Archive for the ‘Creativity’ category
January 3, 2009
This is going to be a somewhat short post. There are so many things that I am excited about this coming year. Many I will be laying out in detail here first. For that reason, if you haven’t already subscribed to this blog, click on the “subscribe” link to the right. When you do this, you’ll be the first to know what’s going on.
The core of my thought today is that as I’ve looked at the need for learning organizations in the past, (you can check out here, and here, and here for more), the key component has moved from the community to the individual. When the individual is working better, the community that he or she is a part of runs better.
Often we try to give these things names, but honestly names aren’t important. The important thing is for “people to find their own language for describing the intent of their efforts in ways that work in their own context, as part of developing their own strategies and leadership practices. How we talk about our work matters. But the key lies in our personal journey of reflection, experimentation, and becoming more open, not the words we use. It is the reality we create, not how we label it, that matters.”
Don’t worry about what to call what you do, just do the thing that you can’t NOT do. In embracing yourself, you embrace all and that WILL change the world!
Categories: Awareness, Belief, Context, Creativity, Influence, Life, People
Tags: be yourself, doing, labels, naming
Comments: Be the first to comment
January 2, 2009
Noticing is something that I’d bet many of us do too little of. We have many items on our plate, and we justify that we simply don’t have the time. I want to offer a daily opportunity to reengage in your real life. I’ll bet that after doing these simple adjustments, you’ll feel like a fog has lifted and clarity has come to your life.
First, take your watch and set a time either every half hour or every hour and have your alarm go off. When it does, just take a few seconds to notices how you feel, even if you feel irritated by the interruption of the alarm!
Next, as you move from one activity during the day to another, notice how you feel about ending one activity and transitioning to the other.
Also, during mealtimes, think about pleasant moments and identify why they are pleasant. Conversely, think about the moments that were the least pleasant and identify why. Another thing is to ask yourself if you were aware of the pleasant or unpleasant moments when they occurred.
Lastly, notice how you feel after meaningful interactions with other people.
You might want to tackle one of these at a time – maybe one a week – and notice how the fog lifts and how clarity comes to every day moments.
Categories: Awareness, Context, Creativity, Life
Comments: Be the first to comment
January 1, 2009
One of the things that I’ve been thinking about lately is how often we take things that are, at first revolutionary, and then relegate them to the role of a staple item. As an example, a business could have made a name for themselves by doing a particular ting or producing a particular product. Eventually, the business prides themselves on being revolutionary by producing the same product.
There is a lot to be said for thinking outside the box. Hundreds of books have been written about it, and many are good. The subject of thinking outside of the box is a must in today’s business world, but it takes another step to really make a difference. Thinking is important, but it’s not enough. Thinking is passive. The only way things get done and change really happens is when we stop thinking out of the box and start acting out of the box.
Look at your own situation at the beginning of the year. I’m certain you’ve thought about a lot of things you want to do or change. Take one, an in the next five minutes do some action that brings you closer to making it happen. It could be as simple as a phone call or an email. You need to make the call – so make it.
Let 2009 be a year of action – and let me know what you’re doing to make 2009 the best year we’ve ever seen!
Categories: Context, Creativity, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Life
Comments: Be the first to comment
December 15, 2008
Sunday was a day for big announcements. John Sloan our bass player was leaving to go to Cincinnati, service times were changing from three back to two services, and I was stepping out into a new place of uncertainty and question marks. Sounds like you should have been there, right?
Change was the topic of conversation. I mentioned Robert Quinn and his book, Deep Change. We all are faced with opportunities to choose Deep Change, yet even in our inaction we make the decision to live within the status quo. The decision to embrace Deep Change is a decision that will shift your way of thinking and making meaning in the world, but it is also the only way in which we can truly grow as human beings. Personal Transformation is a topic that encompasses both the spiritual and mental capacities we posses. In order for a person to experience Spiritual Transformation and Mental Transformation, the lenses with which we see our lives have to also change and be embraced.
The best lenses are the ones we aren’t aware of. When we have a shift in our “seeing”, it takes time for the new lenses to integrate themselves into our lives. The first step is to recognize that the lenses you are currently looking through aren’t letting you see things the way you are accustomed to seeing them. Just like with real eyeglasses, when things start to become hazy and blurry, it’s time for new lenses to clear up your vision.
As I continue on in this journey, I hope you will also share your experiences. I also hope that my decision to embrace transformational change will spur you on to begin your own journey of transformational change.
Categories: Awareness, Belief, Creativity, Cultural Ideas, Goals, Me, Starting, Vision
Comments: 1 Comment
November 25, 2008
There is a saying that – “Anything can be improved”. In the world economy, these simple words provide the foundation for asking questions. Every time we look around we find things that could be better. What should be there that is not? What can start with what we know or are passionate about? What bothers us? What’s missing? We can come up with a very long list of things we wish were different or could change, or have the interest or skill to do something about.
In these lists are the beginning ideas of some of the most profitable businesses around. Google found a better way to search, Amazon found a better way to buy books, Ebay found a better way to sell everything. No super magic formula, just an opportunity to make things better.
These same principles apply wherever we find ourselves. The next big idea could come from you looking around and seeing something that could be done better.
Categories: Awareness, Belief, Creativity, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Starting, Vision
Tags: amazon, begin, ebay, google
Comments: Be the first to comment
November 20, 2008
Yes, I went to see Twilight. Not only did I go to see it; I was watching it at the midnight premier showing. I brought Shawn McCann, he helped me on a book review a few weeks back, and then there was about ten thousand teenage girls. I won’t put in any teenage girl humor because you’ve probably already added it in yourself!
The movie itself was different than the book in it’s tone. I read about half of the first book before going to the movie. The plot and dialogue came up to be about what the book contained. I can’t stress how different the reactions were in the movie theatre from the reactions I had planned on hearing. From the start there were more giggles than “oohs”. The main character was supposed to be a smooth guy, but he started off decidedly un-smooth.
There were some good parts, but the movie was aimed to a distinct target audience – an audience that didn’t include me. Humor was the most surising facet of Twilight. Toward the end there was a quote that was somewhat profound. The main guy and gal are dancing under the lit gazebo for the school dance and she asks him why he didn’t let her become a vampire like himself. Her feeling was that, if he had, she would be able to live forever with him. He responds by asking her if just one long lifetime with him would be enough.
I couldn’t help but think if that is the conversation the Church is having with God/Jesus today. There is such a stress on the “happily ever after” fairytale “by-and-by” life in heaven, that many so-called Christians waste the life given to them, to live here dissatisfied and without desire to “do” anything but wait “until He comes”.
How sad that the gift of Christ is used for such a small expression of life. Life is to be lived. There is an abundant life to be lived, but you must live it. It will not live on it’s own. You must give it breath and strength as you choose to step out and become active in your life.
Categories: Awareness, Books I'm Reading, Creativity, Cultural Ideas, Life
Tags: movie, twilight, vampire
Comments: 2 Comments
November 19, 2008
One of the big topics in education and learning is the concept of Dialogue Education. Jane Vella first proposed the concept in the early 80’s. It draws on a variety of adult learning theories and combines them into an integrated learning experience. The biggest difference is that teaching is typically done in a monologue format, this form is a dialogue. The dialogue focuses more on what the student does and less on what the teacher says.
The implications for this are staggering as we look at the current way in which most learning environments are designed. In the church setting there is a person talking (monologue) and a congregation listening. In the work world during a meeting, there is a person making a presentation (monologue) and a group listening. In most educational settings there is a teacher (monologue) and students listening.
Dialogue education is a form of Constructivism, in that it focuses on the argument that people construct knowledge and meaning from experiences, because of that, Dialogue Education can be a means for transformative learning. The big reason is that it gives ownership to the learner for his own learning.
I know that is lot to digest, but the implications in the church setting cannot be stressed enough. Because of this I’m beginning a series of Dialogues, called Dialogue4Change. At the onset we will discuss the theory and practice of Dialogue Education itself and what its meaning in our different environments:work, family, church.
If there are a majority of people in the Warner Robins area we will meet at Lifepoint Church approximately once a month. If the majority are from further places, I’ll do my best to facilitate an on-line discussion in the same time-frame.
To let me know if you are interested in becoming a part of this cutting edge discussion, email me at dialogue4change@gmail.com. In the next few days I’ll be putting up a separate page that will go into more detail. This is going to be Great!
Categories: Awareness, Context, Creativity, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Leadership, Life, People
Tags: conversation, dialogue education, jane vella
Comments: 1 Comment
November 15, 2008
This is from the book Tribes by Seth Godin and it is great:
Most people like the products they already have, so marketers ignore them.
Most people work hard to fit in, so others don’t notice them.
Most people like eating at places where they’ve eaten before.
Most people would like the world to stay just as it is, but calmer.
Most people are afraid.
Most people didn’t use Google until last year.
Most people aren’t curious.
You’re not most people.
You’re not the target market for most marketers.
Almost all the growth that’s available to you exists when you aren’t like most people and when you work hard to appeal to folks who aren’t most people.
Here’s to you. Someone who is most assuredly not “most people”!
Categories: Awareness, Creativity, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Leadership, Life, People
Tags: Most People, Seth Godin, Tribes
Comments: Be the first to comment
November 9, 2008
One of my hero’s is Kevin Kelly. Several moths ago I had the opportunity to meet him; it was a major highlight of my life. Kevin talked about the “1,000- True Fans” in an article. Basically, a true fan is someone who is a member of the tribe and cares deeply about you and your work. A true fan is the person who will choose to tell others about you, bring a friend to hear you.
In these days of Facebook and MySpace, the concept of a “friend” is increasingly gaining a cloud of vagueness. This is not so of true friends. If an artist has 1,000 true friends, he has enough to make a good living and help some others along the way. A true friend will not wait for the paperback. They want the hardback or first edition. The major key element that true fans bring is the added intercommunication with other fans. The true fans help to fan the words of the artist into a roar.
The takeaway hear is that you cannot allow yourself to become fixated on numbers. You do, however, want to seek to make and keep fans. A few of these precious true fans can change everything. They just need you to be brave enough to be You.
Categories: Awareness, Creativity, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Leadership, Life, People
Tags: fans, friend, Kevin Kelly, true fan
Comments: Be the first to comment
November 8, 2008
I’ve been reading a lot about Crowds. Who they are, and who they are not. The most intriguing aspect of the Crowd conversation is that nobody is discounting that the power leverage has shifted. The ball is owned by the Crowd, and the Crowd determines what the next step is.
The nagging thought that I keep getting is that if a Crowd is simply a large mass of people, the ability to direct, sell, teach, even listen to them is practically impossible. The other thing about Crowds is that they can gather in an instant, but they can also disperse just as quick.
I’ve been to a couple of meetings with “guys in the know” about the next step in church development and where religion plays a part in that development. In every instance there is a focus on the Crowd. A push to get the Crowd involved and bring the Crowd to some central event. The sad part about this is that in essence there is no difference from “marketing to a Crowd” to the old stand on the street corner with a bullhorn approach in terms of truly making a difference.
Sure you may get your church’s name in the paper, but who reads papers anymore? You may create a “buzz”, but then you fall into the same need to have a bigger buzz each time you meet. Most organizations do their best at sending loads of money out to the crowd. I suppose that is OK if your intention is to become just like most organizations – bland and interchangeable. I suppose it is OK if you just want to surf the same wave every other guru is asking people to surf.
It’s not OK if you want to be anything other than “most”. If you have any desire to be remarkable – in other words that someone would have reason to “remark” about you – you have to focus not on Crowds, but on Tribes. As Seth Godin says, “A crowd is a tribe without a leader. A crowd is a tribe without communication…Smart organizations assemble the tribe.”
Categories: Awareness, Creativity, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Leadership, Life, People
Tags: church marketing, crowd, guru, People, tribe
Comments: Be the first to comment
christopherhildreth 