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Trashy Blog Post on Presidents' Day

Sorry if the title is misleading.

This post doesn't refer to some juicy scandal about a president - or even involve trashy talk about a president or presidential candidate (sorry ;-) No, I'm talking about actual trash.

You see, last night I didn't put the trash out because I didn't see the usual neighbor-trash on the curb.  I figured no collection in the morning due to the holiday.  That was that.

Then, as I left this morning - lo and behold - there was quite a bit of neighbor-trash out at the curb.  I thought to myself, "Oh, OK, there must be trash collection after all".

Hummm...

How do we form our opinions and make decisions?  Because of observations?  Assumptions?  Because someone else thinks or does something? 

Today, we can make our own informed decisions like never before.  We're armed with the information we need when we need it.  I could have jumped on the city's website to know the answer instead of guessing or making a decision based on what the neighbors did.

Alert!  Is this all I can think about on Presidents' Day?  Trash?!

I took some of my own medicine and jumped on a keyboard.  A few clicks reminded me about the origin of the holiday.  It dates back to the 1880s, when George Washington's birthday was first celebrated as a federal holiday.  "Washington's Birthday" was changed to "Presidents' Day" in 1971 - due, in part, to the proximity of Lincoln's birthday in February (Washington is February 22nd and Lincoln is February 12th) - not to mention the fact that retailers in the U.S. already named the holiday "Presidents' Day" for themselves anyway.

To think... I live in a country where I am fortunate enough to have my trash removed for me.

I also live in a country odd enough that the power of retail defines how we celebrate the legacy of our leaders.

Oh:  The answer to the trash removal?  I guess I'll find out when I get home.

craig arthur james 2012

 

Music in the Workplace... and Beyond

[This article is a post-airing update to the 2-14-12 "What's the Big Idea?" on Western Reserve PBS NEOtropolis]

On February 14, 2012 NEOtropolis covered "The Languages of Expression".  The "What's the Big Idea?" segment talked about the power of music in the workplace - and beyond.

Usually we think of music as pleasant or entertaining.  Well, it can be both of those things and much, much more.  Like the power of the smile, expression through music transcends language.  Science is telling us that music is essential to physical & cognitive health, and that it can be a useful tool in the workplace.

Below are the articles and resources mentioned during the segment. 

("Bonus" - If you watched the show, you witnessed that technology daemons within an electronic keyboard robbed host Luke Frazier and contributor Craig James from their chance to play a masterpiece live on the show.  At the bottom of this page is a rare opportunity to witness a "behind the scenes" green room prologue of the masterful (?) performance)

 

Music and Brain Health Links: 

The Surprising Effects of Music - Physical & Brain Health

Music Moves the Brain to Pay Attention from Stanford University 

 

Music Therapy:

A Northeast Ohio gem and a nationally renown Music Therapy department at:

The Cleveland Music School Settlement 

 

Music in The Workplace:

"Music at Work"

Inc. Magazine - 50 Songs to Listen to at Work

 

Luke, Craig & Music - Prologue:

As Luke says, "We will not be denied!"

  

What? The video (above) won't play for you?  Try This

View the entire Languages of Expression Episode & the Big Idea Segment @ minute 11:28

The above are not necessarily the views of NEOtropolis or Western Reserve PBS.  Rather, the above post has been produced by and are the views of this author, related to topics he may discuss as a contributor on NEOtropolis.  Further, the fabulous prologue video is not a production of Western Reserve PBS, but rather an impromptu video capture via iPhone courtesy Sea James. 

Musing about Expression

[This article relates to Craig's "What's the Big Idea?" segment on Western Reserve PBS's NEOtropolis Tuesday 2-14-12 @ 9:00 PM on NEOtropolis.org]

--> Update:  Post-show blog post including links to information on Music in the Workplace, Music & Health... and more. Find it HERE

Muse-ic.  Do you know that the word "music" is derived from the the Greek word "mousike" meaning "Art of the Muses"? - Muses are those magic goddesses who inspire the creation of literature, art and lyrics.

You see, there are all kinds of expressions; visual, verbal and artistic.  Spoken language has been around for a long time.  But other types of expressions - the more mysterious and magical ones - are the ones that have been around even longer.  They're the ones that tend to touch our soul and ignite our hearts.

Music might be considered one of the most magical and mysterious of all.  There are no words to express the feelings music can emote.  As my friend Pastor Joe says, "One can read and play notes - but jazz and improvisation can't be described or prescribed.  Life is jazz".

He's right.  Life is jazz - here in Northeast Ohio - and across the world.  Maybe it's time to improvise.

Today's post is primarily verbal via the "audio-blog" you'll find immediately below.  Through it, you'll meet a guitar-playing guy named Pat, and hear a few musings about music, big ideas, and expression.

Could music be a key (no pun intended) to making progress here in Northeast Ohio?  Tune-in on February 14th to find out - and hear a few hints here about the "What's the Big Idea" segment of the Feb. 14th episode called, "The Languages of Expression":

 

iPhone photo by CAJ

Visual Music by Ralph Solonitz:

 

By now if you're into music at all, you've probably already seen Walk off the Earth's 5-people-playing-a-guitar video.  53 million people have decided to watch it - and counting.  Is music powerful?:

 

craig arthur james 2012

The above are not necessarily the views of NEOtropolis or Western Reserve PBS.  Rather, the above post has been produced by and are the views of this author, related to topics he may discuss as a contributor on NEOtropolis

 

 

Borders, Barriers or Bridges?

[This article relates to Craig's "What's the Big Idea?" segment on Western Reserve PBS's NEOtropolis Tuesday 2-7-12 @ 9:00 PM on NEOtropolis.org]

As I write this article on the eve of the NEOtropolis Episode "Phantom Borders", I can't help but reflect on the fact that today, February 6, 2012 the U.S. Embassy closed it's doors in Damascus, and our diplomats race back home to safety.  

While Western powers push for a tough UN resolution against Syria - Russia and China veto the Resolution.

Russia, China, The U.S., Saudi Arabia and others... all in a debate over approach, principles and their own interests.

Meanwhile yesterday, 173 million people and 11 billion dollars spell, "Super Bowl".

So: This time, "What's the Big Idea?" isn't so much about a Big Idea as it's a Big (set of) Question(s).

What's New(s)? - The Convergence of Information - Part 2

[This article relates to Craig's (who?) appearance on the "What's the Big Idea?" segment of Western Reserve PBS's NEOtropolis, Tuesday 1-24-12 @ NEOtropolis.org]

On January 24, 2012 the "So What's the Big Idea?" segment of NEOtropolis dipped into the pool of information & news - to explore the Convergence of Information.

Just as technology has converged (you remember the Convergence of Technology - right?)... It looked something like:

The totally new game, globally

This post is a copy of an email sent on January 22, 2012 to friends and colleagues thoughtful about the future:

Remember the last time I did this to you?  [i.e., clog your in-box with a similar message] It was Dec 20, 2011 - just over one month ago.

One month is 8X the amount of time it took one supplier in Asia to tool & ramp-up their operation to produce 10,000 iPhones per day for Apple. 

ralph solonitz

This NYT article (link embedded within the/my emailed tweet, below and found HERE) is a breathtaking wake-up call on a sunny Sunday morning re: jobs, the U.S., the completely new game - and our future.  

Will likely refer further thought (and encourage comments) via our SmartSimpleMobile blog starting with the replication of this very message, there.  In the meantime, I am once again compelled to clog your email in-box.  

Separately, but related - a reminder of Umair Haque's HBR/blog.  He begs similar questions. 

Tweet:  Craig Arthur James (@CjamesCatStrat) 1/22/12 8:41 AM:

U.S. jobs not "protectable". Must read:

Breathtaking article re: iPhone story

Totally new game for America(ns).

Craig Arthur James 2012

To Survive, Should we Share and Share Alike?

[This article relates to Craig's appearance on the "What's the Big Idea?" segment of Western Reserve PBS's NEOtropolis, Tuesday 1-17-12 @ 9:00 PM @ NEOtropolis.org]

"Sustainability" is about green building, conservation, recycling, renewable energy and the environment - right? 

Of course.  But there's more.

"Sustainability" is also about our overall norms and habits as a society (I'm not just talking about recycling or conservation).  One habit, the habit of "sharing" might, in fact, be one of the most important habits of all in our effort to ensure the health of our economy and to secure the future for our planet.

What?!? - Sharing? 

How fluffy.  How idealistic.  How counter-culture to everything we know... At least it's going to be an inconvenient sacrifice - Right?

I don't think so.

courtesy Ralph Solonitz

#1) It's an Imperative

#2) There's Huge Upside Opportunity (eg. Collaborative Consumption)

#3) It's Actually Good for Us

1 - The Imperative:

There are plenty of studies indicating that our current pace of ownership and consumption will "break" the planet.  Our habits are simply not sustainable.

The rise and fall of the Roman Empire is an 'oft sited example (of many things) with multiple theories about how and why the Empire collapsed.  No matter the debate, most historians agree that the prosperous self-indulgent Empire had a fundamentally unsustainable societal foundation - at least for the long term.

In our case now, if we don't change our habits we won't just see an "empire" fall, we'll see a planet and it's people become history (literally).

Doomsday?  Dramatic?  Maybe.  Whether you think it's alarmist or not, let's say there's even a small chance that we cook everyone and everything - is that a risk worth taking?  After all, it takes approximately 22 million years to get to the next nearest Earth-like planet, Kepler 22b.  So, we would need to either:

A)  Figure out how to live for 22 million years

B)  Invent a faster way to travel in space

C)  Change our habits

 

2 - The Upside Opportunity: 

The good news is that in addition to green building, recycling, and all the great things we're beginning to do, we have a huge opportunity to do even more given the immense surplus and redundancy we still have in our society, from the stuff we buy, to the space we use (or the space we don't use in order to store the stuff we buy that we don't use).

The current ownership/consumption picture hasn't always been the picture.  Outside of the Romans, the last few thousand years have been generally characterized by shared stuff and space.  There were no hotels - we stayed at our friend's place.  We didn't have our own separate garages full of stuff - we had a village.

About Stuff:

Do you know that by the time you leave this planet (i.e., die) you will have spent an entire year (of your life) looking for the things you've misplaced?  A full year.

We are beginning to realize that lots of stuff isn't better, it's a burden, and that less stuff plus more sharing makes sense (again).  The Collaborative Consumption movement is an example.  The concept has been championed by Rachel Botsman and Roo Rogers, co-authors of "What's Mine is Y(ours)". 

They take a good hard look at what we're consuming, using - or not.  One of their favorite examples is the power drill.  On average, each household uses its power drill about 10 minutes per year.  That leaves our poor lonely little power drills sitting idle 525,590 minutes per year (99.999% of the time).  [Correction/Update:  A power drill is used for about 10 minutes, on average, during it's lifetime.  Thus, a 20-year-old drill will be used for only 10 minutes and will be idle for 10 million minutes].  Yes, I did math.  The power tool industry is 22 billion dollars.  Why do we produce $22 billion worth of power tools each year and let them sit idle approximately 100% of the time?  I'm not against the jobs that might exist for the guy or gal making drills, but maybe they'd rather be writers or artists or something other than power-drill-makers working only to race to retirement.  And, perhaps if they didn't buy so many power tools and other stuff during their life, maybe they could afford to do the things they really love to do even if writing, painting or whatever doesn't pay as well.

But wait:  Share a drill?  Share my stuff?  Share my car?  What?!  How?  Does that mean I'd have to talk to somebody?

Until recently, sharing was difficult.  But now, we can do so more easily with the smart use of technology.  Witness ZipCar, RentCycle, and more. 

Here's an interesting TechCrunch interview discussing the topic - Why the Collaborative Consumption Revolution Might be as Significant as the Industrial Revolution:

About Space:

Drive down a suburban neighborhood main-drag at 10:00 AM on a Wednesday and most of what you'll see are idle "things" and idle spaces.  Those spaces are being heated, cooled and secured for someone to be somewhere else a good chunk of the day.

About Time & Space:

A typical office worker spends 70 to 90% of her awake time working at the office and/or getting ready for and commuting to/from that office.  Net-net:  We often spend the largest portion of our income on a structure in which we spend very little of our "free" time.

Has this time-space equation made sense?  The mortgage crisis helps us answer the question.

There are new ways to look at space and place enabled by the 'Net and the tools we use on the 'Net.  Examples include airbnb and CouchSurfing.org

[More about time-spending choices and the definition of "work" in a subsequent article]

 

3 - Sharing is Good for Us:

Recent studies have shown that our brains ooze more happy-juice and pleasure-stuff when we're in the act of giving & sharing than the pleasure experienced when we obtain, buy or own things.

What's more, as an aging population we're learning that our body parts will increasingly be "fixable" like car parts on a vintage model, but our memory and mental faculties will be our major stumbling block.  

Reading and sharing ideas & stories are critical to Social IQ development and maintenance.  Such Social IQ and empathy skills are essential to team problem solving in the workplace.  For the aging, it's been discovered that social activity and sharing experiences with other humans might be amongst the most important activity to continue as we endeavour to keep our brains healthy.

In conclusion:

Next time we pull out our hard-earned cash to buy something, maybe we should ask ourselves:

• Will I actually use this thing? 
• Do I have multiple uses for this thing? 
• Could I borrow one instead?
• If I have one, could someone else use it too?
• How much time did I have to work to earn the money to buy this thing?  Was it worth it?

Lastly, the next time we're in room #5 of our home, it might be useful to realize that the roughly 200 square-feet of personal space awareness surrounding us is pretty much the same 200 square-feet of awareness surrounding us in room #1. 

We can only be in one room at a time.

craig arthur james 2012

The above are not necessarily the views of NEOtropolis or Western Reserve PBS, but rather are the views of this author related to the topics he may have discussed on NEOtropolis as a contributor

Making Sense of it All: Tuesday 1/10/12 @ 9:00 PM

Okay, it's probably unrealistic to suggest that we can make sense of it all - all in one shot.  But, we can at least begin to try.

The all-new NEOtropolis kicked-off it's Season-3 by airing live on Tuesday, January 10, 2012 via Northeast Ohio's Western Reserve PBS.  View the video archive of the show HERE.  NEOtropolis is a half-hour series that helps Northeast Ohioans make sense of the forces of change surrounding them. 

The new host for the show is Luke Frazier.

I'm your "What's the Big Idea?" contributor.

In the "What's the Big Idea?" segment, we tease your curiosity with mind-blowing concepts related to the show's overall theme of "Exploring how the forces of technology, globalization and diversity are shaping the ways Northeast Ohioans work, learn, live and play".

Reference materials and links regarding each episode's Big Idea segment are found via the "What's the Big Idea?" Blog.

Cheers,

craig arthur james 2012

Is Our Hyper-Connection Effective?

A Facebook friend shared an old video with me recently.  It was an archive of a local nightly news broadcast from a Cleveland television station circa ~ 1977.

The newsmen (yes, they were all men) were covering a snow storm.  There were a couple guys in the studio, and one was on the scene:  

"So, it's really snowing out there isn't it, Fred?  Oh yeah, you got that right, it sure is, Jim... lots and lots of snow everywhere.  Wow, so lots of snow then?  Yeah, snow.  Tons of snow.  It's really something, the snow is - isn't it..."

The same basic exchange was repeated over and over for about 15 minutes.  Did we really need those guys to tell us (over and over) that it was snowing while we were searching for our cars buried under a huge snow drift somewhere? (Not that I remember this point in history, of course ;-)

Our current 24-hour news cycle still seems to perpetuate this habit at times (but faster).  My point is, those guys in '77 might have been so mesmerized by the medium (and impressed with themselves) that maybe they missed the whole story. 

Fast forward:  2012 and the social web.  Might we be so seduced by the mechanisms available to us that we don't quite know why or how to use them?  Are we "talking snow" all over the place?  We send a video here, tag a photo of a person eating dinner (in the snow) over there, or tweet random/redundant content everywhere.  Why?

The amount of stuff that used to take 10,000 years to bounce 'round the world now is exchanged every single day. 

ralph solonitz

Intuitively I think it's all a good thing.  But imagine if we took more of this sometimes-random sometimes-redundant hyper-exchanged information, and targeted and tailored it just a wee bit better.  For example, there are schools in Nepal that only have a few books (literally).  The books are secured under lock and key because they are so scarce and valued.  Thus ironically, the resources the kids desperately need aren't necessarily available to them.

I have a friend who's thinking through strategies for the electronic targeting and delivery of certain educational material to those very kids.  Sure, there are numerous challenges beginning with the fact that many of the locations don't currently have computers and/or Internet access.  But the concepts are relatively simple:

• Who needs the info?
• What exactly is the info they need?
• How can we get them the info? and/or...
  
• How can they find said info without "us"?

The technology we currently have (at most of our fingertips) is truly amazing.  But, I think we can do even amazing-er things in this world if we're just a little less intrigued and/or limited by the medium itself, and a bit better at delivering the right content, to the right people, at the right time. 

Sure, at times it feels as though we've "cracked the code" on using these technologies effectively - but I think we've only just begun.

craig arthur james 2012

How to Catch Great Ideas

Picture a meeting at your company/institution/school.  Meetings are for getting things done:  Solve a problem - Create something new - Make a decision.  But often, meetings turn into arguments, power-plays, endless debate or inauthentic "discussion" for the purpose of getting the meeting "over with".

If the ideas served in meetings were beach balls, it may seem as though people are trying to shoot the ball with a gun... whack it down so nobody can play... or grab it and run home so the ball is just for them.

Recently, however, I've been reminded it doesn't have to be that way.

Curating ideas and developing solutions (in meetings or otherwise) isn't about ball-combat, but rather, it's about playing a game of catch. 

You have to let go of the ball (idea) in order to throw it.  You have to concentrate on the ball (idea) in order to catch it.  Each toss to and fro is about:

• Knowing where you are
• Knowing where your playing partners are
• Understanding their position
• Throwing the ball back with the genuine intention of a reciprocal catch

It takes being open, fluid, mobile and participative.  And yes, as trite as it might sound, it also takes chilling-out and having a little fun for cry'n out loud.

I continue to play serendipitous "intell-i-catch" with Ralph Solonitz.  We haven't planned a thing.  We don't even talk except for an occasional email.  He thinks with images and art.  I think with words.  It's been a blast, and I owe it to him for starting the game.

This week I tossed out a ball regarding social media and etiquette.  Ralph once again caught the ball and tossed it back.  Heck, I didn't even realize that I wasn't talking about social media and etiquette.

illustration:  ralph solonitz 12-29-11

intell-i-catch concept credit: sea james

...Now the ball's in my court.  Or is it?

craig arthur james 2011

How to Spell Etiquette in Social Media

Do you have a few words you constantly have a hard time spelling? 

I do.  One of mine is "etiquette".  Some sort of mental block.

Spelling it is one thing, but having it, especially in Social Media - is another.  With plentiful on-line tools and global conversations, how does one know the proper etiquette when say, communicating with someone from Japan or Spain?  How does one properly edit a tweet to make it fit within 140 characters when re-tweeting?  How should/shouldn't one alter the original tweet?  Etiquette is indeed far more than using the right fork at dinner.  It's a variable code of social conduct that morphs over time, differs by culture, and can be tricky in Social Media.

But the basics don't have to be that difficult.

Recently, I had a meeting with a colleague named Don.  I haven't seen him for years.

He reminded me of some (perhaps not so "common") courtesies:

• A couple days before the meeting, Don confirmed via Facebook.  His mobile number was contained within the message, just in case I needed it the morning of the meeting.
  
• I arrived three minutes early for the meeting.  In other words, I was late.  He was already there - all ready to go.
• He selected the place and provided location details in advance.  It was a great little neighborhood restaurant.  $13.00 for breakfast for two. 
  
• He expertly weaved conversation with eating.  He respected his food.  Not a crumb was left on his plate.
  
• He paid the tab.  The server received a gracious 40% $5.00 gratuity (He wouldn't let me get that either).
• After the meeting, I promptly received another Facebook message.  It was Don thanking me for the meeting.  
• While outlining my follow-ups from the meeting, I realized I wasn't sure of Don's current email address.  No worries, he highlighted the address within his thank-you note before I had the chance to inquire.
  

Considerate.  Anticipatory.  Thoughtful.  Classy.

Nuances aside, the thing to remember is that etiquette is about deference - the other.  The good old tried-and-true "do unto others" once again comes into play.

So, as we endeavor to communicate and relate effectively on-line (yet may be tempted to, or accidentally send, overly-brief, self-centric, maybe-even confrontational messages)... perhaps we should take a few extra moments to think about how things feel on the other end.

So there - Take that!

;-)

craig arthur james 2011

 

How to Escalate a Constructive Conversation

This Blog entry is the continuation of a conversation originated in email. 

You're invited to join it. 

Net-net, it's a discussion about America, the World and the Future... Trivial stuff like that. 

Have we become complacent?  Have we lost our way?  What does the future hold?

SCENARIO:

1. Read the early portions of the book That Used To Be Us, by Thomas L. Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum
2. The opening tells a story of Escalat(ors) in the U.S. and Construct(tion) in China.  We've fallen behind.
3. Sent an email to certain folks explaining how the story hit me
4. Numerous responses ensued via email
5. Migrated the conversation to this Blog
6. Responses, to-date, will become blog-post-comments within, if/as commenter(s) approve
7. Please add comments and share your thoughts

Between meetings and reading email responses, I had a few interesting serendipitous experiences.  One of them is briefly described below.  After that, you'll find the original message that started this whole thing.  Below that, one finds articles by Umair Haque you might find interesting.

AN AMERICAN COFFEE SHOP - AN EXPERIENCE - CLEVELAND, OHIO:

After a couple days of productive and enjoyable meeting(s) with colleagues, I find myself alone (literally alone, as the only customer) in a pretty darn big and rather nice coffee shop, not far from downtown Cleveland, Ohio.  It was the peak-peak of the (traditional) work-week (10:00 AM, Wednesday morning). 

I'm not saying this represents every coffee shop in America - or even Cleveland.  But it made me pause - and think.

I ordered a green tea and asked the young gent behind the register for a receipt.  The register's printer wasn't functioning.  The young gent asked the manager what to do.  She instructed him to create a hand-written receipt.  He searched for, and found, a receipt-pad... but discovered there were no receipt forms remaining within.  He inquired with the manager, yet again.

...At this point, I said, "Don't worry about it".

I proceeded to settle in for some wireless.

The wireless was down. 

Our gent from the register said, "Oh, yeah, I was supposed to bring in my laptop today to figure that out - but I forgot".

Meanwhile, the manager shuffles back and forth a couple times to pop outside for a smoke in a little alcove in front of the coffee shop.  She gazes upon a boarded-up crumbling theater across the street.

Plumes of smoke ascended from her as if they originated from her pony-tail (an attempt at creative writing).  By this time, another customer walks in, a middle-age woman.  She sits by herself and begins work on a crossword puzzle.  Shortly thereafter, four other people arrive.  It's three older gents and a young woman.  As they assemble together, the guys begin to berate the young woman for not having a job, and they expertly highlight her inability to secure one.

What's happening?

ORIGINAL EMAIL MESSAGE 12-19-11:

I'm reading Tom Friedman's & Michael Mandelbaum's "That Used To Be Us".  In the first few pages, they share this:  Meijiang Convention & Exposition Centre in Tianjin, China.  Built from the ground-up in 32 weeks:


In Washington, the Washington Metro system had two (2) broken escalators (21 steps each).  It took 24 weeks to repair those 42 steps --- i.e., about the same amount of time it took to build the entire Meijiang Convention Center Complex including countless huge escalators.

Meanwhile, back in DC, an outfit was paid $225K to study/assess the state of the Washington Metro system. (I'd do it for $224K: "Broke" ;-)

The Washington Post reported, "...people are getting used to it" (the condition of the system).

Wow.

Needless to say, this one gets a full read. 

As we all have our own version(s) of day-to-day do's that need to "get done" I do wonder what the future holds, in a macro sense... and what we (still) can do about it.

...Just thought I'd help start your day with a headache :-)

Thanks for letting me indulge. 

 

OTHER READING YOU MIGHT FIND RELATED / INTERESTING: 

Umair Haque - America: Excelling at Mediocrity

Umair Haque - Is a Well-Lived Life Worth Anything?

 

craig arthur james 2011

 

How Do You Know if You're Using the Right Package with the Right Message?

A couple articles ago, we talked about the HUGE world-changing ideas of Nikola Tesla. One article ago, we talked about how certain simple "little" ideas could have big impact.      
 
In this article, we're talking not only about what's "in the box" (the message) and the things "outside of the box" (grand ideas) but the box itself (thanks, once again, to the inspiration of the smart-art of Ralph Solonitz). 

175-ish years ago, it took an entire day to get the equivalent of one tweet to just one other person - It took a guy on a horse carrying a hand-written message. 
   
With that time, effort, and risk, one had to think.  Really think: 

- Is our GuyHorse package strong enough?

- Will the message, "Hey, don't take the hill after all" get there?

- What if it gets there, but late, and we're already taking the hill?

- What if it gets there late, and the other guys are taking the hill?

- What if it gets there exactly on time, but the message can't be read because the rain washed it away?
 
Yes indeed, back then, you had to think carefully about both the message and the package.    
   
Today, however, messaging and packaging are so easy that we barely think about the message-package combo at all. 
 
We set our social account settings once.  We then forget that when we do a blog post, it's simultaneously available for on-demand viewing, distributed via tweet, listed on a Facebook wall, entered into a LinkedIn update queue and set-up for auto-emailing at 6:00 AM... all with the press of a button. (Not to mention the people who can take our messages, put them in their own packages, and send them to the world.)       
 
Chances are, the horse-riding messenger didn't deliver pictures of half-eaten plates of lasagna.    
 
Should that be the first thing your next client sees from you when she checks Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn... or, or, or?       
 
Just ask'n. 
  
Some (half-eaten) food for thought.    
 
craig arthur james 2011
  

Maybe Your Big Ideas are Too Big to be BIG

Recently, SmartSimple discussed Nikola Tesla and his amazing inventions. Inventions that changed the world. He was spooky-smart, worked day & night, and dreamt-up HUGE complex inventions that people couldn't comprehend (at the time).

Wouldn't it be something if all of us were Tesla?

Maybe.

But then again, maybe not.  And maybe we shouldn't try to be.

Perhaps the biggest ideas are the painfully small simple ones - sitting there - right before our eyes.

 

The Tesla article may have partially inspired this cartoon by Ralph Solonitz. Well, his cartoon most certainly inspired this article.

Somewhere along the line, a zillion bajillion years ago (this article may not be historically accurate) someone said, "I know this sounds nuts, but maybe we should turn the spinning-block catapult plow dirt-moving thingie into, you know, a "spinning-wheel" with a round part? Call me crazy, but I think it might be better. Besides, I need one of those sharp edge pieces-parts to hunt for tonight's dinner."

World: Changed.

More recently:

Health-care Innovation: A hospital's development team worked day & night on a capital campaign to build a new $120M state-of-the-art cancer center. Meanwhile, one of the team members asked patients what they wanted. What was learned? People diagnosed with cancer wanted an appointment, fast. They didn't care about buildings. Solution: Revamp the appointment scheduling system for a fraction of $120M.

Paint Industry Reinvention. Scenario: "We've GOT to figure out how to make paint less messy. Let's hire a 1,000 top chemists, work day & night, and change the entire chemical composition of our paint... to make it the best paint ever everer." Potential better small big solution: Revisit how paint is poured.

Things you may be dealing with daily:

Problem: "Our company morale sucks. Everyone is fighting all the time. Let's either fire everyone, or get a team of expensive consultants in here, stat, to fix things." Potential smaller solution with bigger impact: New guidelines stating that if internal emails are conflict-oriented, the author should spend at least 2X time on that message (i.e., Sleep on it. Regroup. Then Send.) Better yet: At least one half of those email messages should be replaced by an honest, face-to-face conversation.

Wish: "I just wish my sales team and I were super-fantastic hyper-connected networkers. That's the key. It's time to invest big bucks in the magic sales-person-connection-CRM-networking killer app." Potential smaller idea with bigger impact: Show up at relevant events. Say, "Hi, my name is____, what do you need?" Follow-up. 

Wish: "I wish I could start losing weight. I guess I should try the new sure-fire diet program and its accompanying 16 DVD set". Potential smaller/better idea: Skip the cola.

So: What small little (big) things are right in front of your eyes?

craig arthur james 2011

Three Indications You May Be Insanely Inventive

100-ish years ago, "Edison", "Westinghouse" & "Einstein" were the "Gates", "Jobs" and "Sagan" of their time. Those names still roll off our tongues, and big companies still bear their names.

Even though we depend on AC power, wireless communications and clean energy, we don't often think of Nikola Tesla. If it wasn't for him, the iPhone would be the "iHand-write-it, mail-it, and-wait".

Nikola Tesla

Tesla understood and basically invented those technologies in the 19th century. But people thought he was a bit "insane". Not because he had a few personality quirks (today we might call it OCD) but because his ideas, experiments and inventions were so extreme. "Wireless communication?" "Clean energy?" "Impossible!". "The guy is absolutely out of his gourd." Buggy whips were the smarter, safer, practical investment.

But he changed the world.

How do you know if you're onto something so BIG that it might help change the world too?

1. You make no sense. Your friends and colleagues think you're wacky, unrealistic and "out there".  They may even work hard to stop or block you. J.P. Morgan helped slow Tesla's advancing dream of "clean energy, everywhere, for everyone - for free". The Commodore would have none of that.  Otherwise, how could there be a "monopoly"? How could the energy business be controlled by a small group of companies, including General Electric (which Morgan helped create through his merger magic). No Nikola, no! We'll have none of that.
2. You can't help yourself. Tesla was known to work for three days straight without sleep. He was so focused on doing his work that he tore-up a contract that he had with George Westinghouse. That contract would have made him (Tesla) one of the first billionaires on the planet. But he didn't care (about money). He cared about the work. He cared about changing the world.
3. Intuitive insight. Brain science tells us that the brain is imperfect - but efficient. Our brains have been "filling in the blanks" (inaccurately) for survival reasons, for thousands of years. If you bumped into a prehistoric guy at Starbucks and asked him, "Hey, prehistoric alive-guy, when I saw you running yesterday, was it a) a lion or b) a tiger that almost ate you?" He'd likely answer incorrectly. He may not remember "lion" or "tiger" but his brain knew that he had to run like hell, regardless. Our brains still "know" what to do in a sub-second. However, in our modern society, we've become a bit too prone to stop, plan and analyze. It's as if we stopped, opened our laptop and reviewed the strategic don't-get-eaten plan while a liontiger runs toward us. Chances are your first thoughts are the right ones: Go with it. Trust it. Run like hell!

Today, amazingly, the notion of "clean energy for all, everywhere - for free" is actually here for us. But the "energy" is the energy of ideas, knowledge, culture and information that we can now seek (or share) for almost-free - from anywhere - anytime.

What an opportunity.

Thanks Nikola.

craig arthur james 2011

 

Realizing Your Smartphone is Smarter than You (Sometimes)

 

** CAUTION:  This Blog post is rated PG-13 **

Guessing you've experienced type-ahead correction on your smartphone.  My iPhone does it with attitude:  I type this - it promptly says, "Nope, I don't think so, bub - you actually mean that".  It-she-he continues to "correct" the same word or phrase several times until he-she-it finally agrees with what I wanted to type.

More:  My iPhone is rude and obnoxious (is that redundant?):

A while back, I drafted a note to send to the world about a friend.  It sang his praises;  "He's a great guy, and he knows EVERYBODY in town".  Well, my smarter-than-me iPhone decided that "knows" should be a word that sounds like "knows" but begins with "bl". 

Thankfully, I corrected that correction before it was sent.

More more:  iPhone likes to take the phrase "and the thing is..." and makes "thing" a word that sounds like "song", but it begins with a "th", describing a certain undergarment.

Rude.  Obnoxious.  Alas, my iPhone's digital-mind is in the gutter.

But then:

I realized that iPhone might actually have some important insight midst it's ill-informed correction activities:

It takes "I'd love to..." and changes it to "I'd live to..." almost every time.

iPhone is smart.  Smart indeed. 

It knows that if I lived to be 100, that's still only one 50-millionth of Earth's lifespan (to-date).  Further, it knows that if I wanted to travel to the recently-discovered next-closest Earth-like planet (Kepler-22-b) it would take 220,000 of my lifetimes to get there (22 million years). 

iSuspect iPhone's been trying to tell me something.

Given the infinitely small amount of time we get to spend on this planet, we should "love what we live for" and "live for what we love".

My iPhone is brilliant.

I live my iPhone!

craig arthur james 2011

How to Beat Procrastination: Let it Happen (Sometimes)

I had coffee with a couple close friends recently.  Surface conversation turned big issues, quickly:  Technology, tech's impact on humanity - and more.  And then, to my surprise, our conversation evolved even further:  Into an Intervention, and I was the subject.

You see, earlier, I explained some writing plans - including a book that Sue (my partner) and I have in the works.

After some gracious listening, they issued some tough-love: "Yeah, yeah, yeah - we've heard it before - So when the heck are you going to actually ship something!?"  They were right.

I had all kinds of explanations (a.k.a., excuses) for my delays.  But I also shared some honest fears:  Fear of judgement, fear of success, fear of failure, fear of putting my "real self" out there.  I was concerned about the possible negative effects of personal writing, made public, and their impact on "business", family - and friends.
 
They continued:
 
"Uh huh… OK, whatever.  So, again, when are going to ship something?  We want some of what you've got.  What's holding you back?" 

 

 
Then I was asked to answer this: "If money was no object, what would you be doing?  Describe it for us."

With a bit of defensiveness, I answered, "OK, fine.  I'd be an anthropologist.  I'd be a sociologist.  I'd be a philosopher.  I'd be an idea guy.  I'd be observing, writing, and publicly speaking about the big questions of life.  You know, stuff like; 'Why is it the way it is?' 'Why do we do what we do?' 'How can we make it better?' ...That kind of stuff".

I expected that I'd hear some practical advice and receive suggestions that would take me in a different direction.  But that didn't happen.

They thought I was right-on-track.  They said it was obvious to them that that's exactly the kind of stuff I do.  That I'm an observer - a "new kind of anthropologist of the 21st Century"... and that I see the world differently, "just like a photographer who can see things that others can't", they said.

I was motivated.  I was kicked in the butt.  I was validated!  I was inspired to write my next blog post right away.  A day went by.  There was a post.  But it wasn't mine. 

It was one of my coffee klatch mates who wrote about his anthropological questions & observations of the day. 

SteveRucinski.com

But wait!  That's what I do - right?  I mean, sure, my preemptive blog-posting friend is a very thoughtful smart guy - I'll give him that - but heck, this is what they told me I'm destined to do. (Can you tell I'm an only child?!)

Then it dawned on me: 1) The work I'm meant to do is not "mine" alone, and 2) Sometimes we're doing some of our most important work without even realizing it.

The work I was to do that day was to demonstrate a willingness to be open, descriptive, and vulnerable about fears.  I was to demonstrate the courage to be "big picture" and philosophical.  I was to help a friend do his work, too.

So, in the end, I'm glad I procrastinated - and left the writing to a friend for that day.

Now I know I can't procrastinate any longer. Now I know that now is the time for me to write my next blog post, continue the work on that book... and keep doing the work I'm meant to do. 

craig arthur james 2011
 
 

Thankfulness & Gratitude

The last several days have been laced with thoughts of the meaning of two words, "thankfulness" and "gratitude".  

This is Thanksgiving Day.  A day which we in the United States set aside to "give thanks".  It is important that we say, "Thank you" - to genuinely appreciate that which we have.  Perhaps, however, it's better to have gratitude.

    SeaJames iPhone 2011

He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has. ~ Epictetus

It is good to rejoice in appreciation, as Epictetus said.  And this was a man who could have been bitter.  He was born a Greek slave, about 55AD, in what is now Turkey.  His name meant, "acquired" in Greek.  Imagine that. "Hey, Acquired, bring me my robe."  His master broke his leg; many believe deliberately.  It would leave him disabled for the rest of his life.  His Roman master did, however, permit him to study philosophy. 

Epictetus would eventually gain his freedom; and then spend the rest of his life studying and teaching philosophy.  Although he lived a very simple material life; he, indeed, rejoiced for what he did have . . . And eventually, a community developed. 

Epictetus taught that there things that are outside the individual's control.  Man should not try to control those things - for they would only control man.  Rather, man should control the things he can - and basically - that was only himself.  Perhaps a bit of an over simplification of his philosophy, but . . .

We control our expressions of appreciation and gratitude.  And the more we express appreciation and gratitude, studies have shown, the happier we are with our lives.

As a church sign read:  "If you're not happy with what you have; Why do you want more?"

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~ John F. Kennedy

Gratitude is the manifestation of  "thankfulness".  If we are grateful for what we do have, then our actions will reflect it. 

Acts of gratitude do not have to be grand.  In fact, what appears to be "grand acts", while they may be generous; are often braggadocios.  Gratitude is often small, deferential, and meaningful gestures. 

Maybe we should try to ...

Look the person behind the register in the eye and ask about their day, with a smile.  And then wait to hear their answer . . . rather than mumble, "Uh. Yah, you, too."

Share the feeling, and the inspiration, of an afternoon spent with a witty, intelligent, young man . . . rather than resenting his being taken from us sooner than we expected.

Have a morning cup of coffee on the steps of the museum of art . . . rather than being jealous of a friend for owning art.

Relish the italian sausage sandwich shared with a friend, while walking through the street fair . . . rather than envying the couple having dinner at the latest expensive restaurant.

Enjoy the memories of our grandmothers, while drinking out of their jelly jar glasses . . . rather than being embarrassed by the scratches and nicks.

Celebrate the differences and the new experiences of sharing cultures and traditions . . . rather than fearing what is "weird" about "them".

Give to others . . . rather than hoarding things by rationalizing, "but it's still good".

Care for our bodies, by eating, exercising, and sleeping well ... rather than taking our health for granted by eating that hamburger, french fries, pop, and pie; while watching athletes on the tv.

Think of the new bond with the person who found the lost necklace, but has no way of returning it . . . rather than thinking about how much it costs to replace it.

Reach out and ask, "Are you ok?  You haven't been at the coffee shop.  Can you use some help?" . . .  rather than asking, "Where have you been?  I was worried sick about you.  I've actually lost sleep.  You don't know how worried..."

To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven. ~ Johannes A. Gaertner

Hope your Thanksgiving was a wonderful day of reflection, appreciation, and love.  Give Thanks.  Live Gratitude.

. . . If you'd like to share your thoughts and/or example of gratitude - Please do . . .

SeaJames Nov2011

Giving Thanks is Actually Worth Very Little

OK, I admit it.  The title of this post was designed to grab your attention. 

But I mean it:  What is the "worth" of "thank you", really?

I can agree that saying thank-you, or giving thanks, is a good thing.  Maybe even a great thing.  Further, I realize that saying "thank you" and "please" (and brushing your teeth) are right up there on any Mom's top-10 list.  But when you think about it, saying "thanks" or "please" is often about the thank-er (and her or his needs).

If I'd say, "Would you please pass me the salt, thank you".  I may (or may not) genuinely hope that you find pleasure in passing salt.  For the most part, it's about me - and me getting my darn salt (I was going to say "damn salt" but that wouldn't be nice to type on Thanksgiving).

A pretty picture that has not much of anything to do with this post
But hey, it's pretty. Gully Brook. Willoughby, OH.  CAJ iPhone 2011                    

A quick story:  The other night Sue (my partner) and I gave ourselves a rare treat.  Actually, it was a medium-rare treat:  Steak.  We went to one of those popular chain steak restaurants.  You know the kind:  No fuss.  Eat at the bar.  Throw peanut shells on the floor.  Wrestle for the salt, the pepper and the A1 Sauce.

We were just about to finish our meal when the couple next to us began eating theirs.  I could tell the guy was Type-A1 (I can't tell you how I knew - I just knew).  I cleaned off "our" A1 bottle, and plopped it down next to his plate.  He didn't ask me, "Please pass the A1 Sauce", nor did he say, "Thank you" when I did.  But he sure did demonstrate gratitude by saying, "Man, you must have been reading my mind!".  He followed that with a great big smile.  Sue & I ended up chatting with that couple all night long.  As we parted, they said, "It's so nice to meet friendly people".

Was I being "Generous"? 

Maybe.  But not really.  I mean, we were basically done - We didn't want more A1 Sauce - The aforementioned action took only 2-seconds.  Besides, the A1 wasn't "mine" to give away anyway.  Real generosity would have been passing him the only A1 bottle before we ate.

Well then, maybe I was "Gracious".  That's it.  After all, graciousness is marked by kindness and courtesy - right?  But it's also associated with "good breeding and charm".  So that certainly wasn't it.

Humm, let's see.  Perhaps I was "Graceful".

The words "grace" and "graceful" often have powerful spiritual underpinnings (and/or they describe ballet moves).  No, that wasn't it.  Truly graceful would have been passing the only A1 bottle to the gent, before we ate - and doing so when neither he, nor the server, were looking.  Not saying a word.  Maybe we'd have the opportunity to witness the gent leaving a BIG tip.

Even graceful-er-ier might have been doing something anonymous plus not knowing the outcome.  Trusting that such little actions (and big ones too) can make things happen.

But that wasn't it either.  In fact, I don't know what it (I) was that night... but I do know what I want to be: 

I want to demonstrate that I'm grateful (the gratitude grateful) by being Greatful (purposely misspelled).  Great-full.  Doing work that is important - even anonymous.  Shipping-it (as Seth Godin would say) - Now.  Contributing what I have to contribute to this world.  More.

So this blog post is a symbolic (if not a substantive) "marker".  A marker pointing to the launch that has been launched today, including my/our (renewed) writing.

Happy Thanksgiving.

craig arthur james  2011

"I Invented the World Wide Web"

Could you imagine saying "I invented the World Wide Web".

Well, this guy can - because he did:

        Tim Berners-Lee

A guy who's only 55 already having such an amazing impact on the history of humanity.  Imagine.

Ever wonder if you could come up with something as meaningful?  His story begins with being frustrated ~ 20 years ago.  Frustrated with having to go to different computers - having to use different software - and having to work in different data formats... to accomplish his work. 

"Why not use the Internet?", he mused... "There's this huge un-locked potential out there"... "What if we could all share data and information all across the world?

But his idea didn't just stay an idea.  First, Tim wrote a memo about it. 

Eighteen months later, he received permission from his employer to work on the idea "off to the side as a play project".   His imaginative play project resulted in an innovation now used by just about everyone in the world - impacting our lives in every possible way.  He made it happen.

In his TED Talk, Tim suggests that the real impact of the Web has only just begun.

What could you do?  What might be your WWW?  Tim has a simple challenge for us, for starters.

   

 craig arthur james

.smart .simple .mobile 2011

4 in the morning

Somehow it's 4 in the morning, again.  There's something special about this time.  It's quiet. 

I also think that our brains have a special affinity for this time.  They're rested a bit, but not so engaged in "activity", just yet.  Thus, they're able to think deeply, reflect and dream-up ideas.

This evening/night/morning... I ponder.  I ponder what it would be like to wake up at 4 in the morning - and be by one self.  I'm not saying that self-ness is necessarily a bad thing.  At times, I really need it.

Then there are other times.  Times when experiencing loss of a family member, a dear friend's son, or other.

You look around your quiet house, condo, apartment, studio or cottage - - - and wonder.  Wonder about what you're doing with your life - why you do it - and with whom.

Then, if you're lucky enough, you stumble up/down/over to your bedroom, where your partner or someone you love rests - and waits for you - anxiously.

I guess I'm just plain lucky today.  Lucky, indeed.

  craig a. james

 .smart .simple .mobile 2010

 

100%

I did a quick check on the weather report for tomorrow.  There's a 100% chance of rain.  100%.

...What does that mean?  Rain, 100% of every second of the day?  100% chance it will rain for at least one second?  100% chance that it will rain in at least X% of the area?

I've always wondered that.

Does someone you love... or someone you love, love someone... who has 100% chance of living another hour - another day... or more?  Do you?

No guarantee.

I think there's no such thing as 100%.

  craig a. james

.smart .simple .mobile 2010

 

I'm out of breath. My shins hurt. I'm grateful.

A quick story.

After a day consisting mostly of family health and aging issues, I plop down at my zen of "work" space:  Another coffee shop.  As I settle-in and get into business, the million-mile-per-hour storm they've been talking about - actually hit.

Rain flying sideways.  People blown about like rag dolls. 

As I key at my laptop, I recline in the satisfaction of my expert timing (i.e., to be in "here" versus out "there")

As I continue to watch the downpour, I see an old gent across the street.  He's shuffling with a walker midst the rain and the wind.  Headed somewhere.  An umbrella was obviously not an option for him.  Heck, when it takes two hands to hold the thing that keeps you from hitting pavement... I guess you get wet.

I ran to my car - grabbed an umbrella... and ran to join this gent for a walk to wherever he may be going. 

Next, was a 15-block adventure.  My mission:  Hold the umbrella and keep us from being blown away.  His mission:  Walk without falling. 

Each step he took was met with a labored gasp.

Most of our conversation consisted of me asking questions about him, where he lived... and sports.  You see, he wore a blinding-orange Cleveland Browns cap - and I figured it might be a good topic.

Most of his responses were "yeah", but when we talked about the Browns, he lit-up for a moment.  Poor guy - just his luck he meets a guy who knows SQUAT about sports.  Quickly I learned that my (lack of) knowledge didn't matter at all.

After getting him safely to his destination - after saying my "goodbye" - and his saying his final "yeah"... I reversed course and hustled back to my "office", the coffee shop.  The wind was blowing, the rain a bit less - but still pretty nasty. 

By the time I arrived back at the coffee shop, I was a little out of breath - and my shins hurt from the hustle back.  It felt good.  I was grateful for it.

Before I dove back in to my work... I couldn't help stop and ponder:

What was this gent's life-vision? 

What was he thinking when he was 47, walking an old man through the rain?

What were his dreams? 

Did they arrive?  Slip away?  Is this it?

What are mine?   Am I conscious of them? 

Increasingly so.

- Time to get back to work.

  craig a. james

 .smart .simple .mobile 2010

 

Your role in the (new) American Dream?

Bumped into a colleague at a coffee shop.  Haven't seen her for a month or two.  She asked what I was up to.

Being the occasional smart alec (OK, not just occasional) I said, "Fixing the World, you know... the usual".  I further explained that I've been busy and haven't had the chance to type-up the plan and send it off to Obama - yet.  We chuckled, did the small-talk thing... and went our separate ways.  I continued my work & then checked email.  This Time Magazine article was in my in-box:

    How to Restore the American Dream

I realized that my joke might not have been far off.  I realized that we all have the challenge, the opportunity - and perhaps the responsibility to help reinvent our country - and the World.

Fareed Zakaria always has a way of getting one thinking in global terms, indeed.  And with this most recent article, he hits you in the nose with provocative observations and imperatives:

• Investment Vs. consumption
• Investment in innovation 
• Investment in people
• In the 50's, the U.S. was the only research lab in the World. No longer.
• Protectionist economics?  Not possible.  People & companies will jump on the Net and conduct commerce wherever and with whomever they want.
• "America needs radical change - but we have an 18th century system determined to check and balance the absolute power of a monarchy.  It is designed for gridlock at a moment when quick and large-scale action is our only hope".

After you read his article, my guess is you'll have different answers to small-talk questions in a coffee shop.  Then again, you may have the same answers - but I bet they'll have a different meaning.                                                                                                                                                       

  craig a. james

.smart .simple. mobile 2010

 

Are you (we) part of a machine?

Woke up at 4:00 AM (again) this morning. 

It's funny how little decisions (even while lying in bed at 4:00 AM) can change the tone of a day.  Or longer.

My decision this morning (a somewhat predictable one for me) was to grab my iPhone and find a TED Talk to watch.  I've discovered such types of mental stimuli help me move from day-in-life Wish<->Worry thinking to bigger-picture Wonder-think.

Today, my inspiration was Tim Jackson, Author of Prosperity Without Growth.

 

 

Later in the morning, Sue & I enjoyed an early breakfast at a mom & pop neighborhood restaurant called Grumpy's 

One of our favorite things about Grumpy's is that they use old recycled coffee mugs - - You never know what you're 'gunna get. 

Timely.  Today, ours were "Retirement is a Ball at the Mall" and "Great Lakes Travel, Inc."  Basically; "Shop-'till-you-drop-and-take-a-vacation-too".

After you watch the video - you'll know why it's sort of uncanny that this was our mug-roulette outcome today.

While sipping our coffee, we solidified our geeky personas by (at times) playing with our iPhones.  We obtained our daily fix of the Seth Godin Blog... and then went about our day.

Tim's TED Talk has us thinking about the (stuff) we consume.  Seth Godin's Blog post today has us thinking about the (info) we consume.

After watching Tim & reading Seth you'll likely ask yourself:

• What is prosperity?  Really.
• What is the objective of the social, consuming species called "human"?
• Is it possible to achieve a society of meaningful prosperity & altruism?
• What will our future look like if we stay on our current tracks of consumption?

In many ways, Tim argues that our "success" is our failure - and that our decisions related to our relationships with money, "stuff" and "place" are at the heart of the future. 

Can we innovate at a rate faster than ever before in human history?  It's not just a provocative question. Tim explains how we have no choice but to do so - in order to survive.

It's an interesting time indeed.  If one ever wanted to "live history" while it's happening - I think we have our chance.

If you like Tim's TED Talk; you'll probaly be interested in this short video too:  Douglas Rushkoff & Life, Inc.

It's time for different kinds of conversations.

  craig a. james

 .smart .simple .mobile 2010

An important tip for all

Here's a tip for 'ya:  Tips matter.

(For the record; this blog entry is not a solicitation for a tip). 

SmartSimpleMobile Blog entries are intended to be amazingly brilliant insights on life-modalities.  Okay, maybe not amazingly brilliant, but at least thought-provoking - i.e., ideas and insights, along with practical tips and tricks that can be applied to lives and/or organizations.

Other times however, you'll find that the entries are musings about, well, a number of things... usually inspired by a day-in-a-life.  Today is one such day.  It's a day that happens to be one month since our last blog entry (Recently, things have been a little "distracting" - in the writing category.  I'll leave it at that).

So ironically, after a month of producing basically no "product" in this particular "work" category... we find a tip in our blog tip-jar.  The tip was two part:  monetary + words of encouragment.  It reminded us that "this" is a product - and that people might actually want some of it.

A short story:

...This morning I stopped for gas in midtown Cleveland.  There was a man on the premises with an elegant spirit and a big bold smile.  He was selling his services; i.e., to clean windshield windows.  I have no idea how this elegant authentic spirit ended up hawking window cleaning - basically on the street.  But I do know this; he was smilin', singing... and very gracious.  Actually, he appeared to be the happiest guy within a 10-mile radius.

He was sharp, too.  He read the situation as we talked.  He sensed that I wasn't providing "buying signals" and let me save face.  He said, "Looks like you just did yours" (though I didn't)... He allowed me to ease away from the encounter without making me feel like I had to explain or apologize.

Another car pulled up.  The gent begins to chat with the woman who was the driver.  Apparently he was able to "close" her, for while she was inside paying for her gas, he was cleaning her windows.

By now I was back in my car, and about to pull away.  I saw him one last time via a glance to my rear-view mirror.  I stopped, got out of my car... and walked over to give him a little tip on the woman's behalf.  Did I feel a little more tip-giving because I just happened to be a bit more tip-receiving recently?  Maybe... I don't know.  It was spontaneous. 

In fact, I'm not sure who gave/received more.  I exchanged a little piece of paper (that society says has "value") and in return, I received the energy of a human spirit.  In fact, I stand corrected:  I believe the energy received from this gent is without conditions of a tip.

So what's the point?  

A friend's support, love, donation and/or words-of-encouragement are powerful.  They become part of stories that touch lives in ways he or she might not imagine.

Doing one's work is powerful too.  Work creates stories as well.  I speak of "work" however one defines it;  Transplanting a lung, selling software, running a skilled nursing center, planting flowers, teaching, thinking, taking photos, providing burial services to a family who loses their 23-year-old son, consulting, serving coffee, fixing the Hubble, writing a blog entry... or washing windshields.  It all matters.

...I finish this muse as I grab a little bite at an even little-er restaurant.

It's time for me to go.
Time to pay my bill.
And time for me to calculate the tip for the women who is my server.

To think:  She doesn't even know the name of a certain SmartSimpleMobile supporter. 

Or maybe she does.

  craig a. james

.smart .simple .mobile 2010

Do You have Buckets of Wonder and a Box of Pride?

Have you been wishing for certain things to happen (or not) in your life?...  Have you been worrying about other things that might come to fruition (or not) with regard to your career, financially, or otherwise? 

I wrote about the topic a couple months ago in a post called the "The Wish-Worry Continuum".  It was about how we cope (or not) in our lives - and how we wish and worry about so much.

I'd say those writings were meaningful - even insightful.  But recently, we found that our concept was missing a very important "W" word, thanks to a few advisors - all of whom are under the age of 10.

Who are these young advisors one might ask? - and how did we come upon them?  

The picture is a typical one:

Sue and I spent an evening with another couple recently.  Special friends.  We visited their place; chatting, cooking, and sharing stories.  One might say there was quite a bit of wisdom in the room.  The conversation was thoughtful, even insightful.  Sometimes we chatted about current events... reflected on 9/11... or discussed concepts of entrepreneurship & leadership.

But, little did we know, the greatest lessons (and wisdom) came from the 3, 7 and 9-year olds in the room.  Our friend's children. 

Through the night, we adults "solved" everything in the world - through our thoughtful conversation.  We wished for a better world - worried about what it might become - and pondered our role(s) within it. 

Meanwhile; the kids were playing in the rain, asked us questions about how "fire works" (in the endeavor to make smores) and marveled in the wonder of a magic trick or two.  They laughed, jumped, giggled... and asked question after question. 

They were, indeed, full of Wonder.

Later that evening, one of these young spirits (or maybe not so young) shared her prized possessions with us adults.  It was a collection of snow globes, an electronic keyboard... and more.

One thing that struck me most was her latest possession-project;  It was a wall of organization.  Everything in its place - clearly labeled - cloth box after cloth box... all in a row.

This young lady opened only one of these cloth boxes for us.  It was her "Things to be proud of!!" box (yes, complete with two explanation points).  The box contained awards and medals - for performing certain things at school - or in sports. 

Many would display such things on a wall - on a desk - or somewhere prominant for all to see.  But our little leader placed such things in a special private box, neatly labeled - just for her - and on this special occasion - for us too.

There was one item in the box of which she seemed most proud.  It wasn't an award approved by an institution or a medal provided by a school.  It was something she created with her own two hands; an art-piece.  A beautiful peacock.

Today I discovered a description of the symbolism of the peacock:

"The Peacock is representative of glory, immortality, royalty, and incorruptibility.  It is a possessor of some of the most admired human characteristics, and is a symbol of integrity and the beauty that can be achieved when we endeavor to better ourselves and better our lives"

It makes me Wonder:

 - How is it we lose the ability to be filled with Wonder - to be truly Wonderful?

 - And:  What do we see when we look into our boxes of "Things to be proud of"?

.craig .a .james

.smart .simple .mobile 2010

 

Much ado about doing

 
Labor Day is upon us.  We reflect back on the Summer and take a pause before "hitting it" again on Tuesday.  At least for some.

Many in the service trade work all weekend long.  Blue Angels pilots are their busiest at the peak of the holiday.  ER nurses are probably busy too, as car accidents don't get scheduled according to hospital staff holiday weekend plans. 

But for the most part, the picture of Labor Day is festivity, celebration, cookouts... and maybe a mid-afternoon nap.

It's interesting to consider the history of Labor Day.  The first one was September 5, 1882 in New York City.  It became a federal holiday in 1894, the year of the Pullman Strike, when many workers were killed by U.S. military and Marshals. 

Pullman Strike Chicago

President Cleveland made reconciliation with the labor movement a top priority, and the legislation for the holiday was rushed through Congress - unanimously - six days after the strike.

How things have changed.  Years ago, the equation was rather simple:  Management and owners called the shots, and the workers did the "doing".  There's still plenty of that today, but more than ever before, there are free agents and virtual workers across the globe.  There are thinkers, writers, designers and idea-people who create value, even if they don't make or sell a thing (per se).

Their office might be a laptop on a rooftop as they watch the sunset.  She or he may be doing a proposal, a report or a blog post.  "Doing" today is often synonymous with the sound of keyboards and "clickity click click".  I wonder what the sound will be in another 100 years.

This pondering makes mees thinks even more; What is "doing" anyway?  I looked it up:

Dictionary.com's 57 definitions for "Do"

As a freelance consultant, one might be doing while thinking, talking or designing.  Some might consider that the most important work of all.  Others might consider it doing nothing at all.

One thing is for sure - and that is that the definitions of "work", "doing" and "productivity" are changing - and people are increasingly able to call their own shots regarding how and where they spend their time.  Many may feel they don't have that freedom - but maybe they do more than they know.  We're in a unique era where we just might have the greatest opportunity in history to stop, think and decide exactly what we do and why.  In fact, if we do so, when we look back on our lives and reflect on what we've done - we might still be doing it.

 craig a. james

.smart .simple .mobile   2010

Followership

Bumped into a friend today.  He's a contemporary of mine - and I won't explain what that means.  Let's put it this way; he's done something hard for me to imagine doing at this stage of my life:  He enrolled to be an Officer in the Air Force Reserves.

Enrolled.  Graduated.

His career, to-date, has nothing to do with such an aspiration.  When I asked him why he did what he did, he explained to me that he wanted to test himself, do something meaningful, do something new - and get acquainted with his will and discipline.

He then explained to me that his training was largely about mental endurance, emotional capacity, leadership... and followership. 

We talked about the importance of knowing when to lead - and when to follow.

I never quite thought about it - - but how true it is.  When does/should one challenge leadership?  When should one follow?  When should one lead?

People followed German "leaders" during World War II.  Maybe they shouldn't have.  Certain people lead others in Vietnam.  Maybe they shouldn't have.

We "follow" people on Twitter.  What are we doing when we "follow" them?  Why do we?  Who do we?  When & why should we?

I don't know the answer at this moment, but I do know this:

Maybe we need to think about the times when "leaders" need to follow - and "followers" need to lead.

And, perhaps, the answer lies within ourselves - i.e., maybe we should follow our hearts - follow our intuition... and lead change - whether by title we're the "leader" or "follower".

  craig a. james

 .smart .simple .mobile 2010

Getting your bearings

Did you know that the oldest accounts of the bearing principle dates back to the Egyptians when they used tree trunks under sleds?   The earliest example of a recovered bearing is a wooden bearing supporting a rotating table dating back to Roman times.

Leonardo da Vinci is often credited with drawing the first roller bearing around 1500 AD, and the first caged ball bearing was originally described by Galileo in the 1600's... But most of these innovations weren't used for practical purposes until the 1700's.  Further, it wasn't until the late 19th century when the visionary innovator Henry Timken introduced modern industrial use of bearings.

Bottom-line; bearings are about reducing friction and increasing efficiency.  They've been around for 5000 years, but put to mass use only in recent centuries.

We think the many definitions of the word "bearing" (in addition to the above) are great metaphors for living a conscious life - and are useful when asking oneself about one's direction, balance & meaning.  Here's a few other Dictionary.com definitions of the word:

• A manner in which one conducts or carries oneself, including posture and gestures; a man of dignified bearing
• The act, capability, or period of producing or bringing forth; a tree past bearing
• Something that is produced; a crop
• The act of enduring or capacity to endure
• Reference or relation: It has some bearing on the problem
• Architecture:  A supporting part of a structure
• Direction or relative position; The pilot radioed his bearings
• Then there is "Baring"... Being open.  Revealing or divulging; to bare one's arms

craig a. james   .smart .simple .mobile 2010

When are you a Leader?

This little story is about my attendance at a forum for new County Executive in Cuyahoga County today (Cuyahoga County is found in Northeast Ohio).  It's a story of leadership - in SmartSimple fashion.

The forum was for a rather small group of community leaders who have been meeting for several years around the topic of economic development. These leaders were there to hear from the candidates for County Executive, a new role midst a new governmental structure.

As it turns, I arrived late and had to leave early.  I didn't hear all of the candidates.  But what I did encounter is leadership - unexpected.

The picture:  I arrive.  I'm running toward an elevator as its doors are closing.  I jump into the elevator just in time - and the doors bounce open.  I hit the "close" button in characteristic multi-hit fashion (why do we do that?!) 

As soon as I do, I hear someone doing the same thing (running toward the elevator).  I scramble to hit the "open" button in even faster multi-hit fashion.  A man and woman enter.

  My memorable view at the Forum on 7-28-10

We had a 1-floor-ride together, the three of us.

Might we be going to the same place I wondered?  No.  I was heading to the forum - and they were heading to a book sale located on the same floor (the forum was held at the Cleveland Library).

It would have been easy to do the "silent ride" thing on that elevator - after all, it was just one floor.  Instead, we chatted briefly.  I asked how they were.  The gent said "I am blessed".  He said so with a penetrating authentic gaze deep into my eyes.  His words were accompanied by a slight smile, which I somehow felt was strained by many years of life's challenges.

He didn't ask me for a thing.  He wasn't selling a thing.  He wasn't vying for a vote.  He simply gave me a moment of reflection.  A moment of gratitude.  A moment of grace.

He prompted me at that moment to realize, yes! - I am blessed.

Before the door opened, I told him I liked his answer - a lot... and I copied it right back to him.

This little story is no complement nor slam to the candidates on stage today.  In fact, it's probably unfair for me to mention them at all since I was there for such a short time.

All I know is this:  I know the exact moment when I experienced leadership & inspiration at the forum today.

Leadership can be so Simple at times.  A brief moment.  Anywhere.  Anyone.

  craig a. james

 .smart .simple .mobile 2010

Where are you on the Wish<-->Worry Continuum?

I'd like to introduce you to a thing we call the "Wish<-->Worry Continuum"... a consciousness-creating tool to help manage one's dreams and desires in life.

We all tend to be at one point of this Continuum at any given time. 

Consider this:

(No worries if you can't read the thought bubbles - they're repeated later in the post)

Let's say you're reevaluating your career, your financial situation and your future (probably most of us are).

We could stop in various boxes along the Continuum as we reevaluate our options, but it's easy to get stuck in the boxes on the ends - i.e., "Wish" or "Worry".  Sometimes we do end-runs to/from Wish and Worry without stopping anywhere in between.

Definitions:

• WISH:  A dreamy unconstrained, almost "separate from self" thought.  A "Wish" often acts like a noun even if we use it as a verb.  It's a "picture".  "I wish money grew on trees and time was endless". Heck, even if there's only a 0.0001% chance of that possibility, it's worth thinking about.  At least you're aware of what you'd consider to be ideal.
• DESIRE:  Again noun-like and something that's "out there" - but it's a bit more personal and digestible.  "My desire: To have the money I need and have control over all of my time too".
• WANT:  As we move down the continuum toward Want, we start using verb (versus noun) definitions of the word: "I want work or a job that also lets me have control over my time".  Even more personal.  It's Real. You can taste it.
• NEED:  Gut impulse. Very personal. Vivid.  Brief. Not hard to understand. "I need work"... or "I need money".
• PROBLEM:  Often our Wishes, Desires, Wants and Needs are packaged with Problems (or so we perceive).  Problems are usually matter-of-fact descriptions of barriers and obstacles.  We often make Problems nasty monsters with irritating rigidity - They're "fact" (we believe):  Example: "Work takes time - There's no way around that".
  
• WORRY:  Now that we've encountered the rigid monster of Problem, we easily fall victim to the monster's first-cousin; "Worry".  Worry is even more insidious.  It pulls you into self-centric dooms-day statements: "Oh no! I just can't find the work that lets me have control over my time too"... What am I going to do!?"  We wring our hands, sometimes to the point where our Worry spins us all the way back to Wish.  We bounce back and forth.  Meanwhile - we're standing still.

When you dream, ponder, and wonder about your future... where are you on the Continuum - and why?  Are there circumstances that make you more prone to be in one box or another?  What's the "optimal" mix?

The answer likely lies in a combination of all of the above.  Dream-crazy is good, as long as we tell ourselves "OK - I'm in Dream/Wish mode right now" - - It's useful in bringing clarity to our passions and dreams. 

Even a dose of Worry isn't so bad.  We all can use an increased sense of urgency here 'n there.  But it, too, needs to be in its place.  Know when you're there and put it to work.  Worry shouldn't drive actions, but rather be a wake-up call, prompting one to know one's fears and providing the required courage to look those fears straight in the eye.

Regardless, we believe consciousness is one of the first steps in navigating the Wish-Worry waters.  It's one of the keys to what we call "Adaptism" - the mode of choice & elegant adaptability.

                   SMART                 SIMPLE                 MOBILE

            (consciousness)          (clarity)          (change-ability)

When we're conscious of what we're feeling and thinking, we're far more likely to come up with hybrid solutions - "And" solutions versus "Or" solutions.  In the context of the work-time dilemma outlined in this post, perhaps there is work that *does* provide the desired control over time.  Or how about this possibility:  Finding work that is so aligned with your dreams that there's no longer worry about "control over time" because you're living your dream every single day.  Why not!?

We'd be interested in your comments on how you might manage your Wish-Worry Continuum.  What might be your "optimal" approaches?

Wishing you a great day - even if you worry it might not be one.

 - craig a. james | .smart .simple .mobile 2010

Is "Social Media" a dirty word in Business?

Social Networking.  Social Media.  Tweets.  Facebook.  Blogs.  Microblogs.  Foursquare. 

...Terms, technology & communication-modes are converging at breakneck speed.  How do businesses make sense of it all?  Should they care?  Where do they begin?

A meeting along this line today prompted me to post an article we wrote for Strategic Social Networking earlier this year.  It's found embedded, below.  It takes a look at why businesses do (or don't) use social media - and if they don't, why they should.

What's the "SmartSimple" moral of the story? 

Just start.  Keep it simple.  A few baby steps. 

As Guy Kawasaki says, 'If you're building a house, you need a plan before you do so.  If you're hiking with a sleeping bag, you plop down your sleeping bag and sleep.  If there's a snake, you move".

He's suggesting that Social Media is "sleeping-bag-territory".  It's new.  It's here.  It's here to stay.  The point is; it's changing so fast that one cannot "plan" in traditional terms.  He argues that the best "strategy" is to start with tactics, i.e., get in - start - and build the plan along the way.

Our SSN article enumerates a thing or two that might help you & your business ponder your first steps:

"Three Reasons Businesses Don't Leverage Social Media (and three reasons why you should")

I’m sipping coffee in a little coffee shop amidst Cleveland’s Little Italy, pondering a colleague’s recent question: “Why has business taken so long to see the value of social networking?” I look around. The place is packed. Patrons are communicating feverishly – with people located somewhere else. Texting. Talking on mobile phones. Clicking on laptops. Our technology tools have become an extension of our voice and ears, and social media has become part of our language.  

Businesses want to connect with, persuade and sell to people just like you and me – right? Yet, so many companies fail to embrace the communication modes so many of us prefer. Why?

1 – Fear (of losing power and control)

Consider the history of the U.S. Postal System. In the 1700s, the British controlled the colonial postal system. By 1774, the colonists viewed the royal post office with suspicion. Shortly thereafter, an alternative mail service was established. The inter-colonial mail service was the “social media”, the colonists were the “bloggers”… and those in power (the British) didn’t like it.

2 – Social Media has a bad rep (for business)

Consider the origin of social media. It didn’t start with computers, but it was born online… the phone line that is. It was known as “phone phreaking.” Phone phreaks were techies tired of the telecom monopoly extending sizable charges for long-distance calls. These early explorers built phone-system tapping devices that allowed them to make free calls and conduct virtual group discussions. More recent social media ancestors include Limewire and Napster – through which music was shared. A number of corporations, telephone companies and record labels look back on this history often sighting a different word: Stolen.

3 – What’s in a name? Everything.

The very term “social media” conveys images of idle socializing, gossip and misinformation. If it were referred to as “Critical Business-Advancement Messaging Networks” businesses would consider it more popular than the buzzword of the day. This is where NING and others have an upper hand. Though the name may mean different things to different people; the design of the solution resonates with business-types. Like Sun Microsystems said back in the ’90s “the network is the solution.” That’s what NING conveys: a solution providing user-controlled networks for specific applications and communities of interest. It implies context and purpose.

So why should you (and your company) leverage Social Media?

1 – The people you want to hire use it – a lot.

Smart businesses realize that value-creation depends on ideas, creativity and collaboration. Social media is the mechanism of choice for many of today’s talented creative innovators. Your company culture should be friendly to social media (unless of course you don’t want smart innovators on your team). Have you hired anyone lately without looking at their LinkedIn profile? Do you know that the top talent is likely evaluating your company’s social media presence as a qualifier as to whether they want to work for you (or not)?

2 – The people you want to reach (your customers) use it. Listen to them.

Angie’s List conducted a survey and found that 58 percent of their respondents use social media. They consider it a strategic tool for business development. Social media is a powerful listening system. Sure, you can ask customers what they want, but they may or may not tell you what they need. However, overhear them talking with each other - well then, now you’re getting the straight skinny.

3 – Happy employees = happy customers = revenue + profit

A report called Executive Insights into Enterprise Social Network Strategy indicated that social media was critical to providing a work-life balance for employees. Employees don’t operate 9 to 5. Rather, they mix their personal and work lives. Sure, there’s the risk that promoting social media could cause distraction during the work day, but it also promotes work in the off hours.  One of our clients learned this lesson in at least one case. They proudly proclaimed that securing one of their new clients was thanks to an employee trading Facebook messages with a friend. Upon closure of that deal, management didn’t care if the exchange happened during the day, at night, online, in person, in a suit or in sweats.

 - - - Here's another article, written by Money & Risk.  It's a great primer:  

"A Social Media Primer for Business Executives"

craig a. james | .smart .simple .mobile 2010

What's your Pattern of Life?

On Thursday 7-15-10, when "doing" a Google... one would have found this:

 

So, what-the-heck is that?!

What does it represent?

(Click the image, above, to find out)

It's the celebration of the 125th birthday of Josef Frank (1885-1967).

Architect.  Designer.

He created 200 beautiful patterns between 1909 and 1950.

My 125th birthday will be in the year 2088 (whether I'm there to see it or not)

So... when will your 125th birthday be?

If one were to Google, Schmoogle or Boogle (or whatever they'd call it on your 125th birthday)... how would you be represented if you were the search-engine icon of the day?

- What patterns are you leaving behind for future generations to ponder?

...Just a question.

craig james | .smart .simple .mobile  2010

Little Starfish

As I learn about writing - and practice the craft - I find that I strive for some unrealistic magical insight - depth - and meaning... each time I write.

Tonight, I don't strive - nor do I struggle... at all.

I just write.

Tonight, I write about a little starfish.

A bright young women filled with energy, wisdom, power & passion.

She remains anonymous. 

But if she reads this - she knows who she is.

She is also all-too-aware of her recent losses.  Her guiding lights - her stars - have moved on.

They are however - with her - forever.

She shall prevail - even stronger... She shall carry with her, her starfish - both of them - into eternity.

STARFISH - In Christian symbolism, the Starfish represents the Virgin Mary (Stella Maris which means Star of the Sea) who lovingly creates safe travel over troubled waters and is also seen as an emblem of salvation during trying times. The star as well as the Starfish are seen as celestial symbols and as such, they represent infinite divine love. In addition to love, the Starfish also holds characteristics such as guidance, vigilance, inspiration, brilliance and intuition. 

 - craig james | .smart .simple .mobile

All Witne

Spain wins World Cup.  Cleveland loses LeBron.

A country celebrates -- A city regroups.

So, what is all this - we make... of sports & sports stars?

  

                        LeBron "Comes Down" Witnessed by C. James via iPhone 7-11-10

What's "winning"?  What's "losing"?  Why do we compete?

 - - Probably not answered within the context of this Blog post.

Regardless:  We Are All Witnesses of an historic moment in Cleveland this weekend.

craig james  | .smart .simple .mobile

Are you Creatively Promiscuous?

Caught Terry Gross interviewing Colin Firth on NPR today - an archive from 2009. 

Colin stars in this week's DVD release of the film "Single Man", by Tom Ford.

I was fascinated to learn of Colin's ability to act with passion without speaking a word.

        

What's more - I was intrigued by Colin's reference to his compulsion for what he called "creative promiscuity".  He shared that he pours himself into an acting project 110%, but then finds himself anxiously anticipating the "next thing", even though he has no idea what the "next thing" will be.

He's energized - Yet unsettled.

...It makes one ponder:

Do we seek routine, predictability & security?   Or do we seek adventure, mystery, challenge & change? 

FreshAir with Tom Ford @ first... and then Colin Firth.

Listen.  Enjoy.

- Craig James | .smart .simple .mobile

Brilliant Collaboration Requires Kindergarten "Simplicity"

Ponder this:  Kindergarten kids are smarter than CEO's.  Tom Wujec and his TED talk gets one thinking about smarter & and perhaps simpler ways of approaching problems - and working as a team.

Tom challenges our traditional thinking surrounding planning, strategy and success.

The challenge: Build a structure with;

• 20 spaghetti sticks
• One yard of tape
• One yard of string
• A Marshmallow

Get the marshmallow to sit atop your free-standing structure as tall as possible.  You and your four-person team have a short time to do so.

                               

The stats? 

• CEO's and MBA students score among the worst. 
• Kindergarten kids? You guessed it:  Among the best.

Why?

CEO's & MBA's are busy with power struggles, jockeying & lying... Further, they have the compulsion to create the "perfect plan".  Plan, plan, plan... before they really try anything at all.   After creating their masterful shock-proof "perfect plan"... they discover they have merely a few precious moments to implement.

They leap to the climactic moment - scramble together their structure (based on their prefect plan) - place the marshmallow on top, and...

Their creation collapses.

Now what!?  Mad-scramble.  Panic.  Crisis.

Ding!   Time's up.

The Kindergarteners on the other hand:  They've collapsed their tower multiple times - early in the process.  In fact, they've already tried to stack the marshmallow on top of their creation way before they've planned anything at all.  They begin with the end in mind. 

They develop thick skin.  They get used to multiple "failures" - They learn from each one - They adapt - Repeat.  They try again and again until something works.  Such an iterative approach is just one advantage the kids have over the big-guns.  Tom's 7-minute video shares additional insights Re: group dynamics, extrinsic motivation... and more.

So - are you preparing the perfect plan? - - or are you trusting that perhaps a little "play" may go a long way.

More on Tom Wujec:

      Tom Wujec's Website

Cheers,

- Craig James | .smart .simple .mobile

fireWORKS

It's the Fourth of July.  A reflective holiday midst a care-free picture of shorts, flip-flops and cookouts.

  Cleveland at night. Fireworks at Progressive Field. July 3, 2010 - by iPhone

As a member of the SmartSimple "team" (Craig, here) I'm feeling reflective about what this holiday represents - not just for our country and its history - but for Sue & me, personally.  Our metal has been tested - It's been through some fire since July 4, 2009.  We know we're not alone.

But "fire" does work.  It makes one stronger.

1000 degree temperatures are used to cure metal coatings onto parts.  The metal becomes stronger - it adapts to the part to which it is adhered - and the resultant metal-part combo is stronger yet.

A group of guys 234 years ago had the courage to jump into a fire.  They took pen to paper and wrote the King a little note.

That started a little firestorm all its own.  They emerged not only stronger - but the strong-est.

Declaration of Independence

What fires have jumped in front of you recently?  Do you retreat, or jump into them?  Do you look for fires - or avoid them all together?

How to Juggle it All

Met with my close friend, Steve, today.  We compared notes on how to juggle all the priorities and pressures of life.   He let me bend his ear.  He listened.  He helped.

Midst our chat, he told me a story.   Many years ago he participated in a multi-day retreat where the act of juggling was used as a mechanism to teach certain lessons related to business and leadership.

Steve explained that he was excited to learn how to juggle - and that he knew he'd master it quickly.  

He was wrong.

Day after day, everyone was competently advancing their ability to juggle.  But Steve couldn't.  The instructor knew he needed special attention.

In a one on one session, the instructor asked Steve if he ever played baseball.  The answer was yes - for years. 

What was discovered?

In baseball; one does everything one can do to catch the ball. Dive for it. Whatever it takes.

In juggling, it's important to find rhythm and patterns... and especially at first, not bother to catch the balls at all.

Steve's brain was hard-wired to do the exact opposite of what he needed to do.  He found himself diving for great catches; but not learning how to juggle.  After the instructor helped him become conscious of this dynamic, Steve was able to clearly see the thought-patterns & habits that were holding him back.  More importantly, he learned where he needed to focus his attention and how to build new habits for this new challenge.  Shortly thereafter, he conquered the juggling that was previously conquering him.

Do we find ourselves juggling life - or is it juggling us?  Are our old patterns and habits applicable or hindrances?  Are we adapting and charging forward, or are we stuck chasing balls?

Steve brought me a couple gifts.  One was a book on writing.  Coincidentally (or was it?) within the very first page was a little story about W.C. Fields.  He lost his ability to juggle for six years after he read a scientific analysis of how he performed his juggling act.  Maybe one can become too conscious?  Perhaps there's a difference between "consciousness" and "self-consciousness"?

So how can we become conscious (but not over-conscious) of what we're doing and why?  Perhaps we should look to writers for help.

The authors of the book suggested that writers can increase their consciousness and confidence by gathering materials - i.e., inventorying thoughts, ideas, stories & unique words.  Basically keep a list.  Then, draw from that raw material when there's a book to be written.

It got me thinking.  I think I'm going to start three lists to help create additional awareness in my life:

1. What do I find myself doing over and over?  Like, for example, why am I compelled to write this blog post?  I don't get paid for it.  But I do it.
2. When I can't sleep, what are the topics that keep me awake?  Maybe those are the things I should look straight in the eye - and deal with.  Meet my fear.
3. When do I laugh? ...and I mean laugh -  You know, that "I'm laughing so hard I think I'm going to throw-up".   When was the last time I've experienced that?  What gets me there?

My new list-making makes for a new habit.  I may drop the ball here or there, but then again, maybe I need to be okay with that.

Wait! I think I see a bike

Do you identify with this picture? (not the one below) but the "run-run-run" picture.  Sure, trying to be Conscious & Clear about your life & activities.  Striving for Choice.  But sometimes it feels like a wild sprint toward an ambiguous destination.  That's my day today:  A seminar today - a client meeting tomorrow - a client session on Friday.  All great. Grateful for all.  I know why I "need" to do them. Even looking forward to them.

Yet, I still question what I'm doing.

As I drive through Midtown Cleveland (a place in between Cleveland's Public Square and University Circle) - my inner monologue says; "No time for that SSM Blog thing these few days" - I have things to do!  But then I see this beautiful shiny bike.  It crowns the entry of a basic-as-it-gets deli.  I double back.  I snap a shot.  A worried face looks out the window.  I'm more worried.  The guy looked like he could take-me-out, just because.  Tattoos. "Biker" look.  I pop my head in to explain that I just had to take a picture of that beautiful bike.  There were actually two guys in the deli, probably 50-somethings.  Smiles as big as the sky.  We wished each other a great day - and went on with our individual mad-dashes...

I'm not sure, however, they were dashing at all.

Fallow, Follow, Swallow - Do you Adapt?

Long ago - in my first "real job" (in tech sales) I learned my second important spelling lesson.  (Spelling lesson #1 may end up in another post one day)

The story relates to one of my first commission checks:  It was calculated improperly (not in my favor) - so I thought.

 

I proceeded to put together an extensive and impressive (also, so I thought) document... complete with my calculations & justifications.  I called for a meeting with the company Co-Owner & CFO.  (Pretty bold for a 21 year old punk).  We met at 7:30 AM.  I presented my document which began as follows:

"In the fallowing document..." 

Suffice it to say; The first sounds of the meeting were not words spoken, but laughs being laughed... followed by multiple shallow fallow farm jokes.

Talk about blowing credibility before you even get started.
(Believe it or not; they did adjust the commissions as I outlined).

But I still learned a lesson:  Check the spelling.  I've adapted to my occasional inability to spell; and am pretty good at checking things twice (which was a bigger deal back then - i.e., when there was no "spell check").

So what's the point?

Adaptability.

Darwin says that species do one of three things:

1. Species find a habitat that is survivable for that species
2. The species adapts to the habitat they're in
3. The species dies. Dead. Extinct.

Do you want to be in #2?  Or do #2?

Times are a changing.  Our "habitat" is changing.  Are we adapting?

Sue and I recently saw a Swallow near Lake Erie.  She/he was diving and cutting - right and left - like a jet fighter.  Amazing bird to watch.

We subsequently learned that Swallows truly eat on-the-fly.  Really.  Left turn - right turn - bug - gulp - next... All while flying these impressive patterns.

Evidently they evolved to adapt to their habitat; i.e., certain wetlands where bugs (dinner) fly around a-plenty.  No time to land, sit, etc.

...Guess Swallows want to, well, swallow (food) and eat.

Why do we follow the rules?

What if, in our modern time, we are living under ground rules which no longer apply?  Rules which were created long ago at a very specific time in history.  Rules with a specific agenda.  Rules which may no longer be aligned with lives of fulfillment, worth & happiness. 

But we follow the Rules.   Why?

 Douglas Rushkoff of Life, Inc. has a fascinating look at our time in history - especially here in the U.S.  He explores our acceptance of 'the way it is' - in spite of the fact that we may be living in a time of historic anomaly.

We have technology, the Net, and communication gadgets... but are we disconnected?

'Do we really experience one another?  Are we truly connected with the value we create?  Are we connected with our own sense of self worth?'

Answer for yourself:

 

 

 

Job Hating. Job Loving. What Counts?

This afternoon I stopped at an unnamed bread/coffee place to grab some wireless and sip some coffee.

As I get out of my car, I notice an employee arriving.  She parks.  With shoulders shrugged, she slowwwwly "drags" herself in.

It must be shift change, since on the heels of that, I witness another employee literally bouncing out of the place, jumping in her car... ripping off the mandatory company ball-cap... giving herself a frantic scalp massage... cranks the tunes LOUD - and *bolts*... leaving a patch.

My over-sophisticated thought was; "Ah, see, it must be the organizational culture. People obviously hate working at this place".

Then, I stopped being so self-impressed with my analysis and opened my mind to the idea that it could be anything.  The women going in might have a cold.  The woman coming out might have a hot date to get to.  Who knows.

Shortly thereafter, I'm at a grocery store.  Upon check-out, there are two employees at the register.  The one checking me out (Not that kind of "check-out" - She was merely taking my money) says to the other employee, "Hey, it's my last day!"  The other says, "Woo hoo! - So, where are you going to party!?"

Funny:  Our #1 goal in this nation is to "create jobs"... yet it seems that so many people want to do anything but spend their time doing their job.  Wouldn't it be something if people raced in to their jobs, and shrugged their shoulders longingly on the way out?

Why can't that be possible?  Perhaps it is in many instances.

Regardless, one wonders if our modes, models and metrics don't make sense anymore - and don't create the employee commitment and customer value we crave.  One wonders.

Chip Conley has a take on it.  He argues that it's what we count that matters... and that maybe we're counting the wrong things in business - and with regard to our employees.

His recent TED talk tells more:

Chip Conley TED Talk

Chip Conley.com

Zero Chance of Living

A little story, and a little math...

(OK a lot of math):

• A million years ago (50,000 generations); your 50,000th-great-grandparents had your 49,999th-great grandparent via what was likely a 1 in a million chance.  i.e., parental units #50,000-ago, made the right right turns (crawls?) or left turn(s)... Those turns resulted in exactly that male meeting exactly that female - or not.  One of them was eaten by some animal - or not.  They conceived exactly that 49,999th-great-grandparent of yours - or not. 
• Assuming the above, here's the next generation:  Again, say, 1 in a million chance that parental units #49,999 met, survived and conceived exactly #49,998 great-grandparent.  The two generations and their combined probabilities = 1 in a (Million X Million) chance, or 1 in a Trillion chance that your beloved great-grandparent #49,998 ever existed.   And so on.
• So, before we get to YOU, we need to do about another million more years of math (i.e., do the above calculation, exponentially, another 49,997 times).  The number is probably so huge that the zeros would fill the entire Universe. 
• Thus, there was a 1 in a Number-as-huge-as-the-Universe chance that you should exist at all.  Basically; zero-chance you should be living.  But you're here.
• Whether validated through faith or science... obviously, if we are here... we are meant to be here.

More math going forward:

• If you live 80 years and impact someone else in a meaningful way, just once a month, that's a 1,000 important "life-impacts" you created throughout your life.  Assuming each one of your 1,000 life-impact people maximized their own 1,000 impacts, in part, because of you... you will impact at least 1 million people in your lifetime if you're willing to look out just 1 degree...  What's more; that's if you positively impact someone else just 1X per month.
• The calculation above doesn't do the go-forward multi-generational exponential math we did in the ancestral exercise.  Looking generations ahead, your impact is again a number as-huge-as-the-Universe.

So - If you think your life is meaningless:  Are you sure?

If you think you have some divine purpose in life:  You're probably right.

More on What's Work

A comment on today's post asked: "Why do you ask?"; with regard to the post "What's Work?

Here's our answer:

I/we have always been fascinated by continuum.

Recently, there appears to be an increasing range of gray regarding what is characterized as work - or not. Exchange of value, or not.

Seth Godin raised the question in his own way this week http://bit.ly/aPgcNA and Richard Florida is asking all of us key questions regarding what we value, where we live - - and what we do via The Great Reset: http://www.creativeclass.com/richard_florida/books/the_great_reset/

SmartSimpleMobile is born of these questions... In part academic, in part applied... and in large part; based on our own experiences & questions recently.

We are interested in input from others re: what they think, and how they view "work" - - or not.

Thanks for the chime-in.

Cheers...

What's work?

Scenarios:

- A sales exec leaves the office early on a Friday after a long week - S/he goes to swing a golf club at his/her fave golf course.

- Sales exec swings a golf club on a fairway on a Friday with a potential client.

- Another guy/gal is at that same course... also swinging a club - but is the golf pro for the golf club.

All scenarios include the activity of swinging a golf club on a golf course.

Which is "work"? - Why?

What's your work?

What is Family, really?

As Sue & I advance through our life - we are finding new gratefulness - not just for DNA family, but for friends we consider our family too.

Sue & I thought we were ~brilliant~ to come up with a new term; "Fremily"... i.e., friends who have become family to us.  The urban dictionary "ruined" it for us, as the term already exists (or does that make it even better?!)

FREMILY:

"Integration of circles of relationships, as in combining one's circle of family members with one's circle of friends; unconditionally loving friends as if they were family members."

So who's your fremily?

U.S. could have additional 6 Billion years of experience at work

A 2009 Harvard University study (amongst others) reported that we can limit cognitive deterioration as we age.  Brain science is making major leaps in recent years. 

A number of things can be done, including living a lifestyle of varied experiences, pushing one's brain to adapt to new activities and situations, being physically and socially active... and more.

The report sites that by 2050, 26% of our population will be older-adults across all developed countries, and the U.S. Census Bureau indicates we will have 85 million 65++ year old citizens.

Imagine:  Take, say 70 years of life (70 years of wisdom & experience) X 85,000,000 people = 6 BILLION years of experience.   6 BILLION years of wisdom & experience... applied, leveraged & celebrated - or lost, should we allow those brains to deteriorate.

• What would be the GDP impact?
• What writings could be written?
• What inventions would be invented?
• What lessons could be taught?
• What wars might be avoided?

...if we had an extra 6 Billion years of experience & wisdom to play with?

Or not.

Could leisure keep your brain young?

Years ago, authors of a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that participation in leisure activities such as reading, playing musical instruments and dancing were associated with maintaining a healthy brain... In fact, it is likely to reduce the risk of developing dementia later in life.

A dance-read-or-song a day... may just keep the psych-doctor away. 

Eat an apple too.