Building better relationships and stronger teams
Flow is a puzzle app I use to pass the time. Working on a puzzle can be calming. Solving a puzzle is always satisfying.
In each Flow puzzle, you connect dots of the same color with pipes. The puzzle is solved when all the dots are connected, none of the pipes cross each other, and the puzzle grid is completely full.
Like any classic game, Flow takes a minute to learn and a long time to master.
Take a look at this puzzle. If you begin with with a simple pipe that connects the orange dots, your puzzle will be out of balance and unsolvable:
You will not succeed if you insist on keeping the orange pipe in place. When you recognize and appreciate how all the pipes can flow together without crossing each other, however, you arrive at an elegant solution like this:
Ironically, orange ends up being the least direct pipe in the solution to this puzzle. In taking the long way, the orange pipe creates space for all the other pipes, and for balance. The more puzzles you solve, the better you become at anticipating the patterns that will lead to a successful solution on the next puzzle.
Lessons learned
Flow is an excellent metaphor for building healthy relationships and effective teams. We maximize our potential when we understand, appreciate, and value each other’s styles, needs, and priorities. We succeed when we learn to flow together rather than crossing each other. Think about conflicts you have experienced in the past – or even challenges you are facing today. Peel back the layers and you will likely find misunderstanding, miscommunication, lack of appreciation, or conflicting priorities at the core.
Flowing with DiSC
This is why DiSC is an essential tool I use when coaching. DiSC is among the most researched and respected measures of workplace styles and tendencies. Just like the puzzle game, DiSC concepts are easy to learn. When you understand the basics of your own DiSC style and needs and priorities of others, you can spend a lifetime building effective, balanced relationships with anyone. Teams that embrace DiSC experience better communication, reduced conflict, increased collaboration, and improved results.
If finding your flow with individual colleagues or a team is proving difficult, let’s work together to find a satisfying solution.
