Outstanding Shares: Making Charity Part of Our Child's Daily Routine

Be careful of your thoughts, for your thoughts become your words. Be careful of your words, for your words become your actions. Be careful of your actions, for your actions become your habits. Be careful of your habits, for your habits become your character. Be careful of your character, for your character becomes your destiny. 

-- Chinese proverb, author unknown

I recently read an article in Fast Company that made me not only consider the environment in which our behaviors are formed, but also the power we, as parents, have to manipulate that culture in order to affect our children’s concept of social equality...and make their efforts towards philanthropy habitual.

 “[Millenials] have shown different attitudes to ownership[ that have helped spawn what’s being called a ‘sharing economy’. They are also the first generation of digital natives…they are used to instant access to price comparisons, product information and peer reviews.” -Fast Company | March 2015

In short, I’d say growing up during an economic downturn with unprecedented access to information has made the Millennial generation, leaner, smarter and more focused than any other generation before them. They say “Rising tides lift all ships” but lower tides seem to breed more efficient vessels.

Different attitudes, such as these, are more often formed over time by a belief system developed within one’s family and social systems than they are quickly learned. And the behaviors exhibited within one’s family not only affect the inner-dynamics of that family but also greatly contribute to the self-image, value systems, goals and ultimately… world view each member of that family holds.

Automaticity is the ability to do things without occupying the mind with the low-level details required, allowing it to become an automatic response pattern or habit. It is usually the result of learning, repetition, and practice.

“It takes an average 66 days to form a new habit, according to new research by Phillippa Lally and colleagues from the Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre based at UCL Epidemiology and Public Health.” - See more at: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0908/09080401#sthash.uJMKYm9S.dpuf

If we want to make sharing and social consciousness automatic for our children throughout their adult lives, we need to teach them these habits now…while they’re already learning economic behavior and well on their way of establishing an indelible view of the world and their place in it. 

When our children accompany us to the grocery store, whether as an active participant or merely as a passenger belted to the shopping cart, they are observing our social interactions, our decision making and how we spend / exchange money. 

When my daughter finds a quarter on the street (or on my dresser) she knows to put it in her piggy bank or pickle jar. When she loses a tooth she knows that the tooth fairy will visit that night and exchange some cash or coin for that tooth. My wife and I recognize the fact that our examples, expectations and explanations are a constant source of education and formation for our daughter but it recently occurred to us that our, at times inadvertent but always meaningful, lessons had failed to include conscious acts of financial charity. Sure she understood why Mommy and Daddy go to special fundraising dinners as well as the reasons why we purchase toys for less fortunate children around the holidays. She even has come to set aside her own unworn or outgrown clothing for donating to those in need… but we hadn’t been making the charitable association with actual currency the way we were making with “saving” and “spending”.  It suddenly became clear that our communicating the expectation that money should be saved in a piggy bank was serving as the earliest basis for her understanding of economics just as being a passenger in a car for the first 15 years of your life provides some basis for understanding the “rules of the road”.

We consequently decided not only to be more conscious about including our 4yr old daughter as a witness to any financial contributions we were making to charities and nonprofits, but to also utilize mechanisms that ingrain in her the realization that it’s not only important to save and sharing her money that it’s not only important how we spend and save our money, but it’s that spend wisely…but that it’s also important to share wisely. 

We accomplished this by visibly placing “Sharing” on equal footing with “Saving” and “Spending” 

So that when she finds, earns or is given money (from over-generous grandparents or over-turned sofa cushions) she considers which of the three jars she will put it in.

Lately, she's been dividing it equally.

#saving, #economics #children #mirror, #map #compass  #self-image, #world view, #value system, #goals, #social equality #cognitive psychology #holism

Unleashing Innate Drive: She's Reading!

“As companies from GE to Southwest Airlines have proven for years, people really are an organization's most important asset. Yet many employees don't feel their company treats them that way. To get managers to change their approach, consultant Hiam (The Vest Pocket CEO: Decision-Making Tools for Executives) begins [Making Horses Drink] by presenting an allegory that brings to life the adage "you can bring a horse to water, but you can't make it drink." It turns out, Hiam contends, that while you can't make horses drink, you can let them, and it is providing that opportunity that makes it easier to get horses—and employees—to do what you want.”

-Ken Blanchard | Publisher’s Weekely

With the breath of technology in our home...let alone the amount of technology exclusively owned and operated by our 5yr old (mostly due to excessive but much appreciated gift giving), we have not only slated time for reading books but have also ensured that books are as accessible as iPads and similar devices.

Her library is supplemented with small collections and book store-like displays we have assembled everywhere from bathrooms to play areas and bedrooms. This is in some ways an attempt to hedge our bet that fostering an intrinsic desire to read through example and accessibility will be as effective (if not more) than coaching her with daily reading lessons and unintentionally saddling her with performance anxiety and/or superfluous stress. 

We have been addressing Catherine's literacy the same way we addressed Potty Training.We knew that she wouldn't be standing in front of her middle school locker someday and shit her pants… And we knew that grade school curriculum would someday result in her being able to read for both entertainment and educational pursuits / assignments...at least we thought it would, but our confidence in being on the right path has waned on occasion.

The apps we carefully select for her and tools available in her Montessori classroom (e.g., letter sound boards, the moveable alphabet, verb exercises, swing work and metal insets) all seem to have been serving as great supplements to our at-home reading time and web-time... But with the regularity of conversations with Tiger Moms who glow with pride (and justifiably so) while they cite the advanced levels attained and grades skipped by their children due to a rigorous reading regimen based on sound research, we sometimes wonder if there might be some additional gentle nudging we could be offering.

This morning, our fears were allayed and our hearts delighted when Catherine asked to read us two of her little "BOB" books. When I begged for one in particular, she declined at first and then after some consideration offered a compromise: "I'll read the one you want Daddy but only if I can read three books instead of two.".

Couldn't be more proud of how hard she worked to sound out every word. 

Couldn't be more overjoyed at seeing the excitement in her face and pride in herself as she giddily declared her ability after reading some sentences straight through. 

Couldn't be more impressed with her negotiating skills.

Pictured: BOB Books by Bobby Lynn Maslen & John R. Maslen are published by Scholastic Inc.

Imitation and Innovation: Wrapping-Up The Blog

"Eventually, imitation picked up some respectability from scholars. In 1926, Ellsworth Faris, a renowned scholar at that time, was questioning the view of imitation as “a primary instinct.” Instead of an inferior and mindless “cheap trick,” Shenkar says, imitation came to be recognized as a form of intelligence. Now biologists agree that imitation is essential to evolution, he writes. Business scholars have been left behind, and businesses, especially in the U.S., have lost the ability to gain from imitation, Shenkar says.

Companies, rather than just imitate, should combine creativity and imitation, and come up with their own competitive advantage. This group of businesses is what Shenkar calls “imovators.”

-Russell Flannery | Why Imitation Bests Innovation | Forbes

As a new father, I spent the majority of our daughters first three years copying down every word and every act. Documenting her growth and her impact on our lives. I took thousands of photos and wrote down volumes of advice for her to someday heed. Im not sure if I am alone in this,…and it may have something to do with my wife being a trauma surgeon and our dinner converstions often revolving around traumatic events that most parents think will never happen to them...but once our daughter turned two, I had a heightened sense of mortality and a driving desire to ensure we left the most valuable things behind should we not live long enough to provide them over time.

By the time she turned four, I realized that she was acutely aware of her surroundings and the dynamic relationships within them. Suddenly, documentation and advice that I could provide was no longer as valuable as the example I could be for her.  Her mother was already providing (and continues to provide) what I consider, an exemplary model of what a person could achieve and contribute through dedication, discipline and a commitment to improving the lives of others. It was now time that I took advantage of the time afforded me and similarly participate in a more ambitious pursuit of leaving the world a little better than how we found it… and in-turn more significantly contribute to an environmental norm where our daughter is inspired and empowered to find the same fulfillment in a life of service.  

Because of my professional background in the restaurant industry, I can’t help but see the similarities between hospitality and charity. The more involved with philanthropy I became, it started to seem more and more like the non-profit sector was heavily relying on strategies that were borrowed from the retail sector instead of on strategies that were customized more for their unique service oriented goals.  

In other words, a retailer’s goal seems to be the extraction of the highest price the market will bear for a given “product” and “lifestyle” whereas many directors of 501(c)3 organizations describe the goal of their charities as “to make it as: easy, enjoyable, fulfilling and as productive as possible for those willing to share their excess with people or institutions who display a genuine need in their organized pursuit of goals that most closely mirror the sponsors’ tastes and values, then thank them (up to 11 times annually) and then encourage them to give again.”

I simplify this, although perhaps a bit ignorantly, by saying that a retailer’s goal of convincing people to spend as much money as possible on goods and services for themselves is at cross-purposes with a charities goal to simply increase the awareness of their selfless cause,  make it as convenient as possible to contribute to it and then recognizing them / saying “Thank You” to those who are inclined to invest in a better world for others.

So…if the goals are so different, why are their marketing strategies so similar. For example, I can understand why a retailer would have a $5 minimum on all credit card purchases. It’s because their job is to get customers to spend as much as possible. So when a charity puts a minimum amount on a gift it’s not practical. It’s actually counter productive because they are essentially saying “No Thank You” to any gift less than $5. Is that really what they want to do? If the goal is to “increase awareness of their selfless cause, making it as convenient as possible to contribute to it and then recognizing them / saying “Thank You” to those who are inclined to invest in a better world for others.”…they are not accomplishing a single one of their goals. and if the strategy does happen to work, it’s likely working only on those who are the most strongly inclined to give and neglects the theoretically larger pool of those who care but just haven’t given or aren't giving as frequently as they otherwise might / be capable of.

In the world of hospitality, one of the biggest rules is “never say “No.” Hospitality is a lot like charity in that products are less important than experience. Both are service industries who are more in the business of making people happy than they are in selling a product. Both realize the value of small transactions adding up over time and that more than anything: culture builds the bottom line. Making people happy means making them comfortable and making them feel valued (See Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs). We accomplish this in restaurants and hotels not only by manipulating the physical environment (e.g., lighting, air temperature, air flow, scents, color and texture of furnishings, sound levels, uniforms, window placement & site-lines, etc..) but by treating “customers” like valued guests...like bosses without whom we would not exist. This means acknowledging them by name, thanking them regularly and anticipating their needs so that they experience as little cognitive dissonance as possible and come to identify the establishment as an extension of themselves. I would no sooner support the decision of a restaurant operator that required a valued guest to go to the kitchen and cook a steak if they desired one, than I could support the decision of a nonprofit that required a donor to attend an event or navigate a website if they wanted to give a gift. 

"I want to bring “guest-focused service” to the non-profit sector by bringing the proverbial “steak” to the the table…which, in this case is the collection basket”.

The technology to create viral awareness and facilitate instant transactions is widely available already…and it has been for some time. In fact, it seems like every other sector is employing this technology with the exception of the non-profit sector. Perhaps it’s because most non-profits have very limited human resources and a need to allocate them to more vital tasks. But existing time sensitive approaches to user-friendly “cut-and-paste” platforms are being used in every creative sector from engineering to design and they present opportunities for non-profits that are far more practical than those employed by big box retailers or marketing firms that see fundraising as more of a business enterprise than a social movement.

We developed Hawser by taking, what we view as, the best parts of these models and assembling them into a unique adaptable platform that can effectively supplement any nonprofit’s fundraising efforts by creating an engaging, easy-to-use app that continually broadcasts an organization’s 5 second elevator pitch to millions of potential supporters while serving as a portal to their collection basket and any existing media or marketing as well.  This enables any authorized charitable organization to reach more people and monetize any of their social media. Lots of other platforms incorporate some or most of this but none is doing it quite the way we are...for free.

Check writers are a dying breed and replacing major donors is getting more and more difficult.  The immediacy of Hawser paired with the “moral media” component offers the next generation of supporters (Millennials and others predisposed to abbreviated interactions and deeper connections in an age of exponential technological evolution that inherently reduces physical face to face interaction while increasing the reliance on mobile devices) an outlet to define who they are and empower them to help shape the world they live in.

This effort, to be a good steward of the resources God has blessed me with in order to improve the lives of others, is the example I want to set for our daughter. Whether or not I am successful is not nearly important as trying my best to make it real.  

To the four family members and two friends who bother reading these entries, -I'll be posting another dozen photos & videos and then one or two more articles before retiring this project and printing it all for Catherine to read someday.

Trends: Catherine's Favorite Apps & Shows

It's not just "Scooby Doo", "Teen Titans Go!", "My Little Pony", "Paw Patrol", "Rescue Bots" and "Wild Kratts" that have captured the attention, mind and heart of our 4yr old.

If she has a handheld device and she's not dancing to Beyonce, Bob Marley or Trout Fishing in America, she's probably engaged with one of these children's apps or shows:

Peg + Cat

Wallykazzam

Cyber Chase

Music Box

Blocks World

Smoothie Maker

Itsy Bitsy

Mechanic Mike

Baby Heroes

Toca Builders

Lego Friends

Intro To Letters

Toca Lab

Ocean

Forest Flyer

Pet Cafe

Littlest Pet Shop

Letter School

Word Girl

Kids Doodle

Doc McStuffins Paint & Play

Sago Mini Space Explorer

Super Why

Little Builders

UmiNumbers

Doctor X

The Big Gig

Little Rock Planet

Vegie Tales

Littlest Petshop

Strawberry Shortcake Sweet Shop & Bake Shop

Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood

Beyonce's "SIngle Ladies" Music Video

Mike Mulligan: The Nature of Independence

I've read "Mike Mulligan And His Steam Shovel" by Virginia Lee Burton several hundred times but only recently recognized it as a wonderful tale depicting the most common pitfall that exists for individual consultants who garner most of their acclaim from previous projects on which they excelled as part of a larger team.

If you're looking to start a consulting business (or looking to hire a consultant), remember that experience, integrity and energy are only half of the skills required. The real magic is born from a team ("...and some others") comprised of complementary partners who work together synergistically and with prudence...otherwise the individual often ends up like Mike - in a perfectly dug hole running the whole project by themselves...as the janitor.

The realization of this Children's story as such a metaphor came to me when, on Independence Day, Catherine began swimming "on her own".  With the exception of a few dozen photos sent out to my mother and father-in-law, the only person with whom we shared the exciting news was her swimming instructor Kiri.

We were staying at a hotel on Monarch Beach in California and spent half of our time there enjoying the family pool area. Catherine woke up on the morning of July 4th and after watching several other children jumping, swimming and splashing around her (some in water wings and some in puddle jumpers like her). Some clung to their parents and others exhibited an independence that seemed to fascinate and motive her at the same time. After observing them all for several minutes, she asked me to take off her puddle-jumpers and before I knew what was happening she said "Watch this Daddy! Im a torpedo"!!!! She dropped below the surface, bent her knees, pushed off of me and propelled herself under the water to the middle of the pool.

Her recent swimming lessons had been private ones which we avoided at first because we so badly wanted to provide the advantages (not to mention cost savings) that group lessons afforded her: socialization, positive associations, water toys, waiting your turn, etc... but when group lessons for her skill level were only offered 10 mins after school or at our family's dinner hour, we elected to sign her up for private lessons. This thrilled her since the instructor was a former babysitter whom she idolized! Her instructor, Kiri, had a wonderful gentleness about her, an ability to communicate well with children but also a strength in character that would shine through whenever we overheard her during swimming lessons saying things like: "...are you asking me a question or offering me an answer?...then say it like an answer."  Without the giggles, smiles and fun... subtle lessons in confidence like those may very well have come across differently...perhaps as intimidating but acceptable as corps de rigueur in any coaching scenario. But this was different. Kiri was having fun with Catherine. Earning her respect and building pride with firmness followed by praise. They were a good team that took Catherine to a new level of comfort in the pool with her new sense of daily accomplishment. I've never seen a child work so hard. I was impressed at the intensity of her focus and how she would push herself to near exhaustion. Kiri helped Catherine reach a milestone in learning to swim the week before we left.

She was able to show Catherine that while her head and body might submerge just under the surface during a tummy float (with her face in the water) her body would not sink any further.  I viewed this moment as an almost palpable turning point in her self-confidence and thus willingness to mentally make the leap from trying to swim to swimming.   

I heard myself saying "She's doing it"! "She's Swimming all on her own! How incredible that she learned to swim independently on Independence Day!"...then I corrected myself. She didn't really "start" swimming just then. This had been the culmination of a tremendous amount of hard work on her part but also of an astonishing amount of patience, gentle encouragement, wisdom and awareness from every coach and every assistant over the last year and a half. This moment of independence was also the result of friendships forged, encouragement, praise and friendly competition with the other children in the eight classes she had taken before private lessons. She didn't start swimming that weekend in California.  She started swimming independently that weekend...and upon our next bedtime reading of Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, I immediately recognized the fact that independence is meerely a momentary suspension of collaboration like the defying of gravity one experiences due to the elasticity of a trampoline that  must be met repeatedly to be buoyed as one might be by the support of a dynamic team.

Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel (AKA "skill set") had only gotten where they were because of the teams with which they had worked.

We can excel independently but only momentarily because of the need for support of others along the way.

In short, independence is as much as an illusion...or better yet delusion as the western concept of Individualism. Individualsm is not a state of existence as much it is merely the momentary absence of collective collaboration.

"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe"

-John Muir

Continuing Education: The Romantic Nature of Learning

"Art is everywhere, except it has to pass through a creative mind."

-Louise Nevelson

There is artistry in education. The appreciation of its design depends largely on one’s ability to contemplate the beauty of its magnificent impact with moral imagination.  If you take the time to step back and deconstruct the material world, educational lessons are revealed in its design. This is the cornerstone of Montessori . Facilitating an understanding of the world by developing a core of knowledge based on experiencing its physical properties (AKA: Tactile Learning). The more comprehensive these experiences are... the deeper one's understanding of the world may become.

Lasting impressions of the physical world create reference points for not only our creativity and imagination but for the development of our vocabulary and the most basic means of communication as well.

In the book "Thought In The Act", Erin Manning + Brian Massumi describe life experience as: "...the intangible." I interpret this to mean that one can only imagine the intangible and our imaginations are the creative applications of mental associations we make with our physical understandings of the world. The breadth of one's learning can therefore directly impact the extent to which one experiences life and can imagine. This is the mindset from which we attempt to re-discover and re-define the world with, and for, our daughter.

"I would like to recapture that freshness of vision which is characteristic of extreme youth when all the world is new to it."
-Henri Matisse

My wife and I are driven to give our daughter a life filled with as much joy as possible (without being detrimental) while empowering her to make a positive contribution to the world and leave it in a better condition than the one in which it is presented to her. Whether or not she elects to take on such a noble pursuit will be up to her…but we at least want her to be possessed with the requisite awareness in order to give her a better shot at it if she tries. We believe that the attainment of this awareness is made easier if we adopt a Montessorial approach to our introduction to the world (meaning: deconstructing everything to its most basic physical components, qualities and relationships in order to promote an appreciation of both individual components and their relationships within various contexts as well). Employing this method of modeling (and thus parenting) has been very much like arranging a marriage between Socratic Questioning and the slow motion filming techniques that transform amazing feats of wildlife like the flight mechanics of a bird's wing, into what the BBC calls "...full scale events, and simple action into incredibly detailed video sequences." The results are impossible to imagine let alone perceive with the naked eye. When a sequence filmed at a high frame rate (fps) is played back in normal time (24fps), the action appears to slow down. As camera technology improves, ultra high-speed footage of over 1,000fps produces ever more astonishing images. Hidden secrets are revealed, new science is discovered and tiny subtleties in animal behaviour become perceptible.".

"Art is not what you see, but what you make others see."
-Edgar Degas

On Grocery Shopping:
As parents we often worry more about our children's happiness than our own...and some of us can imagine the smallest amount of potential suffering (even boredom) having lasting detrimental effects to their overall emotional well-being. It sounds crazy... and that's mostly because, well...it is.

After being blessed with a seemingly perpetual sidekick, I suddenly began viewing one of my favorite things in the world: grocery shopping, as a boring chore for our little one and more of a "necessary evil" than anything. I went to great lengths in order to minimize our time in any market and thus mitigate, what I had perceived to be, my daughters suffering.

My weekly mission was to make grocery shopping as fast and as painless as possible. To enter and to leave with military precision. I was a Supermarket S.E.A.L.  and the strike zone encompassed every square inch from the parking lot to the pastry case. As such, it required utilizing my strategic operations experience to develop shopping lists that would direct our travel path from paper products and laundry supplies to dairy and frozen foods (which...to me, is still the most efficient travel path through a grocery store.)

Once I considered the fact that my general stress level was likely being transmitted at some level to my daughter, I took a step back and looked at this mundane chore of gathering stuff with my Montessorial monocle. After doing so, I was able to recognize educational opportunities existing everywhere! It didn't take long to start enjoying the lessons that every isle and every purchase offered.  I think I, like so many other people, shop as they drive. One with the cart. Operating it with a sort of tunnel vision. Half-blind to the other people in the store in that- I saw them mostly as slow moving obstacles in my path to hunting, gathering and surgically extracting a list of items amid a course made from thousands of bar coded goods. The fact that there are so many different products & foodstuffs in a myriad of: colors, textures, shapes and sizes alone...combined with the wide range of pricing makes for an exceptional environment full of physical stimulus there for the taking!  Add to this the potential multitude of non-verbal lessons in social psychology once one begins navigating with others as opposed to through them. Explaining that pictures don't necessarily match what's in the box or naming an animal that eats a particular food...even the act of writing then reading a shopping list together and checking off the items holds a wealth of practical modeling applications.

New and exciting games emerge when a scale is viewed as an educational toy instead of a tool for commerce. Guessing how many units or "pounds" of bananas we want and then showing my three year old just how many bananas her guess of 7 pounds actually equates to…and feels in her arms....can be hilarious! And physically comprehending the difference between a 1lb bag of rice in her lap vs. a 10lb pound bag in her lap is just one of the countless physical comparisons that make long lasting impressions while eliciting a heart-warming amount of laughter.

This is enjoyable education. It's fun. it's free. And it forms the basis of enjoying physical connections with the world and learning from them. The food market has now become not only less stressful for me... but actually much more enjoyable than it ever was.  Seeing how much five of something costs compared to how much ten of the same thing costs can be a real lesson in both mathematics as well as economics.

“There is no single word, equivalent to literacy or numeracy, that expresses wrighting and wroughting (that is the ability to make – as in wheelwright, shipwright, cartwright). In late 18th and early 19th century the role of schools in preparing children to work in manufacturing industry would have been seen to have had a greater vocational and economic relevance than it would today.”

-Brian Stevens: The Three Rs and The Education Journal #307

We never refer to “shopping” as math or economics or physics or psychology... just as we don't refer to other skill sets such as addition or penmanship in the Montessori classroom as such. We focus on the romantic nature of letters and numbers and what they physically mean so that we can draw them, hold them, trace them, count and separate them, etc... This sensual connection between touch and concept is what I view as romantic. Using the traditional names for foundations of basic skill-oriented educational programs may more readily prepare children for the references they will encounter in later years but it takes all the fun out of learning today. It makes these experiences seem more like work and less like play. It takes the romance, the magic and the imagination out of her world.

"The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance."
-Aristotle

Viewing the world from a Montessorial perspective is making every place and every thing seem more meaningful than its obvious context. More valuable than the sum of its parts. More...interconnected.
In my earlier post "Circle Back" I discussed the interconnections that exist between the business world and the natural world. These are the kinds of relationships I am now just seeing for the first time and the vision of the world I want to impart to my child. Seeing the inter-connectedness of all things may sound like a spiritual or religious pursuit for us but it is not. For my wife and me... it is much simpler than that. Our hope is that by embracing the romantic nature of learning she will derive immense fulfillment from discovery and understand more about the world and herself than traditional extrinsic "teaching" alone can impart.  

Right now, my wife and I only want to develop a polite and gentle person who is socially adept and enjoys learning. We have no interest in rushing to amass within her any specific quantity or mass of knowledge nor do we want her to achieve any prescribed level of learning above or beyond what she naturally achieves through self-interest and gentle guidance.  This is why we made the choice to send her to a Montessori School and why, every day, we are grateful for discovering Baan Dek Montessori in Sioux Falls. There are so many stresses that we face as adults in life. Right now we want her to be a child and enjoy her childhood. The artisan educators at Baan Dek seem to direct their students with an understanding that there is greater value in mitigating pressure for children than preparing them to handle it...and we like that.

"Play is The Work of The Child" - Maria Montessori

For the last three years, I have walked with our daughter to the top of at least a dozen water slides...and every climb resulted in uncertainty and fear. Although I would consistently assure her that it would be "ok" and "so much fun!" (While pointing out the other children her age and those younger who we're enjoying it) She always decided to walk back down instead...until this past week at a resort in Phoenix Arizona. When she decided she was "going to be brave” and “ought to give it a try." As a result, I witnessed a mirth of her own accord. Unmistakably derived not only from the thrill of the ride, but also from the pride in realizing that her own hunger for joy was the motivation that elicited courage.

Children develop at different rates... but when placed in healthy environments with exposure to diversity of company and a myriad of disciplines, all children eventually reach their intellectual potential with or without our constant intervention.The difference between racing to that potential vs. allowing a child to arrive at it at their own pace and through a romantic discovery is that the later seems to breed a deeper joy and self-confidence through an appreciation of the journey as well as the destination.

Gender Equality: Getting Serious About Propagation of Discrimination

While covering Catherine's bedroom walls with Minnie Mouse & Daisy Duck decals, we came across one sticker in the package that read: "Girls can do anything!" She asked me what it said and after reading it to her, she promptly responded: "well...boys can do anything too... actually, anyone can do anything." and as my heart began to swell with pride and satisfaction, she added: "...as long as their Mommy and Daddy or Teachers aren't watching."

Although this started my Sunday morning with a good laugh, I found myself contemplating a friend's recent facebook post: 

"I, for one, think that girls are strong enough to handle the word "bossy." And I don't think they need to be treated with extra-gentle kid gloves. It backfires. Makes me think of what Sarah Silverman said:

Stop telling girls they can be anything they want when they grow up. I think it’s a mistake. Not because they can’t but because it would have never occurred to them they couldn’t. You’re planting that seed in their heads. It’s like saying, “Hey when you get in the shower I’m not going to read your diary.”

The whole "addressing the problem" instead of behaving in a way to prove it doesn't exist reminds me of the line in "Dirty Dancing" when Edward says "I never treated you like a prostitute." and Vivian replies (under her breath): "You just did."

Our sincerest intention is for Catherine to view all people as Human and give as much weight to their gender, sexual orientation, political affiliation, religion, creed and race as she does to the color of their hair. Lamenting, defending or proclaiming pride in differences only seems to propagate the human divide.

My wife and I view Catherine as a generational clean slate with regards to human equality. The challenge has been and continues to be the adoption of behavior and offering of  lessons that don't overcompensate for the biases we encounter and dream to circumvent.     

Visual Content: The Story Behind The Masterpiece

The above drawing is a picture of a helicopter that transforms into a dog that slithers like a snake.

I know this because when my daughter completed it, she handed it to me and asked me if I knew what it was. After several guesses, she offered a long and detailed explanation. And I listened intently to her story... because I love her and appreciate any effort she makes and every story she relates.

If your restaurant or hotel relies on a logo, web site or testimony to explain what your masterpiece is, you’ve probably already failed somewhere within the four walls.  Unlike the artwork of a 4yr old -  a single snapshot of your product, service, people or property should communicate 70% of who you are and what you’re offering. “Synergistic Design” or “Look”, for many businesses, is not only an important means to reinforcing brand identity / recognition and overall desired experiences (AKA "Feel").  It is the most significant way to ensure continuity between mission, products and services.  For example, if you have to tell me that you are an upscale fast casual Mediterranean concept then you are expecting that I already love you enough to take the time to listen and learn more. Chances are, I don’t even know you…yet.

Maintaining a “Third Party Perspective” of your brand (or hiring someone to offer one) is imperative.  Every visual representation of your business from colors, fixtures, finishes, dishes, glasses, bags, shampoo bottles... even sandwich wrappers must serve as corroborating evidence as to who you are.  The only thing left to discover on-line (or through other forms of marketing) should be the additional details that serve to create and/or strengthen the personal connection a customer has with something they have already clearly identified...and decided they like.

The following is a link to a bit by Eddie Izzard, a comedian, who dramatically illustrates the theory that “70% of what people react to is how you look, 20% how you sound and 10% what you say.”

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwpuJoIvMyA

Leading From Behind: A Montessorial Approach To Management

"Knowing what you don't know". I've had a strong distaste for that expression ever since I first heard it. Probably because whenever I did, it was most often from the mouths of ineffective leaders and often unethical superiors who would cite such wisdom upon my questioning their direction. It became a cliche synonymous with "because I said so". Years later, I came to appreciate these words after a leader, with the utmost integrity, used them in a helpful context as opposed to a derogatory one. She said "They don't even know what they don't know" to underscore the value in our service to many clients who, due to inexperience, were not only unaware of the hidden risks we would mitigate for them but of the potential harm those risks could cause as well.  Years of practical application experience widens one’s field of vision and increases the ability to anticipate future outcomes. When someone’s vulnerability, due to a lack of experience is recognized…the more experienced individual may then choose to either exploit the ignorant party or protect them.

Aiming to protect someone, from something they don't know can harm them, often leads to even the best-intentioned managers merely reinforcing the need for their own presence. More productive managers develop their people by fostering independence. This is most efficiently accomplished by creating opportunities for experiential learning. The wisdom to know when protection from errors is more preferable than containment of damage, depends largely on one’s scope of vision in calculating the various potential related impacts.

Due to our first-hand experience with the enforcement of carefully worded contractual contingencies, this former mentor taught me that our moral and fiduciary obligation was to be diligent in breaking down every agreement word-by-word. She made me realize that, very often, legal contracts may appear to the untrained eye more as lengthy legal translations of standard simple terms rather than artfully crafted prose intended to bore, confuse and distract those who are not avid readers of legalese. She was dedicated to protecting those who were easy prey for exploitation. Those who enjoy such literature as they would fiction…or a film: With the tendency to suspend disbelief and surrender oneself to the overall plot. Continually moving along with the current and without ever getting hung up on the branches of  an unknown word, inaudible line or some other “small detail”.

By adopting a Montessorial approach to management, it has become easier for me to realize the long-term value in allowing some foreseeable errors to occur and mitigate the damages they cause (provided such mis-steps provide experiential learning experiences whose value exceeds the risk of not being able to contain the potential damage created as a result). I now see the attempt to avoid every foreseeable mistake, as conventional wisdom might dictate, as short sighted. The ability to prevent even unexpected events from having catastrophic effects is empowering for any manager who appreciates the value of working with people who not only grow to anticipate outcomes…but change their own behavior as a result of learning from their own mistakes.

When I used to lead hiking trips through the Application Trail, I would position myself at the end of the line and the paramedic in front. Leading from behind enabled me to not only see if any one member of the team might be failing to keep up with the group,  but also offered me the vantage point of seeing the entire team and anything that might cross their path.

As parents my wife and I are now learning, first hand, the value in replicating the same kind of leadership we regularly witness in the Montessori classroom. By maintaining even the smallest amount of distance from our daughter during most tasks, we strategically position ourselves to prevent harm as opposed to prevent failure. For example: taking one step back keeps us close enough to prevent her from picking up the sharp pieces of a broken drinking glass, but far enough away for her to learn what happens if she drops it. 

This new sort of "leading from behind" has not only proved to bolster our daughter’s confidence in knowing that it's OK to fail, but more importantly in making her (and us) more and more aware of her own resilience.

Dynastic Trust: Advice to The Women My Daughter and Niece Will Someday Be.

1. Use your advantage to help others instead of hurt them. Other than in sporting... Never do anything that puts others at a disadvantage.

2. In matters of great importance, the best response is offered after emotion and suspicion yield to reason and logic. Wait one day to respond to anything that makes your face hot.

3. Never Ever Ever Ever Ever Give Up. The fear of falling is often more debilitating than the fall itself. It is in falling that we realize our resilience.

4. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It shows you recognize the importance of a task.

5. Sometimes doing nothing is a lot...but when you move, move with purpose.

6. Full Hands In. Full Hands Out.

7. Just tell the truth & never put a price on your principles.

8. Do more than the minimum & Leave people, places and things better than you find them.

9. Ski, Surf, Walk, Drive, Ride, Fly & Live in a predictable fashion whenever there are others behind or around you.

10. If you think you can, you will. If you think you can't, you won't.

11. The most Important things you will ever say: "After you", "Please", "Thank You", "I Love You" and "I'm Sorry".

12. Go to bed early. You will accomplish more before others wake than you will after they've gone to sleep.

13. Never drink more than one cocktail with subordinates or superiors. 

14. Dissenting opinions and unpleasant news should only be voiced if some significant good can come of it. Displaying one's level of intelligence or social connectivity does not constitute a "significant good".

15. Those who control others are strong. Those who control themselves are powerful...and more attractive. 

16. It's better to be wrong and alive, then right and dead.

17. Stand back when waiting for an elevator or when someone is exiting a room. If you give people enough space to exit first, there'll be more room for you to enter afterwards.   

18. Never write, text, email or post anything on-line that you wouldn't want to air as a commercial during the Super Bowl.

19. The power in hate, greed, negativity and jealousy is in it's ability to distract you. Don't let it. Never lower yourself to the level of those who thrive on such things. They say misery loves company...and there will always be people who are stressed, overwhelmed and/or unhappy with themselves. Never let them influence your opinion of yourself....because they will definitely try. And be as kind to them as possible. Not because they deserve it but because you are kind. ‘In a world where you can choose to be anything. Choose kind” - Anonymous

20. All the world's ills (other than those resulting from chemical or psychological imbalance) can be traced back to poor parenting and/or poor education. Never stop learning! 

21. A person's character is not so easily measured in times of comfort and advantage. The more accurate measure of one's character is taken in the most threatening of times... when weakness is most likely to triumph. Even then, character is not found in one's faults or folly but in the methods and sincerity with which they redeem themselves...and those they've failed.

22. Great intelligence demands even greater patience. Most disciplines are as much an exercise in intelligence as they are in patience.

23. Drugs are a distraction from: doing what truly makes your heart happiest, discovering the most beauty that life has to offer and knowing what day it is...additionally, they make bad ideas seem like decent ones. 

24. Listen carefully. There's a difference between being quiet while waiting for your turn to speak and being quiet in order to hear and consider what someone else is saying. The former requires you to simply close your mouth. The latter requires you to open your mind.

25. When no rule exists, do the right thing. There's always an opportunity / It's never too late to do the right thing.

26. Never buy a suburban home: at the bottom of a hill, near a body of water, near commercial zoning, with a flat roof or quickly built / renovated.

27. There's nothing worse than a bully. Stand up for yourself... and those who can not stand up for themselves.

"The greatest sin that could be committed is the abuse of power. Whether it's mental, physical or economic." - Joe Biden

28. Sustained actions speak louder than words.

29. Never underestimate anyone...especially yourself.

30. In life, there will always be positives and there will always be negatives. Your attitude is driven by which you choose to focus on each and every day. It’s not what happens to you that matters; it’s how you choose to respond. (Read "The Road Less Traveled".)

31. Everything is relative. Everyone's perception is their reality. 

32. Never recline a seat in coach or fart in an elevator if you can help it. Both may provide some relief but it's usually at the expense of another.

33. Everything is on it's way somewhere. Nothing "goes away" and nothing can be "thrown away".

34. “Quality work is expensive. Cheap work costs even more.”

35. Be mindful of the ease with which an unintended tone can be imparted to the written word of another. Read "The 5 Minute Manager".

36. Mistakes and inconsistencies are where the natural beauty lies. There is no such thing as "perfect" and there is no such thing as "right" or "wrong" in art.

36. The Platinum Rule: Treat Others as They Want To Be Treated.

37. Nothing great is ever accomplished alone.

38. You can teach most anyone a skill... but you can't teach anyone personality and character.

39. Make time to be still and quiet in nature...then dance in the rain and let yourself get soaked! It's good for the soul.

40. If you're having a problem with a person or situation, look at your own behavior first...and then look at your own behavior again.

41. Treat every one & every place like a campsite... Leave them a little better than how you found them.

42. Exercise is the ultimate antidepressant...and greatest tailor. 

43. When facing any catastrophe, ask yourself: "How much will this matter in 20 years?".

44. Collaborate with people from all different walks of life. The cross-pollination between passionate people from various disciplines enables real innovation to flourish.

45. Be Kind. For everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle... hidden or not. 

46. Boys will break your heart (especially when you forget how wonderful your are). Let them. Learn from it.

47. Respect yourself enough to walk away from anything that no longer allows you to grow.

48. Stop calling him. Stop texting him. Stop saying things you hope he will hear. If he wanted you, and deserved you...he'd be there.

49. Bellybutton piercings and tattoos are always bad ideas. Self-acceptance is the coolest accessory.

50. Life begins where your comfort zone ends. Be carefree...but don't be careless.

51. Seeing the good in something and building on it is usually more productive than seeing the bad and trying to fix it.

52. You don't have to practice law but you should study law for the sake of your freedom...as both lawyers and judges are human.

53. You will find that some laws are only elucidated once the enforcement of them serves the interest of one (or few) who profit by their application.

54. It's far easier for some to believe a lie that supports one's prejudice and resentment than to maintain an open mind while seeking the truth.

55. You are bound to find some discontent in your life. Don't let that discontent form your opinions, design  your truth or decide your happiness...for hatred, injustice and the absence of peace in the world begins with the prejudice discovered upon projecting self depreciation onto others. 

56. Time doesn't heal all wounds...but it does allow for more experiences which, in turn, yield a different perspective.

57. Don't let anyone define your self-worth...not even him.

58. “Gentlemen, we are going to relentlessly chase perfection, knowing full well we will not catch it because nothing is perfect. But we are going to chase it, because in the process we will catch excellence. I am not remotely interested in just being good.” -Vince Lombardi

59. Most people let down their guard after 6 months...if they ever had it up.

60. Be grateful & love with everything you've got as I and your Mom love you. No matter what... forever and beyond. 

61. READ THE DIRECTIONS. THERE ARE ALWAYS DIRECTIONS.

62. Study Immanuel Kant’s Moral Philosophy namely… Categorical and Hypothetical Imperatives & The Formula of the Universal Law of Nature.

63.  Listen to The Beatles. There's a lot of wisdom in their simple lyrics and they can be a good "home away from home".

64. Do everything to the best of your ability with the time allotted.

65. Sing out loud.

66. Seeing the good and building on it is always more productive than seeing the bad and trying to change it.

67. In life, you will encounter plenty of "sharks". When you do, summon up all of your strength and punch it in the snout. It will most likely turn and swim away.

68. Always consider the source of the information you receive and the source of the food you eat. Your interests may not be aligned nor your motives..

69. Resist the notion that there is more hate in the world than love. Although some may profit by magnifying it or by drawing your attention to it - it simply isn't true.

70. Go for the job that feeds your interest, offers the best culture and delivers the most thorough training.

71. AIM TO SAVE 30%, SPEND 60% & SHARE 10%.

72. Clean tools work better.

73. Read “The Metaphysics of Morals” by Immanuel Kant

74. "Travel is fatal to ignorance and prejudice" - Mark Twain

75. The best ideas come from greater exposure and a change of scenery.

76. AIM TO SAVE 30% SPEND 60% & SHARE 10%...and consider an index fund.

77. Decisions, based on a longview approach that considers ancillary impacts, take time. But trusting your gut will save your ass immediately.

78. If you can't find something - try straightening up the place.

79 If you don’t prepare for the expected, you’ll be too busy to address the unexpected.

80. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed; rather, it can only be transformed from one form to another... we don't die just because our bodies do. We are all a collection of our past and present and future experiences…a union of every person we’ve touched along our way. from a smile on the street to a mother’s love and when someone dies, that part of them that touched, changed and helped to form who you are - lives on through you and the countless people whose paths you cross.

81. Your thoughts are real things. Your thoughts create vibrations and vibrations create real things Read,, listen and watch ‘The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne.

82. It’s taken me 50 years to formulate a pretty good guess at the Meaning of Life. Savor the ups and downs. The lights and darks. the pain and pleasure. The sadness and joy…for each and every one of these experiences gives you context, appreciation and ability to understand that the Meaning of Life may very well be to connect with others and the world itself through the ART of Loving, Learning, Imagining, Creating and Sharing. 

System Recovery: Backup In 10 Days after a Tonsilectomy

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A tonsilectomy is like the execution of an intelligently designed performance- based contingency. It's painful for everyone involved but if they're not meeting performance requirements, they have to go.

In our case, it was close to 10 days of pain until we were back on our feet. It would have been 9 but a ridiculously cold day (-20 degrees) resulted in school closings throughout South Dakota and afforded us an extra day to recharge.

Although most days were spent getting enough fluids down (water, apple juice and chocolate milk) while watching every episode of Scooby Doo & Peg + Cat ever created... the following is an overview of her daily post-op progression highlights:

Day 0: Nervous but brave going in. Disphoria and pain waking up. Plesant and cheerful at home.

ATE: Buttery And Fluffy Scrambled Eggs, Buttered Hawaiian Sweet Roll
And Apple Juice

Quote of the day: "I don't like any of this! I don't like one bit of this at all and I want to go home!!!"- upon waking from surgery.

Day 1: Antsy from medication and inactivity. Apparently unaffected otherwise. Playing independently.

ATE: Buttered Noodles, Fluffy Pancakes and Fudge Pop

Quote: "I don't want to eat ANYTHING!"

Day 2: Antsy and A bit overemotional / easily frustrated. Clearly masking discomfort. Bored

Quote:  "...but I'm not a very big fan if ice cream because it makes my mouth so cold."

ATE: Fudge Pop and Buttered Noodles with Chix Broth few slices of Pear.

Day 3: Calm and Cuddly with random bursts of energy presumably resulting from boredom.

Quote: "They say on television that children love flashlights and they love stuffed animals...so they really love flashlight friends! I love my new flash.light friend so much I have to hug her a lot!"

ATE: Buttered Noodles, Pancake and Fudge Pop and Marshmallows

Day 4: Fairly normal but bursts of energy continue to mix with apparent drowsiness from medication.

Quote: "I feel like I was eating an apple and swallowed it whole without even chewing it up."

ATE: Nutella Crepe, Mozzarella Cheese and Fuffy Pancake

Day 4.5: Skipped a dose of Lortab in middle of the night to tfy and let her sleep through. Bad idea.

Day 5: Irritable and uncomfortable. Needed a lot if attention and TLC = cuddling.

ATE: Nutella and Sunbutter Crepe and Buttered Noodles with Chicken Broth and Grated Cheese

Quote: "Its nice to be out of the house. I havent been out if the house in a year!"

Day 6: Doing very well. Feeling well.Comfortable but bored. Seems like her old self.
Fluffy & Light Grilled cheese on Thick slices Kings Hawaiian Sweet Round Bread, Mac n Cheese, PEZ,

ATE: Buttered Noodles and Chix Broth and Pirate Booty and Gum.

Quote: "I want someone to color with me!"

Day 7: In great spirits. Happy and Full of Energy.

ATE: Fluffy Pancakes and PEZ.

Quote: "I feel perfect!"

DAY 8: Tired and difficult breaking out of the routine of sleeping in late cuddling and being naked. Voice changing: Sounding a lot like a miniature Kristen Chenoweth...or a cute Yeardley Smith (AKA Putter from Legend of Billy Jean)

ATE: Pancakes, Ham and Cheese, broccoli, boiled honied baby carrots, avocado, apple slices and salmon nuggets.

Quote: "My throat hurts just a little when I yawn."

Cut-Throat Business: My Daughter's Tonsilectomy

The most common complication after a tonsilectomy is the rare possibility of serious bleeding either immediately following the surgery or between post-op days 5 thru 7.  In order to ensure we were available to nurse our 4yr old daughter back to health and closely monitor her recovery, my wife and I scheduled the surgery over our Christmas vacation.

A significant part of the monitoring process is determining the patient's pain level...which is quite difficult when dealing with a little girl who inherited her mother's stoicism. One of the ways we were able to accurately guage her level of pain was to utilize a method similar to the one used by nurses, physicians and physician's assistants at the hospital known as the Wong-Baker Pain Rating Scale. Upon any visit, they show a series of faces displaying a range of emotion from sad to happy(see below) and are asked to.point out which face represents the way they feel.

After observing that Catherine was having difficulty swallowing while telling us that she felt "just fine!" we decided to break out a large tablet and crayons to draw together. After getting a few designs, ducks, dogs and sunsets under our belt, I suggested that we draw ourselves. The result was interesting but not surprising. What our daughter drew at that moment and each day following was a more "honest" representation of how well her medicine was working than her strictly verbal response to our asking.

Although some people are excellent judges of character and possess an intuition that is remarkable...these traits and skill sets are not without bias and fallible at best. Self evaluations and inter-company surveys promising anonymity may offer some insight as to the satisfaction level of an organization's employees. However, nothing removes the pressure of expectation and discomfort of confrontation as much as what I call "dissociative diagnostics"... similar to "Play Therapy" which facilitates communication for children by modest dissociation.

According to the psychodynamic view, people (especially children) will engage in play behavior/therapy in order to work through their interior obfuscations and anxieties. Because professional adults are more calculating than children and are more likely to know when they are being "diagnosed" or "tested", drawing pictures or playing with dolls is not going to create a great enough dissociation from themselves.

I propose that one may obtain a more accurate account of an employee's opinions, concerns and overall satisfaction if they can be drawn into some degree of projection through an evaluation exercise in which they are asked to evaluate an outside organization whose operations closely mirror their own. The disclosed pretense for such an experiment may yield an ancillary benefit almost as valuable as that of the primary purpose through the actual identification of key procedures and/or practices within the evaluated organization that may be adopted or avoided by their own.

Just as it is important for children to be allotted time for "free play" or "unstructured play" when this therapy is used as a self-help mechanism, so too would the expected and/or conventional evaluation methods need to be employed if a version of this therapy is expected to be effective in breaking down barriers with professional adults. Meeting a subject's environmental expectations is imperative in affording them the ability to suspend suspicion of being the experimental group.

Power Lunch: Try A New Place

A dry bathtub can be a delightful surprise when looking to try something new for lunch. 

Third Party: Princess Themed Birthday Party

Catherine wanted to have a Pancake Princess Party at the house...which meant only a handful of princesses. Sarah's Magic Wand Dispenser and Rainbow Lollipop Tree were both big hits!

Outside-in Perspective: Doing Well Without Me

I just drove by my daughter's school and stopped by the side of the road, just for a minute, to watch her running and jumping and laughing with friends on the playground...and my heart still swells with a joy that is almost overwhelming and so new to me.

MBWA: Taking the Longer Route

My wife Sarah and I had always wanted to take a long train ride on some luxury rail car like the Orient Express...across the country. Around mountains and across prairies. Over bridges and through valleys. There's something romantic in a train's history... from the days of steam locomotives and establishment of the trans-continental railroad to classic murder mysteries and black and white Hitchcock films. The idea of seeing beautiful landscapes, at the ground level without the necessity of driving or piloting is novel to me. Perhaps the allure is in taking the long way when we spend so much of our lives on a tight schedule...hurrying from here to there.

After hearing myself explaining to our daughter: "let's go or we're going to be late..." far too many times,  my wife and I finally decided to pull the trigger and break the mold of our traditional vacations and take "relaxing" beyond the beach... or a day spent at the park.  Enjoying a museum or time in Catherine's "play room / art studio" is relaxing as well but I think it's important that we incorporate more dramatic pauses into her early developmental years and take the time to observe the world from a very different perspective.

I once read an article in the Long Beach Business Journal written by Ian Lamont, Senior Consultant and Principle of The Lamont Group (TLG).

In his article titled: "Knowing what you Don’t Know", he mentioned a concept that greatly impacted his leadership style and perspective on business known as “Management by Wandering Around”. Although I’m a firm advocate of hospitality managers and athletes “moving with a purpose” (as a friend and former colleague, Tom Jackson, used to be fond of saying), the concept has stuck with me as a valuable tool used to successful temper over-management.

“…a book I read when I was a young manager, full of ego and pride, was Tom Peter’s In Search of Excellence. One term that stayed with me was “MBWA- management by wandering around.” In my career I have been the CEO of small businesses and large businesses. No matter the size, most days I did my “MBWA”. Despite having other executives tell me “I don’t have time to wander around,” nothing I could have done at my desk was more valuable than what I learned during my “wandering around.”

I learned about families, vacations, upcoming celebrations and life’s struggles. I became human to employees (fancy that, the CEO cares). I found out what was impacting their performance, what they thought, what they would do. My management team started “MBWA” also and not just in their own department. I am proud to say at every business, performance was high, and record setting years occurred. Not because of me or even my senior managers. It was due to the right people being put in the best position to be successful and everyone understanding that if they did not know the answer, it was OK to seek out someone who did.

So try “MBWA”. Ask the people around you, "What do you need to know to do your job?" Sit with them at their desks and ask them about the processes they've adopted; the systems they use and the knowledge they draw upon. The answers will surprise you, especially after they get accustomed to the surprise of you asking.

Kick off every staff meeting by going around the room and asking participants to volunteer something they've recently learned about the business.

By showing you're constantly hungry for knowledge, you create an open culture that facilitates the free exchange of ideas. And the best part of all is that you'll maintain a high degree of self-awareness: You'll act on what you know — and take steps to find out what you don't. You will park your ego and pride and become one heck of a leader!”

I’m convinced that there is value in sitting back and watching the world as it plays by through something other than the screen of an i pad or large screen LED. Don't get me wrong...our daughter has plenty of “outside time” riding her bike, going for walks, playing in the park or on her play set with friends....but we are committed to exposing her to the natural world from as many different perspectives as possible.

Most of the majestic sights she's witnessed have been while engaged in some other consuming activity...be it playing on the beach, skiing atop a mountain, flying 15,000 feet above the ground or from the confines of a car seat.

Although the Grand Canyon, Volcanos and Giant Sequoias are on our must-see list...taking a long ride and just watching the world go by seems important right now.

After heading to New York to see the Big Apple Circus (a requisite after watching Madagascar 3 almost as many times as she's watched Mac and Cheese dissapear from a spoon) we will be taking an 11 hour train ride from Penn Station to Mount Tremblant in Quebec Canada. The Adirondack train's route from New York City, through the lush wine country of the Hudson Valley, into Montreal is supposedly "one of the top 10 most scenic train rides in the world".

Stacy King Gordon of suiteseven.com writes:  

"...many of the people to whom we speak are laser-focused on the get-er-done: driving the day-to-day business ahead with the blocking and tackling necessary to close sales, get projects done satisfactorily and maintain strong customer relationships. It leaves very little time for stepping outside the workflow and thinking about business strategy in the abstract. Spending an hour talking about opportunities, challenges, the marketplace, competitors and other topics is a rarity...That’s why brainstorming sessions — which creative teams have always believed to be the magic bullet for uncovering great ideas — are not always successful. Brainstorming team members are so focused on solving the problem within the time allotted that they don’t take the time to reflect on the business realities and naturally make the connections that help them arrive at a real breakthrough. (Scientists have even found that brain activity when arriving at creative a-ha’s is very different from the activity involved with traditional problem-solving.)"

Heading north, we will depart New York's Penn Station in the morning and arrive in Montreal later that evening, where we will take a car to what the New York Times calls "...[the combination] of a charming Canadian rustic logging town and the Old World flavor of the French Alps ... with a European-style pedestrian village nestled at the bottom of the mountains. We'll forgo the long way home in lieu of a direct flight back to Sioux Falls that affords us an extra day to ski... but the long route getting there should be a memorable and "grounding" experience.

Homeostasis: The Result of Successful Management

I found the following article on Wikipedia and immediately realized the correlation between homeostasis in the scientific world and sustainable success in the business world. I found it very interesting to "edit" the piece by (inserting applicable terms) which serve as viable substitutions to the words preceding them.

For another coherent piece, one might also substitute familial terms along with principles of: love, discipline, respect and education respectively as these scientific concepts are universally sound across every family, school and business that is, at it's core, a small branch of the greater natural world in which we live.

HOMEOSTASIS- 

 "In simple terms, it is a process in which the body's internal environment is kept stable, despite changes in external conditions. The concept was described by Claude Bernarrd as Multiple dynamic equilibrium adjustment and regulation mechanisms make homeostasis possible."

With regard to any given life system (business) an organism (employee) may be a conformer or a regulator.

Regulators (managers) try to maintain parameters at a constant level over possibly wide ambient environmental variations.

Conformers (smart hires) allow the environment to determine their parameters (buy in).

For instance endothermic animals, namely mammals and birds(successful managers) maintain a constant body temperature (standard), while ectothermic animals, namely almost all other organisms (non-managent)unless acted upon may exhibit wide body temperature (behavioral) variation.

Behavioral adaptations (engaged managers) allow ectothermic animals (non-managent) to exert some control over a given parameter.

For instance, reptiles (unsatisfied employees) often rest on sun-heated rocks (strong leaders) in the morning to raise their body temperature (morale, performance or perception).

Regulators (Management) are also responsive to external circumstances (customers, market fluxtuation, demand, competition, etc..), however: if the same sun-baked boulder (motivational leader) happens to host a ground squirrel (colleague / employee requiring less motivation) , the animal's metabolism (colleague's moral, performance, perception, etc...) will adjust to the lesser need for internal heat production (motivation) .[citation needed]

An advantage of homeostatic regulation (effective management) is that it allows an organism (business) to function effectively in a broad range of environmental conditions. For example,ectotherms( non-management employees) tend to become sluggish at low temperatures (when business is slow), whereas a co-located endotherm (manager) may be fully active. That thermal stability comes at a price (higher salary and benefits) since an automatic regulation system (keeping your head when all others about you are losing theirs...) requires additional energy.

All homeostatic control mechanisms (Successful Systems of Operation) have at least three interdependent components for the variable being regulated: The receptor is the sensing component that monitors and responds to changes in the environment (executives / general managers). When the receptor senses a stimulus (performance), it sends information to a "control center", the component that sets the range at which a variable is maintained (board of directors / ownership) The control center (board) determines an appropriate response to the stimulus (performance). In most homeostatic mechanisms, the control center is the brain. The control center then sends signals to effectors (mid-level management), which can be muscles, organs or other structures that receive signals from the receptors (general manager) or control center (directors). After receiving the signal, a change occurs to correct the deviation by either enhancing it with positive feedback or depressing it with negative feedback.[10]

Positive Feedback:

Mechanisms (praise) designed to accelerate or enhance the output created by a stimulus (successful performance) that has already been activated (achieved).

Unlike negative feedback mechanisms that initiate to maintain or regulate (critique / correct) physiological functions within a set and narrow range (underperformance), the positive feedback mechanisms are designed to push levels out of normal ranges (motivate by positive reinforcement).

To achieve this effect, a series of events initiates a cascading process (appreciation and engagement) that builds to increase the effect of the stimulus (performance). This process can be beneficial but is rarely used by the body due to risks of the acceleration's (unwarranted praise/ reward or unnecessary expenses) benefit being diluted.

One positive feedback example event in the body is blood platelet accumulation, which, in turn, causesblood clotting in response to a break or tear in the lining of blood vessels. Another example is the release of oxytocin to intensify the contractions that take place during childbirth.[10]

Negative feedback:

Negative feedback mechanisms consist of reducing the output activity (limiting privileges or offering constructive criticism) of any organ (employee with opportunity to improve) or system (many) back to its normal range of functioning (procedure).

A good example of this is regulating blood pressure. Blood vessels can sense resistance of blood flow against the walls when blood pressure increases. The blood vessels act as the receptors and they relay this message to the brain. The brain then sends a message to the heart and blood vessels, both of which are the effectors. The heart rate would decrease as the blood vessels increase in diameter (known as vasodilation). This change would cause the blood pressure to fall back to its normal range. The opposite would happen when blood pressure decreases, and would cause vasoconstriction.

Another important example is seen when the body is deprived of food. The body would then reset the metabolic set point to a lower than normal value. This would allow the body to continue to function, at a slower rate, even though the body is starving. Therefore, people who deprive themselves of food while trying to lose weight would find it easy to shed weight initially and much harder to lose more after. This is due to the body readjusting itself to a lower metabolic set point to allow the body to survive with its low supply of energy. Exercise can change this effect by increasing the metabolic demand.

Both feedbacks are equally important for the healthy functioning of one's body...

Homeostatic imbalance:

Many diseases (business failures) a result of disturbance of homeostasis, a condition known as homeostatic imbalance (mismanagement). As it ages, every organism (business) will lose efficiency in its control systems(process management). The inefficiencies gradually result in an unstable internal environment (dymamics) that increases the risk for illness (losses). In addition, homeostatic imbalance(mismanagement) is also responsible for the physical changes associated with aging (obsolescence). Even more serious than illness (losses) and other characteristics of aging(inefficiency) is death(bankruptcy). Heart failure has been seen where nominal negative feedback mechanisms become overwhelmed, and destructive positive feedback mechanisms then take over.[10]Diseases(failures) that result from a homeostatic imbalance (mismanagement) include diabetes(inability to balance books), dehydration(lack of working capital), hypoglycemia(inability to drive sales), hyperglycemia (lack of infrastructure to handle volume), gout (disruptive employees), and any disease caused by a toxin present in the bloodstream (loss, theft, embezzlement).

All of these conditions result from the presence of an increased amount of a particular substance (problem). In ideal circumstances, homeostatic control mechanisms (successful management) should prevent this imbalance from occurring, but, in some people (organizations), the mechanisms (standard operating procedure, standard of care or systems of operation) do not work efficiently enough or the quantity of the substance (seriousness or lifespan of the problem) exceeds the levels at which it can be managed.

In these cases, medical intervention (outside consulting services) is necessary to restore the balance, or permanent damage to the organs (culture, mission, people power, etc...) may result.

According to the following citation, every illness has aspects to it that are a result of lost homeostasis (managent controls): "Just as we live in a constantly changing world, so do the cells and tissues (businesses) survive in a constantly changing microenvironment (marketplace). The 'normal' or 'physiologic' (profitable or sustainable) state then is achieved by adaptive responses to the ebb and flow of various stimuli (activity and performance) permitting the cells and tissues to adapt and to live in harmony within their microenvironment... Thus, homeostasis is preserved. What is good for individual cell is good for the entire system.

Varieties:

Author George Leonard discusses in his book "Mastery" how homeostasis affects our behavior and who we are. He states that homeostasis will prevent our body from making drastic changes and maintain stability in our lives even if it is detrimental to us.[12]Examples include when an obese person starts exercising, homeostasis in the body resists the activity to maintain stability.[13] Another example Leonard uses is an unstable family where the father has been a raging alcoholic and suddenly stops and the son starts up a drug habit to maintain stability in the family.

A note to other advisors, consultants, parents or anyone looking to champion a turn-around, Leonard also said: "Homeostasis is the main factor that stops people changing their habits because our bodies view change as dangerous unless it is very slow." Expect resistance and unnecessary delays if the need for change isn't first communicated and desired system-wide. Expect success if it is and you have the time and resources to walk them as opposed to pushing them through it.

Tools of The Trade: Intro to Cursive by Montessorium

As human beings, we are all inherently driven to explore and find pleasure through the exploration of our physical senses. In a world of swiping, sliding and tapping one or more fingers in order to: navigate, zoom, shrink, pan and close… we are concerned about the propensity for our child to grow disconnected from the very fabric of her nature.

We are doing our best to develop our daughter’s natural senses and curiosities that, we believe, are as interwoven with her mental and moral fabric as physical comprehension is with conceptual learning. So much more than a formal writing system used to communicate the spoken word, handwriting is an art form that not only standardizes communication of the spoken word, but serves as the media through which any culture celebrates their collective history and individual spirit.

In my earlier post;  "DMSMS: Is Handwriting Technically Obsolete?"   I discussed the fact that although Smithsonian.com  ran an article in March of 2013 citing: A survey in the US in 1960 found that the decision to teach cursive in elementary schools was “based mainly on tradition and wide usage, not on research findings; researchers are now using magnetic resonance imaging to study brain activity say handwriting, whether print or cursive, engages more of the brain in learning and forming ideas.” 

 With the help of exceptional educators, progressive manufacturers, thoughtful developers (like Montessorium ) and mindful parents, we are discovering more and more tools that support our goal of keeping cursive and related arts based in touch  alive.

Staying Afloat: Never Turn Your Back on The Essentials

"The whole theory of modern education is radically unsound. Fortunately, in England, at any rate, education produces no effect whatsoever. If it did, it would prove a serious danger to the upper classes, and probably lead to acts of violence..."'

-Although merely the comedy of Oscar Wilde, this line has lately been extremely evocative, for me, of our Department of Education's inertia in light of positive findings in Montessori research:

http://www.montessori.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=422:montessori-rese..

http://montessoricompass.com/blog/new-research-collaboration-provides-big-opportunity-for-montessori

http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-500368_162-2050676.html

…and our many states’ recent retreat from potential recovery -in the face of pending sequestration which will likely result in extremely damaging federal cuts to education. 

Michael Sargeant’s (Huffington Post) article http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-sargeant/north-carolina-education-cuts_b_3785414.html  discusses the efforts by North Carolina's GOP to create new private school vouchers called: "opportunity scholarships". This.$90MM taxpayer contribution drains $500MM out of the public education system sans accountability.

Cuts like these to education budgets (USA TODAY) in order to offset economic shortfalls is like watering the lawn when the roof is on fire:

Read More:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/09/25/7-states-slashing-education-spending/2866529/

I'm reminded of wisdom regarding downsizing in the business world:

"If a firm is able to concentrate it's expenses around the capabilities that make a real difference in terms of winning in the market then great things happen...then they are able to invest in the areas that cause them to thrive and to grow....people, processes and expertise that allow them to out-execute competition" 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8w_aXu2izI

Cesare Mainardi, Managing Director, Booz & Company, How executives should cut costs but often dont.

Circle Back: Valuable Lessons in Getting Back to Nature

A Montessorial approach to nature, in which the interconnectedness of simple structures is considered, can deepen an understanding and appreciation of many more seemingly complex principles and/or operations within a multitude of fields from business to medicine.

I saw a program on NOVA the other night, the topic of which was "Nanoarchitecture" and it was fascinating to learn that when you reduced the size of a gold particle (to the size of nanometers) you get completely different optical properties. Gold is no longer "gold" in color when taken to the 13 nanometer size. It's ruby red in color. 

"...when a particle of gold is made very small...below 100 nanometers, the smaller the particle, the more it begins to absorb shorter wavelengths of light. Toward the blue end of the spectrum..and the redder it appears. When light rays hit a colored material some rays are absorbed and some are reflected."

-Chad Merkin and David  Pogue Nova Series "Making Things Smaller"

The series also discussed "Structural Color...(as found in the iridescence of butterfly wings, beetle shells and peacock feathers). "Once you discover those new properties of nanoparticles, it almost always leads to new applications." Once such application is a new process of sequencing DNA / testing for genetic variations which is capable of being completed in less than 2hrs. One of the experiments which led to this DNA testing breakthough was one in which equal amounts but different shapes of silver nanoparticles were dissolved in vials of water. Different colored liquids were created based solely on the shape of those silver particles. Silver rods turned the water yellow, silver triangles turned the water green and silver prisms turned the water blue. These newly discovered reactions of nanoparticles were used to help develop the test that enables chromosomal abnormalities to be highlighted upon addition of similarly altered nanoparticles to a DNA sample.

There is tremendous value when a parent or business owner is reminded, through a Montessorial observation of the natural world, that visually observed characteristics of things (or people) can be variables depending on applied forces and independent perspectives...and that those observed characteristics don't necessarily dictate substance. Not only does this promote a wider-view perspective but it also reinforces the value in seeking possible factors outside of one's initial consideration. 

If you pause long enough to take a much broader view of your child's development or of your business' operations, you may be fortunate enough to recognize that the natural world and the business world are inexorably bound due to the fact that we ourselves, regardless of how technical our tools or how complex our lives, are merely components born of and operating within the same kingdom as the elephant and the honeybee.

After a small amount of research, I quickly learned that applying holistic and systemic approaches to business, social or educational organizations based on principles in nature is not, by any stretch, new thinking... but has certainly been gaining more traction over the last few years.

Business Reinvention with Nancy Lin discusses the fact that scientists and technologists are uncovering innovative ideas and borrow efficient designs from nature. She answers the question: “Does nature offer leadership lessons that can help us manage the increasing level of uncertainty, speed of change and limited resources to achieve such business transformation?" in her January 6th interview with the Denise DeLuca, co-founder and director of BCI, Biomimicry for Creative Innovation.

Alan Moore, author of No Straight Lines discusses the fact that a non-linear world is one in which we embrace the power and potential of complexity rather than trying to break it down into unconnected bits and that we see the world systemically. A non-linear world is where we have the capacity and the tools (which already exist) to transform our organizations commercially and non-commercially to work with the grain of human nature not against it that run leaner, more efficiently, and are greener. 

Giles Hutchins’ blog, The Nature of Business (one of my newest favorites) is exploring similar understandings of the interconnectedness of all things in nature and writes:

"Knowledge of the core principles of how life works becomes a critical skill for business leaders and change agents wishing to successfully transform their organizations in these volatile times.  It is what  BCI (Biomimicry for Creative Innovation) calls ‘ecological thinking for radical transformation'."

Most people in business subscribe to an outdated worldview, a perception of reality inadequate for dealing with the volatile and globally interconnected business world.  What is required for the health and vitality of our businesses and economies is a radical shift in our perceptions, our thinking and our business behavior.  We are witnessing a change in the business paradigm from one suited for the industrial era to one suited for the interconnected era.

At the core of this paradigm shift is a perception shift from ‘seperatedness’ to ‘interconnectedness’.

Just as in science we have discovered that no longer can the universe be viewed as a machine composed of elementary building blocks, so too must we avoid the propensity to view organizations as atomized, silo’ed and tightly managed machines more then we need view them as vibrant, living organisms interacting within emergent, self-regulating and self-organizing business ecosystems."

  "Evolution is no longer seen as a competitive struggle for existence, but rather as a ‘cooperative dance in which creativity and the constant emergence of novelty are the driving forces"

-Fritjof Capra / Founding Director / The Centre for Ecoliteracy.

Ditto for business evolution and so business people need to shift perceptions from "...seeing isolated, competing aspects of the business environment to seeing the interconnected and emergent nature of the business reality ahead.”

And finally, Fortune Magazine’s Jennifer Alserver significantly contributed to this concept back in her March 2013 article titled “8 Lessons from the Birds and the Bees”:

“The burgeoning field of biomimicry, in which scientists copy nature to solve human problems, has drawn interest across industries -- from energy to consumer goods. 'There is a whole pipeline of people inventing by looking to the natural world', says Janine Benyus, founder of Biomimicry 3.8, a consultancy that has helped Colgate-Palmolive (CL, Fortune 500), Levis, Nike (NKE, Fortune 500) and Boeing (BA, Fortune 500) reformulate products using biomimicry  “.

Nicholas Sykes' TED X talk: - Biomimicry 2.0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKQvr-RJQeg&noredirect=1

I continue to discover new and exciting aspects of my business since adopting a more Montessorial perspective on any business venture.