Leaping To A Sound Byte #82

"Don't conflate correlation with causation."

This was so profound when I heard it the first time that it took me a few minutes to fully figure it out. It landed like a 200lb donkey sky diving into my latte."

I know. Wham! Bam! Kerrang!

Meaning simply that things often ain't what they seem. Meaning that we see things and straight off we make an assumption. That is what we've observed. Problem is that it is based on stuff that is often the effects of another thing rather than the cause of the thing we made the assumption about.

So, don't jump to a conclusion. If you want leaps of imagination then think first and know that just because it makes sense on the first impression it's well worth a further look under the hood.

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A Visually Sound Byte #18

Consuming things visually is umpteen times quicker than just reading the same bits of information in words. 

For example I guarantee you I can draw the idea of 'User Interface' faster than you could read about one. And mine would be in colour.

Fact is we like both - us humans. 

We like to reflect and read up on stuff but we also like the pictures. And now the world has gone nuts for visual stuff. Because it is just easier and more engaging right? So by combining the two things – the magic of a visual interwoven by data and nitty-gritty facts then 'wallop' you have the perfect way to communicate.

In fact with this combination done well you also have the perfect way to think too. 

And that means you can discover, consider, reflect, align, imagine, design, execute, convey, decide, plan, change, collaborate, co-create, develop, simplify, arrange, organise, facilitate, architect, analyse, shape, frame, inform, unravel, unlock, innovate, engineer, systemise, orchestrate, synchronise, challenge, integrate - oh and visualise too.

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An Unquestionably Sound Byte #75

The reason we don't find the solutions to our problems is because the answers to our questions interfere with our concepts. 

Go on read that again. Very often there isn't more value in debate and conversation because competing mindsets seem destined to shut down discourse as quickly as a slightly cracked nuclear plant.

An emerging thought is highly likely to be shot three times in the head before it gets to fully stand up. More than probably it will not reach that moment where it's backside get's slapped and it's first scream shatters the peace of the theatre.

What is it in our behaviours that is so primed for the kill? 

Have we had some bad experience with an early, unfinished fragmentary idea? Did a half formed phrase spike our martini? Was there an unfinished concept responsible for murdering our favourite falcon? Are we incapable of shutting the fuck up to listen and think before pulling the trigger?

I'm just saying.

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A Hugely Sound Byte #10

I like the idea of congruence. It doesn't smack of compromise. 

Well that's because in many ways it is the opposite. It should be collaborative negotiation. The world is a huge place and given that at most two folks will share only just so much complete agreement on things then what chance real alignment on anything?

Let's take politics. Ugh. There's a bunch of elections going on right now. We all loathe the debate. To me it would be a neat idea if everyone who needed to agree on anything would  be given a shot gun and be instructed do the following.

Everyone who gives a damn (interested party) gets a cartridge full of shot (small grains of lead) They open the cartridge and then write on every small piece of lead what they care most about and what needs doing. They must debate as much as they can but only ideas that get agreed (or reach an agreed percentage) can be put into each of their cartridges.

For instance unless each idea is at least agreed by 30% of the bunch it doesn't get in.

I know what you are thinking - that's a lot of fiddly mess right? And how can we get such small pens to write on little bits of lead? But just imagine - it's an idea. Ok it sounds ridiculous but go with me here. (And you all thought I was going to recommend a different idea with the guns right?)

Draw a big circle on a wall 300 yards away. 

They all get to shoot their cartridge. Only the stuff that lands inside the circle is what gets done. The more they practice their aim and work together the more chance they get to see their dream emerge. That's goal congruence.

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A Completely Sound Byte #78

When you hear a new way of thinking for the very first time it is impressive right? Sends a bit of a shiver. 

Just like the first time I heard the following. A challenge from someone in leadership to someone in a session who was struggling to think something through. He said - "If you knew the answer what would it be?"

There was a bit of a gasp in the room - a nervous laugh as people thought the guy who was challenging was being a bit of a nob. It was a stupid question on first hearing. Then the lightbulb went off. The question sank in. What a fabulously freeing question. 

You can't forget a question like that. 

What's really important though is the imagination to understand the idea of it as a tool – now presented by the question. Go on inspire yourself! It is the greatest gift we have and we seldom use it - it's called thinking. Think about it.

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A Deceptively Sound Byte #59

Simples.

You have your wits about you. You keep your eyes open. You must be alert if you want to survive. You wouldn't rush headlong onto black ice – careering over it in slippers would you? Nor would you speed up as you entered a blind bend in the wet. Well unless you wanted to come unstuck. You would wear the right equipment, you would alter your approach accordingly, aiming to stay in some kind of control correct?

Pimples.

There is a famous truth that the surest way to end up with a $1 Million is to start with $1 Billion. Wicked and clever deceptions are many along the slippery path to rid you of your careless decisions. Countless villains, cut-throat pirates – deep traps in the forest floor.

These lessons are all there for us to learn from but we seem to think that they won't happen to us. We seem to expect to carry on doing things we know we do and yet expect a different outcome. Or more elegantly - "If we keep on doing what we've always done we will always get what we always got"

So you may reasonably think that to get a simple answer to something then you ought to start with a simple question. Well that's a start but that's also wickedly deceptive. Don't expect a simple answer if you live in a complex world. The slippery path is just as complex. The pitfalls and dragons are still present.

Business is a complex world and I wish I had a $1 for everybody that demands simplicity when creating meaningful strategy or sustainable change. The simple questions and the simple answers are there for sure but get yourself equipped for the slippery path. You can't avoid it so get with it. Learn to like things that are slippery, master how to glide through the constantly changing dynamics.

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A Complex But Sound Byte #32

Complexity is a funny concept but not in a humorous way. 

I'm almost always working with intricate business challenges. They are important questions hitherto merely surfed upon by busy seniors in large enterprises.

I hear interested by-passers, other people in the business (but new to the panoramic walls we have been worked hard on for a few days) say to me upon entering the room that while it looks incredible isn't it all a bit complex? My answer is a light-hearted - "Well if you think this looks complex, try not doing it"

I am being serious though.

Prior to us creating this wall of debate and decision can you imagine the wicked ball of string? The differing and contentious thoughts of these earnest protagonists hanging like pregnant bats from the white hot rocks of an erupting volcano.

Imagine the leadership not collaborating - not figuring out the gazillion dynamics affecting every business challenge. And worse not doing it in a way that wrestled the damn thing to the ground with some sense of smartness, rigor or focus. 

Definitely not funny.

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