More Data

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A  flower does not

think of competing

to the other

flower next to it.

It just blooms.

Seth Godin’s post answering the question “how was your bike ride?” amplified a recent meeting experience.  All the data presented to the attendees was bench-marked against organizations deemed to be competitors.  The group was being asked if the organization we represented looked enough like its peers to be considered competitive but also maintained sufficient signature characteristics to exemplify autonomy.  I fear too often data drives strategy.  We try to disguise ourselves as a rose when we are a tulip if we feel that roses are trending.  Some data is essential.  The vitals of the organization must be monitored appropriately but it serves little value to be taking the pulse of a nearby neighbor who has a different history and traits.  We need to accentuate our strengths instead of burying them for compliance with the norms.  Be brave.  Amplify remarkable.  Act to embrace your best form.

 

Of Service

 

 

IMG_5749Being of service to others drives my decision-making.  If an opportunity exists to add value and guide change through service I am highly likely to get involved.  We all have different entry points into the causes that draw our affinity.  Seeing an opportunity to be of service fulfills basic human needs.  Tony Robbins outlined six human needs as the following:

The Six Human Needs

1. Certainty: assurance you can avoid pain and gain pleasure

2. Uncertainty/Variety: the need for the unknown, change, new stimuli

3. Significance: feeling unique, important, special or needed

4. Connection/Love: a strong feeling of closeness or union with someone or something

5. Growth: an expansion of capacity, capability or understanding

6. Contribution: a sense of service and focus on helping, giving to and supporting others

As we think about the tribes we have assembled, which needs thrive in our community?  Are we stifling any?  Are we allowing the members of the tribe to be of service and meet their needs?  Stuffing envelopes for an annual appeal may or may not allow an individual’s needs to be realized.  Being willing to have a conversation about what fulfills the people who have chosen to align themselves with an enterprise may be the most service oriented action we can take.

Statues for Committees

Jamie Cooper from Drake Cooper in Boise, Idaho reminded me the other day that there are no statues erected for committees.  Instead an individual or perhaps two or three are chosen to represent a moment, achievement, breakthrough, or leadership.  A colleague pointed out that war monuments often have many individuals or even Mt. Rushmore selected four individuals.  Agreed that there are instances where a single individual is not the focus point.  The point of the statement is that somebody has to take ownership of an idea and do all that they can to keep it viable.  An Imagineer at Disney told me that no idea is ever completely abandoned until it is voted down by everyone in the room.  This is pretty powerful, since it would require the individual who conceived the idea to vote to abandon the concept.  Statues are built because someone was willing to keep an ember alive long enough to find the right patch of ground and kindling to build a small fire and then tend it as long as required before others came and light their torches from this sacred source.  Sometimes it spreads, other times the resources are exhausted and the flame extinguishes.  Dedication and perseverance are statue worthy moments.  Committees rarely embody the passion necessary to cultivate and idea with the same level of passion. 

One of my favorite books is The Man Who Planted Trees.  His believe and dedicated effort transformed a region.  He act alone and without any intention of recognition.  Only after his death did the totality of his efforts receive the accolades.

What remarkable idea exists due to your generosity?  What keeps you serving as its shepherd?

What Conversation is Required?

This is not about an NFL team with a controversial name.  Rather the attention surrounding the Washington, DC football team is the headwaters for a greater conversation.  Who determines what is respectful and appropriate?  There is not secret and august committee to hands down decrees.  We have to wrestle with words, context, intent, and community consensus.  Each one of us plays a pivotal role. Just renaming an NFL football team misses the big question.  I suspect there are hundreds of college, high school, semi-pro, and club teams that will need to engage their fans and communities in dialogue about the appropriateness of how they refer to themselves.  If renaming is deemed the best course of action, what to call ourselves now?  There will be no quick fix, unless we are seeking compliance.  This topic demands a dialogue.  Many people need to be heard and express their opinions.  Only through conversation and story-telling can we find our way.  Community values do not cascade from re-branding campaigns.  They generate from our beliefs.  We must believe in order to act with meaning and purpose.

Craftsmanship or Demolition

DemoIt is easy to take something down, especially with permission to break stuff during the process.  Demolishing the interior of a house for a remodel takes only a moment. The demo phase reveals the framework.  Rebuilding requires craftsmanship. Care must be taken to assemble the pieces in the best order with attention to detail.

It does not take much skill to demolish an event, a position, or an enterprise.  Break trust, loyalty, permission, and authenticity and most organizations will fail quickly.  Nurturing these characteristics is a form of craftsmanship.  We cannot fake authenticity.  Rather we state what we believe and act in a manner that is consistent with it our belief.  Trust is earned by action and recommendation.  Loyalty is passing up a better opportunity to continue our relationship.

Breaking is fine and sometimes recommended.  Be transparent about our plans to rebuild or change course, otherwise we have simply created the base for an expensive bonfire.

For Your Remarkable Journey

Honored to present at the ClearRock Capital Conference on the topic of “Edgecraft” this week.  The gathering offers an opportunity to share resources that I find remarkable and I hope will be of service and create value to your journey to the edge.

Seth Godin’s ‘Edgecraft‘ blog post

John Kotter’s leading change theory

Scenic Hudson’s gala honoring its critical partnering organizations

Jia Jang World Domination talk on the power of rejection

Crash Course with John and Hank Green.  It is free and highly engaging.

Teton Valley Ranch Camp’s search for a new home

Charity Water’s Instagram account setting a high level of engagement

The $100 Startup innovator’s guide by Chris Guillebeau to invest in yourself

Khan Academy  flipping the classroom where content is learned at home and mastery takes place in the classroom

Duolingo’s creator Luis von Ahn online scale collaboration TEDx talk.  Learning a language adds value and provides a remarkable service

Holderness School’s residential life project creates a new definition of community and leadership

Generative Thinking sample questions.  What if we gave ourselves permission to embrace ambiguity and our identity?

Decisive (the book) Resource Page with Chip and Dan Heath.  Paving a new way for decision-makers.

The Present changing time and art

Howard Hallis, The Picture of Everything

 

Do You Need a New Question?

IMG_6444Do you need a path to follow in order to have maximum impact?  Are you trying to obtain top speed and the highest level of efficiency regardless of the direction?  What are you uniquely positioned to offer your community?  If you retraced your steps, would it add value or do you require a new route every time out?  What opportunity if it appeared would make you change course?  What assumption is holding you back?  How do you know?  If you could move the frame what part of your world would you place in the center?  What would you leave out?

We ask generative questions constantly but do we give ourselves permission to explore the answers?  To wrestle with the abstract?  Seth Godin encourages us to pick ourselves.  Chris Brogan reminds us that nobody is going to give us permission, permission was granted long ago for each of us.

What is the most important question you need to ask? 

Pilot Boat

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If you did not have to self-discover the best route all the time but could rely on a guide, would you change your destination?  Often, we avoid the rocky coastline because the consequences of failure are too high.  However, there are individuals who have local knowledge and are glad to join your enterprise for a short period to help navigate.  When we ask for specific directions we may be amazed at what arrives.