“Chance favours the prepared mind” - Louis Pasteur

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“Chance favours the prepared mind” - Louis

Pasteur
Draft Article

I heard this quote in an interview with this year's Oscar-nominated movie directors. The
director referred to how the very best scenes come from unplanned moments empowered by
careful preparation. It got me thinking about the importance and place of preparation in a
corporate setting.

Here are a few ways to apply this quote in a personal work context:

1) Meeting Preparation

The workshops and meetings where I have taken time to think and answer questions about
the purpose of the session, the people present and what's in it for them, and the prework that
will help achieve the desired outcomes, have been the most successful sessions.

Interestingly, a prepped meeting allows you to pivot in the moment - often towards even
better outcomes.

2) Mind Preparation - Knowledge and Experiential Wisdom

This form of preparation is to gain new knowledge and practice applying acquired
knowledge.

You feed your mind with the building blocks of knowledge that can be assembled into the
right solution in a given moment.

You calibrate your mind by applying your acquired knowledge - gaining experience and
wisdom that prepares you for future outcomes.

3) Mind Preparation - Rest and Recharge

Rest and recharge is not laziness. It is the foundation for innovation and creative solutions.

Having taken a sabbatical for the last six months I have had time and space to work on
creative endeavours, deepen family relationships, and enrichen my understanding of
personal and organisational leadership - all of which will inform the next season of my life.
(I'll be sharing more in a week or two.)

Like a gardener of your mind - you can "maximise efficiency" by cramming in more and
more plants, ensuring every inch of land is fully utilised. Or you can recognise the need to
create space, allow certain plants to flourish in due season, and let soil rest and gain deeper
nutritional value.

We have an epidemic of executional work in the strive for increasing corporate efficiency.
When an organisation recognises it doesn't exist to serve increasing efficiency, but that
increasing efficiency should be in service of a clear strategic why & aligned purpose, there
will be space to allow employees to generate insight, innovation, and deeper working
relationships.

PS the photo is of Fae - our family puppy. I tried to think of a way to tie the image into the
quote, but really I wanted to post a photo of her because she's darn cute. :-)

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