Imagination is perhaps human beings best asset. Without it, we never could invent knowledge, the printing press, or the wheel.
Its also the source of so much unhappiness. We imagine the worst case scenario, tell ourselves the worst kind of story…
If we can imagine ourselves at our worst, then it is also to imagine at our best.
A ship captain doesn’t cross the Atlantic hoping they will not encounter bad weather. You expect it and prepare.
So why do organizations believe they won’t have conflict? I would argue that when they receive bad news, most bosses appear shocked that something could happen. They forget that is why they’re their in the first place—to solve problems.
Self-checkout might work 99% of the time, but businesses still need someone to solve problems. CEOs don’t take the same approach.
That’s why innovative organizations hire an ombudsmen. Someone with extensive domain knowledge who is present to solve problems as they arise. Sometimes through mediation. Newspapers (before they started cutting budgets) used to have an ombudsman to resolve journalism ethics issues and to promote accuracy and fairness.
Your organization may not support hiring an ombudsmen, but we need more than a suggestion box collecting dust. Perhaps you can choose yourself. If not, who is?
Latin for “sweeter after difficulties.”
Being a doctor means going through medical school, and being an author means wrestling with rejections and editing.
The path is hard, no matter which we choose. And sometimes, we have the privilege of choosing our own path.
The moves we make are so much more difficult when physical safety is on the line. This is what rock climbing can teach us.
It turns out the perception, for example, when one loses a job, you can equate this to you’re going to die. But, of course, that’s not true.
We need to be clear about what is on the line in the face of adversity.
It is the idea that you can offer great advice to help solve other people’s problems but struggle to accept the same advice for yourself.
Which makes sense when you think about it. When we are not emotionally attached to the outcome, we are much better at being objective in our thoughts. However, when you’re in it and feel the pain and discomfort to making a difficult decision, we look for another alternative to avoid and procrastinate.
For thousands of years, there was no such thing as a paid muscian. You made music cause you want to.
It turns out, the latin root of Amateur comes from the verb Amare, meaning “to love.”
Today, the word ametuer has a twist with the negative conitation of unable to do something that you love for money.
When we look what do we find at the center of it all: money or love? And I fear, we have an identity crisis on our hands.
I believe that someone can.
But the older I get, the more I realize that we do what we can until our destiny is revealed.
If its useful to think our paths are already predetermined. Use it.
If it helps to think we can change whats in front of us—go for it.
False proxies refer to an indicator or signal that is mistakenly used to measure an outcome. Some easy examples:
Using a test score to assume someone has learned the material. After all, not all doctors are equal. Someone has to graduate at the bottom of the class.
The nonprofit who believes their biggest fundraiser yet can be replicated again. You might have raised the potential ceiling but it might not be a trend either.
Weight on a scale can be an indicator someone is healthy but it is only one measurement.
Someone good at interviewing may not be good at the job they are being hired for. They may just be good at interviewing.
False proxies can also be mis-used in our culture. Someone with a criminal record isn’t treated as someone who once made a mistake but is instead effected in housing and work applications.
We use these proxies because they are simple to measure. They are shortcuts that don’t fill in the whole picture, only a slice of it. But too often, we assume we can see everything so clearly. Which leads to misalignment.
Yes, proxies are useful when we want the gist. With a culture that is focused on fast paced efficiency, we substitute substance and nuance for own story of how we see the world. And make important decisions based on these false proxies.
The challenge of our modern world is that our attention is always mined and occupied, so we have no space to sit with ourselves without distraction.
Gone are the days of being bored in the waiting room.
Many of us struggle to sit with the narration and our feelings about ourselves. As a result, we tend to create drama that isn’t there to distract us from ourselves.
How much conflict is, indeed, self-inflicted? Probably more than we realize.
Insisting that the Titanic cannot sink cost the lives of many.
Every climber who died on Everest was also motivated.
The thing is about ego. It can help propel us into the greatest endeavors, but it can also be our demise.
Understanding (and being honest) about one’s ability and the challenge ahead requires more thought and care. Even then, chance doesn’t always work in our favor. When the margins of success are thin, perhaps it is time to step back.
Josh Allred's Blog 