wayfinding

Together or Separate

When we share a Magnetic North (purpose, vision, mission, and values), it is easier to decide on behalf of the group if we arrive at an intersection first. If we are unclear about our compass, we will likely wait for the group to assemble before proceeding. If we consider generative questions when our environment is stable, we get clarity on where the boundaries exist for our team. We can forerun future events if we deliberate about unique situations our peers encounter. A culture of curiosity allows us to focus on the work that matters and guides our reaction when we find ourselves lost in the wilderness.

We cannot always be together, call a meeting, or wait for an answer. Periodically, we must act for the whole. A sense of shared purpose and a calibrated compass enables us to navigate, even in unfamiliar terrain.

Best Decision?

If you are a summer camp trip leader, taking campers into the wilderness for backpack, horseback, and fishing trips has many responsibilities. One of the primary objectives for any journey is the safe return of all those who sign up for the adventure. You and the staff must make numerous decisions starting before the trip departs (food, gear, medications, briefings, etc.) and continuing until after the trip returns (debriefing, medical reports, repair/return gear, etc.).

The campers are the priority for the trip leaders. However, you make decisions throughout the trip considering more than their desires. Campers might prefer to play Capture the Flag, but it is getting close to dark. The surrounding terrain is a rocky meadow ringed by a dense forest. The group is showing signs of fatigue, and you have been briefed that a black bear was recently sighted in the valley where you are camped. You might postpone the game to another campsite and suggest an alternative activity, or you might organize a quick round.

The best decision for maximum fun is to play the game; it might be the highlight of the summer for the campers. A potentially safer decision is to play cards and not allow anyone to leave the campsite unless accompanied by a staff member. This might disappoint the campers but mitigates the risk management exposure. Our decisions are influenced by who we are serving. As the responsible party, trip leaders might consider their training, what parents want for their campers, and how the camp’s management would respond if an incident occurred. Conversely, the campers seek to maximize the camp experience; they see the joy and happiness of a quick game in a remarkable setting.

We are continuously placed in situations where we must decide between options. The stakes of the decisions vary, and the impact of the outcomes ranges wildly. For monumental decisions, we may labor over a variety of considerations. For inconsequential choices, we probably grab and go. The more clarity we have about what we believe, what values are embedded in our cause, who we serve, and what impact we seek, the less friction, and we will get to the decision point quicker for significant choices.

Predicting the Future- Poorly

If we can predict the future, why did we schedule the gala performance on the night of an enormous summer thunderstorm?  

How might we recognize that we cannot predict the weather and, therefore, probably cannot anticipate other critical future events? Perhaps we should leave space in our planning to adjust and reroute.

Ambitious Plans

There are ambitious goals, and then there are plans that overcome our comprehension. If I told you I was going to thru-hike the Continental Divide Trail (Mexico to Canada), you might be able to fathom that feat. If you happen to live trail adjacent, you might even offer to assist me with food, a shower, or a place to stay. If I told you I was going to circumnavigate the globe on foot five times and I planned to walk past your house in five years, you might offer assistance but you may also kindly suggest we talk when the time gets closer. We can support what we can comprehend, but if overwhelmed, we do not know where to start.

The plans we share with our fans might be best if they are ambitious and daunting but relevant enough that our fans can find a point of confluence.

Yes or No Photo

Almost all the blog posts on the What-if-Concepts website contain a photo, and with rare exceptions, the photos are original. I often wonder if the photos add to or subtract from the content. I like to believe they add depth and dimension to the text that follows.

How might we understand the impact of our work, both the elements and the finished product? How might we engage our audience to discover what needs to be amplified and what distracts? And, how might we, as the artist, author, and curator, preserve our integrity, regardless of what the data suggests?

Perspective vs Perception

Perception is what we see. Perspective is how we interpret the information.

How do we use the generative mode of thinking to embrace both our perceptions and perspectives? If an outcome relies on making a decision, then we prioritize perspective. If we are working in a broader mindset, we benefit from both.

Forecasted Priorities

How might a forecast change your priorities? What if the forecast is inaccurate? What if the forecast is fifty percent of the actual event, will you have bandwidth in your priorities to adjust?

How might we evaluate the forecast but leave room for wayfinding when real-time events present a different reality than the prediction?