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What is an Energising Micro Ritual?

 

An energising micro ritual is a small tool or activity which, when implemented and repeated, can be transformational for individuals, teams and ultimately the whole organisation. The rituals in this pack cover different aspects of personal growth, meetings, communication and feedback.

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It is often assumed that to create transformational change, we must make sweeping alterations to the way in which we work. Energising micro rituals challenge this premise. It is our experience that by learning these activities and putting them into practice there will be a significant shift in energy levels across the organisation which builds over time.

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Fractal metaphor

We can understand this through the metaphor of fractals. Geometrically, fractals are simple equations. When repeated over and over, they create infinitely complex, self-similar shapes.

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In this context, fractals are the small practical rituals which when repeated, increase the energy and performance in an individual, team or organisation. The change can be as simple as saying thank you to a colleague every day.

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The impact of micro rituals can be illustrated by the example of choosing to exercise 3 days per week. This will have the “1st order” impact of improving your fitness and making you physically healthier. The “2nd order impact” is created because physical fitness raises your energy levels. This in turn reduces stress. Lower stress levels lead to better relationships, better performance and better results.

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Adopting the energising micro rituals in this pack will provide an immediate positive (1st order) impact which directly benefits the people involved. The real power (2nd order impact) emerges as they become embedded in our everyday lives.

EDiBLe

Debrief Meetings

EDiBLe – Creating a learning and feedback culture

Our core question: “What can we do better today? What if…” reflects a culture focused on continuous improvement. To improve, we need to check how we are doing (feedback) and take time to reflect (learn). The challenge is finding the time. Without feedback the system cannot adjust and improve over time. So how to solve this?

The answer lies in removing the false distinction between business as usual and “development time”. By turning every interaction into a development interaction business as usual becomes continuous development.

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Mechanism for Feedback

The EDiBLe feedback mechanism is powerful because it establishes excellence as the measure, gives permission to participants to be honest in voicing difficulty then invites suggestions for improvement and learning.

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EDiBLe consists of four short questions for reflection:

  • “What was Exceptional (content and process)?”

  • “What, if anything, was Difficult?”

  • “What would be even Better next time?”

  • “What can we Learn?”

 

It is best practice for the leader to remind people that the group will reflect at the end of the session using EDiBLe. This primes the brain ensuring that participants are ready to share when invited to do so.

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Typically, the group takes it in turn to reflect briefly on each of the questions. The exact words are important. “Extraordinary” creates stretch. “If anything,” avoids people making up difficulties. Using both “even better” and “what can we learn” leads to surprisingly different reflections. It is always what can WE learn not what can you learn?

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If time is running short people can be invited to send their reflections by email using a Microsoft form to automatically collate responses. When complete the form is shared back to the group. Once people are accustomed to the process the EDiBLe conversations rarely take more than 30 seconds to 5 minutes depending on the number of people.

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The next time the group meets the leader, or chair of the meeting plays back the output of the previous EDiBLe conversation and indicates how this has been actioned whether in changed content or process.

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Energising impact?

EDiBLe ensures that every interaction is focused on doing our best work whilst continuously improving and learning.

CPORT+I

What is CPORT+I?

 

Delegation is a critical leadership skill. Done well it creates clarity about what is being delegated and a contract between the two parties that ensures, should anything change, there is a re-contracting.

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Delegation is not abdication; the delegating manager continues to hold the accountability for the completion of the task/s even though their people are responsible for its completion. Using a metaphor from climbing, the manager is the "belayer" whilst their people climb the rock face (see diagram below). People do their best work when they feel safe and the purpose of CPORT+I is to create that safe context.

 

Component elements

  • C= Context – setting the organisational context of the work, and how it fits into the larger work of the team, department or organization.

  • P = Purpose – setting a clear purpose of the work – the WHY behind the WHAT that is expected.

  • O = Outcome – identify a clear Goal to be achieved or Outcome to be reached in terms of either, or both, QUALITY + QUANTITY of the deliverables.

  • R = Resources – what the person will have available to achieve their goal – these are organisational resources like budget, a team or support they will have access to, so they achieve their goal or outcome.

  • T = Timing – a clear time deadline of when the task is to be completed.

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  • I = Inform – make it clear to your direct report that they must come to you well ahead of schedule if, for some reason, the goal will not be met within the agreed limits. The purpose of this crucial step is, so alternative arrangements and agreements can be made before it is too late. This doesn’t mean they come to you just because they are having difficulties, but only when they have tried to solve the problem themselves and sought alternative paths and still there is a problem.

 

Using CPORT+I?

 

How to Delegate

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The principle here is to delegate the why and the what of the work and not the how to do it. It is also important to delegate the appropriate authority and resources that your direct report will need to get the work done. People need to know what you expect. You set the goals, the time frames, the resources (budget, staff), the checkpoints along the way and how you will both know and measure how well the work is done. You then get out of their way.

This is a “NO HOW ZONE”!

 

When to Delegate

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Whenever you are designing your work schedule or looking at the items in your schedule you need to ask yourself:

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  • Do I really need to do this myself?

  • Are there any benefits of me doing it that greatly outweigh delegating it?

  • Who could do this as well or better than me?

  • Who should do it because they have capability, experience and desire to do it?

  • Who would like to do it?

  • Who should / would like to get the opportunity to learn or be developed to do it?

 

The more you ask these questions the more you will find you will be delegating.

 

Holding to account

What makes CPORT+I work is that the delegator holds their direct report accountable for delivering on what is agreed to. If the direct report is not held accountable, then the credibility of delegation breaks down, and more importantly, trust breaks down. You may think you are being kind not following through because of the pressure of work etc., but this is understood as not caring and undermines the effectiveness of future requests.

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Energising impact?

People are most energised to do their best work when they are clear on what is expected of them and feel supported in doing what they are tasked with. By using CPORT+I we create that clarity and actively commit to provide our support.

Your PUG

Your Personal User Guide

What is a PUG?

A PUG is a guide to how others can work most effectively with you. It describes how to get the best out of you and avoid the worst. If we do not share this with others, they have no choice but to guess and often what we assume will not be correct.

The work you have done completing the Triangulation® surveys and Extraordinary Leader has helped you better understand yourself and articulate your energising strengths. This sets you up nicely to prepare your PUG using the examples and template we provide. The questions to consider in creating your guide are here:

  • What are some honest, unfiltered things about you?

  • What drives you nuts? What are your quirks?

  • How can people earn an extra gold star with you?

  • What qualities do you particularly value in people who work with you?

  • What are some things that people might misunderstand about you that you should clarify?

  • How do you coach people to do their best work and develop their talents?

  • What’s the best way to communicate with you?

  • What’s the best way to convince you of something?

  • How do you like to give and get feedback?

How to use it?

When you have drafted your PUG share it with a couple of colleagues who know you well. Ask them to give their feedback on what might be missing or inaccurate and incorporate their suggestions. Then share with your team, encouraging an honest dialogue on what they recognise and how you can work better together.

Next, encourage your team members to create their own PUGs to share both with you and each other.

Sharing your PUG is helpful whenever you start to work with new colleagues, whether in welcoming new team members or working in new collaborations, project teams etc.

Energising impact?

For a business to run smoothly, relationships need to be based on mutual understanding and respect. Sharing your PUG is a great way to help create the strong relationships which sustain the energy of the organisation.

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Examples

​Example 1 - How to work with me for the best results​

  • I am patient, even-tempered and easy going. I appreciate straight, direct communication. Say what you are thinking.

  • I am goal-oriented but have a high tolerance for diversity and openness to different viewpoints. So, don’t be afraid to challenge the status quo.

  • I welcome ideas, but I appreciate that you have real ownership of your idea and that you have thought through its impact on the business.

  • I tend to shy away from conflict and confrontation. I sometimes accommodate easily to the needs of others when challenged. I am aware of this, and I am working on it.

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Example 2 – Final statements

  • I am rarely without a point of view, and so I always tell people to come back three times if they really believe in their point of view.

  • I’ll invest time, money and do what it takes to help anyone on the team be the best at what they do.

  • I make sure people know that I ask questions because I’m interested, not because I think ther’s something wrong.

PO³

Meeting Prep

PO3 – Purpose, Objective, Outcome and Output

Given that time is precious and time in meetings consumes large quantities of precious time we are constantly amazed by the extent to which poor meeting discipline prevails in organisations. Once the leader is clear about their intent, they need to ensure that the process will enable the desired outcome.

PO3 is a simple but powerful concept that provides discipline and structure for each meeting. By preparing a sheet that is circulated in advance of the meeting or conversation people can turn up clear and prepared, fully aligned as to the desired outcomes. How to use it?

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The best run organisations make it a rule that a meeting cannot take place without a published PO3 being circulated in advance of getting together.

 

This applies whether the meeting is informal between a few people or with larger groups.

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Use the words as questions to answer:

  • What is the purpose of the meeting? (i.e. Why are we meeting?)

  • What is the objective? (What specifically are we trying to achieve in this session?)

  • What is the desired outcome? (How will we know we’ve achieved the objective?)

  • What are the concrete outputs? (e.g. action list allocated to individuals, a decision, a report etc)

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Frequently the discipline of doing the pre-thinking leads to meetings being cancelled and / or people recognising that they are not needed in the meeting and thus save valuable time and effort.

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Energising impact?

PO3 creates clarity. Meetings are more effective, more enjoyable and more productive.

OFTN

Conversations

What is OFTN?

People in organisations frequently find it hard to have honest or “difficult” conversations. This can result in a superficial politeness which masks real issues. When these are not addressed the business suffers.

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In most cases the challenges arise because of the different assumptions we hold, leading us to misinterpret the intention of the other. When we do have the conversation, the apparent difficulties are quickly resolved. OFTN provides a simple framework for a conversation to resolve conflicts or difficulties.

 

Requesting an “OFTN” conversation signals to the other that there is something important to discuss. Having the conversation is straight forward because both parties know the framework.

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How to have an OFTN conversation

The framework looks like this:

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To show how this works here is a real-life example. I recently needed a colleague to attend an important weekend conference at short notice. There were two candidates. The first is always a willing volunteer. The second who was more technically qualified is often reluctant. I chose the first. On their return I received a request for an OFTN conversation. It went something like this:

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“When you asked me to do the conference at short notice…I felt that you were presuming on my willingness to support you…What I thought was that you had avoided the challenge of asking our other colleague and that you had not given any thought to my need to persuade my partner to cancel their plans and look after the children…What I’d like is for you to be more considerate in future…What do you think?”

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Practice in advance

Before putting OFTN into use it is necessary for all parties to be familiar with how this works. The following exercise will ensure that people are suitably prepared.

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  • Think of a real example where you would like to give feedback but haven’t yet done so, or…

  • Think of a real example where you gave feedback, but the feedback was ineffective (this may be to do with the recipient but may also have been to do with the way the feedback was given)

  • Practice in threes

    • Speaker – Give feedback using the OFTN model

    • Listener –    How did it feel on the receiving end? What suggestions can you offer the speaker?

    • Observer – What did you notice and/or learn?

    • Rotate

 

Energising impact?

OFTN makes it easy to have an honest conversation. This ensures that any difficulties are quickly resolved releasing energy to focus on moving forward.

Thank You

Thank someone every day

One of the most effective ways to create positive energy and enthusiasm is to affirm the people you work with. This applies to your boss (they need appreciation too), your peers, your direct reports and their reports.

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When times are tough and you are under pressure it is all too tempting to focus on what is not happening rather than celebrate the contributions people are making. This is not positivity for the sake of it, this is about taking the time to notice and “catch people” doing great things and specifically recognising what they have achieved.

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By adopting a simple discipline of practicing this ritual every day, as a collective leadership group, the energy levels across the organisation benefit.

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How to use it?

The first step is to find things to thank people for. Once you have found something, you can thank people 1:1 individually, although the energising impact is amplified when you recognise someone “in public”. This can be with peers or in a larger group context such as an all hands meeting at whatever level.

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A way to further amplify the impact is to have your direct reports find things and people to thank amongst their direct reports. When the boss’s boss recognises you, it is even more powerful. One of my clients was reluctant to adopt this practice. Once we persuaded him to try it, he could not stop. It became one of the most enjoyable parts of his leadership. He used to send hand-written notes on A5 cards headed “From the office of…” These cards frequently became treasured, “the best thing that has happened in my 20 years at the company” and shared with friends and family.

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Energising impact?

Recognition is a powerful energiser. Feeling appreciated for your contribution picks you up and helps you carry on with renewed commitment. It is impactful because it is (sadly) all too rare. And yet so easy to do….

Tote Bag

What's
Becoming
Clearer?

What is it?

Clarity lies at the heart of performance.

The simple ritual of asking the question “What’s becoming clearer?” creates a felt sense of clarity in people’s minds. By asking the question, the conscious mind invites the non-conscious mind to reveal what it has been processing. By sharing what is becoming clearer around the room, we get a sense of what is emerging for the group. This has the added benefit of releasing the non-conscious mind from what it was processing, freeing up capacity to take on more/new information and fully engage with new activities.

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How to use it?

This ritual is best used at intervals throughout a session. When we run meetings, the agenda is typically broken into topics. “What’s becoming clearer?” creates an effective break and transition from one topic to another.

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The non-conscious mind does most of its processing when the individual is focused on another task. When running a meeting, it is helpful to ask “What’s becoming clearer?” after a break or after lunch to give people processing time. When doing this, always let people know you will be asking “What’s becoming clearer?” after the break, as this primes the mind to be resourceful in responding to the question.

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Energising impact?

“What’s becoming clearer?” creates clarity. When used there is less likelihood of people feeling overwhelmed by the agenda content. Asking the question creates space in people’s minds so that meetings are more effective, more enjoyable and more productive.

For You,
With You,
By You

Effective leadership is about empowering teams, fostering collaboration and driving sustainable performance. The For You, With You, By You model provides a structured approach to leadership that balances guidance, partnership and autonomy. By leveraging this model, leaders can create an engaged and high-performing workforce while ensuring that projects and performance reviews are meaningful and effective.

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For You – Providing Direction and Support

The leader acts as a guide, setting the vision, defining objectives and providing resources and support to ensure success. This phase is essential when onboarding new team members, launching new initiatives, or addressing challenges that require strong leadership direction.

Key Benefits:

  • Ensures clarity in goals and expectations

  • Provides necessary tools, training and resources

  • Builds confidence among team members

  • Supports teams in understanding strategic priorities

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With You – Encouraging Collaboration and Development

Once the foundation is set, leadership transitions into a collaborative approach, where individuals and teams are actively engaged in decision-making and problem-solving. In this phase, leaders work alongside their teams, fostering open communication, teamwork and shared responsibility.

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Key Benefits:

  • Strengthens trust and relationships within the team

  • Encourages shared ownership and accountability

  • Enhances skill development through mentorship and coaching

  • Boosts motivation and engagement by valuing team contributions

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By You – Empowering Autonomy and Ownership

The ultimate goal of leadership is to empower teams to take full ownership of their work. In this phase, leaders step back and allow teams to drive projects, make decisions and manage performance independently while still offering guidance when needed.

Key Benefits:

  • Encourages innovation and independent problem-solving

  • Builds confidence and leadership skills within the team

  • Improves efficiency and decision-making

  • Creates a culture of accountability and continuous improvement

 

Using the For You, With You, By You model ensures that leadership is adaptive, responsive and empowering. It balances guidance and autonomy, helping teams grow, innovate and take ownership of their work. By applying this model effectively, leaders can cultivate a high-performing, motivated and engaged workforce that drives long-term success.

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