Business Artist Digest Aug 4, 2023
Adam Boggs
Helping Teams Run Smarter Meetings with Easy Prep & Instant Follow-Up | Eliminating Wasted Time & Driving Action | Author of The Business Artist
A couple of days ago, I was watching ESPN and thinking about some of the tropes and manufactured debates we’ve seen so many times.
You know the ones:
I totally understand the need for ESPN to draw in viewers and keep them. A certain amount of drama, noise, production value, star power, and hyperbole is needed.
But my issue with these tropes is that they’re brain candy. They’re superficial and only exist to heighten the entertainment drama and controversy around sports, instead of focusing on deeper aspects of athletics. The formulas aim to boost ratings and feed fan obsession.
Lest I drill down too hard on sports, let’s remember that we do the same thing in business. We perpetuate tropes that limit artistry and creativity. Some examples:
Many of these tropes stem from viewing business only through a transactional, financial lens rather than a humanistic one. They prioritize rigid systems over creativity. When we avoid these mental traps, we can unlock more inclusive, purpose-driven, and artistically-inspired business cultures.
Whether it’s sports, business, or another avenue of culture, I hope we would all be more aware of the “debates” that rehash the same superficial storylines and perspectives.
After all, isn’t that really the goal of the Business Artist to begin with? To create meaningful change and bring back the human element of creative thinking and innovation in business?
It’s pretty hard to do that when we’re caught up in constant drama and debates, rehashing the same old tropes and stories.
- Adam
From the Blog
The Real Meaning of Human Resources
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As I wrote about previously, one of the most fascinating ways to look at business is by using the lens of technology. I previously reflected that business is really the story of technology. The two are so closely intertwined that it’s impossible to separate one from the other.
The Industrial Revolution gave business leaders the structure and opportunity to begin using technology at a much greater capacity to increase output and profits. We also started to view people less as individuals, and more as tiny cogs in a giant industrial machine.
In the early 20th century, we started to see the roots of modern management styles. I’d argue that this began with the scientific management era sparked by thinkers like Frederick Winslow Taylor. His goal was to optimize business operations through the systematic measurement of work, the specialization of labor, and the elimination of waste. This era marked the rise of management as a distinct field of study and practice.
Adam Recommends
One of the reasons I love YouTube is that there’s an endless supply of artists, creators, and thinkers making fantastic content. This week’s recommendation is no different.
The Big Think Channel?is one of my favorites. It features long and short sessions from experts who help you unpack our world and understand why things are the way they are. You can learn from amazing authors, psychologists, neuroscientists, anthropologists, cultural researchers, and more.
My favorite video features?Todd Rose unpacking the concept of collective illusions. It’s a must-watch if you want a fresh perspective on why social change is hard, and why persistent cultural norms are exacerbated by technology. And also - evidence that we actually agree more than we think on most issues, but fringe minorities and media polarize us into making us believe there is some great divide.
Business Artist Spotlight
As we think about tropes in sports, business, and art, I’m thrilled to point out that my good friend?Sarah Spain?is a breath of fresh air. If you follow sports, you may already know that she’s an ESPN columnist and television personality, with a style that is unique to her.
First of all, she’s highly intelligent and tries to break down the stereotypes, nuances, and stories of players on a more human level. She has a more measured, thoughtful tone than the typical “hot takes” full of drama. Her analysis tends to be more substantive and level-headed, rather than reactionary.
As a result, she is very successful in building a different kind of sports fan base, even if that means disrupting the status quo and making some enemies in the process. The world needs more people like Sarah who bring fresh air to their space or industry.
Emmy & Peabody Award-winning journalist @ ESPN and iHeart
1 年Thanks for the shoutout, friend! I'm always trying to offer the kind of content I like to watch -- smart, thoughtful, researched, funny and FAIR. So many of the tropes or "debates" rely on rejecting the nuance and grey area in sports in favor of extremes - "he choked," "they quit" etc that I think are not only unfair to athletes, they ultimately result from an inability to dive deeper into the games and situations we're analyzing. Unfortunately a lot of sports fans respond well to the yelling, stereotypical content (MJ v. LeBron, who's the Mt. Rushmore of X city's sports, etc) so that's why we still see so much of it. Here's to supporting, subscribing to and engaging with the folks that do more!
Guiding waymakers—who carry it all—to break free from frustration and time scarcity → Midlife Energy Reset, a body-led approach ? 6/2 Generator ? Certified Nervous System Fitness? Trainer
1 年Fantastic comparison of sports to business. I don't follow sports, but I knew all of the ones you listed (so that just shows how much they are used).... A few of the business ones stood out to me and reminded me of some of the discussions I've been having with my students. Competitors - study them not as a means to copy their product offerings but as a way to understand the consumers of the brands. What are they buying? Why? What do they wear it with? Do they mix brands? Do you want to sell to this consumer? The competitor becomes a method to seeing the consumer. Sales - As a fashion designer, I reviewed sales reports every week. Everyone should know how to read one. But if we only used those numbers to drive the product assortment, every delivery would look pretty much the same. And that dampens repeat business. The numbers are not fortune tellers (ok... maybe I'm not either).
Coaching | Leader Development | Team Effectiveness | Curiosity & Empathy ?????
1 年Adam, thanks for writing and sharing this. The comparison between sports and business "tropes" is a very helpful one to me. It reminds me of our propensity to default to "either/or" thinking (e.g., focusing on the short-term to the neglect of long-term) when faced with a decision. Barry Johnson "polarities" framework has been helpful in my work with leaders to help them develop "both/and" thinking (as mentored to me by Russ Gaskin). I'm wondering if you have leveraged this model in your work with leaders.
well said Adam