Thursday, July 28, 2005

Global Weave

The above link is to an archived version of the article I published in DESKTOP magazine in 2004 on COLLABOR8©. Here's the link to the relevant page of the DESKTOP site.

COLLABOR8© is a concept to engage design students in an international collaborative design project reflecting the emergent paradigm of multidisciplinary teams and virtual work spaces. For more information about the project click here.

Heroic Speech

Kevin Robert's (Saatchi & Saatchi) recent speech to students at Beijing University captures my imagination, makes me feel confident and more assured that I'm on the right track - even in the face of considerable opposition and apparent failure in terms of some of the projects and "skunkworks" I have implimented over the past two years:

Inspirational Players Explode Paradox
Choosing between opposing forces limits possibility. Innovation and reducing costs. Young and old generations. Short and long term.. Don't settle for “Either / Or”. Inspirational players refuse to make choice. They work with two competing ideas in all their complexity with equal passion and resolve. Instead of getting the best of neither, you get something better than both.
http://www.saatchikevin.com/talkingit/beijing05.html

And further...

Peak Performance is about reaching and sustaining the highest levels of performance imaginable. It is a book, a theory, a practice, an attitude, a philosophy, a spirit that knows no boundary. It goes beyond management and leadership, both 20th century ideas.

Peak Performance engages the force of the future.


Inspiration.

* Inspiration unlocks human potential.
* Inspiration unleashes potential.
* Inspiration is contagious.
* Inspiration is emotional.
* Inspiration is about action.
* Inspiration delivers real results.

Peak Performance is about dream, challenge, focus and action. First you need an Inspirational Dream.

An Inspirational Dream is the most powerful force for change there is. I have seen wonderful things happen when people have the guts to live their dream. Martin Luther King didn't say I have a business plan.

http://www.saatchikevin.com/talkingit/beijing05.html

I have questions about this despite my willingness to listen to these ideas. Those questions are about the reality I often face - I am inspired but those around me are not. For whatever reason, personal, historical, professional or idealogical, inspiration can undoubtedly be undone by non participation, cynical people lack of motivation.