“I think she’s got it! By George she’s got it!” – the immortal words of Henry Higgins in the musical “My Fair Lady,” as Eliza conquered her consonants and vanquished her vowels. Little did this (albeit fictional) character know, that the moment itself warranted a new word!
We’ve all come across them; moments in time when something has suddenly become clear, often triggered by a comment or an event. Sometimes we describe these as “Eureka” moments, after the moment that Archimedes’ idea became as clear as his bathwater; other times they are described as epiphanies, seemingly rare events saved for the lucky few.
These moments tend to be associated with famous points in history, Isaac Newton and his apple, Albert Einstein ‘sitting on his light beam’, Barnes Wallis skimming stones over a lake. The reality is that we are all bombarded by these moments every day; we miss the cues and clues. Simply recognising these clues, is the secret to innovation; an essential skill in progressing through life’s challenges.
Each of these daily events can be described as a “moco” (n): The moment in time when everything becomes clear; the point in time when realisation dawns and previous confusion is replaced with clarity. Three distinct moco moments have been identified and described by a Norwich-based development company.
The first is a moment of consciousness – the ideas stage. How often have we let these slip through the net? This moco is often accompanied by a sense of excitement (or fear!) as we consider the possibilities. All too often it stops here, but we need to engage the second stage, or the moment of commitment. It takes courage but this call to action is what makes the difference between success and inertia. If we feel fear we tend to stop here, if we feel excitement we take action. The paradox is that fear and excitement are the same feeling, interpreted differently!
The third moment is the moment of competence. The new behaviour has been practised and practised again – this is the moment in which you realise that you can complete a task subconsciously – it is now “in the muscle”.
Recognising and utilising moco is a valuable business skill, from senior management to shop-floor workers. The experience isn’t new – harnessing it is! As for Henry Higgins; his melodic moco came as Eliza Dolittle exclaimed that “the rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain”. Where will your next moco come from? No-one knows! The best advice is, be ready to notice it when it comes.
About the Author
Stephen Ferrey is a Director of MoCo Development Ltd, a training and development company based in Norwich, Norfolk, UK.
http://www.go-moco.co.uk
Stephen’s expertise in business management comes through a Masters Degree supported by a wealth of experience in a variety of business sectors. Stephen has filled senior management positions in Aquaculture, Insurance and Finance industries with specialisms in sales startegies, worforce dynamics and motivational strategies.