Thinking Differently in 2008
Everyone is posting New Year’s resolutions, and learnings from 2007, but I have decided to be true to myself (hehehe) and do something different for my first post of 2008. Which is actually the whole theme of this post.
Jnott tagged me, a while back, to take part in the Think Different challenge. I wasn’t really ready to tackle this then, I was crazy busy (aren’t we all) and trying to find my feet in a lot of areas, including this blog. But many things have come together in the weeks before and since he tagged me; I received a couple of awards, my little “speakers’ corner” has grown to 50 subscribers and rising every day, I have a whole bunch of really exciting things in the offing, which I will tell you about soon, and suddenly I have come to realize that I can really make things happen now, with the help of my fellow evangelists, if I continue to harness the power of these conversations, and I really do not only have a voice, but have useful things to say with that voice.
So my challenge, to think differently, is actually my one and only new year’s resolution.
I hereby resolve to trust myself, and to allow myself to think differently about everything! To challenge when necessary. To play devil’s advocate, not for the sake of it, but in order to make sure that I think through ideas and projects and plans rigorously. To be creative, even when there’s easy “we have always done it that way” procedures in place already. To trust my youngest staff to be strategic, and to encourage others to do the same. To spread the love, to show everyone that we can all be daring, without getting fired (a sweet smile goes a long way!). To listen, and not just storm off ahead. To share knowledge in every possible way, especially with the competition. To get the data, then throw it out! To beta test everything by involving everyone! To think bigger than I am, bigger than my association is. To innovate, not for innovation’s sake (which is always tempting for me, always new shiny things to play with) but for the good of the field.
There’s a lot more where this came from, but you get the jist! I can’t wait to get started.
Happy New Year to everyone.
