The word “dream” is one we don’t typically hear in corporate vocabulary. We are more likely to use the word goal and vision. What if we asked our team “what is your dream for the clients we serve?” or “what is your dream for this team?” or, “if nothing could get in the way, what is your dream for this company?” I wonder if the responses would be different?
These were some of the questions that arose during my conversation with Debbi Dachinger on my Conversations with Charmaine show. You can listen to my interview with Debbi here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/charmainehammond/2012/05/23/guests-maria-gamb-and-debbi-dachinger
Debbi is an expert and author on the topic of Daring to Dream, and is the radio host of Dare to Dream Radio, which has more than four million listeners. I have had the opportunity to be a guest on her show two times.
“Dreams are everything!” said Debbi. Dreams can catapult a team and business into new levels of success because of the synergy that is created when team members talk about their vision, what could be, and what they are passionate about.
I shared a few examples with Debbi. One team I worked with had hired me to facilitate the community vision and team strategic plan. I used a vision board activity for the team to create their visual image of their community vision and their hopes for how their clients would be impacted by their service delivery. This exercise created great synergy, after they got used to the idea this facilitator was not using the “typical” planning exercises. The community was so powerful that the team presented their vision board to their Council and posted it in their staff room. Several years after this project, their vision board was still hanging in the staff room, even though some of the members on their team had since moved onto other organizations, their vision still remained. Debbi also suggested a Victory Board, where teams display and record their team and business accomplishments, wins and successes. This is a very powerful tool as well as often the team is disconnected with the successes and accomplishments that have happened in the rest of the organization or company. As well, a Victory Board creates a way of charting and tracking corporate history.
Check out Debbi’s book here, there are great tips to move individuals and teams into creating big dreams and goals, to move beyond the barriers that get in the way of success, and how to dream big. I was thrilled to be able to provide an endorsement for the book, it is a great read!
Debbi suggested that teams take stock of their dreams and goals, explore what is getting in the way (habits, history, resistance, etc.), and that leaders also check in with their dreams, are you dreaming big enough? Many people play small, they stay with small dreams, goals that are comfortable. The challenge with that is you stay in your comfort zone. Successful people seem to possess some of the same qualities, they regularly get out of their comfort zone, they trust- themselves and others, they are resilient, and stretch their dreams from comfortable to uncomfortable.
So as you get ready for June, half way through 2012, why not take a moment to check in with your dreams and goals... are you thinking big enough? How can you expand your dreams a little more? Who can you share them with? What action can you take?
Next week, join us for Conversations with Charmaine radio (Wed May 30, 2012 at 1 pm MST) as I interview Marci Shimoff NYT bestselling author of many books, including: Love for No Reason and Happy for No Reason, she is the coauthor of six of the top-selling titles in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and a featured teacher in the international movie and book sensation The Secret.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/charmainehammond/2012/05/30/guests-victoria-labalme-and-marci-shimoff
To learn more about Marci and her awesome books, visit:
