On Addressing the Stinky Fish

This Week’s Topic: What’s that Smell?

1 Strategy 🎯 

Several years ago I found myself leading a very challenging transformation project.

Everyone on the team was giving their all, but progress was slow and laborious.

The team was frustrated, and I was feeling less confident by the day.

But from senior leadership’s perspective, everything was going swimmingly.

Because every week I presented a status update that was all smiles and rainbows.

I’d shine a spotlight on the small wins, and frame the major concerns as minor speedbumps on the road to inevitable success.

I hated those leadership updates and I’d sometimes feel physically ill beforehand.

Why was I so adamant about putting a positive spin on a negative situation? 

Because I wanted the big wigs to perceive me and everyone else on the team as positive, confident and capable.

Looking back, my positivity had taken a turn for the toxic.

Eventually, the project issues reached critical mass and the truth came out.

And a funny thing happened.

The executive sponsor made a couple phone calls and secured an additional resource that enabled us to get the project back on track.

In hindsight, I wish I’d sounded the alarm sooner.

There’s a name for the unspoken fears, concerns and dysfunctional dynamics that we’re either unwilling or unable to share - Stinky Fish.

Stinky fish can take many forms:

• “I’m burning out.”

• “I’m afraid I’ll lose my job.”

• “I’m not paid enough.”

My project was ripe with stinky fish.

And it was only when all the stinky fish were surfaced that we were able take corrective action and salvage the project.

The challenge is…

How can you surface and address the stinky fish on your team, without descending into a sea of negativity?

Enter the Stinky Fish Canvas.

The design and technique was developed by Gustavo Razzetti, and I absolutely love using this approach with the teams.

While the conversations aren’t always easy, they are ALWAYS productive.

The Stinky Fish canvas and metaphor provide just the right amount of structure, and playfulness, to keep the conversation focused and positive.

Want to try out the Stinky Fish Canvas for yourself?

Click here for facilitation instructions

Regardless of your approach, the importance of empowering team members to freely voice concerns is critically important for team development.

Because often the most toxic issue is the one that nobody’s talking about.

Reply to this email and let me know how it goes! I look forward to hearing from you.

See you next Wednesday,

Darin 

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