My Frame, Your Thing

I was talking with a colleague the other week and we got onto the topic of framing our work. This is one of my suggestions:

I want to help whoever I'm working with build the best version of their thing, whatever 'best' means for them, given the constraints they have.

That's it. Chef's kiss.

I like it because it packs in, for example:

exploration of ideas, software, process, business choices, and legal considerations
conversations about budget, scope, resources, dreams, and priorities
communicating findings, hypotheses, and suggestions
helping to break down the work, organise the work, and facilitate the work
making connections, pulling information from outside, and sharing information from inside

It doesn't mean that I have no core expertise to bring, no scope for judgement, no agency, and no way to be creative or express myself, and it specifically does not mean that I'm going to pick up all the crap that no-one else wants to do.

Of course, I might pick up some of the crap, if I think that's the right thing to do given the context.

Or, if you want to work a specific way and I can't persuade you of the benefits of some other, then I'll try your way. Perhaps your way is productive in your context, and I'll learn something. Or perhaps it isn't and we both will.

And, as usual, that's the key: the context. My framing applies in a context and flexes to meet that context. My experience and learning and thinking inform my actions in that frame in that context.

My frame, your thing. Rocket.
Image: https://flic.kr/p/5snhDy

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