Beaming

Once again my 4½-year-old has inspired me to the core.

She called me last night via iChat to say goodnight (I’m here, she’s there, once again) and the first thing she did after saying “Hi Mom!” was to open a book she had checked out from her preschool and read it to me - from cover to cover.

She had waited patiently all day to read her book with me.

I am still beaming.

Mixology

My passions in life are like ingredients for edgy cocktails: a mix of creativity and education, collaboration and innovation, anthropology and leadership, design and entrepreneurship, blended together in varying amounts to reach a desired flavor with maximum impact...and always rimmed with a global perspective.

A recent life cocktail was the annual meeting of the Horasis global visioning community in Zurich. 100 business, government and academic leaders from around the world connected in an intimate, action-oriented meeting to address our world's current economic and sustainable growth challenges.

The meeting's theme was "Thriving on Risk." In the end the general consensus is that we, as global citizens, consistently operate in a risky environment - which this group perhaps not surprisingly views instead as opportunity in the making. From capitalizing on the complementary roles of males and females in leadership to a focus on creating disruptive solutions to our worlds various crises by tapping into our spiritual barometer, inclusiveness and collaboration in this risky environment will define our approach to the many challenges of 2012.

Themes aside, the expertise and connections of this group (a cocktail of its own!) are beyond impressive. But what makes Horasis fundamentally different from other organizations is how these powerful, successful folks leave their posturing at the door and let their true personalities shine through. Founder Frank-Jurgen Richter sets the tone for collegial interaction, showing what is possible when you place trust in others and take care to build honest, lasting personal and professional relationships.

Horasis is a community of global visionaries committed to making our world a better place. For everyone. The topics addressed are complicated and challenging, and the people addressing them are warm and inviting. For an innovative anthropologist like me it is an intriguing culture where new ideas and differing viewpoints are not only helpful, they are encouraged and embraced.

For these reasons, as Horasis continues to evolve, I will proactively support our own mix of inclusive growth - advocating for an even broader sweep in backgrounds, interests and experience to add depth in perspective and brilliance in ideas…crafting a vibrant cocktail of inspired, sustainable human-centered solutions.

I AM

Not too long ago, I had the pleasure of visiting a design class to give feedback to students on their final projects. One of the students had created a short video to advertise his idea for improving students’ experience on campus. He called his idea I AM.

It’s simple really. He suggested that the campus community don a button (think a quirky campaign badge from the 1970s) that reads “I AM _______.” Each of us fills in the blank, sharing something about ourselves that our students and colleagues probably don’t know, sparking conversation with people and around issues on which we may never otherwise connect.

Some of the video “I AMs” included “I AM Colorful,” “I AM 40,” and I AM Alone,” and “I AM Creative.” The descriptions were diverse and real. The video was well done. It was a refreshing approach to learning about our community, one member at a time. And it was already having an effect: each of the mentors and nearly all the students present remarked on how moved they were by this student’s simple, inspiring idea.

Moved as we were, our reactions varied. Some easily identified a word, wrote it on their button, and casually pinned it to their backpack. Others fingered their button, looking at it, looking into space, clearly contemplating what word would describe them concretely enough to write on a button. Others simply stuck the button in their packs or left them quietly on the desk as they left class that final day.

My button has remained thoughtfully attached to my bag while I consider how I wish to fill that flirty little blank; that space that exists to share something special about me; to create Opportunity. Adventure. Success.

At last I have decided what to do: I shall simply leave it blank. For you see, for me, the button as is serves its purpose. That beautifully simple open space has started more conversations than I can count, and it allows me the latitude to define myself in the moment – which, in the end, is most authentic for me.


Now I wonder, what might your button say?