Hello and welcome to our ramblings. Wayne and I (mike) are two mature (at least IMHO) men with too much to say and too little time to say it. Although this is my initial post, Wayne will be co-authoring the blog with me. Our original impetus for writing this blog was to espouse the ideas and beliefs that led to the founding of our partnership, but I now also see it as a way to connect with those of our age group, both men and women. Every time I see another “greybeard” or a group of mature people meeting, I sense an immediate connection and can’t help but think of how much hard-earned wisdom resides there. Reflecting back on my career in business and technology, I am reminded of how much that wisdom is needed, not only in business, but in the world at large. We have much to share of value, my friends, and it is my sincere hope that we may do so at least in some small measure within this humble context. The world, our country, and our workplaces are all in dire need of re-evaluation. The way we do business, conduct ourselves, and the lack of unity in the various aspects of our culture, all need to be examined, beginning with the most basic assumptions on which they are founded.
Things are not going well in our world. I believe what we are witnessing is a worldwide shakeup precipitated by the ubiquitous information and communication capabilities of our time. No longer is it possible for tyrants to hide their transgressions, organizations to thrive despite the inequities perpetuated against their constituents, or companies to hide inferior products behind a veil of secrecy and media manipulation. The combination of the Internet, handheld communication devices, and the availability of media usage for almost anyone, have turned it all upside down and continues to shine the light of awareness into all those long-maintained dark corners of our world. We can perceive it as chaos and the downfall of the social order or we can see it as an opportunity to change the way we live our lives, conduct business, and treat each other. Great change is often preceded by apparent chaos and if it is truly as bad as it looks, should not we use this window of ”chaos” as an opportunity to change the very things that have brought us to this point? While many believe there is little the few can do, I am reminded of a business trip to Philadelphia many years ago. While sitting in the historic City Tavern having a beer with a colleague, we reflected on the notion that we were sitting and talking in the same place where many years before our countries founding fathers had discussed the American Revolution. Looking back, I wonder if they too had the same concerns about the significance of what lay before them. Yet those seemingly naive conversations eventually led to the greatest communal experiment in human freedom to date. Trust me, I’m not suggesting another armed revolution (I’m apolitical and too long in the tooth for it) but I do believe we have the opportunity to revolutionize the way we think, the things we value, and our assumptions about what forms a worthwhile life. If you’re up for it, let’s talk.
As I mentioned, this is my first posting on this blog. I have had one other blog briefly in the past but would still very much consider myself a novice blogger. I say this as a little advance CYA in case I unknowingly screw up any kind of blogging protocol or etiquette. I must admit however that I spend very little time these days on even attempting to understand everything we’re “supposed” to do. I prefer to spend my time discussing what we “can” do. And what we can do, my friends, is to stop blindly accepting all those “shoulds” and start paying more attention to expanding and expressing the full range of our capabilities. I guess my attitude on this subject is tempered by my age and perspective of the world in general as a pretty damn absurd place to hang your hat. Anyhoo, let’s move on. We’ll write what we write, you read and respond as you like, and we’ll see if there are points of convergence or divergence we can learn from.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I must inform you that Wayne and I are cofounding partners of Discover Insight LLP, a firm dedicated to helping organizations of all sizes and types with their most difficult issues, those with their people. The human totality exceeds the obvious physical and personality aspects and includes emotional, intellectual, and spiritual components as well. We work with organizations in these areas to build healthy and innovative perspectives on the employer/employee relationship, facilitate accelerated growth of enlightened leaders, better team players, organizational & team cohesiveness, and assist in rendering a more highly motivated, productive, and innovative workforce. Although DI is our avocation, it is our passion as well. We have both had prior success in our careers as businessmen and in our personal lives but we have also both suffered great losses; materially, identity-wise, and most profoundly impacting; way too many lost loved ones.
Although I have tried to be very clear about our association with Discover Insight (I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist a final plug), I can assure you this blog will be open to the free and (hopefully) lively exchange of ideas and experiences. We all benefit when we share our experience and wisdom with each other, not only from an increase in knowledge perspective, but from the insight we gain into the human condition and how we might enhance it.
I will leave you with these thoughts to ponder and determine if a continued interchange between us is a suitable use of your time. If so, welcome. If not; Namaste, farewell, and may a good life welcome your footsteps.
Until next time, mike
