Innovative Concepts

Paris

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Resolve

Boarding a United flight from Chicago to Paris, Charles de Gaulle last Friday evening was a test of resolve.  Passengers intently studied smart phones; United representatives repeatedly turned to the PA; overwhelmed travelers disembarked after boarding uncertain as news of the terrorist attacks ebbed and flowed.  France was closing its borders; our flight would divert to Brussels if sunrise over the European continent denied us permission to land.  My ninth grade daughter and I reviewed our options.  There was no correct decision, just consequences to our choices.  “How flexible do you want to be?” I inquired.  She thought we should commit.  Soon we were jetting into arctic air, away from the frenzy of real-time updates and towards the scene of tragedy.  Committing to an uncertain future required preparation for disruption.

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Perspective

During our first night in Paris, we navigated the desolate streets to a classic vantage point on the River Seine.  The Eiffel Tower stood devoid of the iconic illumination show; the searchlight beacon dimmed as if incapable of penetrating the tragedy.  Closed museums, off-limit playgrounds, gated parks, fortified landmarks, bag and torso checks at the entrance to public buildings were omnipresent.  A couple checking-in to the hotel and being informed of the numerous closures responded, “That is the right thing to do. Of course, everyone needs to be safe.”  Few cafes and restaurants opened. Yet, the hashtag #portouvert trended on twitter offering the displaced housing, food, and safety.  While fortification and security prevailed, the French citizens opened their doors to strangers.

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Forever Changed by Hope

Our third night in Paris was marked by the illumination of monuments.  A chance for a deep breath and a stroll.  A partially opened Eiffel Tower permitted ascent to the second level and the vantage to take in the architecture of shadows as waves of rain washed across the city.  Parks and museums accepted culturally starved visitors.  The spirit of the city raised from catacomb to cafe.  We departed forever changed by Paris.  We had walked among sorrow and witnessed spirits bend in torrential circumstance, only to rebound with hope.

Iteration, Innovation, Disruption

Brian Solis presented on the role of technology and disruption at the Ed Sessions.   His presentation provided a pathway to an audience seeking educational reform.  Brian’s core premise on change was that there are three types of change:

Iteration= Another chapter of what already exists

Innovation= A new method or approach

Disruption= Interruption of existing patterns

Brian used the TV remote control as an example of a piece of technology that desperately needs disruption but instead has only seen iteration.  TV designers have added more buttons, color, and maximized the buttons per inch on existing platforms.  Perhaps only the new Apple TV remote starts that process of disrupting a long line of poorly conceived iterations.

When considering our enterprise’s programs and services it could be valuable to frame our conversations through the lenses of iteration, innovation, and disruption.  As I board a flight this morning I believe that the airline industry is ready for major disruption.  Southwest and Jet Blue innovated a couple years ago but were not able to disrupt.  Uber disrupted getting to and from the airport and is now looking to iterate their platform.  Leading international airports are innovating.  The airports are passenger centric from arrival to security and onto boarding.  The airports themselves have become part of the destination and employ staff members committed to a remarkable experience for the travelers.

What level of change are you working on?  Which one is required to achieve your mission?  Brian challenged us to not miss our Kodak Moment, when we lose sight of what is relevant.  We must take a human approach to change and shift from sympathy to empathy in order to disrupt.  Innovation is deeply personal and the distance between our aspiration and vision is proportional to our ability to shift perspectives.

The journey to disruption may be lonely but fundamental to our ability to serve and add value.

Three Big Observations from the BoardSource Leadership Forum
Screen Shot 2015-11-11 at 10.18.21 AMAdvocacy:  Advocacy has been mentioned in passing as a core responsibility of serving on a nonprofit board, however the concept has received little definition and is rarely promoted with clarity.  A coalition of nonprofit leaders have assembled to elevate and define the role of advocacy.  BoardSource and other national organizations are launching campaigns and trainings including Stand for Your Mission to encourage individuals to stop just ‘sitting’ on boards and start ‘serving’ the mission.  You can get more details at BoardSource and #ADVOCACYNOW.  Examples of advocacy include engagement in the broader social sector, advocating with local and state government officials, being a bridge within the corporate and benefit sectors, and supporting candidates who will help further an organization’s mission.  For too long the Social Sector has looked at advocacy and lobbying as the third rail however it is a sector that represents a significant portion of GDP and their is no formal lobby and little coordinated activity.
Generative Thinking:  Generative thinking first came onto my radar when Richard Chait presented his book, Governance As Leadership.  The ideas were grand but application was challenging.  A few years ago, Cathy Trower authored, Practionier’s Guide to Governance As Leadership.  This resource provided real-world tools as to how to fold the third form of governance into a board’s way of deliberating.  Balancing Fiduciary, Strategic, and Generative forms of governance takes great facilitation from the Executive Director and Board Chair and an aligned board.  Being able to rotate the board’s role from sentinel to strategist to sense-maker based on the current need of the enterprise creates remarkable discussions and meaningful engagement.  In response to the often asked question, why do we need a board, one of the evolving purposes of a board is the ability to be the brain trust for the organization, using their collective intellect to make sense of the organizations’ work and framing how it can best serve.
Better Meetings:  Time and again the sessions on better meetings attracts stand room only capacity.  Either we are all excited to share the excellence of our meetings or more likely our enterprise seeks a renewal when it comes to how we assemble.  Themes that were universal included the use of a consent agendas, meeting less frequently but more productively, homework for board members in advance of meetings, reports emailed in advanced and only discussed if the topic is framed around two or three key questions that require the board’s input.  Additionally, the agenda should reflect the strategic priorities of the organization, employing Roberta’s Rules of Order seems highly preferable to Robert’s Rules, providing an Executive Session with the ED and without, and employing a strategy screen to filter new opportunities.   Nuisances that stood out to me included, putting the organization’s purpose and mission on the back side of name tent cards, placing a name tag over the speakerphone if individuals are attending virtually, circulating a circuit breaker device to stop pointless conversations (one group uses an ELMO doll- Enough already Lets Move On).  Lastly, a few board chairs mentioned that they call a portion of their board members in the days after a board meeting to check-in and get feedback.  Great meetings take care and tremendous facilitation and the results are extraordinary.

Bigger Means Less Remote

IMG_8279I sat next to a pilot from United Airlines on a recent trip.  He was about to upgrade from flying Boeing 767 aircrafts to the 777 model.  The 777 allows for greater range and more passengers.  He was excited as this was a sign of greater seniority and higher pay despite the demand of additional training and time. 

After the flight I was thinking about the consequences of his upgrade.  Larger planes means more passengers.  More passengers means higher population densities.  Typically the bigger the planes and the more passengers the higher the likelihood that it will be routed between major cities.  London, New York, Hong Kong, Tokyo, etc.  Many pilots start on small regional aircrafts, connecting disperse cities that are not economical to serve with a larger plane.  The more an aviator progresses professionally the more they fly higher demand routes.

Becoming larger does not lend itself to the art of exploring edges.  An Airbus A380 (550-800 passengers) is rarely going to find itself anywhere but one of the largest airports in the world.  It is easy to aspire towards a bigger structure, with more people involved, and great recognition.  However, we may be sacrificing the niche we fill so beautifully.  Do not mistake the value of a bush plane networking remote villages with a transoceanic flight delivering yet more people between populations capitals.

Being small, nimble, and remote is tough to duplicate and immediately remarkable.  There are many organizations serving the masses anonymously.

For or With?

IMG_0288Would you rather someone was for us are with us?  Often we want what is convenient and that is a person to like us, contribute to us, or advocate for us.  We want individuals to take just enough action that we can say that they are for us.  However, to be with us takes another level of commitment.  Our enterprise might have a thousand fans but only a few work for the cause, serve on the board, and volunteer.  No everyone can be with us all the time but who shows-up consistently?  Those who are with us think about the needs of the tribe more profoundly.  They are anticipating the obstacles and preparing to celebrate our victories.

It is nice to have those who are for us.  We only remarkable because of those who are with us.

Why Tribes Matter

Seventeen million views in 24-hours of the latest Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer.  If you wonder if a connected group of individuals can have an immediate shared experience, I think the force has spoken.

The 2016 Tour de France course was announced today in Paris.  Defending and former champions were on hand for the unveiling.  Since the course changes each year this event provides riders with their first reaction to the route and the preparation required.  Imagine if our enterprises could announce our next programs to such fanfare?  Why not?  If we are truly connected to our tribes, they will celebrate important news.

Stories

Stories about our stories are fascinating.  Take Ernest Hemingway’s well-know six-word story.  “For Sale, Baby Shoes, Never Worn.”  The story is remarkable but additionally so are the stories attempting to confirm the authenticity of Hemingway’s sentence.

At Chris Guillebeau’s Pioneer Nation gathering near Mt. Hood, Oregon I attended sessions dedicated to crafting one’s message.  Creating a compelling story frequently returned to the following outline:

  • Start with a hook (draw the listener in)
  • Offer a brief introduction (who are you and why do you matter?)
  • Deliver the content (what is the message)
  • Make a call to action (empower the listener to take immediate action)

There are many stories online to serve as templates.  Visit Kickstarter or gofundme to see examples of individuals telling remarkable and not so compelling narratives.  Review of data demonstrate that an initial promotional story/video needs to be less than 1:45 in length before the attrition rate grows (and the viewer misses our call to action).  As we build an audience the length of the stories may expand.

Classic stories began ‘once upon a time’, which served as both the hook and the introduction.  The challenge today is to engage with those who are served by our stories.  Not every story will resonate but those that find our content meaningful will celebrate each chapter.

Here are a couple masters of storytelling using a variety of approaches.

Two Types of Hope

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There are two types of hope in my experience.  The first is the hope that good fortune comes to us as we wait patiently.  The second type is the hope that the storm breaks so our current expedition is not delayed.  One is passive and one is active.  Hope of winning the lottery has little to do with the application of our talents.  Hope that our deliberate and enduring efforts result in a positive outcome is active.  Our Theory of Change can easily be hijacked by passive hope.  Hope our enterprise turns into an unicorn and results in an IPO, hope we receive an unanticipated bequest, hope that the newest class of board members is energized beyond measure, or hope that a positive profile of our cause appears on the front page of the paper.  There is little those who support us can do to add fuel to our journey when we are passive.  However, when we are headed somewhere remarkable there are all sorts of opportunities to clear the path.  Our tribe can assemble their resources to provide aid and support, even if the horizon is only visible through sporadic glimpses among the trees.

What version of hope are you relying on?

Right Moment

IMG_0624An inexpensive telescope sits in the corner of a room in our house.  It rarely gets noticed.  Last night during the Super Moon Lunar Eclipse the telescope was the best instrument we had to witness a celestial event of magnitude.  The telescope rewarded us with real-time remarkable views as the events unfolded in the skies above.  The value of the telescope increased multiple fold because of its deployment at a significant moment.

Sometimes the most remarkable thing we can do is be available at critical moments.  To offer service and create value when there is a need.  Our engagement is forever linked with service during moments when our super powers shine.