[RELATED: Online dialogue below MAR 31-Futurist Joel Barker] Some of us seem to be stuck. Paralyzed by all that is being dismantled, changed forever perhaps. I also feel the JOLT that comes when one realizes that it UP TO US to come together and generate the CHANGE that is needed. "Get to work. Your work is to keep cranking the flywheel that turns the gears that spin the belt in the engine of BELIEF that keep you and your desk in midair." ---Annie Dillard. My first recollection of experiencing my "desk in midair" came about in Anchorage, Alaska. Imagine that...I told this story in my book, Putting Our Differences to Work, because it was there I first realized the power in the act of convening a team that could "crank the flywheel" second-to-none.
It was my first year as a new manager at IBM. How I got there was a story all its own that sets the stage. I had a hip, metropolitan life in Los Angeles, California, where I worked at IBM’s landmark high-rise on Wilshire Boulevard. I had been with IBM for five years at the time. I visited Alaska on vacation late that summer and stopped by the IBM office. To my surprise, they offered me a job. In what seemed a flash, I accepted and boldly moved to what seemed, at the time, a foreign land: Anchorage, Alaska, a new business frontier.
I arrived in the dead of winter. I worked in IBM’s shoddy two-story building with old rusted-out desks and a broken elevator. The view from my new office was a far cry from the bustle of the well-groomed business district I was used to in L.A. Instead, it was a landscape devoid of any colors, except brown and white. It became an ever-present symbol of the drastic change before me. On my desk I kept my welcoming gift, a local book entitled Life without Lettuce. It was different all right—a pioneering journey of sorts. The job called upon me to adapt fast, be flexible, focused, and get fired up in this new uncharted territory.
In a short time, in stark contrast to the exterior brown and white landscape, I felt a vibrant energy inside this uncommon workplace. It was fun and full of life with a cast of characters you would never imagine working side by side. Because most of us had been imported from other places, we had no families nearby. It was indeed a melting pot.
We enjoyed the rewards of being the top revenue-producing office in the country in our division; topping all the charts, and getting lots of attention. In a short time, I was promoted to my first manager job, which put me among the first women managers at IBM in the northwest United States. The leadership team that I joined consisted of all men—most of whom could be described as the rough, gruff, rugged, earthy, bush pilot types. After just four hours as a manager, we were all summoned into a makeshift conference room. The “big boss” from the “lower 48” had flown into town unannounced, and he didn’t look happy. He was the last to enter the room. I still remember how he slammed the door shut, and I recall his exact
words: “All indications are that this is a failed corporate audit.” The news shocked me. It was the first time I realized it was possible to be one of the best offices and also one of the most out of control and not realize it. Our mission was then explained: we were to turn the place around if we were
all to survive.
Survive we did—in a big way. We involved everyone. Many of us were called to work outside the comfort zones of our own jobs. We tapped into our differences, creatively calling upon diverse thinking styles, problem-solving skills, cultural knowledge, and even expertise in traveling to remote villages.
For the most complex issues, we hand-picked the people on the team with a track record for knowing how to solve problems, instead of simply relying on our obvious experts who might be blinded by their own processes and methods, some of which had proven faulty in the audit. Top salesmen teamed
with our all-women accounts receivable staff to use their clout, influence, and charm to collect huge sums of money long past due. Our rough and rugged “bush pilots,” familiar with the cultures in the back country of Alaska, partnered with sales and service, hopping in their planes to solve problems at remote customer sites. Technical support people aided those in charge of security to figure out how to better secure the building and the company’s assets. Administrative assistants were turned into analysts, responsible for establishing new business controls. I can still see our branch manager sitting in the “bullpen,” answering phones when it was necessary. In a matter of months, with a lot of hard work, we were not only a top revenue-producing office but also one of the top operating organizations. Our team was recognized for its dedication to mission and innovative approach; our heroes were rewarded.
I'm imagining you might have a similar story to tell. I wonder if the answers we seek to how to "crank the flywheel that turns the gears that spin the belt in the engine of BELIEF that keep you and your desk in midair" reside in what we already have experience --- what we know and have forgotten. If we put our heads together I wonder if the answers are there to heal our organizations, our communities, and the world ---- even ourselves? What do you think? RELATED ONLINE DIALOGUE - No Fees: Hope you can be with us!
"INNOVATING in HARD TIMES" A Conversation with Futurist Joel A. Barker
March 31 1:00 - 2:30 pm ET (New York) - 10:00-11:30 am PT
Informal virtual break follows
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Best...
Debbe
Debbe Kennedy
founder, Global Dialogue Center
and Leadership Solutions Companies
author, Putting Our Differences to Work(Berrett-Koehler 2008)
The Fastest Way to Innovation, Leadership, and High Performance
YouTube Book Review by futurist Joel A. Barker
Learn more about my Economic Conversation Series
www.puttingourdifferencestowork.com/dialogues
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