WIN-WIN: The Power of Flow
Submitted by Jack Milner on February 4, 2025
The other morning, after yet another Jurassic Park-style storm, I was taking my son to school. Roads were flooded, branches down, and parents were in full T-Rex (or Slade) “we’re all crazy now” mode — stressed, impatient, and desperate to get their little bundles of joy to school.
Then we came to a T-junction. Total gridlock. Cars trying to go up the narrow lane, others squeezing down, and an AA truck with a BMW on its trailer, stuck with no way to reverse. I said to my son, “This is going to be a loooonnggg wait.”
And then—like magic—it wasn’t. With a bit of nurdling, reversing, and everyone working together, within two minutes, traffic was flowing again. No honking, no shouting—just people instinctively understanding that the only way we all win is if we gave a little for the common good. It reminded me of the blonds scene from“A Beautiful Mind” https://youtu.be/LJS7Igvk6ZM and John Nash’s equilibrium theory—true success isn’t about beating others; it’s about finding a way where everyone wins.
At the heart of great communication, it isn’t just speaking or listening—it’s behavours we have to exhibit in improvisation:
Trust – Trust yourself, your colleagues, and your customers.
Accept & Build – The principles of “yes and.” Accept another human with all their failings and then build.
Listen – yep the hardest to acquire and the most influential (if you manage accept and build you’ll be half way there)
Commit – Own your truth and communicate with conviction.
Master these, and you’ll find flow—whether in the boardroom or the school run.
What do you think? Have you experienced the power of flow in action? Let’s discuss.