We need to be aligned in the right direction before we can take off. When crunched for time, we might see an open space and treat it as an active runway; however, we need to navigate the taxiways before we reach the runway.
Take Off vs Taxi
Innovative Concepts
Shoreline
Navigating a shoreline trail does not always mean closely circumnavigating a body of water. Occasionally, the terrain requires us to leave the shore and head inland. We are going in the proper direction but flexible routing through the landscape.
What is your formula?
Seeing It
For some, another perspective changes how we attempt to solve the problem.
Enduring Value
What is the value of a painting purchased directly from an artist? Does it appreciate or depreciate over time? Does a thousand dollars spent, divided over time, mean 10 years from the date of purchase, the painting is worth $100 per year? Does the painting’s value increase to us if the artist’s portfolio expands and the market rewards them with a higher sales price on future works? Does the price matter once purchased? Do we recall the purchase price after time recedes? If the art piece represents a significant moment or place, how does our perception change? What if the artist’s personal conduct deviates from what we thought was a shared belief?
Assigning value to customized pieces is challenging. How much is our time worth? Or our creativity? Or our presence? How might we calibrate enduring value versus real-time market value?
LEGO vs. Marble
It is easier to build out of LEGOs than marble– Jimmy Carr
How might we use the most suitable materials for the intended duration of our project? Quick assembly and adaptability might be preferred when iterating. If we hope to leave a legacy for future generations, we might require a material that endures.
Mature Metrics
Our metrics may change as the organization matures. The number of days in business might be useful as the enterprise launches but becomes muted after a few years. The number of customers enrolled might change to the number of people on the waiting list. Total work accomplished might transition to workflow by category. As we scale and/or refine our approach we get better data and more options to generate metrics. Netflix is no longer going to share the total number of subscribers. They are going to focus on subscriber milestones.
What measurements need evolution in your enterprise? Which ones continue to provide value?
Care Committee
My father served on the vestry of an Episcopal church. He was commuting to the city for work and knew he had limited time outside of weekends to serve on the church committees so he joined the Cemetary Committee. Much to his surprise, he received frequent calls (landline days) regarding landscaping or other issues around the graves. My Dad’s perception was that general upkeep was the goal. To the relatives of the deceased, there was much to be done, most importantly attention to the details that honor the legacy of their loved one. My father’s initial view was the committee was a passive assignment. To the family members, it was an active site to observe memories.
How might we align our intentions with the intentions of those that we serve?
Schedule
If we are on the space shuttle’s return flight to Earth from the International Space Station, being on time for departure is paramount. Staying on schedule for a meeting agenda is a choice. If meeting participants are involved in a transformative conversation but time suggests a shift to another topic, making the transition is a decision. How might we use a human-centered mindset to determine when the shift is appropriate? Otherwise, we are elevating the agenda’s significance to the same as a space shuttle launch?
Standardized Tests or Essays
Have you worked on a project where the answer is known and the goal is to complete the project in the right order? Have you engaged in solving an interesting problem that has various possible answers? Seth Godin’s Akimbo podcast provides context for the interesting problem paradigm.
Some of us excel on the bubble sheet test, while others thrive with the essay option. Knowing the medium we are being asked to engage with may help us accept or decline the invitation to join the expedition.
What-if-concepts 