions and words, so they had lasting impact – even if what preceded wasn’t perfect? How can your last note lead you to your next note?

The Wrinkles

Aren’t wrinkles interesting? Whether they be a wrinkle on our skin, or a space-time continuum – aren’t they kind of amazing? Have you ever thought about wrinkles at work? What are the lines and folds that occur over time in an organization? Are there cultural wrinkles organizations wear over time? Is there any lotion or procedure that can smooth them over or bring back a youthful appearance? Or do you wear them like a badge of honor? Should we hide our wrinkles or take pride in them? What if we celebrate our wrinkle stories for reminding us of how far we’ve come and share them for learnings and improvement? What if we embraced our wrinkles and used them to set a course for the future? What if you looked at your hand right now and then looked up and saw your business? Would the same intricate, well-worn paths be present?  

The Rosin

Did you know that no sound would be produced by a string instrument if it wasn’t for one sticky thing? Have you ever thought about how no music would be produced by a cello without friction? What creates that “idea friction” in your organization? Do you consider challenge and debate music to your ears? How can you enhance your leadership capabilities by being the “rosin” – making sure everyone’s perspectives are heard, facilitating challenging conversation between people, creating opportunities for passionate debate? Do you believe a part of your job as a leader is to cause this friction on a team? What kind of sound will be produced if you don’t? Silence?

The Future of Wondering Wednesday

Subscribe to Wondering Wednesday on LinkedIn to see what Shawn is writing in 2023…