Remarkable

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?

Skeuomorph

A skeuomorph is a derivative object that retains ornamental design cues (attributes) from structures that were necessary in the original. A dated example is a floppy disk serving as the ‘save’ icon on a computer screen even after primary storage transitioned to USB flash drives and the cloud.

What are skeuomorphs in your enterprise? How do they benefit or hold back the organization? A private investment bank I know uses roll-top desks in the partner’s room despite the move to more modern office decor throughout the rest of the building. Computers, cloud storage, and wireless forms of communication are mixed with slots for sorting written correspondence, ink wells, and deep filing drawers. The roll-top desk for the bank is a reminder of its heritage as a merchant shipping company and maritime history.

Ok, Let ‘Em Go

Dan Mieduch painted the above picture titled, ‘O.K., Let ‘Em Go.’ I look at it on occasion and wonder about the narrative. Did a herd of cattle or horses escape the cowboys at the end of the day? Was the stock turned out from the corral for a night to graze on green grass and drink from cool rivers? Was there a confrontation, and the adversary retreated?

It also makes me wonder what we might benefit from letting go of in our efforts. What project or area of focus has absorbed a remarkable amount of time and resources and yet fails to manifest into a viable model? What relationship has ceased to work? What interactions are taking more than we can give?

What if we let something go? What might take its place, and how might a new chapter reveal itself?

Static

Static might be disruptive and aggravating. It can seize our attention and disrupt our regularly scheduled programs. It transforms how we perceive time. But, it might be the forerunner to a significant event or tectonic shift. How might we remain curious about moments of misalignment and uncertainty? How might we remember that those who came to the edge of the Grand Canyon or trekked into Yellowstone’s Geyser Basin felt doubtful until something unprecedented emerged?

Leading Edge

If you want to occupy the leading edge, you may need to sacrifice the safety of fertile ground and followers. You might need to position yourself on a precipice or shoreline, prepared to weather the most significant impact of storms and the scarcity of reliable resources. You may not thrive. But you are remarkable. Of all the photos I took on a recent backpack trip, only two focused on a singular tree as the primary subject. In both cases, each tree existed closer to the improbable than the safety of the forest. Tens of thousands of trees and yet two occupied the landscape in a way that required capturing for future consideration.

Seen

Are you seen?

Who do you see?

How do you process what you have witnessed? Does it inspire, does it distract, does it deter, does it confuse?

Most of us want to be seen by somebody who believes what we believe. We want the tribe to benefit from our work and inspire those on a similar journey. Being viewed is often enough to keep us committed to climbing our selected route.

Boundaries and Functionality

The FAA established Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCC). They where not all created at once but they attempt to reflect the volume of flights and major airports that exist within each region. As general aviation pilots or plane spotting enthusiast we might have some depth of understanding as to why certain border exists. However, the genral public probably does not see the immediate rational. When in-flight, it is not obvious that our commercial flight has been handed off from one center to another (unless the air traffic control audio is made available). We assume this works like a trail being routed onto the right tracks when it leaves a large train station.

What systems in our enterprise works like the ARTCC? Which need explanation to those we serve and which ones operate in the background and provide social benefit without being highlighted?

More Than

When is a piece of infrastructure more than its utilitarian function? When do we deem a structure to be remarkable or notable? Tower Bridge in London is one of many bridges on the River Thames. It is not the only one with history, royal initials, and adjoining key landmarks. Yet, this bridge is viewed more as an iconic part of the city than a functional crossing over water.

What, if any, parts of your organization achieve ‘more than’ status?

Icon and/or Famous

What is the difference between being an icon and being famous? Today, I saw a YouTube star while I was visiting a museum. The YouTuber has interviewed some of the most popular athletes and celebrities. I would consider them famous. A short walk from the art institute, I saw a mural of William Shakespeare. I would suggest that he is famous and iconic.

What is your definition of the two terms? What does the Venn diagram look like if we mapped out the two terms?