Beneath the Lid
Returning from holiday recently, I noticed a new addition to the Learning Centre in Perth.
A 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒛𝒆𝒓. 🥶
Not just any freezer, but a large freezer filled with lots of wee tubs of Mackie’s ice cream. 🍦
Chocolate, honeycomb, vanilla and mint.
A small Scottish treasure chest sitting quietly in the corner.
I am told it will be locked most of the time – thank goodness!
Of course, when the freezer was open, it created an unexpected moment of joy for a couple of my fellow facilitators. There was laughter, searching, stretching, choosing and, in one case, Steve almost disappearing headfirst into the freezer in pursuit of the perfect tub.
Thankfully, no facilitators were harmed in the making of this leadership lesson.
It was all very light-hearted, but it got me thinking.
Sometimes leadership is a little like that.
It is easy to stand at the edge and look through the glass. We can observe from a safe distance, make assumptions about what is inside, point helpfully, offer advice, or wait for someone else to do the digging.
But sometimes, if we really want to understand what is going on, we have to lean in a little further.
We have to open the lid and look beneath the surface.
In teams, the most useful insights are not always sitting neatly on top.
Lead the Way
At Aviva, throughout the Lead the Way programme, we often explore the things that sit a little deeper: hidden talent, unspoken frustrations, creative ideas, people needing encouragement, or colleagues who have more to offer than we have yet noticed.
In my experience, good leaders do not just glance across the surface. They get curious. They ask better questions. They listen properly. They are willing to look again.
And sometimes leadership means getting involved rather than simply giving instructions from the side.
I believe there is something powerful about leaders who are prepared to roll up their sleeves, join in, help search and occasionally look a little ridiculous in the process.
I know that trust is not built only in the formal moments. It is also built in the small, human ones too.
Around a freezer. Over a shared laugh. In the search for honeycomb. In the simple act of being present with people.
Perhaps the real leadership lesson was not in the ice cream at all. It was beneath the lid.
Although, to be fair, the honeycomb helped!
What might you discover if you took time to look beneath the surface?
