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What were you scared of when you were a little kid? Spiders? Bats? Ghosts? Monsters under your bed? Yes. Yes. And yes. And that's exactly why we dressed up in scary costumes on Halloween and went running out into the neighborhood with all the other little monsters out there and dared to laugh in the face of the things we were most afraid of. That's why we made a game of it. Somehow, playing made us less afraid.
It still does.
As you begin making the shift from a consumable to a renewable way of living and working together, one question inevitably comes up: How do we know if we're being successful?! Before you can answer that question, though, you need to decide what you're going to measure. And that means you have to be clear about your bottom line.
For the people on our team - and in our work together - the bottom line is this: Do what matters.
The designer, Joe Duffy, is challenging all the creatives out there to "stop going to work!" Specifically, he's encouraging people to get out of the office so they can think more creatively and see things more clearly. But what he's really talking about is being more intentional about designing your life.
Although we meet together by phone at least weekly and use online technology to work collaboratively, because our team is international, we are physically in the same space together only a few times a year. So it was a blast to kick off our tour all together in Chicago a few weeks ago. We were struck once again by what a strong bunch of personalities we have assembled, each one as unique and powerful as the next. No whiners or cry babies here. That could be why, as a team, we are so passionate about helping people be who they are and see what they have for the sake of doing what matters. Few things are more frustrating than people and organizations who choose to wear the cloak of victimhood, uttering one version or another of The Great Excuse: "...if only we had more [fill-in-the-blank with money, people, time, etc.] we could [be bigger, try something new, take that risk, etc.]." The result? Impotence and apathy.
Grrrrrr.
What questions are you asking?
One of the things that gets organizations into trouble is when they get tripped up on logistical questions before they ask the purposeful ones. When you begin with logistics, without getting centered on the things that really matter first, it's easy to make bad decisions. Think subprime mortgages, for example. Putting logistics before purpose, on the other hand, can lead to no decision at all. Without a clear sense of purpose and the passion that generates, the logistical issues often just discourage and overwhelm.
An example of an organization that may have put logistical questions ahead of purposeful ones is the Pennsylvania church that had a 15-year old arrested this week for skateboarding in their parking lot. (Thanks to Susan Hogan for the link to this story.)
In a consumable approach to life and work, you view your environment as a threat. You believe resources are scarce. You see yourself in competition with other people and organizations in your community. You do whatever you have to in order to get the resources you need for survival. You end up treating people – and the planet – like they're disposable because nothing, including your mission, matters more than money. This is the approach that has characterized the way things are done in every arena – including business, nonprofit, education, religion – in the modern era (i.e., since the Industrial Revolution got underway).
Are you sick and tired of it, yet?
One of our favorite story tellers is a guy named Brian Andreas, whose colorful drawings and simple stories can be found on cards, furniture, wall hangings, tote bags, and just about everything else you can imagine. His little company is called Story People and they'll deliver a story to your email inbox every day, if you ask them nicely. (Actually, all you have to do is sign up for this free service at their website.) Today's story goes like this:
stable as long as nothing else in the whole world shifts (so don't get your hopes up)That's a great story for anyone who is trying to lead an organization or a community they care about into this emerging future. The world is changing at lightning speed; no one and no organization is immune. We're not even sure why anyone would want to be. But we know it can be scary.
Why is it so important for you to learn how to work playfully?
Here's an excerpt from ARE's newest book The Future Starts Now: The Renewable OrganizationTM for Faith-Based Groups:
Recent "...scientific discoveries are impacting the way people think about everything. the universe isn't a machine and neither is the organization you care about. It is organic and, as such, subject to change and chaos, possessing the capacity to adapt and to grow. You cannot successfully control it. But you can co-create within it.
You can stay aware of what is happening and respond in ways that are smart and brave.
You can work together, experimenting with new ways of doing things. You can commit yourself to learning from each other, from your environment, from your mistakes. And only people who know how to play can do these things.
In a renewable organization, work and play go hand in hand."
Trying to decide whether you can squeeze in a "Treasure in Clay Jars" workshop this year? Here's what participants at our first workshop had to say about their experience:
"I feel energized in many ways, and my mind bent to re-think what I've been trained!"
"Good emphasis on intentionality of relationships – Good reminders on always looking to what God is doing. This workbook will be really helpful!"
"God emerged a new hope for me – new possibilities – and new relationships with the people he has called to serve alongside of me!"
