Tag Archives: school

We Put In the Time

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We strive and learn, and write all the right notes in a very nice and tidy notebook. We buy the right tools, and we connect with the right people.

Today, because of our information/data age of internet, there are so many people to listen to, people who have found a way to solve all mysteries and are very eager to give them away to you for free (including me). I subscribe to many of them. Seth Godin, Tiny Buddha, Kim Anami, Art of Manliness, etc. and they’re great. They all give me such food for thought it encourages me daily. They each have such a rich abundance of life I could spend most of the better part of 10 years reading their archives page after page.

So, I’ve found my golden source of water. My lifeline. My connection to the super culture I’ve always been looking for.

Or have I?

Have I got my new secret way that only a small culture of us have tapped into and will exercise? Sure, we’re exercising our minds and that’s a huge part of the battle.  But this idea is dangerously close to sitting back into cruise mode and keep ourselves busy reading blogs that tell me that I’m doing it right.

To quote Ben Harper, “You can put a man through school, but you cannot make him think.”

You’ve done the reading. you’ve studied the books, you follow the blogs, you’ve got the tips. You’ve learned it all. Now we step out into the new light of day and say, “So, I think I’m ready now.”

I think I’m ready now, and I think you’re ready now! But, I guess that’s up to you to decide.

Let’s put this plan into action.

Nurture, not Nazi

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Any environment, whether it’s work, school, sport, or collective of some sort, thrives when each member effectively nurtures each others strengths, and adapts to their weaknesses.

There is nothing to fear about this. This is awareness and acknowledgement, this is working in a dynamic environment capable of growing into a very dependable organization.

How does this look?

  • When new ideas are introduced into the organization, the first question is why. Once that is explained (and explained twice to the people who don’t understand it the first time) and any logical opposition is ruled null, everybody says yes instinctively and eagerly.
  • Each member of the organization understands their role and volunteers solutions for problems relating to it.
  • Definitely no questions asked by managers: “What is your agenda today?” or “What are your action items today looking like?”
  • Questions like: “Is there anything I can help you with?” or “Do you have any suggestions for solutions to my problem?”

A well oiled machine knows how it runs and knows why it’s running.

A dynamic machine (your organization) is a well oiled machine, but also adjusts to needs, picks up the slack, eagerly attacks new projects, is creative in solutions, and makes everybodies job feel easier (or at least more enjoyable). As an added bonus, every single person in a nurturing environment grows and becomes stronger.

And then there’s the Nazis.

For those of you that have forgotten, the Nazis were fearful, meticulous record keepers, didn’t trust different or new (that wasn’t directed from the top down), and most interestingly, made a very depressing world/environment for anybody that wasn’t yelling the orders (from the top down).

How are you running your family, venture, team, class?

I hope you’re nurturing.

I’d love to hear how in the comments below.