This inquiry is not a paid promotion for a pending Disney movie. I am not pitching a cute singing journal for the next McDonald's Happy Meal's campaign.
My growth through inquiry and questions were the result of answering hard questions straight from the heart. My friends and I would know it was a real answer when the answer landed with a dull thud. These were the answers that were not sugar coated, or on the Instagram highlight real, but a solemn moment of truth.
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The paper mache pinata in the third grade doesn't count. I agree, let's add some constraints to the inquiry. You got it; a non-work related significant action you wanted to complete in the last 12 months.
So, what was it?
This posting is initially published before the halfway point in December. Now is a time we start to consider the actions of the past year and look to the next. But there is still time for the current year.
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You do not see the world correctly. The good news is neither does anyone else.
A standard camera lens is built-in to your smartphone. Accessory lenses are now available to zoom or magnify your subject. The software provides a myriad of filters to adjust the final picture, of your breakfast, for distribution to the global media outlets.
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Joseph Glidden tinkered with his wife's hairpin's to produce a barbed wire prototype. The production of barbed wire, after his 1873 patent, had a remarkable influence on the American expansion westward. Control of livestock was accomplished with strands of the inexpensive fencing. Agriculture flourished due to solid boundary lines enforced by this prickly sentry.
The simple strand changed the grazing patterns of wild herds that hand always moved freely. Additionally, the wire marked who owned what, and who could go where.
You and I live within boundary lines that may feel just as thorny.
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The last straw has been getting a bad rap for millennia. If the second-to-last straw had stayed on his diet, then the last straw would not have broken the camels back! But no, that jerk had to have just one more donut, and we remember the last straw as the culprit. Poor camel.
What is your last straw? What tips the scales and pushes you into action?
We group actions into known and unknown causes. We know the perennial action list; household chores, the laborious monthly report, finally starting the side hustle or continuing the fight for the next step of social justice.
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It's the feeling in your gut, the moment to move has arrived, and you can't not take action.
My hands were sweaty and the 60-second video required a few attempts to get it right. The video concept hit me during lunch and the impulse to get it done and posted was manic. There was an extreme sense of urgency. I will forever remember the bench I was sitting on when I uploaded the recording. My hands were literally shaking, and my heart was racing. I sensed this particular video was getting me closer to discovering my "writing" voice.
The action was thrilling!
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I hate to write this inquiry and is why it must be asked.
A bit of backstory. In the mid-80's I started consuming personal development books and tapes when I signed up as an Amway distributor, and I never looked back. I appreciate the optimism and call to action that is a mainstay of the personal development genre.
I have an encouraging response from Og Mandino, author of The Greatest Salesman in the World, in my records. Today, my library overflows with annotated and underlined works from the best of the best. Podcasts and audio books have maintained my sanity (self-assessment and no scientific data to back up this claim) during my commute.
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Break is an action verb. A decision was made to embrace a commitment and the same decision to end the commitment.
This inquiry arose out of a discussion with a family member a year ago. She had been leading a nonprofit for several years and grown the influence over her tenure. The Board of Directors brought in a new Director that wanted to go in a new direction, and she was fired.
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People define organizations. We often think of a company, mission, location, or a building when asked about our organization, but the people are what makes them distinct.
A co-worker and I were discussing organizations where we had worked, and she observed my demeanor completely changed when I considered a particular organization in comparison to the others. I didn't notice the radical disposition shift until it was mentioned. Recounting the strengths of the team, I found myself, well, kinda gushing. It wasn't perfect, but there was a lot that was right.
What were some of your organizations that nailed the important issues? A particular synagogue, a 4H club, one of your jobs, a gym, an Occupy Wall Street movement, a choir, a band, or a hundred other variations where people come together for a joint mission, would all apply.
What were the important characteristics you recall that made it special?
My experience included clear leadership that was aligned and allowed the rest of the team to focus on the task at hand, vice quibbling about office politics and jocking for position. Upper management would patiently listen to input and opposing viewpoints, then make a decision to execute. Each team was talented in their respective space, respected the other teams, and would counsel with each other when there was a need to address a seam issue. Being accountable to a high standard, given the freedom to work the plan, and get backing when a mistake occurs, or a roadblock needed breaking. The team bonded and built a close working relationship, making it a great place to work.
Even if the work sucks, the ability of the team to thrive in less than ideal conditions is possible and will often build stronger bonds. Shared suffering creates fast friends. When did your team bond over common pain?
Recounting the successes you have experienced, allows you to introduce these concepts to your current organizations and begin to be the seed of growth. The 10 o'clock news will tell you all that is wrong, and it takes intentional action to push back and make a positive change for you and your team. The good news is you don't have to wait to own the company; just start paying forward the goodness you have experienced.