Year: 2010

The Future of the Corporation: Seven Dangers Ahead

Fireworks 

The relevance still remains.  Good to look back to look forward.  Wrote the following post about 2 1/2 years ago:

Talked to my attorney this morning over breakfast (no problems, he's a friend too).  We got to talking about security inside of corporate America.  I, of course, said security in corporate America is pure fantasy.  No bitterness hear, just the facts ma'am.

As we talked, I went out of my way to mention that corporate America is pretty young from a historical point of view.  Why is that important?  The winds of change blow harder on youth.

The main point here is to alert you to what I believe are some dangers (keep in-mind danger is a relative term) ahead for corporate America:

  1. The flight of talented men and women to entrepreneur ventures.  I personally see this as a good thing.  I like the idea of small and nimble organizations increasing.  Besides, anytime you increase the odds against bureaucracy, the world is a better place.
  2. The harvest from the bad seeds of poor leadership.  Some organizations have failed in this area for so long that poor leadership is part of the culture.  And we know how powerful culture is.
  3. Apathetic employees who spend extended (10+ years) inside of the same organization.  Apathy works well when things are going swimmingly, not so well when the tough times come.
  4. Age demographics.
  5. Prosperity.  It was once said that Rome was never conquered, because it committed suicide.
  6. HR departments that have no true say in the corporation's future, but are asked to babysit/discipline employees (managers and staff) who are doing their own thing.
  7. Workers that have no vision.  Without vision, an organization will crumble slowly over time.

Each of the seven dangers are solvable.  But the greater issue is do we have the courage to solve?

The Self-Centered Inluencer

I was at a retreat this past weekend.  It was great.  The teacher/workshop leader was fabulous.  One thing that hit me deeply was when a couple of table-mates told me, rather prophetically, that my vision would lead to further influenicng of the world I run in.  It was good to hear that. 

This post is not about me, except when I misbehave.  And misbehavior is the point.  This post is about the self-centered influencers out there.  You know who I'm talking about.  But if you don't, the following is a short list of descriptions:

  • Evasive in conversation
  • No eye contact
  • Clique prone
  • Two or three faces
  • Deeply insecure

The self-centered influencer has influence beyond position and they tend to be very needy.  These folks really should be in a cube far away from any being who needs connection.

So what happened?  How'd they get to be this way?  I don't have all the answers, but here are my thoughts:

  • The influencer never grew up.  Those who should have held them accountable early on abdicated the responsibility or found no time to make the tough decisions.
  • The pursuit to grow skills outpaced the pursuit to grow character.
  • The organizations (workplace, church, association, home) to which the influencer called home, enabled in the name of fear, money and/or productivity.
  • The influencer ignored the path of legacy.  In other words, if we knew what we were leaving behind we'd be in awe with humility added.
  • The influencer believed the lies told by their own inner-voice.

 

 

Resolving In Grief

It's been some time, but I felt now would be appropriate.  Losing, winning, missing all seem to have their place when a loved one passes.  In my case my dad almost two years removed.  

I've made some heroic attempts at understanding my relationship with a man named Charles.  Not sure I'll ever fully get it, but Sting's song Ghost Story is an ironic portrait of my relationship with my dad.  Kismet.  I thought I would share here as I make my way through a long journey.

I watch the Western sky
The sun is sinking
The geese are flying South
It sets me thinking

I did not miss you much
I did not suffer
What did not kill me
Just made me tougher

I feel the winter come
His icy sinews
Now in the fire light
The case continues

Another night in court
The same old trial
The same old questions asked
The same denial

The shadows closely run
Like jury members
I look for answers in
The fire's embers

Why was I missing then
That whole December
I give my usual line:
I don't remember

Another winter comes
His icy fingers creep
Into these bones of mine
These memories never sleep

And all these differences
A cloak I borrow
We kept our distances
Why should it follow I must have loved you

What is the force that binds the stars
I wore this mask to hide my scars
What is the power that pulls the tide
I never could find a place to hide

What moves the Earth around the sun
What could I do but run and run and run
Afraid to love, afraid to fail
A mast without a sail

The moon's a fingernail and slowly sinking
Another day begins and now I'm thinking
That this indifference was my invention
When everything I did sought your attention

You were my compass star
You were my measure
You were a pirate's map
A buried treasure

If this was all correct
The last thing I'd expect
The prosecution rests
It's time that I confess: I must have loved you

Discovery During A Time Of Rest

Summer 2010 016

Just returned from a great time away on the East Coast of the United States.  It was the longest holiday my family and I have ever taken and it is the main reason I've been silent from blogging.

I've been reading Simon Sinek's book, Start with Why and I took it along with me on my sabbatical.  The book is great, but more importantly it has ignited some discoveries that before were question marks in my Epic Living journey.

When I started Epic Living, when I wrote the book, when I truly committed to entrepreneurship as the portal for my mission, I couldn't (still can't) explain my motivations for doing my work other than; "I have to do this" or "God placed this in my heart to come out."  Crazy or not, that's pretty much how things unfolded-still do.

In Sinek's book, the essential question is "why?"  I have answered that question in head, but more importantly in my heart.  Maybe you already know this.

Epic Living is about helping people find and keep breakthroughs in the following facets:

  • The Spiritual
  • The Mental and Emotional
  • The Physical
  • The Financial

The activities that are impacted range from career, physical health, personal finances, leadership/personal development, and more.  To be sure, this story has not been fully unfolded.  In the coming days and months this will happen.

Here are some things to look forward to:

  1. The Virtual Coaching Cafe– An online place where you can get guidance and social community.
  2. Online Idea Share – An online place where you can house and organize your ideas, thoughts and dreams.
  3. Seminar Series – An in-person event series designed to put flesh on helping you.

More to come…

 

When Small Creates Big

I have sometimes fallen into the trap of thinking that I needed to create a big splash in-order to bring home the winning run.  Or even the illusive search for the fictional "silver bullet."  I don't do that anymore.  Call it age and wisdom, but now I'm comfortable with small things.  I'm focused on changing what sphere I've been given to influence.  It's not what Seth Godin or Stephen Covey have authority over.  However, I share a common landscape with both of them.  And that is to change the world-seen or unseen.

It's that seen/unseen stuff that drives us humans crazy.  We want something to show for our toil.  Reasonable, but maybe it's time to turn that desire upside-down.

The following is a speech from Rory Sutherland at a recent TED event.  He's onto something.