After Daniel Pink finished his last book he confessed that the experience taught him a lot about himself, including what kind of animal he is: tortoise, not hare – morning lark, not night owl.
As the ARE team finishes up an unbelievably intense period of collaborative thinking, writing, and producing – we've just spent six months of absolute craziness writing the first 7 books in the brand new Renewable Organization(TM) for Faith-Based Groups series – we have to agree. This kind of creative marathon kicks your butt! And it either teaches you some stuff – or it kills you. We're happy to announce that we are alive and well and ready to kick off our 2009 "Treasure in Clay Jars" tour this week! But we have learned some stuff.
So, what have we learned? A lot. We learned that google.docs and other online tools have made collaboration easier than ever (all 7 books were written this way). We've learned enough about the publishing business to start our own publishing house. We learned that the only kind of advertising that matters much anymore is personal and relational. We've learned that we all need a lot less sleep than we thought we did! And, ala Dan Pink, we've learned what kind of...toy... this team is:
Tinker Toys or Tiddlywinks? - Definitely Tinker Toys. This team is serious about doing what matters.
Yo-Yo or Slinky? - Are you kidding? Do you have any idea how flexible you have to be to pull off what this team has pulled off this year? Slinky, hands down.
Unicycle or Little Red Wagon? - A wagon, for sure. This team pulls together. Nobody gets left behind because we know we need each other.
Remote control robot or Remote control car? - The car.
Slip-and-slide or squirt gun? - Slip-and-slide.
Rock-em-sock-em-robots or teddy bear? - Honestly? It depends on the day.
What kind of toy is the team you're on? Or, if you prefer, what kind of animal? Start your next meeting by asking the question. You might be surprise at how much fun you have – and how much you learn!
Working playfully is one of seven Renewable Practices(TM) we'll be teaching leaders to use in the workshops we'll be leading as a part of our 2009 "Treasure in Clay Jars" tour. We'll be in nine cities including Chicago - San Fran - LA - Hartford - Baltimore/DC - Winnipeg - Orlando - Charlotte - Philadelphia. Click here for more information and/or to register. Early-bird rates still apply in many locations.
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