Today's daily mug shot is a picture I found yesterday on flickr while researching invisiblepeople and the despair and real existence of tent cities in 2009. Seems we've been here before...the mug shot is a picture from a 30- something year old mother who just sold her tent to buy food for the children during the great depression. Yes, unless we prepare and plan and even when we do as page 16 type reads Stability is an illusion.
Leaders need to be unstable in their thinking patterns and in the way they do things today may not be the same way things NEED to be done 5 years from now. Blogging about a book and review among peers is a perfect example. Thanks for the project John! I fit that personal definition...unstable....probablly why....I like it! By unstable I mean always looking for the next big thing to put in my tool box to add to the vintage tools that work every time....by vintage tools I mean "plain Ol' authentic relationship building" with a twist if you will. The twist comes from being unstable. As Godin, points out on page 17, "The market is now a lot less impressed with average stuff for average people, and the market is a lot less impressed with loud and flashy and expensive advertising."
Partisans~ I'm a partisan are you? What idea or concept has come across your thoughts lately that made you a partisan? Did you act on it? How were you received? Did your reception or lack their of throw you off course? For me here's the rub...I want to make a difference, I want to make a difference...daily....I challenge you to make a difference right/write where you are...you can be a leader in the position you are in write/now. Don't wait for the title, the corner office, or the pat on the back! just lead! "leading from the bottom page 19!
Finally~ pg 18 BE REMARKABLE NOT BORING! New Rule: "If you want to grow, you need to find customers who are willing to join you or believe in you or donate to you or support you....
What do you do for a living? I'm a coffee roaster & also a donor development leader for a christian radio station in Chicago http://www.shine.fm/ What do you make? relationships internal /external that impact the bottom line and organization. BUT I also make a ruckus! Do you?
What have you done in you daily life the last 30 days to set yourself apart, lead, and make a ruckus? I introduced twitter into our media mix as a way to communicate with artists & our listeners.
go barefoot today http://www.tomsshoes.com/
Love coffee, love the blog :-)
ReplyDeleteThe one thing that stands out to me here is the word partisan. The definition from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/partisan
"1. A fervent, sometimes militant supporter or proponent of a party, cause, faction, person, or idea.
2. A member of an organized body of fighters who attack or harass an enemy, especially within occupied territory; a guerrilla."
Which fit quite well with being a heretic and making a ruckus.
However the one thing that is important about it is that a partisan is part of a group - preferably organized.
Even as leaders we can't be as effective heretics as we can unless we band together.
Look out for each other, watch each others' backs, be accountable to each other.
That was we can be more effective in what we are trying to achieve.
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ReplyDeleteAs I read again today's pages, I thought of two examples.
ReplyDelete1. The auto and utility industries. These industries are trying to maintain old models while tacking on new gimmicks. They cannot maintain petroleum-based products in a world that is clamoring for something new. T. Boone Pickens, the oil guy, has started and leading a tribe that embraces a completely new model.
2. The Tea Parties. As I listen to reports of the various Tea Parties around the country yesterday, one thing stood out. They were led by "ordinary" people who gathered a tribe. They were moms, small business owners, retired auto workers; not the usual celebrity suspects. These tribal leaders also didn't get the "help" of the old media. Instead they used Twitter, Facebook, and other social media to send the message.
These are two examples of how not to and hot to gather and lead a tribe. Change is not only good -- change is necessary in the 2.0 world.
Just a quick thought: stability is not only an illusion, but one that is largely overrated.
ReplyDeleteImagining what I can do to keep things stable isn't something that gets me out of bed in the morning; imagining how we can shake things up and push the ball further down the court gets my engines going.
First of all, LOVE the phrase "make a ruckus!", maybe it is my Texas roots or who knows, but it just makes me want to go out and have a great time!
ReplyDeleteAnyways, the other day I had listened to some of Guy Kawasaki's talks on youtube and he mentions that a lot of greatest companies polarize people. They are either like the product or hate it. I think this kind of speaks to the idea of being partisan in Tribes. Maybe not to the point of being liked or hated, but at least doing something that elicits a response or stands out!
I think we might sometimes mistake the concept of tribes in this book as organizing people we already know. Perhaps leading a tribe is about being passionate about something and others joining suit, even if you still have not joined up with those people yet. But if the people you current lead are not passionate about what you are passionate about then maybe its time they find another tribe.
personal example: I am a student pastor for a church in Florida. The next 4 weeks we are going over a series that has to do with relationships/dating. I am very ardent about this subject because I did not become a Christ follower until 20 and made stupid choices b4 Christ.
Anyways yesterday I had a conversation with a parent who was very adamant about us not talking about romantic relationships and talking exclusively on "courtship". I kindly said that is not what we are doing and she said then her daughter would not be allowed to come. To that I said "that's fine with me, it's your choice".
The parent left perturbed and I wrestled with it a little bit, but here's the deal I am not into preaching behavior modification, or do's and don'ts. Im into talking unabashedly about Jesus. This story may seem inconsequential or lame, but it's big in my world because the church is rife with this idea of protecting kids from harm versus having them live radical lives in Jesus.
FYI - the family4family post is me Susan. It wouldn't let me post with my other blog id - www.blogsofbooks.com
ReplyDeleteAs I read again today's pages, I thought of two examples.
ReplyDelete1. The auto and utility industries. These industries are trying to maintain old models while tacking on new gimmicks. They cannot maintain petroleum-based products in a world that is clamoring for something new. T. Boone Pickens, the oil guy, has started and leading a tribe that embraces a completely new model.
2. The Tea Parties. As I listen to reports of the various Tea Parties around the country yesterday, one thing stood out. They were led by "ordinary" people who gathered a tribe. They were moms, small business owners, retired auto workers; not the usual celebrity suspects. These tribal leaders also didn't get the "help" of the old media. Instead they used Twitter, Facebook, and other social media to send the message.
These are two examples of how not to and hot to gather and lead a tribe. Change is not only good -- change is necessary in the 2.0 world
What I am not interested in creating is a type of "partisian" that is incapable of having a conversation with someone that disagrees with them.
ReplyDeleteyeah, a leader needs to win people over that they believe in the common interest. And the fact that the leader of the tribe is leading a group of people with a shared interest u'ld think conversations would be amicable [or however u spell that].
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff here.
ReplyDeleteI want to "make a ruckus" but without "hurting" people, and that's what I've had to balance consistently.
I'm actually blogging a post right now about the "fine line"... how appropriate that you blogged about this today in your project!!
Adam & synapticlight have hit on why the Tea Parties worked. The partisanship was not what we usually thing about - political - is was a shared interest.
ReplyDeleteHaving conversations with someone who disagrees can strengthen my own thinking, or show me where I need to re-think. Both good things.
Susan
www.blogsofbooks.com
I like the story about Thomas Barnett in this section. It illustrates what others have already said: "One man with no authority suddenly becomes a key figure" (pg. 20). When we are passionate about something we get this same opportunity.
ReplyDeleteYou asked: What have you done in your daily life the last 30 days to set yourself apart, lead, and make a ruckus? This is an "ouch" question for me. Sadly, my tendency has been to not "make a ruckus." I have spent a lot of my time as a pastor sacrificing my passion for peace. Thankfully this is beginning to change and I am enjoying it immensely. In 30 days from now, I want to be able to answer this question!
In this transitional time we find ourselves in, those of us in some a ministerial role can easily understand this idea of a fleeting stability.
ReplyDeleteChristendom once was stable, sterile, and clean. Biblical knowledge was common sense. Most Americans had a sense of God and guilt (thought usually in the wrong order).
Today, we find ourselves in a completely difference scenario. Christianity is no longer even considered the default religion of our nation. And the Church no longer has the "corner" on the religious "market."
We now have the responsibility to "be remarkable and not boring." We speak the truth, and we know that faith comes from the hearing of the Word of God. And while we must share that message clearly and creatively, it is encouraging to note that "the market is now a lot less impressed with average stuff for average people, and the market is a lot less impressed with loud and flashy and expensive advertising."
Christianity is no longer this dominant force that can be seen as "king." The Church has gone viral.
And the world (and millions of eternities) will be better served by that reality.
I'm a partisan are you? What idea or concept has come across your thoughts lately that made you a partisan? Did you act on it? How were you received? Did your reception or lack their of throw you off course?
ReplyDeleteThis was a challenging statement for sure. I was talking about this with Amy, my wife this morning. Well, she is my wife every morning, but this morning we were talking about it. I have been thinking and praying a lot lately about obedience and the fear of the Lord. I really believe it comes down to this. How tightly will we hold on to the word of the Lord? That word is thrown around a lot and has taken a bad rap lately, but I believe it to be true.
There has been many times where I have felt a call or an idea come into my head that I have shared with others and it has been met with negative response. Some ideas have been met with "that could never happen", "You don't have time," "I don't even get that," etc. When Amy and I were talking this morning I told her that I was discouraged that I have let so many dreams, ideas and plans go because they were met with such responses. God is convicting me and championing me lately to be obedient to Him and his ideas. To Make a rucus like so many have done before me. I am excited to see things move in this. Thanks for your thoughts Shannon
http://philnamy.com
Sorry I am late, but I want to go back to the story about youth dating and the mom.
ReplyDeleteI think that one of the issues we have as Christians in this discussion is protection and God. Many of us are ok with "raising a ruckus" as long as it only involves us. Once it involves our children then we are all against it. Part of that is a healthy protection of our children, especially when they are young and not ready. But I think more of it is a flat out rejection of trusting God to care for our children.
I am all for allowing parents to make decisions about education, spanking vs non-spanking, etc. But when we attempt to protect our children from the world in a way that makes them much less in the long term then we are going too far.
I listened to a Christianity Today sponsored roundtable on Emergent Christianity. One question from the audience was from a father scared to death about his children learning bad theology. His response to the possibility was to make sure they never heard about it. A better response would have been to discuss it with his children so that they understand what he thinks now. It is exactly like not discussing sex with your children because you are afraid teaching them about sex will lead to sex. Not teaching them about sex and your values about it will lead to sex!
End result is that this father in the discussion will likely not discuss things with his children and then his children will leave is oversight (at college or later) and be totally unprepared for the world around them. Then he will come back and say, "see God this is why I protected my children from the world, why didn't you protect my children from the world". Both he and his children's faith will be in danger.
/rant Sorry
I've seen where the ole' ruckus has hurt some people. I try to watch out for those times.
ReplyDeleteGood stuff here.
Hey, By the way. Andy = http://www.andydarnell.com. I'm day 20 tomorrow, just trying to catch up with my commenting
ReplyDelete