As I wrap up the last few days in a very relaxing setting aka Palm Springs, CA we took the opportunity to visit Joshua Tree National Park - first time for that. If you've never been there before as you first drive in one can't help but be wow'ed by all the rocks.
ROCKS - all shapes, sizes, formations - even people climbing rocks. After the first twenty minutes of being enamored by the rocks we quickly started to mock the rocks. "oh look, rocks" one of my kids would say and I quickly thought back to Seth Godin's Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable. In this case I was looking for that remarkable rock, the stand out, the one that makes me stop, get out and want to climb. The one thing that struck me about Godin's book was how it's all been done before, to be noticed, even for a short time, you have to stand out.
It's like having that one awesome or stand on its' edge idea that can take your organization to new places. I had this very same discussion last week at the Choose Clean Water conference where I had engaged with folks who were asking about my former organizations attempt to run the Captain John Smith for President campaign. It was out attempt at resurrecting a 400 years old dead guy and bring attention to clean water, hence the connection. When asked what I thought had failed the campaign a slew of thoughts went thru my head but the primary one was front and center in Godin's Purple Cow, and I quote:
I don't think there's a shortage of remarkable ideas. I thing your business has plenty of great opportunities to do great things. Nope, what's missing isn't the ideas. Its the will to execute them.
At this stage in my career I feel hopeful in knowing the leadership at NWF is open to the execution of new ideas, it's what keeps us at the leading edge of our industry. Next week we send representation of the organization to Doug Halls Eureka Ranch: www.eurekaranch.com The idea, learn how to think and execute that Purple cow and prepare us for the changes we expect as the culture changes in how we connect and communicate.
So transforming business or rocks - I think there's a correlation, don't you?
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