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unthinkable is a strategic design company that creates impact and value through design

unthinkable blog

Intriguing thoughts and musings to provoke
you to think and inspire the unthinkable.

Life’s Chapters

Mar 20, 2021

“Oh my, if I knew what I know today 15 years ago.”  Sound familiar?  It applies to so many aspects: personal and professional, relationships, and more. Knowing that, where you stand today, you cannot fathom what you may say 15 years from now about today. 

The reality is you can’t see the potential, the opportunity, what the future may unfold for you. Your possibilities are endless. It requires you to believe in yourself, understand that you are on a life journey, embraces your values, your passions, and look to fight for what you believe in. The same applies to organizations.

It is rarely a direct path. Learn to anticipate bumps. Be steadfast. Be patient. Be kind to yourself. Turn the page and love the next chapter rather than dwelling on the last since there may be more beyond that too.

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Why Can’t We Live Together

Mar 19, 2021

In 1984, Helen Folasade Adu, professionally known as Sade, appropriately asked the question, “Why Can’t We Live Together.” And while the question remains ever more relevant today as it did then, we struggle to foresee the one-sidedness of our biased perspectives, and ensuing behaviors, making it easier for us to take prejudiced actions against innocent individuals.

In the ongoing struggle to contain the global pandemic, we have to also deal with individuals who wrongly accuse, judge, sentence, and even execute innocent victims because of their loose ethnic association. Consider the amount of energy used to get a person to a state of such hate. The time consumed to think over the matter and plan to carry out the atrocities in Atlanta this week needlessly killing innocent individuals and forever scarring their families and friends. And why? Because we always need to blame someone for how we feel. Or possibly, we cannot just be positive and happy, we need to find a reason for discontent, and we look to attribute our malaise to others, even to people we do not know.

Imagine taking all the negative energy expended to arrive at a heightened state of hate and channeling it towards love, kindness, and good. Daily we are all confronted with emotional choices. When you are, what choices do you make?  The final choice is yours, and how will you choose to use your energy? Your decision may likely affect more than just yourself.

As Sade sang,  
“No matter, no matter what color
You are still my brother.
Everybody wants to live together
why can’t we be together.”

Respite from your day. Enjoy Sade

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Tell Me Who Your Friends Are

Mar 18, 2021

“Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are.” Mom was right.  There is a theory that we are the product of the five people we spend the most time with. Take a moment and think about it. We choose to be with these people. Why? We relate and identify.  We feel comfortable, we believe we thrive with them. In many ways, we are so alike.

In business, it is no different. The quality of an organization is dependent on the people it hires to lead, and then in turn create teams. A culture develops and takes on a persona.  Similarly, an organization is only as effective as its supply chain and partnerships. Careful selection, vetting, and subsequently nurturing and developing is an integral requirement for any organization seeking to prosper. It applies to for-profit and not-profits.      

Being thoughtful and methodical in choosing our friends is necessary if we want to grow and remain true to ourselves.

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A Memorable Burger

Mar 17, 2021

With almost 50 billion hamburgers consumed in the US each year, an average of three per person a week, the hamburger is a mainstay of our diets and culture. There is nothing more American than the barbeque with the staple fare of the hamburger.  The simplicity of it: a flattened patty, a bun, ketchup, and possibly some other condiments and garnish.  That is it. Yet, how many times have you consumed, yes not enjoyed, a mediocre or bad burger?

How about we take the time and do it well? Thoughtful planning, source quality ingredients, care in preparation and assembly.  We can go from average to gourmet status with ease. The reward is lasting beyond that last bite. The satisfaction comes in the creation,  cooking, and pride in a superior product, as well as the joy in seeing the appreciation of others and they marvel over the intentionally crafted delight. Doing anything to the best of our capabilities and resources is inevitably better received, appreciated, and remembered. Being thoughtful, passionate, and caring in the design, development, manufacture, and presentation of any product should be mandated.  If we are going to do it, let’s do it well. It will make others happier, including ourselves. 

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Boiling frog

Mar 16, 2021

The fable of the boiling frog suggests that if you throw a live frog into boiling water it will jump out immediately, whereas if you put a frog into cool water and slowly increase the temperature to a boil, it will stay in the pot and boil. Fortunately, this is a fable and experiments suggest this is not true. The metaphor is used to describe the inability or unwillingness of people to react to threats that gradually rise compared to a sudden threat or challenge.

People and organizations inherently adopt the boiling frog principle. Our general desire for comfort and status quo inevitably is a downfall in many facets- relationships, products, employee performance, business ventures, etc. We don’t take note of warning signs that gradually build-up, and would rather tell ourselves it will change, with no impetus for such change. Yet, we react to a sudden and abrupt change. A more pragmatic approach that includes a system of identifying a gradual issue or threat and acting to alter the course with a decisive mindset to end the endeavor quickly will avert the potential horror. Do you have a boiling frog on the stove and are you merely watching the temperature rise?

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Celebrate Day One

Mar 15, 2021

To start anything new is hard.  It takes effort to begin to exercise, learn something new or break a bad habit. It requires coordination, planning and collaboration to get a team to take on a new initiative, address a problem, or make changes from preexisting practices. 

And that is just it.  Once you begin, you create momentum. The obstacles are less frightening and the path forward is clearer .  The next day you have something to build upon, and soon enough you are looking back and questioning what was the hesitation in the first place.

Rather than being overwhelmed with the fear of what may be ahead of you, embrace the idea of achieving a milestone by beginning the process.  Celebrate Day One, and not just the end, since this was the true achievement, and you did it.

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Common Language

Mar 14, 2021

The power of the spoken word is not in what is said but rather in what is understood. 

Many of the words, expressions, and acronyms we use daily lack context for those who hear it, and yet as the speaker we believe we are clear, direct, and almost impressive when using them. It is not only with specific words that this occurs, but in discussions too. It occurs in all facets of our lives. We will say something to our children and when they do not understand, we say it louder thinking they will comprehend because of the increased tone. At work, we get agitated with or think less of an individual we are communicating with when they do not understand our well thought out speech, or worse off, our intent.

What would your days look like if you took the time to help others understand you better? If you left out meaningless words and acronyms that not everyone understands, and take the time to use a common language to be understood and not just heard?

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Dog Happy

Mar 13, 2021

Dogs are always happy. At least those who are taken care of.  And those who are not, typically exhibit hope. You leave your home for hours and upon your return, you get the best hello ever. They jump up on you, wagging their tail, licking you, and let out an excited bark. You say ‘Let’s go for a walk’ and before the sentence is complete they are waiting at the door, ready to go. You give them their food and they are only too excited to gulp it down, even though they have been eating the same food for the longest time.

Why are they so happy? Possibly because they are in the present. Right here, right now. They appreciate the time you share with them and the attention you are able to give them. There is no sense of what may have been, or comparisons to what they have done in the past, or even what is missing. Dogs take in the moment without judgment of situations or people. 

Maybe we can take a lesson from our best friends and spend the day being Dog Happy.

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Truth and Reconciliation

Mar 12, 2021

In 1995, the post-apartheid South Africa created a platform to unravel the decades of human violations and provide healing for all the people of South Africa.  As part of the new constitution, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was formed, a body intended to hear the atrocities of human rights. The design of the TRC was put in place to provide finality and restoration for those who had been persecuted and hurt. Unlike the Nürnberg trials, the TRC was never intended to exact revenge nor punish.

Daily the best of intended plans will go awry, let alone those that are not well thought out.  It happens to the best of us. Yet too often when it occurs, we look to attribute blame and when we are at the center of any shortcoming, we deflect and avoid responsibility. And to what end?  A tense environment with closed communication, further mistrust, discontent, and a lack of accountability. 

Consider the principles of TRC at work, or even at home: open discussion and sharing to understand the problem without the intent of assigning blame. Grasp an opportunity to learn, grow,  improve, and unify as a team.  Avoid the blame-game, and rather repair and foster a happier dynamic.

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Addition Through Subtraction

Mar 11, 2021

We enjoy a richness of choices, bountiful and readily. We are bombarded by the minute, and in the everlasting quest to gain an advantage to make our lives better, simpler, and more efficient, for just about everything and anything. You had no idea you needed the new device, service, app, feature, etc.

In the workplace the number of tools available to ‘improve’ the efficiency and effectiveness of doing business is ever increasing.  The proliferation of systems, tools and apps ensures organizations now have more to support and manage. We do the same with processes and operating procedures.  When it comes to developing products and solutions, organizations look to add on, because they believe their customers want and need more, and that more is better.  But do they? And is it?  While adding more features and functions may initially be well received, by some, how much is used by the majority of users, and to what lasting benefit? 

As we add more of whatever, it is yet another element for us to understand, learn, operate and manage. How many apps on your phone have you mastered?  One certainty of any addition, is that we further deplete our one single scarce resource – time.  

As you ponder adding an additional app, process, feature, or variable into your already saturated environment, product features, workplace, or home, consider asking yourself if this will enhance the experience for you or the people you serve.  What if you chose to eliminate something instead? How will you benefit?  Inevitably, subtraction may add value from many more dimensions, other than time?

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North Star Values

Mar 10, 2021

The North Star, or Polaris, is the brightest in the constellation Ursa Minor.  For those in the northern hemisphere, it is the guiding star on any clear night.  In the southern hemisphere, the Southern Cross helps determine due south.   For centuries, these stars have provided the compass point for navigators, explorers, and anyone seeking direction.  They remain consistent night after night and hold a special place for any stargazer. 

People with a robust value system are steadfast and adept to address challenges. They are stable and consistent in their behaviors and actions. They are typically anchored and reliable, and comfortable with their responsibility and accountability to both themselves and others.  Their direction is unwavering. In contrast, individuals with a weak sense of values struggle to address daily issues or disruptions.  They create an inconsistent and unstable environment for them and others and are easily steered off their moral course.  A strong set of values becomes the guiding light for individuals in their personal and professional lives.  They shape character, guide behaviors, and are pronounced in an individual’s daily efforts. 

Is your North Star clearly defined, recognizable beyond your talk and evident in your actions?

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You’re A Leader Now

Mar 9, 2021

As a society, we seek out individuals who excel in a discipline, and we then promote them to lead.  This is ever more prevalent in the workplace.  We take an individual who is fantastic in sales, or a brilliant researcher, or an astute thinker, and in recognition of their efforts, their role changes and they no longer operate in the area they excelled in.

Yet, the potential for failure in the new role is fairly high. The notion of promotion is a noble one. However, how did that person become a leader overnight as a result of a change in title.  Consider how the person initially attained their stature in their functional role.  Education, training, guidance, and progressive development. 

Are you developing your leaders in a similar manner with equal deliberation and tolerance for growth into the new role? 

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Every Day Should be Women’s Day

Mar 8, 2021

Today, March 8th, is International Women’s Day, with a specific focus on eliminating gender bias in the workplace and our communities.  Bringing attention to the disparities that exist in our society is critical for change to occur.  Recognizing the inequalities in diversity practices, gender and race, are steps we as individuals and organizations need to take.   Discussion is an important step. Identifying and recognizing inherent biases helps. Yet, it is only when we begin to take actions to validate the thoughts and talk, do we begin to make real change.   

It is not only about numbers and quotas as those are in place to provide comfort to those who foster the bias and mask the more prevalent issues that exist.  Simple steps can be taken immediately to create an environment that is safe and secure for women in the workplace and our communities. We can allow people to lead without them being leaders, and if we want to create meaningful change for those who are disadvantaged, possibly we can listen and allow them to guide the course for meaningful change.   

Rather than mere discussion, and a one-off for today, what immediate actions are you taking to recognize past bias and manifest long-term impact, where every day is Women’s Day, or rather Everyone’s Day.

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Tall Poppy

Mar 7, 2021

How do we set ourselves up to be unique and recognizable In a world of almost 8 billion people? The odds are stacked against us. Yet individuals are constantly looking to create an advantage.  We look at the latest trends, what’s hot and in demand, specific characteristics, presentation styles, sought after skills and knowledge, self-promotion, and other functional capabilities to take on, to give you the ‘leg-up’.  It is exhausting, complicated, and unnecessary.

Individuals already have the most important element in place.  That is themselves.  The uniqueness of individuals is inherent and self-discovery of your own strengths, likes, interests and passions, should be realized to set oneself up on a path for long-term success.  Will there be hiccups along the journey of self-discovery?   Absolutely. 

Similarly, organizations spend far too much time identifying individual weakness and providing training and intervention, rather than spending more time on improving an individual’s strengths.   In sport, coaches do not work with their star players on the positions that they are weak in or the areas they are less competent in. Instead coaches build on the player’s top qualities, and look to complement their weakness with other players. 

Instead of trying to be someone else – that best version of that person is already taken – focus on your star qualities and bring your game to the forefront, and be the tall poppy you are.

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Pick up the Trash

Mar 6, 2021

If you threw the trash on the ground, simply pick it up.  But you did not throw it on the ground, and you don’t know who did. What should you do?  Pick it up!  Why, you may ask?  You may argue that it is not your trash.  It is not your home or street. Valid point.  However, we should not litter, litter is unsightly and unwarranted, and inevitably someone else will need to pick it up. Worse off, it may end up in our water run-off system, wash out to sea, add to the demise of our oceanic ecosystem and further the extinction of precious life. 

Each day we are faced with our trash moments.  Do we pick it up, or don’t we?  Of course, we do, knowing that we are saving our planet and our future generations’ prosperity. The reason we pick up the trash is that it is more important to do the right thing than it is to be right. 

Do the right thing, it may be hard, but it will be right.

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Savor Quality

Mar 5, 2021

The notion of quality is mostly subjective and personal.  Whatever the standard an individual creates, quality gives us a  moment to appreciate and enjoy.   Be it a meal, relationships, a hike, or even objects or material possessions, the ‘thing’ that we perceive to be of better quality will be prized more.  Quality typically stands out, has longevity, and ignites passion.  You are rarely required to justify the quality.  It is.

Seek quality in our lives, our activities, our work, our relationships, and possessions, and we enrich ourselves.  We can surround ourselves with ordinariness and numerous, or we can take our time – yes, that is a quality experience too – selectively choose what is most central to us and nurture it and bring ourselves a little joy every day.  With that appreciation, what do you prefer to savor today?

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Stay in your lane and speed ahead

Mar 4, 2021

Each person has their strengths.  No one is brilliant at everything. No one!  Yet, we find individuals and organizations persisting with an approach of wanting to do it all.  Ever asked yourself why?  We take on tasks that are not our forte nor delight us.  We do it because we think we are saving time, an expense, or if I want it done, I need to do it myself’.

If you can find your lane and stick to it and allow others to find their lanes or fill the other lanes, you individually will, without doubt, be able to speed ahead, but so will others as well.  What will that group of people look like?  Instead of doing various tasks at a sub-optimal state, you will soon find yourself operating at maximum efficiency.  Not only will you personally improve in your performance, but you will likely be doing more of the things you enjoy most, which will lead to you being happier and better at it too.  And yes, there is an associated opportunity cost with getting out of your lane.

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Strength in pause

Mar 3, 2021

We are so intent on being responsive and reactive, with quick often being the primary goal.  Is that always the best option?  How often do you say or do something to only wish you had thought about it for a moment?  When you have put your proverbial foot in the mouth’ or made that unnecessary impulsive buy, has it been the result of your deliberation and thoughtfulness?  Did you take a moment to pause and reflect before taking any action?  If you had, how often would the outcome have been a different one, and likely one of greater positivity?

It happens to us every day. So why not take a breath.  Instead of giving an immediate response or acting, respond with ‘let me give it some thought.’ When can you use it?  At home and work, with clients, colleagues, your partner or kids, or even the stranger on the street. Use it for day-to-day actions and for big decisions too.  Think of the benefits. You will not only sound thoughtful and deliberate, have less regret, disappointment, and potential humiliation because of an impulsive decision or action.  So take a pause.  You may save more than just face; it will likely make for better financial outcomes.

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The tree hit the house

Mar 2, 2021

Cold winter night, swirling winds, full moon.  A sharp thunderous crack. Silence. A massive crashing thud.  The large pine crashed onto the house. Quiet.  Everyone safe.  A close call.

Yes, there is damage to the outer structure. A weeping cherry decimated. No stunning spring blossoms.  Massive clean-up to come. Other  trees to be removed.  Repairs, how bad, not sure? Insurance in place. Inconvenience. The past longing. The future, trepidation.  The present, everyone is safe.

You lost the customer. The factory burned down. Key employees left. A major cyber attack. A pandemic has hit.  Disruption, inconvenience, a set-back, alternate actions, time wasted, uncertainty.

The organization is still intact. You have other customers. Your core team is energized.  Opportunity. Alternate plans. A rethink. Not the status quo. Possibilities.

The tree did hit the house.  Do we re-scape? Should we add the addition? What are the options?  Do we move?  Winds continue to swirl. 

You have a setback. There is uncertainty.  What is your new plan? Where are your opportunities? With certainty, you are not going back to the day before the night with the full moon and the large pine tree.  Think possibilities. Think forward.

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Seeing with clarity

Mar 1, 2021

We believe we see clearly, enabling us to comprehend a situation or task at hand fully. Through simple synthesis, we think that we understand the best possible solution or steps to be taken going forward. 

But what do we see?  We see with that lens we always have seen through. We view the situation or problem with the typical bias we have for all conditions.  Regardless of who we are, our experiences shape us, and our view into the future is a projection of our past opinions and experiences and not a clear picture of the future.   

Have we taken the time to step back and ask ourselves – what we do not see?  What have we missed? What elements could affect our view?  Have we thought them all through well enough?  We go with the easy route, our past view, because that is what we always do, and it’s comfortable.  Comfortable and easy may be the trusted approach to simple situations; however, if we are looking to improve, innovate, or grow, that will not do.

For a moment, choose any issue that challenges you today. Don’t overthink this; pick one.  Now, ask yourself if you fully understand the problem or situation.  What has led you to this conclusion?  What elements have you possibly not thought of? Is there another perspective that differs from your own that may be worthy of consideration? Why do you discount that perspective so fast,  and what elements of this alternate view should you consider further?  Now, look at it through that lens. What has changed?

When we begin to see the challenge from a perspective other than our own and fully address it from all possible vantage points, that may well be the point when we begin to see with clarity.

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unthinkable is a strategic design company that creates impact and value through design