The Power of One-ness.

One . .  . 

is a number that leads to infinity.

is a lonely number, or so the song says.  

is a winning number.

One . . .  

can be an individual or a collective.

person makes a difference. 

person decides.  

person stands up for another. 

is powerful.  

I am fascinated with the power and the responsibility of one. I believe in the power and responsibility of one person's ability to impact a situation, a company, a family, a community, a world. I believe in the power and the responsibility of the collective of ones who decide to make a change, and then relentlessly forge ahead. I believe in the power and responsibility of one vision, so much so that I have dedicated my work to helping organization's of all sizes and types find that vision and express it so others can see it too.

One-ness is a vision for collective strength and success.  A vision to engage and inspire. To connect and create something together that could never be created in isolation. Some people call this "co-operation."

The credit union system for me is the best example of collective strength and vision, or one-ness that I have experienced in my work-time. Working with the credit union system, where the principles of working together for a common good, democratic decision making and autonomy (another word for freedom from ownership by government) created a standard that I have come to expect and hold myself and others too. Co-operatives are based on a set of principles and values that are unique and separate from other organizations that are not of the co-operative nature. Learn more about cooperatives . . .

I joined the Credit Union system as the Manager of Planning in 2002, making the move from a Federal government crown, where I was conducting competitive research. I had developed a matrix of financial institutions across Canada, including profitability, current strategies, and future strategies (sleeping giants). I pulled information from annual reports, shareholder speeches and the Canadian Banker's Association. At the time, financial institutions were adopting new technologies, changing the customer service model, implementing relationship management and spreading their impact through value chain integration.  (President's Choice was breaking new ground integrating banking with groceries).

When it came to the credit union system, however, it was a more difficult picture to put together.  Number one, there were literally hundreds of credit unions. Number two, there was no clear point of contact for "the system" that I was aware of at the time.

But looking at the numbers for the top credit unions in the country, in 1996, I could see this was a force to be reckoned with.  A classic sleeping giant. I wondered what made it successful. Why and how did the system continue to evolve and grow?

So when the opportunity came to work for the system, I was ecstatic and gladly made the leap to learn what it was that made this system tick. In doing so, however, I learned what makes me tick as well. 

On my first day of work, I remember mapping out the elements of strategy so that I could draw the picture back to the big idea. I wrote "one" on my white board. What if, I thought, the credit union system could be "one". It would dominate the banking industry. A classic outsider's view, I later learned.

The system is a  collective of one, that is committed to a commonly shared set of principles and values.  Each credit union is a credit union unto itself, governed by the principles of autonomy, democracy, and working together for the good of its community and members and the values of the pioneers who forged this land out of mud, rock and tenacity.

Each credit union represents a collective strength that stands firmly on a foundation of principles and values that are time honored and never discretionary.

Though it was foreign to me at first, I began to understand the passion that lives and breathes in the credit union system and why it continues to be successful. It had imprinted itself upon my psyche. My values and the system values had become one. I came to expect that honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others was and is a necessary part of work. I came to expect that working for purpose meant working for a greater good, something bigger than "me."

I came to appreciate the culture of co-operation, of democratic decision making, giving back and making a difference economically and socially.  These elements together create a finger print that is unique and competitively strong that can be possibly replicated, but never duplicated without the spirit and commitment to co-operative principles, as I was to later learn.

There's the sweet spot in the universe

There I was, in a room, surrounded by great minds with an incredible desire to do good for others. To create something that will change people's lives by giving them the power of communication without words. "I found it," I thought, "this is the sweet spot in the universe."

The focus on the conversation was "how to move ahead", not why or why not. We were moving one step closer to a vision that began more than 25 years ago with one man who cared enough to care, and another who brought others into the caring. There was no other place I wanted to be.

I met this man of vision and inspiration at a SOHO conference last year that was featuring pictogram applications for health care providers. Wanting to understand the importance of the product, I asked the pictogram creator how this came to be.  He told me about his experience as a young speech pathologist trying to teach a young girl how to speak.  He realized that the spoken word was out of her reach, and sought ways for non-verbal people to communicate.

His life's work became immersed in understanding how visual graphics can help people communicate with their care givers, family and friends.

His legacy and his life is inspirational. When we say that one person can make a difference when he or she has a big enough heart, it is true. I have seen it, and it makes me want to be a better person. It makes me want to help.

Others joined the quest to give words to the unspoken, and now his dream to help the little girl has expanded from one to many. His caring has come to life beyond the measure of one man.

On that day, my perspective on life and work was altered, and every day since. He inspired me to use my time and talents to help find that sweet spot where people come together to help bring worthwhile ideas to life in an environment that is ready for sustained change.

So if you are looking for me, you will find me at the sweet spot in the universe.

Change the "F" Word

Change.  It happens all the time.  The weather changes. The wind changes.  The economy changes.  People change.  Lives change.  We change, as we age. We change as we learn.  Change is not usually fun.

We are so fascinated by change that change management gurus have documented the change cycle, beginning with  mourning and a sense of loss, followed by anger and rejection of the change, then denial, and finally acceptance.

Change can be a good thing, and usually is, at the end of the change process.  Change is a necessary part of the time and experience continuum. Like an ocean that never stands still, so it is for all beings, organic or otherwise. Even rocks change. When change is led with purpose, it can be a very positive experience.  But when change is denied, the experience is painful.

I would suggest that most change should not be a surprise. There are signs in business and in life.

Here is a scenario that we have all seen.  A company is established that includes a way of working, the products and services, and the attitude with which it is delivered.  Competitive unique strengths that the organization or individual possesses form the foundation for success. Four elements - quality products and services, delivery system, people and resources - ensure the company delivers on its promise. Success is measured by the level of usefulness to others.  As the company's brand becomes more successful, the more secure it becomes.

When one or all of the four elements suffer, the brand begins to erode and the cracks begin to deepen. Customers might complain more about the little things. Employees are less willing to take the boss at his or her word. Processes become weakened. Eventually, the bottom line begins to erode, and then it becomes obvious that something has happened, and that something needs to happen.

In the arena of change, length of time in business or size are irrelevant.  Giants fall.  Start ups fizzle.  Companies downsize, rightsize, merge, converge or disappear.

"What happened," everyone asks.  Why didn't we see this coming?  The quick answer is, "you weren't looking."

One can point to many reasons for this, but short-sightedness, either intentional or accidental, is short-sightedness and the outcome is the same. Eventually there is a head-on collision with reality. The question is why.  What is behind this masochistic perspective. Is it the "f" word?

Designer Milton Glasser, in his video: "The fear of failure" offers an explanation.  He says that if you have something that no one else has, and you become successful, the consequence of specialization and success is that it hurts you  . . . because it doesn't aide in your development.

Dove of Peace - Pablo Picasso

He says that fear of failure may hold us back, or that failure can lead to a damaged ego.  Glasser points to the artist Pablo Picasso who abandoned something once he became good at it.  He refused to stagnate.

Glasser says that one must embrace failure and admit what is, and find out what a person is capable of doing, and not capable of doing.  Unless one subjects himself to the possibility of failure, one never tests the hypothesis of brand greatness.

Understanding failure is to understand another "f" word  - fear.  Organizations or individuals who are afraid of failure cannot learn from the situation and run the risk of being stuck in that moment of failure forever.  Lost in that moment when someone - your customer, your employee, your employer - said, "you are not meeting my needs," "You are not good enough", "You are too expensive", or the ultimate "f" word - "You are fired."

I like to think that there is one "f" word that trumps all of the other "f" words - and that is faith in the human spirit to persevere, be passionate and find a way through.  Everything with a heart beat or a DNA structure, has a natural disposition to survive.

When things change, how do we persevere?  We hold on to our passion and remember every day to do that which we are passionate about.  I do not believe that one can become complacent or afraid if one is passionate.  We learn. We pay attention to the signs and signals around us. We change on purpose, and control that which is within our control and manage that which is not.

If all fails and you feel the need to use the "f" word, choose faith over failure and fear.

Sources and other articles of interest:

Pablo Picaso

Milton Glasser )