Organizational Courage

"The Last Lecture"

MAKE ten minutes today to watch this short film from the Oprah show. Inspiring points for a happy, authentic life.

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.

I'm in Dallas at my husband's college reunion with a hodgepodge of family (my dad, step-son, step-daughter-in-law, granddaughter, sister-in-law, brother-in-law) and John's college friends. What I'm noticing today is the way I gravitate toward some people: their positive energy, what they're up to in the world, the way they focus on possibilities and fun and beer and other good things. I also gravitate away from others: people who want to talk about idiot politicians, traffic jams, illness and tragedies large and small.

Neale Donald Walsch (author "Conversations with God") indicates that there are only two motivators for any thought or action: love and fear. So my question for today, and probably throughout the weekend: which is driving me? The love of energy and passion and emotion and fun, or fear of being dragged down by other people's negativity? Or maybe some of both?

What would it take to push the envelope even further into love: to lovingly spread a little sunshine, to lovingly challenge negativity? Or to just love someone enough to respect where they're at, whether or not I find it negative and draining?

Challenge for the day: watch each interaction, and decide the extent to which I’m being driven by fear, or by love.

No judgment, just observation. 

frank!

Our very first Day of Frank is coming up tomorrow. So many great stories, so much content! Can't wait! As a facilitator it's tempting to think I know how the day's going to go. After all, I have the content, right? But social media itself is a great reminder that the content is all with the participants. So who knows what the day will bring?? Here's to some excitement, some learning, some great conversation and a few laughs!

Full-on Authentic

Authenticity. According to www.dictionary.com, it's "adj 1: conforming to fact and therefore worthy of belief; "an authentic account by an eyewitness"; "reliable information" [syn: reliable] 2: not counterfeit or copied; "an authentic signature"; "a bona fide manuscript"; "an unquestionable antique"; "photographs taken in a veritable bull ring" [syn: bona fide, unquestionable, veritable]".

Authenticity. It's an undeniable leadership quality, cited by The Center for Creative Leadership, National OD Network, Society for HR Management, and other leadership experts. So why is it so hard to come by? What is it about authenticity that's so hard to BE?

Americans like to look good.

·       "You never get a second chance to make a first impression."

·       "It's a dog eat dog world." (Or if you're Lou Holtz, it's rat eat rat.)

·       "Second place is just first place among the losers."

·       $32.7 billion (yup, BILLION) in recent global cosmetic sales. (By the way, if you started counting 1, 2, 3, 4.....and kept going, non-stop, it would take you 11,574 YEARS to reach one billion. That's a lot of seconds. That's a lot of money.)

Anyway, you get the idea. We're all in a hurry to look good, be the best, win. And that's great. Really. Healthy competition is, well, healthy. Self confidence invites others to take pride in their own selves. But somewhere it feels like we've crossed a line from healthy self-confidence to hubris. From humble hard work to an expectation of instant gratification. Work hours are longer, life has sped up. (

See

Wharton

School

of Business's take on The Happy Workaholic.) Customers, bosses, shareholders want it NOW.

That's a lot of pressure. To perform, deliver, get it right. And somehow that translates into pressure toward conformity. If I have to work 60 hours/week I deserve (insert status symbol du jour here).  And pretty soon we're all driving X, and we're all wearing Y, and we're even sounding alike. We've lost our individual voices. We've lost touch with who we are, our real authenticity.

Authenticity, to me, is the courage to be oneself in a lemming world. To go left when everyone (co-workers, customers, bosses, neighbors) say Go Right. Sometimes it pays off and you're considered a genius (think Steve Jobs and the iPod). Sometimes it doesn't and you're considered an idiot. (Think Steve Jobs and the Mac, circa 1997.)

Authenticity includes the courage, chutzpa and energy to fully self express no matter what. And I'm not there yet. If I lived it full-on I'd get out there and blog more. I'd probably say 'no' to my friends and family more often. But I'm working on it.

And I for one feel like the world could use more of it. How 'bout you?