Because, you know, a stinky fish stinks.
If your team is struggling to get things done because no one is willing to lead the hard conversations, then you might just need a stinky fish. Learn how to use this simple, fun tool to spark the very conversation your team just needs to have.
Modern Mentor is hosted by Rachel Cooke. A transcript is available at Simplecast.
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Hey, it’s Rachel Cooke, your Modern Mentor. I’m the founder of Lead Above Noise—a firm specializing in helping teams and organizations create better working experiences that deliver better results.
So, recently my kids have gotten curious about the TV I watched as a kid. And I’ve started showing them some old episodes of the classic sitcoms from my childhood.
And my kids have so many questions!! Like—where is all that annoying laughing coming from? Or why is the phone stuck to the wall? Or why didn’t they just order it on Amazon? Or why didn’t that person just say the thing that needed to be said?
You can see how the first few questions just reflect the crazy reality of the 80s and 90s. But that last question is kind of a kicker. I mean, so many episodes of so many shows were basically just about a ridiculous misunderstanding because someone didn’t say the thing. And hilarity ensued. This one was harder to explain away.
In the era of the sitcom, the not-saying-the-thing made for comedy. But in the workplace—where this happens all the time? The impact is not so funny. It’s often counterproductive—even toxic.
I run a lot of offsites with a lot of teams that are struggling to deliver results or collaborate effectively or drive innovation. And often so much of this is solvable—with the right conversation.
My job during these offsites is to create a space in which the unspoken can be safely spoken. And then addressed. Resolved.
And one of my favorite tools for making these conversations happen? It’s the Stinky Fish Canvas developed by Hyper Island. Because, you know, a stinky fish stinks. The longer it sits, the worse it smells. And when one shows up, we gotta clear the air. And this canvas is designed to challenge you—and your team—to say the things that need to be said in order to clear the air.
So whether you’re a leader or a member of a team, take a step back. How open is the dialog? How productive are you, and how much more productive could you be if more was being said?
Let’s talk about the 4 big issues the Stinky Fish Canvas gets at. And how each has the potential to move your team collectively forward.
You know. This can be stuff that frustrates you or slows you down or just makes your everyday working experience a little… stinkier.
It can be things like:
These are all real problems. Any situation that makes a team less engaged, less productive, less creative is a real problem. And they’re solvable problems. But we can only solve what we can see.
So now it’s your turn. What’s the thing everyone knows is happening (or not happening) but no one is willing to say out loud to someone who can help create change?
Start by naming the unspoken. Even just knowing that others are feeling the same pain as you are can feel like the first step on the path to somewhere better.
OK. Next let’s talk uncertainty. There’s a lot of it out there these days. Change is the new constant and all that.
And frankly, the key to managing uncertainty—in my opinion—is talking about it with others in the same situation as you.
Like as a mom, I pose questions all the time to my mom friends. Not because I think they have the answers, but because through our conversation, we’re able to generate some ideas together. And feel more supported by each other.
Sometimes it’s scary to be vulnerable – to let people know what makes you anxious. But if you’re brave enough to voice it, you’ll likely be rewarded with a bit more clarity.
At work, you may be wondering things like…
You may have big questions, or you may have smaller ones. But either way, when a clear answer isn’t readily available, just be willing to ask the question. It’ll trigger some important dialog with your team. And maybe together you’ll find your way forward.
This is the stuff that just feels awful or scary.
Like maybe…
Any one of these realities is going to throw you off your game. But the only way past them is through them.
I did this exercise a few weeks ago with a leadership team that’s preparing to undergo a pretty big organizational change.
At first, the leaders were hesitant to express any anxiety or uncertainty in front of the CEO. But slowly, as they warmed up, they started putting some of their concerns out there.
And once they did, they realized they were actually sparking some really important discussion.
Like when one leader asked “So how exactly are the sales and the product teams going to collaborate with the client managers in the markets?” the CEO realized there were some pretty big questions she hadn’t yet thought through.
And her team’s willingness to share these anxieties helped her—and them—collectively to set up for a more successful change.
So now. What’s one thing you’ve been feeling fearful about? And what if you were willing to speak it? Might it actually help your team solve a problem?
And finally. Ah yes. Our baggage. The stuff that happened—and was real—but is an old story we’re still holding onto.
At another recent client event, one of the participants pulled me aside to give me a heads up: she told me there was incredible tension between two of the vice presidents on the team. And I should make sure to never pair them during an exercise.
Later in the day, I asked the HR person on the team about that tension. She chuckled and said “OMG they worked on a project together 7 years ago and had some rough moments. Which were resolved about 6.5 years ago.”
Sometimes a thing happens and we hold it forever as truth. Which isn’t always so productive.
So really. Is there something you and your team need to let go of? And if you did, what could you accomplish in that now wide-open space?
Join me next week for another great episode. Until then, visit my website at leadabovenoise.com if your organization is looking to dial up its Employee Experience or deliver some leadership development that activates change. You can follow Modern Mentor on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Find and follow me on LinkedIn. Thanks so much for listening and have a successful week.