We continually went around the same mountain that we had been around for years. We needed a different outlook that can only be seen from a differing point of view. Nicole Colter walked us through the process of realizing that that differing point of view was already in us and we didn’t need someone from outside the organization to give it to us. We just needed Nicole to creatively help us discover it.
Have you ever proof-read your own work? You write something then proof-read but you tend to read what you think you wrote and not always what you actually wrote. We were stuck in that “proof-reading your own work” thing for way too long. We had the same stale ideas, solutions and processes that we kept in operation despite them not being completely effective. Why? Because we thought they would be effective. And when we would review them, we would come to the same conclusions. Then we would find that the anticipated outcome was not the actual outcome. So we would make some decisions that were similar to the former ones and start the whole thing all over again. It was exhausting.
We invited Nicole Colter into our staff meeting to work with us in a creative process from discovery to implementation. She has helped us discover real issues and real, workable solutions. She didn’t come in and tell us what the problems were and what we needed to do better, she walked us through steps of discovery. I liken it to coaching an entire corporate team. Asking the right questions, encouraging a different way of thinking and energizing the sometimes laborious process.
Nicole’s commitment to her client, her witty and creative thinking process as well as her commanding presence was captivating. Staff members that I was convinced would not embrace the process beforehand were complete buy-ins. Nicole drew out of them an untapped well of creativity that even they themselves didn’t realize they had. This has been an invigorating time for us. Our entire team is being re-energized and as a result many issues are being addressed and corrected.
We continue to work with Nicole. I have acquiesced my time with our leadership as she continues to lead us through this fun and creative process. We are excited to continue with Nicole.
Norwich Worship Center April 5, 2016