WEBVTT - Call it an experiment

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning,

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<v Speaker 1>This is Laura, Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's

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<v Speaker 1>tip is that if you want to introduce something new

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<v Speaker 1>and you aren't completely confident in it yet, just call

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<v Speaker 1>it an experiment. That way, no one will expect perfection.

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<v Speaker 1>You invite helpful feedback because hey, it's an experiment, and

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<v Speaker 1>if the experiment is a major change in how people

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<v Speaker 1>were doing things, they might not feel as stressed or

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<v Speaker 1>be as resentful as they might be if it were

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<v Speaker 1>presented as a permanent change. So I know of a

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<v Speaker 1>wonderful cook who does what she calls beta tests. Anytime

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<v Speaker 1>she tries a new recipe, and she often does, she

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<v Speaker 1>presents it as a beta test. That is, she mays,

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<v Speaker 1>is it clear that the recipe is a work in progress.

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<v Speaker 1>She is not promising that the dish will be delicious,

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<v Speaker 1>but she is hopeful that it might be good, and

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<v Speaker 1>in the meantime, she is happy to share the dish

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<v Speaker 1>and invite feedback so she can keep making it better.

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<v Speaker 1>Framing something new as a beta test, an experiment, or

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<v Speaker 1>a prototype can be helpful in lots of contexts. Basically,

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<v Speaker 1>anytime you try something new, and perhaps a little risky.

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<v Speaker 1>You can think of it in this way. A teacher

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<v Speaker 1>might experiment with a talking stick for students to share

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<v Speaker 1>airtime during discussions. She could tell her students why she

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<v Speaker 1>thinks the talking stick may be helpful, and then invite

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<v Speaker 1>their feedback after they've used it for a few discussions.

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<v Speaker 1>A department leader might use a new team meeting agenda

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<v Speaker 1>presented as an experiment, and afterwards ask everyone what they

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<v Speaker 1>thought about having the meeting structured in a new way.

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<v Speaker 1>Perhaps a librarian has an idea for a new program

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<v Speaker 1>where avid readers come together and each of them spends

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<v Speaker 1>five minutes recommending a book to the group, and everybody

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<v Speaker 1>leaves with ideas of books they would enjoy reading. You

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<v Speaker 1>could describe the first meeting as a prototype, implying that

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<v Speaker 1>it is not in its final form yet and letting

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<v Speaker 1>the participants share ideas for refining it. Even in your

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<v Speaker 1>family life, you could reframe new approaches as experiments. You

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<v Speaker 1>could experiment with not eating meat on weekdays. You could

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<v Speaker 1>experiment with a new school day morning routine, or with

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<v Speaker 1>how chores are assigned, or with giving your kids their

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<v Speaker 1>allowance in a different way. Everybody is more relaxed about

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<v Speaker 1>an experiment because the change isn't necessarily permanent, and you

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<v Speaker 1>feel free to make any tweaks that you need to.

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<v Speaker 1>After all, you are just trying it out. When you

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<v Speaker 1>frame something as an experiment, you manage exceptions, and you

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<v Speaker 1>position everyone else as partners and helping you evaluate and

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<v Speaker 1>refine or discard the new approach. It's a great way

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<v Speaker 1>to lower the risks and stress of making a change

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<v Speaker 1>because sometimes it turns out that things don't work. But

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<v Speaker 1>now you know, and if parts work and parts don't,

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<v Speaker 1>you know what you can keep and what should be discarded.

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<v Speaker 1>Your next iteration will probably work better, or you might

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<v Speaker 1>go back to what you were doing, but you won't

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<v Speaker 1>always wonder, and that can be a good thing. In

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<v Speaker 1>the meantime, This is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's

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<v Speaker 1>to making the most of our time. Thanks for listening

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<v Speaker 1>to Before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback,

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<v Speaker 1>you can reach me at Laura at Laura VANDERCAMDA. Before

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<v Speaker 1>Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia,

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<v Speaker 1>listen to your favorite shows,