11 Signs a City Will Succeed...#3...

James Fallows recently wrote a fascinating article in The Atlantic based on research conducted by he and his wife.  The article lays out 11 key factors that seem to point to the success of a city.

Read the entire article here.

This set of posts offers musings on each of the 11 signs.

#3..."Public-private partnerships" are real...

There is something incredibly exciting about what this says regarding the synergies latent within society.  The flourishing of humanity and society was always meant to be a group/collective effort, not a one-man band.  It gives substance to the phrase "it takes a community".  Because indeed it does, in ways that exceed what we even imagine.

I believe it ultimately points to the fact that all things have a common initiator and therefore continue to remain dependent on one another.

Much of society has come to look much like a beehive with hundreds of compartments.  This sign seems to indicate that flourishing requires something much less compartmentalized.

11 Signs a City Will Succeed...#2...

James Fallows recently wrote a fascinating article in The Atlantic based on research conducted by he and his wife.  The article lays out 11 key factors that seem to point to the success of a city.

Read the entire article here.

This set of posts offers musings on each of the 11 signs.

Sign #2 - You can pick out the local patriots.

Fallows goes on to say:

"What mattered was that the question had an answer. And the more quickly it was provided, the better shape the town was in."

This again seems to tie closely with the ideas of telling an alternative story to change society, and telling that story from the bottom up.  From the tone of the article, it seems that these local patriots are people who are patriots not so that they will become great, but rather so their locality will become better and eventually great.

Donald Miller, in his Storybrand framework, talks about how we naturally want to be the hero of the story, but that our lives will reach a vibrant new trajectory when we recognize ourselves not as the hero, but rather as a guide for someone (or something) else to become the hero.

These local patriots are people who recognize (whether they realize it or not) that they are not the hero, but rather that they are the guide who is helping the city become a flourishing and attractive "hero".

11 Signs a City Will Succeed...#1...

James Fallows recently wrote a fascinating article in The Atlantic based on research conducted by he and his wife.  The article lays out 11 key factors that seem to point to the success of a city.

Read the entire article here.

This set of posts offers musings on each of the 11 signs.

Sign #1 - Divisive national politics seem a distant concern.

This seems particularly pertinent given the current state of affairs in national politics.

Yet, current state of affairs aside, I find this indicator of success encouraging and exciting.  I have never felt a significant draw to national politics, but more importantly, I have always believed deeply that true systemic and holistic change happens from the bottom up.

This sign seems to validate that belief.

There is a great quote that says something to the effect of "if you want to change society, you have to tell an alternative story".

It seems possible, and it is my hope, that much of the reason people in succeeding cities hold divisive national politics as a distant concern is because they are to busy telling an alternative story.

An alternative story filled with beauty, life, and human flourishing.

Ownership...given or taken?

If someone attempts to take ownership of my house without me first offering them the ownership...they are a burglar.

If, on the other hand, I put a sign in my yard, negotiate with said individual, and ultimately offer them ownership of my house...then when they take ownership of my house...they are a purchaser.

Often in organizations and teams there is an expectation for people to take ownership before it has ever been properly offered.  This is rarely the most vibrant way for ownership transfer to take place.

It need not be big, fancy or elaborate but when those who possess ownership desire others to buy in and run with ownership they must embrace their responsibility to first offer the ownership and provide a clear on-ramp for the possession of ownership.  Make sure the "for sale" sign is visibly in the yard.

Similarly, people must constantly be aware of the potential that ownership is being offered to them.  Many people drive ignorantly by all sorts of "for sale" signs, while at the same time wishing they could have ownership.

Undoubtedly, there are (healthy) exceptions where ownership is indeed taken without first being offered, but these are the exception not the rule.

Strategy is...

...this.

...informative of what to do.

...also informative of what NOT to do.

The average individual or organization is adept at applying strategy to what they decide to do.

The exceptional individual or organization excels at applying strategy as a filtration system of what not to do.

Strategy is every bit, and maybe even more so, about what is not done.  Of course, this is much tougher to grasp, because by definition what is not done is also not seen.

This means that recognizing the strategy of what is not done requires a reading between the lines.

Generosity is...

...not just giving for free.

Generosity is also characterized by a willingness to sell.  A willingness to offer a good or service to another at a fair and worthy price.

Rabbi Daniel Lapin shares two profound and revolutionary ideas on this topic.

The first focuses on the idea that money is nothing but a certificate of good deed.  The second deals with the idea that if you are taking money from someone you are a thief, but if you are making money you are a servant.

To make money means to create value, which is by definition an act of generosity.

To be clear, in a spirit of generosity we should at times give freely and openly.  But if our definition of generosity is limited to only giving things for free then it is myopic at best.

Holistic generosity most also include a willingness to sell.

An unprecedented era of (free) content...

...especially written content.
A massive percentage of the world's population now has the capability to create content and place it in a location where the recipient of their content can be almost anyone, almost anywhere.

This is amazing.

This is scary.

This is overwhelming.

This is latent with potential.

This is why it is crucial to have access to deeply rich content curators.

It is neither possible nor practical for an individual to sift through all potential content.  We need people, voices, and resources who can illuminate the people, voices, and resources worth encountering.  A quality set of content curators is worth literally thousands of dollars (though, if you are creative, you shouldn't have to pay for their curation).

This may seem judgmental and critical, but the reality is that there is now more content then there is capacity for and so the options are filter or drown.  I choose filtration.  I yearn for quality curators.

Oh and...this also means we must be bold enough to stop reading someone's work if it no longer makes the cut.  Time and mental space is too precious not to.

Small and great alike...

Masterful leadership sees and treats both as equals.

Not necessarily the same.  Treating everyone/everything as the same is neither practical nor possible.  "Small and great" by definition are not the same.  They are uniquely different, and deserve to be seen as such.  Attempting to see and treat "great and small" the same is formulaic.  Impersonal.  Void of work.

But rather, equally.  To see and treat both "great and small" equally is one of the most compelling and captivating qualities a leader and/or organization can embody.  Equally sees and validates the core uniqueness of every individual/entity completely regardless size and works to operate deeply out of that reality.

Can we/will we engage in the vitally important work of seeing and treating both "small and great" as equals?

Why write?

Two reasons...

First, I recently heard Seth Godin (marketing guru and every day blog poster for more than 10 years) say that everyone should write a blog.  Not for themselves, but for what the process of writing can and will do in them.  Challenge acknowledged.

Secondly, one of the most significant things I miss about preparing to speak publicly (I worked for 10 years as a campus minister) is the challenge of thinking deeply through content and then wrestling through communicating those ideas to others in a compelling format.  That regular challenge formed and shaped me immensely and to whatever extent possible, I want to continue to be challenged by that sort of wrestling.  I sense that writing can replicate some of that.

So, today I begin a journey to write/post each weekday...

Honestly, it is a selfish endeavor.  I believe it will make me better.

If it grows or impacts others that is icing on the proverbial cake.

Here's to writing.  Cheers!