WARNING: Ideas in this article might terrify you and send you off in search of a safe room!

WARNING: Ideas in this article might terrify you and send you off in search of a safe room!

WARNING: Ideas in this article might terrify you and send you off in search of a safe room!

Yesterday I had an SFD. I write an acronym to make it less scary to you. Bold readers will find the definition below this article. 

SFDs are what I have to do these days to shut out the voices, beautiful but hollow images and incessant chatter. It seems to be, for me, the only way to do independent, probing, quality thinking. I allow myself to make and take calls off my vintage, Bakelite telephone (Yes, they still work – the new tech lies on top of the legacy twisted-pair copper wire). I feel just like a character from The Matrix.

Over the next two weeks I’ve accepted half a dozen interviews, from TED Red Circle to a young podcast entrepreneur, I have articles, like this one, to write, courses to teach and clients to persuade from change to transformation. All these share the same underlying questions. “What next in this post-covid world?” “If we can’t go ‘Back to BC’ (Before Covid) where do we go?” “What shall we choose to do or not do?” and “Is the best yet to come?”. I needed to think.

“If we can’t go ‘Back to BC’ (Before Covid) where do we go?”

I wake to a grey cold day. The day before had been warm and sunny. Still spring, not summer. I reflect in parallel, the world has probably at least 3 to 5 years to go to be free of the primary (illness, lockdown), secondary (innovation in treatment and vaccines, digital tracking/impact on freedom) and tertiary (long term PTSD, unemployment, business failures) effects of the spikey, little red monster. 


As I brush my teeth and peer at my fuzzy reflection, I ask myself, “How could the future look?” “Well”, I reply out loud, “It looks the way it has always looked. It could lead to paradise, dystopia or a dynamically stable in-between. What will happen is what is most probable. What it always takes is for us to consciously manipulate probability to make the future we want. No change there!”


The day before I’d overheard a news item about a prominent climate campaigner who was refusing to ‘attend’ a conference until the whole world had been jabbed. SFDs give you space to reconsider incongruous statements that you normally gloss over and ignore. Now, as I consider the inconsistent thinking and virtue signalling, I exclaim, “Really?” 15 months of learning how to make digital conferences as emotionally engaging as face-to-face ones and at the first opportunity there is a push to go back to flying atoms about instead of letting the electrons do the walking?  Won’t that just send us back the problems BC? Doesn’t that put all forms of life on our planet back at risk?


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All the opportunities and challenges of BC now line up to be tackled again along with a completely new set arising from successes and failures from the past year. Einstein did warn us not to use the mindset that created the problems to try to fix them. But what should you learn?. 

it needs us Project Leaders to lead the world to success.

I normally follow a video instructor during my 5 minute High Intensity Training session but now, SFD means silence and it’s hard to keep on track. I smile. I realise that it needs us Project Leaders to lead the world to success. We deliver change or transformation. And that gives the competent ones among us a responsibility like never before.


Our responsibility is to pay attention to the impact of projects we might lead. We must not just ‘take orders’. We must influence which orders are to be given and choose the best from among them. Instead, check they are sound both in the short and long term. We must avoid projects that deliver irreversible damage, especially to any life forms. We must prioritise projects that enhance, empower, enable and excite individuals over those that replace or de-humanify them. We must run perfect projects, avoiding waste and not disengaging stakeholders. We can choose properly because we have resilience not recklessness or risk aversion. We competent Project Leaders manipulate the future because we deliver it.  Outside work we should share our skills with people who have a deep understanding of problems they are trying to tackle in the community.


In the afternoon as I begin to twitch and fidget with SFD withdrawal symptoms, I have to get out. I share my views as I walk with my wife through a nearby larch wood. Over the years I have met and spoken with thousands of Project Leaders. And if I had to choose a group of people I’d trust to step-up to steer the world properly, it would be them.

I begin to twitch and fidget with SFD withdrawal symptoms

I have a ‘reflection chair’ in our conservatory. It faces south east and down the garden. I sit to write and capture the fruits of my SFD. I have enough ideas, examples and suggestions for my interviews articles and teaching now. After many moments I write. ‘Project Leaders will get it. They will step up, learn and lead properly’.  ‘Because of you…’, and then in huge capital letters I write, “THE BEST IS YET TO COME!”


Challenge: Try an SFD this weekend.

Warning: Breaking news - I’m planning an SFW shortly – join me.

 

Health warning: Reading this definition might lead to sweaty palms.

SFD= Screen Free Day - No phones, laptops, desktops, TV, tablets, touch screen controls, No looking at anything that is a screen even if it’s on your oven.

Withdrawal symptoms include: Hearing birds singing. Responding with genuine interest to your spouse or kid. Reflecting on your tasty lunch.

 



 

Tim Bean

Keynote Speaker, Executive Longevity Specialist & Programme Director

1 年

I miss those conversations and fellowship in your wonderful conservatory..!

Another profound must read and work to become ‘consciously competent’ at from Eddie!

Cynthia J. Wolfe, PhD CSCP PMP

Practitioner and SME in Project and Program Management | Professor | Higher Education | Online Faculty | I help others find their personal success journey! #drwolfe767

3 年

Great idea! We are fortunate - we have a pond which is secluded and at the back of our property. We built a small picnic house last year and installed rocking chairs. It's perfect for looking out over the water and thinking. Rocking chairs and watching nature are great for separating from from distractions - SFD.

Amerjit Walia, FCIPD FAPM

Director of Project Programs at AK Optimize Limited

3 年

#SFDSundays ????

Andrea Maritan

Project Manager presso Maritanco

3 年

That's also my line.

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