THEME: Some Thoughts On Current and Emerging Trends
FOCUS: The Search For Now
Monday morning: September 20, 2010
Dear friends,
Years ago in the popular psychology literature, the term “inner child” was coined and referenced by many people. Having walked in the world of people, organizations and change for many years, I now believe the inner child has grow into the inner adolescent. I also believe they are an adrenaline junkie.
With the arrival of iTunes, Droid phones, iPads, Twitter, iPhones, YouTube, Hulu and many more technological devices and websites, we now live in a world where everyone is digitally distracted and everyone can seek new adrenaline highs. In this new “all me, all the time” world where “drive me to the mall now” is replaced with “drive me to hot, new and fancy web sites,” every second of every day people are looking past today and seeking more and more bling to take them to a greater sense of “me”.
As history is rewritten with a sound track and a theme song, and marriage ceremonies, proms and high school sports are PR events that need DJ’s, sound tracks and lighting experts, the image of change, success and clarity are more important than the actual journey of commitment, effort and understanding. Instant everything is taking over. As one young person told me recently, “e-mail and Facebook are so yesterday.”
The impact of this world on business and leadership is profound. In order to gain some perspective I am reminded of a key concept in Jim Collins’ book, Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap. . . and Others Don't, HarperBusiness, 2001. Here, he talked about how great companies have a mirror and a window. As he writes, “Level 5 leaders look out the window to attribute success to factors other than themselves. When things go poorly, however, they look in the mirror and blame themselves, taking full responsibility. The comparison CEOs often did just the opposite - they looked in the mirror to take credit for success, but out the window to assign blame for disappointing results.” Currently, I believe we live in an all mirror all the time world where self is the center of everything.
In order to be successful in the long haul, we need to have mirrors where reflection on our thoughts and actions takes place. We also need windows where we regain perspective about ourself and the the world. But I also think we need candles so we can stare into the flame and quiet the self, quiet the world and see beyond the constant rush of new and possibilities. We need to rediscover the truly miraculous moment of living in the now.
Currently, we live in a world of hand held everythings such as head phones, ear pieces and wireless devices, all of which take us away from now. Always connected and always streaming, twittering and downloading, we miss the actual life experience of living now, being now, and experiencing now. We live more on the Internet, resulting in a life of any where but here and now experiences.
When we miss the miracles of now, we miss simple experiences and comments of support, unconditional listening or kindness. We miss the beauty of a sunrise, the taste of biting into a cool crisp fall apple, the feel of sweat and accomplishment after a day of hard physical work. We miss the joy of holding hands, unconditional love, and a walk around the neighborhood. These are now moments in world so addicted to change, speed and sound that they are regulated to non-moments.
This week, I hope you can reconnect to now and live into now. And when you do, I suspect you will discover a way to move and live which is most rewarding.
Have a wonderful week,
Geery
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