Simon Sinek reminds us that personal human interactions are critical to forming trust. How do our in-person actions enhance our relationships?
Innovative Concepts
Why We Exist
It is easy to get myopic when most attention and money seem to flow to/from our peripheral enterprises. Our organization was founded to engage, start conversations, and inspire. We wanted to make an aspect of life better. So we made a brave decision to place ourselves into our respective communities. We required fuel to reach our destination and connected with sources of funding. But the funding was not the reason we started the journey and it is not the destination. Most of our tribe joined because the vision was compelling and the adventure worthy of their time. Does our enterprise today reflect the journey we started at inception or is the new destination driven by the location of refueling stations?
Mapping Success
Keeping track of your progress does not have to be limited to spreadsheets and bar graphs. An engaging opportunity is to ask team members to develop a customized scorecard that tracks your journey. Take the above image that reflects a table seating map from a restaurant. How you map your adventure can be remarkable.
Moving On
Base camps are a way great to support expeditions. If we wish to ascend an alpine peak we rarely need to haul all the equipment and supplies to the summit. Therefore, a well provisioned base camp is an ideal mechanism to serve a mountaineering team. At some point, the village in miniature is disassembled and moved to a new location for another adventure. However, base camps can become permanent when the team leaders do not trust that the rest of the expedition members will readily move on to another quest. A small group starts making longer journeys to climb peaks in other ranges and returns with magnificent stories to entertain the assembled crowd who remain at the original base camp. The base camp no longer serves the needs of those climbing and becomes a venue for entertaining the non-climbers.
The question for the team leader is to decide what is the purpose of base camp? Is it to support the expedition? Then it requires frequent relocation. If the purpose is to entertain those looking for good stories but who have no interest in climbing then the base camp stays but future expeditions suffer.
Many enterprises get into the debate between moving on to the next adventure at the risk losing members from their expedition. Changing locations serves as a quick mechanism to sort out those who are interested in climbing and building from those who are only seeking entertainment.
Imperfect
An imperfect first step if far superior to waiting for the perfect moment.
– Inspired by Jadah Sellner
Economic Development
Are we diving for random shiny object at the bottom of the ocean? Does any opportunity that positively impacts our balance sheet look compelling? If we are seeking to thrive by employing an economic development plan predicated on the notion that any opportunity is a good opportunity it may be an arduous journey. What if we posted an detailed help wanted poster? If we added attributes and images that attract those who have something of value to contribute to our cause and we can in turn be of service to them? We do not have to posses all the answers but we must embrace curiosity to discover new opportunities without being distracted by all the loose change lying around.
More Data
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
Being 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.
Directions
What assumptions have you made about how people will come upon your enterprise?
If they encounter you from a different direction, your enterprise may not appear as you intended. Be curious about how your tribe assembles.
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-if-concepts 