Engine For Change

Last week I posted some stuff about being a troubleshooter-for-hire.  I’ve since taken the post (and coordinating page) down.  The post introduced too many loose ends that I didn’t care to spend time tying up right now.  I dipped my toe into new water, even if only virtually, and only for a few days and I learned a lot.

When I venture into the water again, I’ll be much more prepared.  Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Make a list of ten decisions you made in the last two weeks, small decisions or large decisions; it doesn’t matter.

Now put a check mark next to each of those decisions you made to avoid or run from some consequence you feared.

Put a star next to each of those decisions you made to seize or run toward an opportunity.

Which group won? The check marks or the stars?

There are plenty of things to fear in this world.

There remain many things worth running from.

Yet, the things to fear are small when compared to the opportunities you could run toward. Right now. Today.

When you’re feeling tired, frustrated, or ready to give up, make a list of your decisions and make the check marks and the stars.

If the check marks (the fears) are still winning, stop and take a deep breath.  Make a list of a few decision you can make right now, today, that you could put a star next to.

Now, make those opportunity capturing decisions.

See what happens.

I bet you’ll like the results.

I’ll admit it.  I’m a sucker for helping someone out, especially someone interested in driving change.

That willingness to get involved in new situations often presents me with the most interesting opportunities and challenges I never would have found on my own.

Some would say that I’m taking on other people’s drama out of some superficial need to appear helpful.

I’d say instead that I’m allowing myself to go on micro-trips into someone’s perspective on a problem and seeing if, when looking from their vantage point, I can see solutions they can’t yet see.

I find the whole process fascinating.  It’s a bit like having someone hunting for a fugitive in the woods call me in as the tracker.  The tracker will see clues in the dirt that the novice would miss.  That’s what I like to think I’m doing.  Plus, each opportunity to use my “tracking skills” hones my skills all the more.

So, this week I say thank you to all my friends and co-workers who provide me seemingly endless strings of opportunities to help out.  I am truly grateful.

Are you looking for opportunities to help out others in their efforts to drive change?  If not, why not?

See my Opportunities Taken post if you’re looking for ways to find these opportunities in your week.

Opportunities are those moments when you are presented with a choice, subtle or not, and you can 1) choose to take the opportunity, 2) choose to not take the opportunity, or 3) not choose and lose the opportunity.

In Andrea Shapiro’s Tipping Point model, contact with advocates (e.g., the number and quality of times when someone who believes in the change interacts with someone who is neutral or doesn’t) influences successful organizational change.  You measure contact with advocates as opportunities taken for contact compared to opportunities available.  When organizations recognize (or create) opportunities to connect people with advocates the change happens faster and is more successful.

Since attending Ms. Shapiro’s course in 2005 I have actively looked for opportunities to create the changes I wanted in my professional and personal life. Seeing and taking those opportunities has made all the difference for me.

I’ve noticed three groups of opportunity takers: 1) those that naturally see and take opportunities, 2) those that have practiced at finding and taking opportunities and 3) those that don’t see opportunities for themselves.

I challenge you to take the opportunity to put yourself into one of the groups and consider taking the action I recommend for each group.

If you take the action and it doesn’t do anything for you, feel free to stop back and comment on the flaws in my advice. Or, you can stop back and tell me the story of how great it worked.  Either way  I love the discussion.

The challenge begins now.  Will you choose to act?

1.  If you naturally see opportunities all around you, consider creating opportunities for others around you.  You’ve got a gift that the world can benefit from.  Try finding one opportunity for someone by the end of next week.  Offer them a chance to do something they may never have considered.  What did they say when you offered them the opportunity?  [Note: This is advice targeted at adults dealing with adults.  Children require a different method of seeing, offering and accepting opportunities.]

2. If you have practiced both finding and taking opportunities, choose to tell your story of what creating and taking opportunities has done for you.  Those who hear your story will benefit from your example.  Try telling one person you story by the end of next week.  What did they say once you told them?

3.  If you struggle to see opportunities, find someone who can see them for you.  Look for a person you find yourself saying “Why do they always get the breaks?” about.  Chances are they don’t; they just take the opportunities when they see them.  By the end of next week, ask that person if they’d be willing to share with you, when they find them, opportunities that you could take to get you closer to one or several of your goals.    Were you surprised by the opportunities they found for you?

You can, if you choose, find and take opportunities and change the outcome of your life.

Are you only stopping by to see what I’m up to?

Do you think I write this blog so I can enjoy you watching me drive change?

I’m not writing this so you can watch me.

I’m writing this so you can be more of who you want to (maybe even need to) be.

In the last month, what have you done differently because of what you’ve read here?

Don’t do something because you think I want you to.  Do something because you want to, because it will make you happy, because it matters.

Drive the change you want or need.

I’d rather watch you.

Seth Godin wrote today of Low Esteem and the Factory, of how many companies are still looking for employees they can categorize, command and dominate.  He writes:

If you want to raise your game and build an organization filled with people who will change everything, the first thing to look for is someone who hasn’t been brainwashed into believing that they’re not capable of great work.

I’ve worked with both the categorized, commanded and dominated and with those who believe they are capable of great work.  I’ve found both groups easy to understand and interact with while driving change.

The group that seems to give me the most trouble are those who’ve seen others doing great work, want to do great work themselves, but struggle with the journey to a place of confidence.  They’ll stick their hands up and volunteer for an exciting project, then linger along the edges of the meeting room, not wanting to push to the front too quickly.  They’ll wait weeks to ask a question, I’m assuming for fear of looking foolish for needing to ask.  I think they look foolish for wasting weeks on needless worry; so I tell them not to wait next time and nothing they ask is foolish.

To all of you reading this who are in that journeying middle–and really this goes out to anyone reading this blog–read Linchpin by Seth Godin.  Learn about art, the resistance and why you have an unprecedented opportunity to bring all of yourself to your work, to live your art and to be magnificent.

You can do great work.

You will do great work.

Why not try?

Thanks to the ten people who joined me for the first world-wide Linchpin meet-up day.  We had a simple, enjoyable time relaxing over pizza and beverages.  I meant to take photos and forgot.

Now that I’ve got a taste for how easy it is to put a meet-up together, I may just have to make local meet-ups a quarterly affair.  I know some people out there prefer a few minutes of actual conversation intermixed with quality electronic communications.

In this grab bag post I’ll send out my best wishes for my good friends attending the Edward Tufte one day course in Seattle this Tuesday or Wednesday.  I know you’ll have a blast and can’t wait until Thursday when I can hear all about how much you liked the class.  Remember to watch not only the content of the course, but how Tufte delivers the content.  He’s giving you a lesson in teaching that he’s thrown for free.

Never to leave a post without one great link, enjoy this article on leadership from the American Scholar.  I’m finding myself recently drawn to the speeches given to the men and women in our service academies.  Perhaps its the implied purpose of the cadet’s life that makes the speaker want to say something worth remembering.  Whatever it is, we’re all benefiting.

Wishing you a fabulous week of driving change – April

When Seth Godin gives you an opportunity, you take it.

Join me at Cloverleaf Tavern and Pizza (1240 Hollis St, Bremerton, Washington) for worldwide-meet-the-tribe-of-Linchpins Day, Monday June 14th.  We’re meeting up  in the back room at 5:30 pm.  You can sign up for the event at Meetup.com.

Whether it’s two of us or 200, I know we’re going to have a great time on Linchpin Day.

Will you join me?

If you can’t join us in Bremerton, start your own event or join one in your area.

You don’t have to be alone on Linchpin Day.