I really enjoyed my first Working Out Loud Circle: fixed appointments, changing tasks for processing my goal, exchange with colleagues that I less knew before, receiving and suggesting ideas. How I experienced the first 6 weeks Working Out Loud @ fme AG, you may have already read in my mid-term review«.

Where do I stand after 12 weeks of Working Out Loud?

Am I open-minded in the work context, do I share my work status at any time for feedback and do I connect with people all over the world like general WOL goals expect?

In one Circle meeting, I wrote a letter to my future self. The letter is addressed to myself in half a year and is written as emotionally as possible, so that I internalize the formulated target image while writing.

Here is a short extract from my letter:
»…Finding time for my goal requires strength and will: to take free space, to say no to other things, to continue despite setbacks and this over and over again. It is exhausting but I manage to do this. Some days I find it easier, others harder, but by tracking my activities, I keep seeing that I am continuously working towards my goal. I have also started to write me comments on the previously pure activity list. So that I become more aware of changes, milestones and my own achievements.«

Well, but what can I say? Although, half a year is only over in October, this target seems to have moved into the far distance for me. I’ve clearly fallen back into old patterns: I hardly use Twitter any more, I haven’t looked at my activity list in connection with my goal for a few weeks and arriving todos lead again the top of my priorities.

Does that annoy me? Oh, yes, very much! It’s in my hands!

Nevertheless, for me it is clear, that since joining my first circle,

1. …I am more willing to share information.
2. …I have more ideas which content or information I can share.
3. …I am more sensitive towards the recipient of my message.
4. …I feel more confident in approaching people in work context and ask them for help/input.

Since this “taking time for me and my topic” causes me such difficulties, I started the next Working Out Loud call within the fme AG. This gives me the opportunity to consolidate the positive changes that have only briefly come to light so far and to let other colleagues gather their experiences with WOL.

Inspired by my own experiences within my working environment, a colleague and I asked ourselves the following questions:

• Are there other companies in our immediate vicinity that deal with WOL?
• What are their experiences and challenges?
• What would it be like to come together with a company on this topic?
• How would the exchange be like?
• Which exciting people would it be possible to get to know?
• Wouldn’t other industry knowledge even give your own goals completely different ideas?

So, how about it? Would you like to exchange ideas across company boundaries and get to know WOL? Then just get in touch with me:

communicationservices@fme.de

I am looking forward to hearing from you!
Antje Duffert