Via my favorite corporate bullshit haters, here’s a link to a project called Their Circular Life. Beyond the interesting effect of watching the same scene change through one day, there’s some great learning here to apply in our life.

It’s Flash-based so make sure your browser has the plugin. Once you get to the site, choose Enter with Intro to get a flavor of what’s to come. Take some time to explore each scene and pay attention to the little things that change along with the more noticeable ones. And don’t neglect the tips to the bottom left of the scenes. I like this one, in particular:

Release the pressure of your life and listen to what your surroundings is telling you.

So, take some time right now to stop with all the go-go and slow down. At least for a couple of minutes. Breathe and look around. Even if you’re in your work cube, swivel on your chair and really notice what’s going on. Take in the sounds, the smells, the visuals. What do you notice? What sort of surprises did you find?

And the folks who put together Their Circular Life are hoping to open this project up. If you’re interested in taking part in their idea, they’ve released source files and documentation on how to get involved.

It’s probably my Quaker educational background, but reflection has been one of the best tools in my learning utility-belt. Back when I thought I wanted to teach high school social studies, my college’s rather progressive education department put us raw teacher candidates through a series of intensive learning exercises. One of the very first lessons was on building our skill in reflection. “Big deal,” I thought. “Reflecting is sort of like thinking and I’m pretty good at that.” Yeah, and the Cubs may actually win another World Series one day. As I realized quickly after the hubris wore off, reflecting is a whole different skill and it takes dedication to honing and mastering it.

You may have been conditioned to think of reflection as some huggy-feely, woo-woo exercise. I hope not. But, if the very thought of reflecting starts to give you the shakes or conjures up sounds of kumbaya, perhaps it’s time to reconsider. Here are some foundational ideas to help you start (or respark) your reflecting process.

Slow down and seek quiet.
Slowing down and being still aren’t exactly up there in our daily priority lists. I mean…who has the time? Exactly. Running along at a 1000 miles a minute isn’t conducive to learning and – let’s be honest – it’s not exactly good for our health. Find a spot that’s quieting and where you can just let go for a little while. Or if being in one spot isn’t your cup of tea, go for a walk. Whatever you choose, try to limit the external distractions so you can focus on your internal voice.

Ask lots of questions…and then ask some more.
So much happens to us in the course of our day and at such a fast pace, we don’t have time to understand it all. Reflection is a form of inquiry, a way to pull ourselves out of the weeds and see a bigger picture. There are no right questions and certainly no right answers. If you need some help getting started, begin by saying, “I wonder…”

Accept strangeness.
If reflection feels new and strange, that’s okay. It’s an activity that’s easier for some folks than it is for others. Introverts tend to find reflection a more natural process because they internalize their thoughts. Extroverts may find the process uncomfortable. The important thing is to make a commitment to stick with it and find a way that works for you. Journaling is a traditional way of reflecting, but you don’t have to write. If you do better when you talk aloud, consider using a voice recorder.

This is our series springboard. Through the next few weeks, we’ll look at these related topics:

• On Reflection and Retreat
• On Reflection and Intention
• On Reflection and Leadership

“Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action.”
-Peter Drucker

I’m back from my own experiment with retreat and reflection, spending some time with my gals and extended family at a beach house without television and computer. Lately, the television hasn’t been that prevalent in my daily life; though, I must admit that if it is on it’s usually tuned to a baseball game. On the other hand, the computer tends to be an interesting presence in my life. It serves as a portal to the wider world and creative catalyst through my blogging ventures. It also seduces me toward more frivolous websurfing activities (rather like channel surfing and getting caught up in a stupid movie that I regret watching later). It’s that lack of intention that leaves me with an empty feeling. One remedy is to introduce or re-introduce retreat and reflection into life.

I’m going to try something new here…I’m going to incorporate a monthly theme into the WorkPlay blog. While other folks have done it with great success, this will be my first foray into this type of writing. So, July will focus on ideas of reflection: uses in our lives, but perhaps more importantly, uses in our work. Let’s see where it goes and what we can learn. See you soon.

Bernie DeKoven at DeepFun.com asks, Must we compete? Perhaps a better question is, When should we compete? I don’t see competition as an all-out negative compared to cooperation. That would ignore the benefits of competition. One way to compete is with ourselves as a way to improve our skills and experience.

Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Just because folks can take competition to the extreme doesn’t mean it’s a negative. Competition can teach just as well as cooperation. We need to be well-rounded and that means knowing when to compete with ourself and others and then when to cooperate.

I’m a sucker for good visual data and the map generated by Kevin Stolarick at the Richard Florida Creativity Group is particularly interesting. Using data on where the creative class lives, county by county, he has been able to show the ‘heat’ of the creative hotspots and the spillover into neighboring areas. (Click here for the pdf containing drill-down views of different U.S. regions)

Even though Kevin provides a brief glimpse at his methodology, I’m still not sure about the data he’s using. It would be interesting to see it in its raw form.

So, the question I have as I look over this map is what this means for businesses and for creatives. For the latter, it clearly shows where to find other creatives and probably more fulfilling work options.

Some questions to ponder:

Is there a reason why Arizona, Nevada, and much of the west are relatively cool to creatives? It’s interesting that Southern California doesn’t factor into the map. New Orleans is still fairly hot. The area around Cincinnati is positively smoking. Bear in mind that I haven’t really dug into Florida’s core research so I find these trends curious.

Is geography still an important influence? We hear about creative folks ditching the big city scene for the small town or rural environment. And as long as there is a basic supportive infrastructure – I’m going to put high-speed internet/communications toward the top of that list – can’t you just move out to Santa Fe, New Mexico or Fargo, ND for a more creatively conducive environment? Will there be a point where the internet (or another future technology…like teleportation…I’m serious) will make geography an obsolete concept?

Do you see something interesting about the map? Any surprises?

Ever have the thought that the sooner you find your purpose in life, the happier you’ll feel? It’s kind of like our unique sense of purpose is the final piece to the puzzle of life and once it locks into place…well then we can check that one off the list and then really start living.

I admit this trap is hard not to fall into at times. And when you do, it’s always nice to have someone help you climb out. For instance, I like what Patricia Soldati writes in her article, Finding Purpose: Don’t Let It Get You Down:

Purpose is not a thing, or a goal to be achieved. Maybe it’s your work…or maybe not. It lives on no one’s timetable and defies any systemic approach that says, “At the end of this lesson, you will be able to…”

In fact, the more you hard-core it – set your mind to finding it – the more elusive it becomes. You end up chasing away that which you most want to embrace in your life.

She then lists four ways to reconsider the journey of finding purpose. My big takeaway? Number 2: Find it outside of your own needs. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in my own sense of self-exploration, I forget that the answers to the really big questions just might exist outside of myself.

When you talk about love in the workplace, most folks think of inter-office romances or tawdry office affairs. At the very least, our culture teaches us that love should not be part of our workplace vernacular. That’s unfortunate since it is love which energizes us toward new heights and gives us courage to take authentic action.

Over the past couple of days, I’ve been reflecting on what Dennis Bakke in Joy At Work says about love and its place in our worklives. Rather than running away from love because it’s “mushy” or “soft” or simply “inappropriate,” what else is there?

It is love that allows us to give up our power of control. It is love that allows us to treat each person in our organization with respect and dignity. Love sends people around the world to serve others. Love inspires people to work with greater purpose.

As for when we feel attacked or misunderstood in our work, Bakke continues with his own experience:

Love helps me understand why some colleagues, supervisors, board members, and subordinates did not subscribe to my theories or behave in a manner consistent with our highest principles and values. Love makes it possible for me to forgive those who derided my views and caused me so much pain. Because love is directed toward others, it allows for the possibility that my critics were right and I was wrong. And, if I was wrong, I would hope that love would enable my detractors to forgive the forceful way I pushed my philosophy. (italics mine)

And as for why bringing love to our workplace is so important:

I continue to believe that love is the final and crucial ingredient in a joy-filled workplace. It is a state of mind that requires no extra costs and no difficult trade-offs against competing organizational goals. It does not demand higher compensation or fancy offices or sophisticated information systems or more specialized staff people. Yet love is perfectly consistent with even the most aggressive economic goals.

Some folks may bristle and disbelieve that last statement about the compatibility of love with making a profit, but I share his faith. In today’s world, profit is really easy come, easy go. Even those companies and non-profits who have enjoyed consistent growth can’t accurately predict the future or increasingly fickle customers. But, love is always there for us, always within us to bring to our work and those we work with. That’s the challenge, though…often it takes courage to bring that love to places where love may not always be present or to folks who don’t believe it belongs in a professional office environment.

Today, keep the Beatles in your heart and sing, “All you need is love, love, love is all you need.”

Since making the big announcement of our plans to hitch our wagon for Austin, TX, we’ve received a wide spectrum of responses from friends, family, and a few strangers. For the most part, the response has been overwhelmingly supportive bordering on admiration for taking such a grand leap of faith. That’s always appreciated considering there are times when both me and my wife look at each other with that wide-eyed gaze which silently says, “There’s a fine line between courageous and crazy…which side are we on now?”

To the other end of the spectrum lies a few folks who tend to believe that we must be running away from something. Else, why would we take such a grand leap? Perhaps I’m running from a job that’s lost its meaning…or we’re running from a place where we’ve lost a sense of community…or perhaps we’re just running away to be running. Any way you slice it this perspective evokes a sense of fear; like being in a low-budget horror movie, running from the demonic dog or masked killer who can never die.

But, throughout this unfolding adventure, I’m coming to a different space where I ask, “What if we’re running toward something?” Running from the monster is just running in any direction to get away from the beast (though it usually involves long, dark hallways). I feel we’re actually focused and running toward a richer, more soulful life. There is a lot of hopefulness in our decision and it’s that sense of hope that guides us through the inevitable turbulence.

Our decision is to make a radical change in where we call home. But the concept of running toward can apply in several other choices – some of which are more of the everyday, garden-variety types. So, how do you know if you’re running away or running toward? Take some time to reflect on these questions:

Which is more painful for me…staying the same or making a change?
Some folks are motivated by pain, some by pleasure. Let’s face it, though…most individuals view change as pain, loss, or a combination of both. If you’re stuck in a rut, it’s the fear of change because of pain that’s keeping you there. So, ask whether staying in the rut is worth all the trouble. If you’re hesitant to face a possible conflict with a co-worker or supervisor, where’s the fear/pain coming from? Instead of running from the possibility of conflict, ask whether it’s possible to run toward the improved relationship or the learning of how to communicate more effectively. Which leads to another question…

Will I learn anything about myself (or others) through this decision?
Running away from a toxic work environment or a bad personal relationship may be the right move in the short-term, but without taking the time for sufficient self-reflection you might just land in the same spot again later on. Running toward something better means you have the insight and personal understanding to run in the most appropriate direction. Which leads to yet another question…

Do I have a purpose for tomorrow?
Running toward is all about moving in the direction of a greater purpose. It means putting in the time, energy, and discipline to figure out what needs to happen in order to make that purpose a reality. However, that doesn’t mean that you have to have it all planned and mapped out. Hell, if that was the case, no one would have ever took to the seas to explore new worlds, no one would have had the courage to scale Everest, and no one would have taken great leaps of faith to find their life’s calling.

If you find yourself wondering if you’re running away from a problem or a place, reflect on some of these questions. Explore whether there is hope or fear in your heart. And don’t worry if you’re not able to take a great leap at first. Aim to take just a small risk. Over time, your confidence will grow and so will the boldness of your actions. Just remember to run toward.

While in Austin, TX this past week, I had some time to kill and discovered the wonderful BookPeople store. While browsing through their business section, I stumbled across a gem called Joy at Work by Dennis Bakke. The subtitle is A Revolutionary Approach to Fun on the Job (there’s that word ‘fun’ again).

What is most compelling about the book is Bakke’s vulnerability in talking about the ups and downs of trying to create a values-driven and profitable company where people are free to bring their full passion to their work. Simple on paper, quite the opposite in practice, particularly when your organization is a publicly traded energy company employing over 30,000 people. What I most appreciate is Bakke’s unwillingness to break from his guiding beliefs: that joyful work must be fun and challenging; that each employee – regardless of their position in the organization – must have the power to make important decisions; that a business’s prime objective should be to benefit society while continuing to pursue financial viability. And he had plenty of opportunities to deviate from these beliefs, particularly when his Board of Directors felt his ‘experiment’ was costing the company profits and neglecting the stockholders’s interests.

One of the big takeaways for me, so far, is Bakke’s reintroduction of the word opus. To me, opus is a cartoon penguin (see picture above) and a term used in classical music (though I did not know that opera is the plural form of opus). What is new for me is that opus is a latin word meaning work, especially work that is a voluntary act imbued with creativity and meaning. That’s powerful and certainly reflects that kind of work we all want to do in our lives.

Bakke continues to offer a spiritual perspective of work when we writes:

God intended that the workplace be beautiful, exciting, and satisfying. Work was to be filled with joy. Work was a major reason for our creation. It was intended to be an important act of worship. It was one of the most significant ways in which we could honor our Creator.

We are challenged to bring the sublimity of the opus into our lives rather than merely settle for the more mundane drudgery of labor. What can you do today to bring your opus to life?

Nope, workplace hazard prevention day isn’t for another few months. Actually the title doesn’t have much to do with this post…I just kinda wanted to use it

A couple of weeks ago, Kevin Holland at Associations Inc. blogged on a recent King of the Hill episode lampooning the workplace entertainment provided by Cold Stone Creamery. If you’ve never been to a Cold Stone, it’s a “customize your own ice cream” shop where the work staff break out into song when they receive a tip (or any other time if they feel like it). All of which I have to say is…great. Why not? I know when I go to my local Dairy Queen, I rarely get a “thanks” let alone a verse or two from Oklahoma.

But the real question that Kevin raises is about what constitutes fun in our work. Not so long ago during the dotcom boom days, fun was the active ingredient that separated the young turks from the old fogies. New, exuberant companies brought in foosball tables, pinball machines, cappuccino bars, and other things that made it a fun place to be. Now it seems that with the bust of those heady days, the pendulum is swinging back to a strict focus on the bottom line and getting results. It’s as if an indictment has been passed that playing air hockey at 3pm rather than bad business decisions contributed to the demise of these companies.

Let’s take another look at fun and its interaction with the concept of play. I wager one of the central issues here is that fun is viewed as frivolous and childish and lead to a general lack of seriousness in a world that takes itself a bit too seriously. And perhaps there is a general fear that if our staff is playing, they’re definitely not working.

As Kevin mentions, fun is a relative term so let me offer an individual perspective and then bring play into the mix. I believe fun is an extraneous concept, and yet, not one to be dismissed entirely. Fun is creating an environment where staff can be celebrated as people, not mere workers. Bring on the birthday cakes, allow for laughter over a lunchtime game of parcheesi, have a beer or coffee afterhours. Each of us brings various levels of intrigue and complexity to the workplace…to assume that we are only here to just do a job and go home may not fully express that depth of character. After all, we are social beings who are eager to relate with others.

If we view fun as a cultural activity residing outside of the standard operations of work, I submit that play is an integrative activity. Play is a rich toolset that allows individuals and groups to bring out their best creative efforts, effectively pool their talents, and focus their energy on challenges. It’s a way of looking at the same old things differently. It’s a powerful method of altering perceptions and unteathering ourselves from conventional thinking. And, unfortunately, it’s a workplace characteristic that is sadly underutilized due to some of the stigmas mentioned earlier.

Final thoughts…Be judicious with fun and don’t overdo it or else you end up just Managing by Serving Cake (Nice, Kevin). Find a way to blend our oft-forgotten humanness into the daily work which can have its own set of rewards. But, be liberal with play and use it whenever possible. Find a way to integrate it into as many processes as you can. Business doesn’t have to be a somber activity. With a little fun and a lot of play, it might just liberate our best work.