Organizational Courage

"I am a human being as well as a human resource"

as quoted from the Dutch publication "slow management", a movement aimed at slowing down in life (eating, work, etc.) in order to create a saner, more sustainable pace. Which - to me - begs the question "where's the balance?"

I admit it: I'm a crackberry victim. I love getting my email instantaneously. I just bought the latest global version so I can be wired no matter where I travel. (And no, I have no firm international travel plans. But if I did....) There is something energetic, enjoyable, just plain old FUN about being connected.

The "slow movement" aims to balance that off with intention and pacing. Slowing economic growth, getting people to enjoy their food instead of gulping it, pushing financial returns focus past this upcoming quarter. All good things.

For me it's a question of intention. When am I racing along, sometimes literally running from meeting to meeting, without control or intention? When am I simply reacting to my own life rather than living it? And what does that cost me? And my family? And society? If I set a more sustainable pace for myself, am I creating permission for others?

It's Friday, so this is definitely something to think about over the weekend.

FAST meetings

Loved this tip from Wired Magazine's August issue: in addition to the usual suggestions for accelerating meetings (have a clear agenda, start on time, get rid of the chairs so everyone stands, set a stop watch) they suggested 'early bird incentives' such as yummy snacks for only 75% of the attendees, or letting people speak in the order they arrived.

What's your suggestion for a great, efficient, productive meeting?

Inspired Authenticity

Talk about cobbler's children having no shoes. I've just gone through a branding exercise with my frank partner Nielson, who helped me outline my VVPN (very vertical passionate narrative: the thing that gets you up in the morning). All this for the sake of helping me pour some mojo into my blog, which has gone woefully neglected recently.

It was a blast!

Through the process I realized I've been trying too hard to have all the answers (go ahead, those who know me: laugh). I've been putting too much emphasis on 'me', not enough on 'we' (a major web 2.0 no-no). I haven't necessarily been particularly transparent or authentic. And as a result, I've frozen into non-blogging mode for several months (as anyone who reads this blog regularly will have noticed). 

So here it is: my declaration of flawed but authentic intention. The stuff I'm particularly juiced about is (ironically) personal authenticity and alignment - the questions, tools, processes, approaches that help people know what their values are, whether they're in the right spot to live those values every day, and if not how they can either shape that culture or move on. That, married with technology and marketing.

So expect to see more of that from now on. And if you don't get it, raise your voice in true web 2.0 style and get in touch.