Ok, I’ll admit it. I’m a logophile.

And because I love words and language, I sometimes wonder about specific words and how they’re used!

For example, you’ve probably been to an event recently where someone introduced a speaker, saying, “without further ado.”

Have you ever wondered what “ado” really means, and why it’s seldom heard unless within that phrase?

That type of thinking leads me to a few questions:

As a leader, where is the “ado” for you in your business? What do you need to see from a different perspective?

Think Different

Do you remember the Apple Campaign from 1997?

It was simple. The phrase “Think Different” was initially married with black and white pictures of pioneers of innovation, risk takers and those who saw the world in another light, like Albert Einstein, Amelia Erhart, Jim Henson and Muhammed Ali.

Shouldn’t the word “different” have been an adverb, with an “ly” at the end of it?  I just wasn’t used to seeing that word in that context, with that spelling.

Discovering a Trove

As words and phrases go, it might be worth taking Apple’s advice to deepen our understanding of the people and things around us. It might be worth taking the “ado” out of the common phrase, and flipping it on its head. Without much ado, we can redefine the norm.

When we look with different eyes at our businesses, associates and colleagues, we often find out what a trove (A collection of valuable items discovered or found, usually partnered with treasure) we have, right in front of us. We can wreak (to express or gratify, usually partnered with havoc) profitability! We can wreak effectiveness.

Inquiring Minds

When we use inquiry with the people and things that surround us, we can create new meaning and innovation.

What steps can you take right now to look at people and processes outside of the “normal” context? Here are a few thoughts:

1. Ask more. Tell less. Take on an approach of inquiry vs. defensiveness or rootedness when you’re thinking about the path to a project or goal.
2. Disrupt a routine. Not only is your brain challenged to respond differently, but you may also see things in a different light when you break your patterns.
3. Give yourself permission to try an approach that doesn’t promise a successful outcome. You’ll likely learn something valuable along the way.

Try these out this week! In the meantime, let me know how it goes. I’ll be at your beck and call!