We’ve come to the end now of our ‘Together’ workshops (but really of course, it’s just the beginning).

Together business

At SK Chase we’re all aware that we’d like to work more closely together, and at the three workshops we agreed:

• What working together means (being ‘interdependent’)
• Why work together? The benefits – for the business and for each individual
• How do we do it better? What’s at the source of working together (self-responsibility and trust are two of the sources)

Rather than being entirely dependent on a colleague or being completely independent of each other, we are choosing to move into the third stage of a relationship: interdependency, where we are able to mutually depend on each other and be aware of the business and our own needs.

With this level of awareness, and if we do it well, we’ll be able naturally work together as one. We’ll be tuned in to what’s right for SK Chase and allocate our capacity and energy accordingly.

At the foundation of working together is trust.

One question that really struck a chord with me during our workshops was this question:

‘What would trust do next?’

I work in Marketing at SK Chase and part of my role is to ensure our ‘brand’ reflects SK Chase – in a true and fair way. (for example in creating visuals for presentations or in our website redesign).The brand is basically our look, tone, identity and what we stand for. So it’s not black and white; ‘this is the right way’ or ‘this is the wrong way’; it’s quite a subjective area.

Kaye (one of the founders) has a strong Marketing background and I would often seek reassurance from her if I was heading in the right direction.

Trust myself

So when faced with a dilemma, I now ask myself the question ‘What would trust do next?’ I listen to my intuition and also by asking myself this question, I give myself space to reflect – to check in on our intent, our values and our focus. The answer is always surprisingly positive and easy to get to! And so far so good with the way things are working out!

It’s true, I still have some ideas that are slightly ‘off track’ – but they’re ideas (and there are no bad ideas). If this happens, it won’t just be dismissed. We’ll look at why it doesn’t work. And this reinforces my learning and my awareness and knowledge deepens.

Trust others

I’m part of the project team for the System Rebuild Project, and again the answer to this question is at the source of working together with my colleagues successfully. We all have different strengths and all bring something different to the project. Without trust – we’d get nowhere, fast.

Family life

My children have recently gone back to school and I was getting abit anxious about being away from them for six hours a day, and entrusting them in the care of someone I’ve smiled at once, not knowing…. what’s happening? Is their teacher being kind and fair? How they are getting on? So I ask myself the question again, ‘What would trust do next?’ I trust that they can do their work, that the teacher lives our school’s values, that they’re getting on ok in playground.

When I trust, I have a belief in someone or something and it comes from within me. It’s an inside job.

Is there doubt?  Sometimes, yes. But we live in an uncertain world; I know that some doubt is normal and it’s healthy for our minds to be able to accept it.

To trust is a choice

Our business coach reminded us that trust is ‘a choice to view events as they unfold positively overlaid with a belief that they can and will’.

I choose to trust