Celebrate the Pivot: A Simple, Powerful Way to Develop a Learning Culture at Work
“You have to do before you become.”
It was with this powerful reflection that workshop participant, Pierre, shared the story of a personal pivot in his life and career. Having moved away from his beloved home state for a career opportunity, he found himself feeling lonely and uninspired. Seeking support, he spoke with a mentor, who framed the situation as a choice point for Pierre. He could continue as he was, or he could take action towards how he wanted his life to be. With that, Pierre was able to shift his mindset and pursue new ways to grow. Over the next few years, he got his MBA, learned a new language, traveled, and even channeled his inner chef. When things didn’t go as planned, Pierre shifted gear. And that is the power of a pivot.
Image Courtesy of H.B. Pierre Simon Jr.
Creating change within our lives or work can be difficult. As a Cultivator, you know *in theory* that the route to change is often winding, with many stops to regroup and strategize along the way. Oftentimes, a change in direction on a strategy or project can feel like a failure…but what if it didn’t have to? What if instead, you chose to look beyond that moment of change and celebrate the ways you changed course?
In this 35-minute event replay, Cultivate partner, Jake Breeden guides us through both personal and corporate examples of harnessing a pivot to create new opportunities for growth and evolution. What feels unique about his approach is this focus on celebration. In Jake’s view, it’s not enough to reframe these moments of change, we must be willing to authentically celebrate them to create a culture that fosters learning and sharing. When you celebrate a pivot, these moments become generative points of possibility, opportunities to evolve your approach and learn along the way. With rich, practical advice from participants and real pivot stories, this workshop is a must-watch.
Want to empower yourself or your team to learn from setbacks and move on with renewed energy while being kind to yourself in the process? What’s your pivot story? Lean into the framework with these three “Acts”:
I (we) had a plan: What did you think would happen? Try to be compassionate for this past version of yourself or your team and what was being thought, done, navigated at the time.
Things didn’t go as planned: What happened instead?
I (we) pivoted: How did you move forward? What changed? What was the outcome? What did you learn?
Don’t forget to reflect on the pivot story. Be thoughtful about what went well, what didn’t, and how you or your team grew in the process. What did you learn? What is worth celebrating?
The power of a pivot lies in the idea that we all have a story. I have a story. You have a story. And it is in the act of telling our stories that we learn. To rephrase Pierre, it’s in our willingness to take action that we become even stronger.
Want to keep the conversation going? Join Jake, Lisa, and our growing community of Cultivators here.
Notable Timestamps:
0:52 I What is a pivot?
11:11 I The pivot framework
12:23 I Finding your own pivot story
13:55 I Lisa’s pivot story
19:44 I Live participants head to breakout rooms
21:26 I Wendi shares a story that inspired her
22:15 I Pierre tells his pivot story
27:52 I What do you do when you’re currently stuck in Act 2?
31:28 I Sarah shares how to change your mind by changing your behavior
33:45 I Taking the pivot framework into your life and work
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