Orient

Glance

What did you glance at that was exceptional, but you were unable to witness (or capture) the entirety of the event? A shooting star? A retreating grizzly bear? The first moments of an unforgettable keynote? An iconic board member who is finishing their term just as you start your service? A glimpse of the impact bestowed by the first year of a transformational grant?

Glances are helpful since they furnish a picture of what is possible. They may not be sustainable or ordinary, but they set the conditions for developing a vision for the future. How might we use glances to inform our current and future efforts? How might a glance be the beacon to which we orient?

Function

I am curious when I encounter a man-made feature that’s current function seems less obvious. What was the opportunity that somebody recognized before the structure was built? Where did the idea originate? What went into the design? How was it constructed? When was it completed? How did it operate during its lifespan? Why does it remain?

When we build our real-time structures, how might we leave clues for those that follow? How might we leave sufficient insights to orient those who encounter it later can understand the context of our creation? How might we set others up for success?