Playing the Right Notes in the Right Key: How to Add Flare to the Ordinary

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Musicians typically start with a piece of already transcribed music. The notes on the page show how they fit together, and the symbols tell you how to play them. But you have the artistic freedom to interpret them, add soul, and turn it into something beautiful that is your own.
Business is the same way. Most offices have a playbook, a SOW, or a tried and true process. Your job is to follow it with your own flare, to know when to take artistic liberties and take something from good to great. Here are some tips on how you can add your own musical hand to your work.
  1. Tell a story
    • Things happen for a reason. The process is in that order for a reason. It may not be fun and it may seem tedious but it works that way consistently, for a reason! Explain why it happens in that way. Maybe your method helped another client solve a difficult problem and it can give another confidence that it will work for them too. Or walk through troubleshooting the alternatives so they understand why your way is best. Stories take time but they add personality to a dry workbook.
  2. Give words of encouragement
    • When the going get tough, what do you say to get you and your team through it? Do you act like it always happens to you like a curse? Your flare might be humor to diffuse the situation or distract from the misfortune. Or maybe you believe that it happens to everyone and that you just need to get through it. Your flare might be keep up the good work. Share the struggle of your teammates learning something new. Recognize it, be a part of it, and then be a part of the solution too!
  3. Mnemonics and Jokes
    •  Memorizing new things takes time. If there is a way to ease the burden, do so! There's no reason to make it harder on them and make them blindly follow the steps. When I train, I make sure to tell them when it's something they don't have to remember or it's something they should write down. I make sure to mention the shortcut way or the funny name for something (aka Print Daddy or alligator icon). I use a few phrases over and over again that will become mental reminders for what to do next.


About Post Author

A consultant in the software sector, I love to write about the challenges and opportunities that I run across on a daily basis with clients, colleagues, and even friends. There's inspirational lessons to be applied to business practices everywhere!

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So if you want to be happy at work like I am, then thanks for being a reader! I am a consultant that travels constantly and is always working with new people. I love what I do! I'm formally trained with an MBA and BS Engineering. At home and in my free time, I like to drink beer, travel, garden, read, hike with my dog, and play board games.

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