mindset

Earn the Relationship

Transactional human connections might be defined as associations, alliances, tie-ups, interconnections, and links. We earn trust through authentic interactions to define our connection as a relationship. What defines a meaningful relationship to you? How do you add depth and dimension to a treasured relationship? How disconnected are you willing to stretch from someone you trust before the relationship has been repaired or fractured? Is your limit more or less dynamic than a similar journey with an associate or alliance member?

How might we recognize that we earn relationships? How might we acknowledge that we have limited bandwidth and cannot foster limitless relationships? What steps have others taken to merit their relationships with you? What super powers do you bring to a relationship?

We the People

Dedicated to serving others, perhaps start with the perspective of ‘we.’ A marching band of one person might be unique but likely limited in their capabilities. If we work together, we can achieve a level of performance and impact that might not be available to those who focus on their individual status. Even if the stadium is not full, we deliver for those who are looking to engage with what we have to offer.

Sightseeing

When you take your fans on a sightseeing tour of your work, how does it stand out? Are you able to provide ‘behind the scenes’ experiences? Do you curate a remarkable event? Are you able to tour them in a unique manner? Do you have a secret door that gets opened? A surprise guest? A token of appreciation that is customized?

It does not take a lot to make an experience stand out. It is best when it adds meaning to our fan experience.

A Moment in Neutral

Remaining in ‘drive’ is the favored gear of business articles. They recommend how to stay out of neutral.

Neutral is a good gear at the right moment. Encounter an intersection, an unexpected detour, an unanticipated event. Shifting to neutral to assess the possibilities or consider alternatives provides a moment of reflection. Too often, the commandment of ‘just drive’ allows for progress but misses the decision points that add depth and dimension to the journey.

How might we intentionally add ‘neutral’ as a viable gear to our enterprise’s workflow? How might we define it as one of the most powerful moments in an organization’s existence?

Your Pace

Find your pace, it is the amount of effort that you might sustain over the required distance. External factors like terrain, weather, and outside circumstances might dictate the exertion required. When we try to progress by calibrating our pace off of others, we may benefit from the draft or we may find ourselves over or under our ideal pace.

What is your happy pace? How do you know when you are in that zone? Where has it allowed you to travel?

Getting Out

It might be easy to enter. The door is open, the trail looks enticing, the seas are calm, or the new idea is energizing. When things do not proceed as anticipated, things get problematic. Our exit plan is not apparent. The door is locked, the trail has intersections we do not recall, the tide has turned, or the idea deflated our resources.

How might we consider the exit strategy before we launch? How might we leave clues to ourselves as we enter so we can retrace our steps?

Relative

Speed is relative. When running on the promenade deck of an ocean cruise boat, we get a peculiar GPS recording. The ship’s forward momentum might be faster than our average pace, so we progress across the ocean, even when our run changes to walking or standing. Viewed by a passenger sitting in a deck chair, our running speed might be assessed at 8 mph. Seen by a lighthouse tender as the vessel passes close by, we are estimated to be moving at our running pace, plus the ship’s speed. Now, our relative speed might be over 25 mph.

How might we recognize our perspective is relative? We see things from a unique perspective, and our assessment is relative to location. What may feel fast, slow, big, small, daring, safe, lonely, crowded, remarkable, or average is relative.

Backlight

What perspective becomes visible when you add backlighting? How might we use different approaches to consider an idea instead of approaching from the same direction at the same time of day? If you head out on a night hike, navigate in a snowstorm, or work from poorly scaled maps, you experience alternate ways of traveling.

How might we occupy diverse vantage points at irregular times of day to see the terrain ahead in both ideal and challenging conditions?

Not As Planned

Despite a simple design, the package label was affixed to the box in the wrong corner. The parcel arrived and no delays were encountered. However, the designers must wonder what they need to do to achieve a higher level of compliance.

What systems have we established that appear straightforward and yet the plurality of users fail to follow the instructions? What works but not as designed? Is it worth redesigning or living with individuals struggling to follow the instructions? How many people wander down the ‘do not enter’ entrance, take photos of the protected artwork, reply to unmonitored email addresses, make contributions without designating their intentions, or ask questions before the Q&A session? Nothing was broken but the system grinds a little louder.

Celebrating Halfway

How does it resonate if I celebrate running a marathon at the half-marathon mark? A half-marathon is an accomplishment, and on its own, the result would be worthy of sharing. However, in the context of a marathon, it is simply fifty percent of the work, and some suggest less than 50% of the mental and physical exertion. If we state the big goal, our progress bar is correlated to the total distance. Is it necessary to reach the finish line to celebrate the journey?

How might we understand the implications of announcing an ambitious goal? Is there significance in the effort if we do not reach the destination? Is exponential value delivered to those who complete the course versus those who commit to an effort and cease before crossing the line?