When you’re already invested in a project or know the background information, it’s hard to take a step back and identifying the challenges. But have you ever tried taking a beginner’s mindset? We use this tactic a lot as we get to know the issues our clients are facing. And we thought you might benefit from the same approach. Here’s our guide to being a great beginner.
Reserve judgement
When you already have your own preconceptions, it’s nearly impossible not to judge others. That’s why we’re asking you to drop them. With no preconceived notions or stereotypes, you can really empathize with others and get to the heart of an issue or challenge. At Lucidity, we take this approach when clients are facing new challenges or trying to tackle existing ones. Sometimes that fresh perspective can lead to a huge leap forward.
I have a question!
No matter how big or small the project, or whether you assume everyone already understands it, always question everything. Asking lots of questions can give you a better understanding of other people’s perspectives, which helps you create solutions that will really work. Challenging perceptions is one or our strengths – and our passions! We use questions to find out what our clients want and to understand their needs. We also ask them why; why they do things in particular ways, or why they’re looking for particular outcomes. Asking questions helps you get to the heart of the matter quickly.
Choose to be curious
We’re curious by nature and that’s a great thing. As Einstein once said, “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious”. Well, we think being curious is a super power! Curiosity is how we move forward, develop new ideas and explore what’s possible. Even in familiar situations, being curious can help you understand something in a new way. We’re curious about our clients and how we can make their work better. And we encourage our clients to be curious, too, about themselves and the world around them.
Repeating patterns
You know how when you start talking about red cars and unexpectedly you can’t stop seeing red cars everywhere? This doesn’t mean sales for red cars suddenly spiked. It just means you’re now more aware of them. And that works for more than cars. Once you start noticing particular things, they begin to appear more often. So start looking for threads and patterns at work to help inform your thinking. If you notice a frequent demand popping up, then identify it as a priority. If you see a pattern of issues with your users, then find a way to troubleshoot them. We’re experts at linking different information together, helping our clients to see patterns where they didn’t before.
Be a sponge
We all have our own agendas. This makes listening really tricky. But we’re here to tell you to open you ears and soak it all in! Start really listening to people by removing distractions. Listen out for what they say, and what they don’t say. How else will you find out what the issues really are? It’s up to us to provide that listening ear, to take time to get to the bottom of the challenge by really hearing what our clients say and by working with them to create new ways to look at how to identify solutions.
Adopting a beginner’s mindset isn’t the easy option. But we highly recommend it as a way to shine a light on the issues and look at them from a different perspective. And, by taking your newbie stance, you’ll start to see solutions, rather than problems!
If you’re still finding it hard to drum up new ideas or find a way to tackle problems, we can help you. We’re experienced in bringing new perspectives to our clients, with no agenda other than to support your business. If you want to chat to us about looking at your challenges in a new way, please get in touch. It’s what we’re here for!