Over the last two weeks I have taken on 2 small wallpapering jobs in my house to change up the space quickly and with a low budget. As I worked with each job, I realized that this work had lots of lessons that can be applied to workplace projects. So here you go:
- It is hard to take on something new.
This was my first time using self-sticking wallpaper on the surface, it seemed like it would be easy, Wrong! There was a big learning curve that challenged me in new ways. I had to step back and step away to get a different perspective so I could complete the change.
In the workplace we are challenged to take on new initiatives, processes and relationships that require us to learn, collaborate and take on different perspectives. Maybe if we allowed ourselves to feel the vulnerability of being a learner and took time to reflect on our response to “new” being hard we would be able to move forward quicker.
- The patterns are not always clear.
The patterns we chose were not too complicated but as you add a new row you must find the pattern to make sure the match is right.
Sometimes the connection in the patten is quick and easy, all seems to be going on the wall smoothly, until you discover the backing paper is not coming off evenly. (imagine not being able to find the end to the tape!!) Making connections sometimes just takes one go.
Do we only look for the easy patterns and miss the complicated one? When the connections take time or misalign what do we do?
- You can execute excellence when you let go of perfection.
Perfection is impossible but I could execute excellence with patterns and seams.
Do we ask for excellence or are we perfection pushers? How do we create environments that people can grow in? and learn from their mistakes?
- You may cause some bumps along the way, ones that can get smoothed out and ones that can’t.
Wallpaper gets air bubbles sometimes some that smooth out easily, others that return over and over and others that just cause a crease!
How do you deal with the bumps along the way?
