To see. To anticipate what will or may be. I need vision to drive. With vision, I can avoid other vehicles, pedestrians, and potholes. I can stop at red lights or hit the gas pedal when it turns yellow. In fact, outside of some cool modern technology, it would be almost impossible to drive without it.

Vision, when applied to corporate direction or mission is not much different. We think of vision as what we want to happen. For example, New Hip Community Church is contemplating vision. As a team they begin to process new ideas they each learned at conferences and networking with like-minded people. They begin to dream and dream big. They envision a church triple their current size with it’s own private jet for mission trips to Azerbaijan. They begin to set goals based off of these ideas and place milestones on the shared google calendar. I’m all for dreaming big, but this is not really vision.

Vision, remember, is “the act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be”. Vision is not the ability to create the future, but the ability to simply see it or get a very close picture of it. If you don’t like what you see then take action, but you need an accurate picture of yourself to do so. I guess my real purpose for this post is to help those that stress over trying to “produce” vision instead of just discovering it.

Enter Identity. I have a pretty good idea that when I get to my parents house in Mobile, AL on Thursday it will take less than an hour to hear (or say), “Anyone seen the dominoes”. It will be one of the few times a year that all of my brothers will be in the same place… and that means, moon, golf, disc golf, and hopefully Kamikaze in the pool. We’ve been doing this far too long to be wrong on this one. That is because I know my family. I could even attempt at how long it will take for the first argument to start, but “if you don’t like what you see then take action”. And I fully intend to do a little better at that one.

People try to cast vision without discovering identity first and it does not work. Identity is foundational to vision and mission. Identity is composed of capability, personality, and character. Capability is the talent level or potential - what one can do. Personality tells us how and if it will be carried out. Character dials in the moral compass. Determining these three things is like putting a quarter in a viewfinder at Lookout Mountain.

Once you have a clear picture of Identity, then you can begin the discussion of Vision. Once you begin to see the future, you can start setting goals.

FINDING IDENTITY
Questions to jump start your team conversation:
Who are we?
What do you care about (personally)?
Does our organization/community have a personality?
How does it feel to be a part of this organization/community?
What drives our decision making? Bottom line, member benefits, difference making, etc.
What other organization/community do you dream about being a part of?

Don’t focus on getting the questions answered. Focus on letting conversation happen.

Overview

Brainstorming, like gumbo, has some elements that need to be done in order and some that don’t. One common mistake I find is when people try to “organize” a creative meeting. Some structure and preparation are good, however, the outline needs to be flexible and expectations should be reserved for the end result. Brainstorming is a journey. I’ll expand on these thoughts at a later date. We are going to break this down in four parts: Roux, Ingredients, Rice, and Extras.

Roux is foundational. [Ideas start with conversation]

You can’t mistake the smell. I remember smelling it and walking into the kitchen with my mom stirring flour and oil in a cast iron skillet. Oh yeah baby….gumbo tonight. Roux is the thickening base - the foundation to a good gumbo. If you don’t start with a good roux you shouldn’t have started at all.

Conversation is the “roux” of brainstorming. I have been to so many creative meetings where everyone is expected to open their mouths out of the gate and let the creative thoughts flow. Some of those meetings have produced way more ideas than you can actually manage. Then you have to whittle them down hurting someone’s feelings along the way and killing some great ideas that may never surface again. These same meetings usually have some prep time and the expectation of bringing your 5 ideas with you. Well, I really hate putting a lot of thought and research into one idea that no one likes, much less another 4. Preparation is good, but don’t stress over bringing a bag of goodies with you. Ideas come (Again…more at a later time). Other times these meetings have started with awkward silence because either no one was prepared, no one was actually creative, or no one was brave enough to speak first.

Ideas start with conversation. Tell me about what you want to get across. Tell me about what you want to accomplish. Let me respond. Let me ask questions. Ask me questions. Let me challenge the core idea. Solidify the idea in your brain. Help me understand. Better yet… let me discover as I listen to you… and to myself. As we enter a conversation about the end result, ideas begin to grow. You don’t have to rule out bad ideas because good ideas rise to the top. Suddenly people who are too scared to speak open their mouths and make sounds because they are entering a conversation and not being exposed as a non-creative (btw - while synergy is important, anyone can add value to a creative meeting {more on that… well you know}).

Within this conversation emotions surface, ideas emerge and the creative process begins.

Ingredients determine potential. [Ideas expand with creativity]

Do you want seafood or chicken and sausage gumbo? Do you like okra in yours? What about boiled eggs? Gumbo has several variations - many of which I will not touch. Even within these variations are even more options and ingredients that can be included. While some ingredients may be universal, the type of gumbo you choose determines what possible ingredients can be included.

Creativity lives within the ingredients. When you build on the conversation, ideas begin to grow and creativity takes over. Light bulbs go off and hands raise. People get on the edge of their seats waiting to jump in (I love this part). You begin to hear stuff like, “Hey, what if we…”, “Yeah! And you know what else…”, “Wait a second, we could…”.

Ideas expand with creativity. This is the part of brainstorming where ideas are like popcorn. But, the ideas, while some can get out there, are conceived out of the conversation and usually are strung together instead of several different ideas. The ideas that rise to the top get bigger and/or sharper.

The honing process takes over at some point and you take the expanded ideas and whittle away until the idea takes shape. The craziness you just experienced comes back to reality and then (my fav) ideas that seemed out of reach become possible. Remember this is a journey of discovery. The right idea is out there, you just have to find it.

Rice makes all the difference. [Ideas need timely development]

I love gumbo. I love the expectation of gumbo. When my wife tells me she cooking gumbo, I can think of nothing else all day (a little exaggerated for effect). As much as I love gumbo, I equally hate when the gumbo is ready… but the rice is not. You can’t rush rice. You can’t turn the heat up and you don’t want to eat it under cooked.

The second and maybe the biggest mistake I see is with the development of ideas. 1- No one develops it at all until a week out and then it’s rushed. 2- Responsibilities are handed out, but the work we just accomplished as a team is now up to individuals to carry out.

Ideas need timely development. And developing ideas is best in (smaller) teams. You do not have to regather the entire creative universe to develop an idea, however, the right 2 or 3 usually works better than 1. I’ve written scripts myself - and they worked well, but the greatest scripts have been with someone else and it’s a lot more enjoyable and a lot less stress. Everyone should leave the meeting knowing what is expected and when. And I don’t mean a general understanding. Get specific with expectations and deadlines. Follow up with good communication. If something is due in 2 weeks, don’t wait until day 13 to call Bob and see if he ordered the daisies.

Like the rice, you can start it early and let it sit in the cooker, but if you wait too late, everything will be stopped in it’s tracks.

Extras make it taste just right. [Ideas need reflection]

My dad puts his potato salad (”you say potato I say potat…uh” that doesn’t work with text does it?) in his bowl of gumbo. I don’t even eat potato salad. However, I’ve never seen a bowl of gumbo that couldn’t use a little Tony Chachere and gumbo file (fee-lay). I like mine a little saltier than most.

Ideas need reflection. This can be before, during and even after the rice. Reflection may not be the best word, but you have to stay open to the right touch that turns a good idea into a great one. This can come at any time. My wife calls it “The Constant Storm” with me. I really should stop letting my brain spill over at inappropriate times… like 3 in the morning when she is sleeping. But it’s true that our minds never stop and you never know when the icing will hit you.

Leftovers

If you know gumbo then you know that it’s even better after sitting in the fridge a day or so. Try out my recipe and you’ll find the same here. The creative process should be fun and productive. If it’s not, change the process or do something that is. I plan to write more about about brainstorming, but that’s all for now. Thanks for reading.

THE PROBLEM OF REALITY

Reality (apparently) is not a constant. “Perception is reality”. Could I please correct this statement? Perception is only a false reality unless you discern and accept what is true. One could argue that “what is” might not matter as much as “what appears”. This argument makes sense when you consider reaction. We react to what we see and feel. Therefore, since our response is real the cause must be also. Example: Ed is driving home late one night. He is growing tired and his vision is getting weak. As he nods he thinks he sees an animal run in front of his vehicle. Ed swerves to miss and ends up in the ditch. Ed’s truck stuck in the ditch…reality. Ed’s walk to get help… reality. Ed’s tow truck bill and repair bill… reality. The animal Ed saw… the moon flickering through the treeline. One could say that Ed’s perception was reality, but that would not be true. His false reality merely led to a harsh reality…

THE IMAGE ILLUSION

Do you remember Andre Agassi’s Rebel commercial? “Image is everything”. Agassi is one of my favorite tennis players, however, I just never agreed with him on this one. Image is at best a representation of what is real and at worst a deceptive ploy to gain unmerited favor…

“New revelation” for our purposes will simply mean to discover a new belief or idea. It could be personal, spiritual, scientific, or whatever. Anything is game. Let me clarify that the belief or idea is new to you, someone else may have discovered it a long time ago. Here’s a couple examples: 1) I didn’t eat boudin until I was 17 or 18. I’m a picky eater and didn’t think I would like. Like it!? I love it! Many of my meals over the years have been 2 pounds of Abe’s boudin and an A&W rootbeer. Man, I was missing out. 2) Drinking alcohol (please don’t send hate mail one way or the other) - For the record I don’t drink hardly ever, but don’t mind people that do. I grew up with the whole one drop is two too many mentality. I think the whole drinking game can be destructive, but when I look at Biblical evidence, I have to acknowledge that God’s intent was not “be careful that it doesn’t touch your skin”.

“Extremes” may not need an explanation, but just in case. We like to test our limits. It’s one of the first things we learn. If you don’t believe that, go hang with a family that has children in the 1-18ish age range. You ever wonder why your kids are always breaking things? No, it’s not because they desire discipline. It’s because we like to push limits and to find those limits you have to exceed them. One definition of extreme could be “reaching the limit”, but I also like one of Dictionary.com’s definitions, “exceeding the bounds of moderation”. That’s closer to the thought here. Considering my two previous examples, here’s the extremes: 1) I’ve discovered I love boudin so let’s say I begin to eat it everyday. Now, maybe you are different, but at some point I think I’ll begin to hate it. With moderation, I can keep loving it. 2) Drinking (again - hold all comments until the end please). If your a Bible person (like me), you may be familiar with a verse that says, “Don’t get drunk (my paraphrase).” For me, I can draw a line in the sand. Drinking - OK. Drinking too much - not OK.

So, what does that have to do with “jack squat” (I can hear Matt Foley saying that). Well, for me I have started being more careful when I “discover” something new. If I think something is OK that I used to think was not, I have to make sure and not run with it. It’s easy to get caught up in a new insight and cross a line without even knowing it. We also have to be careful how we express what we learn. When we are “enlightened”, we really feel like enlightening everyone else we know. Instead, how about just starting to live out the new insight. When people begin to notice on their own, you end up with a lot more credibility and can actually make a difference.

______

I’m writing book about life’s hidden colors and how we all relate to each other. Please, comment and give me your thoughts and insights.

]]> http://310sam.com/?feed=rss2&p=33 http://310sam.com/?p=17 http://310sam.com/?p=17#comments Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:50:13 +0000 eli http://310sam.com/?p=17 I’m glad you don’t really know me

If you did, my tricks wouldn’t work anymore

I’m glad you think I’m transparent

It helps to pull the shade

You think you see light reflected

But you can’t see the source

I’m glad you don’t really listen

If you did, you could see the truth

I watch with your mouth moving

It helps me hear the lies

I think you mean it

But you don’t know what you’re saying

I’m glad you don’t really get me

If you did, I wouldn’t be alone

My words would make sense

My thoughts could be heard

I think I understand

But I am probably just as wrong

I’m glad you didn’t really read this

If you did, you would know too much

You would see my tricks

They’re not that clever anyway

I’m not going to California

But it sure sounds fun

Today I was reading in “Seeking His Mind” by Fr. M. Basil Pennington. The title of today’s reading is “Not Far-But Not There Yet”. He asks, “Are we indeed lacking in soul?” Using a story in Mark 12, he tells of this exchange between a young scribe and Jesus in which the greatest commandment is being discussed.  He points out that we don’t really have a problem with heart (”willpower), mind (”understanding”), or strength (”doing”). However, soul (”source of caring”) seems to be a little tougher. He concludes with this:

“We haven’t arrived at fulfilling the most important commandment, if we have not cultivated a tender, caring love for the Lord Jesus, for it is precisely in him that we find our God. Nor have we fulfilled it if we do not cultivate the same tender, caring love for our neighbors-our friends, our brothers and sisters, our colleagues, our companions on the journey toward the reign of God in our lives and in our world.

How far are we from the kingdom of God?”

(I’m continuing 30 hrs later so my thoughts may be scattered)

Dare to Care-Let’s play the volunteer role for a sec. Or, maybe you can relate to a “lower on the totem pole” position on your job. Maybe you do all the hard work while middle management ruins your life, and upper management is trying to convince you to care about the company.

I dare you-dare yourself-to care about the world around you. You’re surrounded by people that need someone to care. And I’m not talking just about the bum on the street or the abused and neglected in the world. Your boss needs someone to care. The ministry staff needs someone to care.

For me it’s back to the church. It’s easy to slip through the cracks and not really care. Why should I? “No one is paying me to care.” “It’s not my responsibility to care.” “My opinion doesn’t matter anyway.”

BULL @#!$% (MALARKEY)! Care…about your church. Care…about your leaders. Care…about your responsibility. I dare you to care just as much as if you were paid to care.

Care to Dare-Shall we put on the leadership hat? I think I’m pretty smart. In fact, I’m smarter than most. Well, I was…I’m not really paid for that anymore. Sound ridiculous? It’s not as ridiculous as thinking just because you’re paid to do something, you’re the only one that can or may do it. I’ve been down that road!

The problem is not really ego or arrogance. The problem is hording. When you save all the “important” stuff for yourself, you’re keeping other people from having a little adventure. Care enough about the people you serve to dare them into action.

Dare people to do things they don’t know they can do. Dare people to rise above the mundane. Dare people to care as if they were paid to care.

]]> http://310sam.com/?feed=rss2&p=10 http://310sam.com/?p=8 http://310sam.com/?p=8#comments Mon, 08 Dec 2008 06:30:31 +0000 eli http://310sam.com/?p=8 Tis but one leaf that I should see
Yet so many on that tree
Without this one the tree still grows
With what effect no one knows
At last it fails and falls to ground
This hidden gem I now have found
What cause to be should I see the final lasting fate
With no regard or knowledge so to join in that debate
This one time does beckon me and brings a cause to stare
I know not what this life has lived but I know that it was there

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