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Monday, March 11, 2019

Book: “Rebel Talent: Why it Pays to Break the Rules at Work and in Life“; Francesca Gino

Why this book?

This is the 2nd – February – book from My Year of Reading 2019 list.

In that post I was light on reasons for reading this book, stating the following:

  • I have stumbled over articles etc in 2018 repeatedly for this book.
  • The subject appeals to me.
  • 3 people expressed an interest in joining with me in reading this one in December 2018 during a #TwitterDisco chat with UK NHS professionals.

and included this intro vid
https://youtu.be/zTmFFmAqbEc

My reading of the book

I read the book between February and March 2019 while I was doing my 5th Working Out Loud circle.

I loved the book. I loved the examples that were given for each of the talents of a rebel and how the book ended up by listing out the principles of rebel leaders.

I continue to find it a challenge getting really specific about application of what I have learned and will need to reflect more in the cold light of day what I need to do with this content.

In my notes for each chapter, I have a section on my thoughts with links to the resources I found and a section for my notes from the book.

It was a joy looking up resources to get more detail on the examples of rebel leaders throughout the book.

There are also a large number of references in the book that I have yet to go through but that will be something for another time.

Such a great book, I recommend it highly. Francesca did an amazing job. Inspirational!

Introduction – Marcia!

My research and application notes from the book

pic https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Ai-Weiwei-Dropping-a-Han-Dynasty-Urn-Art-and-China-after-1989-Theater-of-the-World.jpg

I was intrigued straight away that a chef - Massimo Bottura – was a major influence on this book so I went on a search for info about him:

One of Massimo’s influences was/is the artist Ai Weiwei:

The idea of consciously breaking rules reminded me of an innovation and creativity course I did many years ago. I remember vividly an exercise in which we were challenged to take Chess and create new games by listing and changing the rules of the game. A deep learning experience.

This is now making me think what are the rules of anything, do I know what they are, do I conform to those rules deliberately, consciously, unconsciously or do I break them in those same ways?

I am looking forward to exploring the 5 elements of “rebel talent” in this book. These are all attributes that I hold dear and my hope is that I can further develop these in my life.

Good to see that I came out as “Pirate” in “The Rebel Test”:

“Like a pirate, you seek uncharted seas, and are fearless (mostly!) about what you might discover. You resist pressure to follow the actions and thinking of others, and you don’t let bad psychological habits, such as close-mindedness, hold you back.

You make use of all five rebel talents: novelty, curiosity, perspective, diversity, and authenticity. You are particularly strong in the talent for curiosity, which leads you to explore, to stay focused on learning, and to approach the world asking why and how, as children naturally do.”

Also good to have some application from the test to develop this rebel further:

To develop your rebel talent, consider how you might encourage others to constructively break the rules. Here’s something to try tomorrow: Think of someone you know who has a lot of potential, but seems reluctant to share it. Ask about a challenge they are facing, and think of what you could do to help them see the problem from another perspective, or see in themselves a strength they may be missing.

The test classifies people as either a Traveller, Pirate, Guard or Climber per this table: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a6222979f8dce8a8a69d5c2/t/5ae3502b562fa7a5fec0a1e2/1524846635234/RebelTalent_Pirate.pdf


My notes from the book

“You don’t let tradition bind you. You let it set you free.”
(Massimo Bottura, Owner And Chef, Osteria Francescana)

“Marcia” means “gear up” in Italian

story of various recipes - time-honoured recipes are not to be polluted with substitutions.

but Massimo does just that

I spent a day in kitchen and a day in dining room to see him in action

he got me doing everything including serving customers

many of his decisions can seem impulsive including new hires

he did not go to culinary school

career as chef was act of defiance – law school drop out after 2 years

bought his first restaurant with no experience but had done lots of home cooking for friends

inspired by Chinese conceptual artist Ai Weiwei who combines different traditions especially minimalist & conceptual art

e.g. his performance piece “Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn” (2k year old vase) – this destructive gesture was actually a constructive one, a beginning, break, transform, create

Most businesses are all about following the rules. not breaking them

e.g. standard operating procedures, chain of command, dress code

rules can be found everywhere

break them & you are in trouble, even chaos

rebels grudgingly tolerated or shown the door

Bottura was reckless with tradition and it worked spectacularly

I have studied businesses for 15 years and have come across characters like Bottura …
People who are not afraid to break the rules when the rules are holding them back. People who question their own assumptions and strongest beliefs, as well as the widely accepted norms around them, to identify more creative, effective ways of doing transcendent work. People who are “deviants,” but in a positive and constructive way.

my academic work has included researching why people cheat & break rules in various ways .. came to see how much rule breaking is associated with innovation

what might we learn from them? what are their secrets?

my research in parallel also started me wondering why people did not enjoy their work – became disengaged & unproductive

this book’s story started when I saw Bottura’s book “Never Trust a Skinny Italian Chef” – cookbook, photos, unusual/playful dish recipes & their tale of origin

“to break with tradition and make way for the new Italian kitchen”

Italians love tradition so Bottura was a rebel

he loved his work

This connection—between rule breaking and passion for one’s work—was not one I had made before, and yet it seemed powerful. The two so often go together

I teach at Harvard, my work is grounded in psychology

many different kinds of orgs but one thing in common – people work in them

looking at orgs triggers all kinds of qs – why do people avoid difficult conversations, how do we work effectively in teams

at a basic level, to answer them  we need to understand how our minds work

found rebels in many places around the world in various industries over last few years

the rebels came from all walks of life, each was unique, having what I call “rebel talent”

concluded by identifying 5 core elements of rebel talent:-

    1. Novelty: seeking out challenge and the new.

    2. Curiosity: the impulse we all had as children to constantly ask “why”?

    3. Perspective: the ability rebels have to constantly broaden their view of the world and see it as others do.

    4. Diversity: the tendency to challenge predetermined social roles and reach out to those who may appear different.

    5. Authenticity, which rebels embrace in all that they do, remaining open and vulnerable in order to connect with others and learn from them.

book explores each one in depth but also how to combine them successfully like executing a great recipe

rebellion is an approach to life/work that we can all embrace

rule-breaking does not have to get us into trouble if done correctly & in right doses – can help us get ahead

one of biggest surprises in research is how important / meaningful rebel talent can be in our personal lives

breaking rules enriches every area of our lives

living life like a rebel is energising

hope that you will discover your own rebel talent

Chapter 1: Napoleon and the Hoodie; The Paradox of Rebel Status

My research and application notes from the book

Already loving the range pf leaders that are being talked about in the book. From a chef we now look at Napoleon.

I am a fan of learning from every sector of society and every age.

I believe the military is a rich source of learning as they have been developing leaders for longer than any other section of society. A fave podcast is that from Jocko WIllink – a former US Navy Seal. This is a fave clip from any podcast: https://loopvideos.com/ZFS7jBQFOcU?from=7360&to=8466.

On Napoleon, I did some digging and came up with this article “The Development of The Corps D'Armée And Its Impact on Napoleonic Warfare”:
https://www.napoleon-series.org/military/organization/c_armycorps.html

For more on the Napoeleonic Code, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleonic_Code#Napoleonic_reforms.

One of the rare in real life learning and development things that I have done was with a UK Special Forces veteran. It was inspirational being taught by him at the end of 2017. My notes can be found here:
http://srjf.blogspot.com/2017/12/compass-for-life-elite-leadership-and.html. The speaker’s list of characteristics of a UK Special Forces soldier is informative for those of us looking to build more flexible and agile workforces.

Re the Andrew Roberts’ “Napoleon: A Life” book, see the following review:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/book-review-napoleon-a-life-by-andrew-roberts/2014/12/05/de4b0c34-4e34-11e4-aa5e-7153e466a02d_story.html
and the publisher’s summary:
https://www.andrew-roberts.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/napoleon-tipsheet.pdf

See this Andrew Roberts’ talk:
https://youtu.be/2OyfylBgBfA

The section on non-confirming behaviours reminded me of the power of the life design conversations that on the face of it should be challenging but after doing a Working Out Loud circle those conversations were almost easy. I may even go so far as saying that doing WOL circles can take a person completely out of their comfort zone to reach out to people in new ways and may be even hekp people not to conform to traditional ways of doing things. Being in three WOL circles prior to reading and applying Liz Ryan’s Reinvention Roadmap book definitely helped me do the real-life exercises in that book.

“Those Who Are Powerful, Inspire Themselves” - While reading the chapter I found this video on focus on yourself https://youtu.be/7XXbyvdLgVM (see below) via http://brasandbras.club/those-who-are-powerful-inspire-themselves/.

The chapter was a reminder that I should not judge a book by its cover. I should not only pay attention to well-presented etc content that I should not pay attention to how someone is dressed or how they speak. Some of the deepest sessions I have been in have been led by those who in the world’s eyes would not be listened to. A reminder too that I should not always bow down to cultural norms. Even as I write this I am reminded of the Bible verse that “my citizenship is in heaven” and that I am just passing through this life on earth.

The chapter too was a reminder to me that I need to work as a member of the team even when I am a leader of the team and that nothing should be beneath me. In lots of cases in my day job as the project manager of technical teams I am not technically capable of doing all the things that the team does – I am not a coder! – I must be part of the team and not be aloof.

My notes from the book

“It’s not rebels that make trouble but trouble that makes rebels”
(Ruth Messinger)

story of a Napoleon Bonaparte military campaign in Egypt.

his brilliant strategies have formed the basis of military education throughout the western world

as prep he would read books about opponents’ history, geography & culture, always aimed for surprise

he revolutionised warfare by introducing corps system – separate units that could rapidly come together

strategy of viewing enemy as separate parts and attacking them separately

mixed line and column formations

he did not invent these concepts but perfected them

his radical, strategic mind heralded birth of modern warfare

fought with his troops in the trenches – highly unusual

tried to remember his soldiers’ names and visited/chatted with them before battle

also worked on legal system so that it applied to all people – the Napoleonic Code – everyone equal before the law

dozens of nations later adopted the code

introduced education reforms which became foundation of ed system in France and adopted across much of Europe today

see Andrew Roberts’ “Napoleon: A Life”  - he is a fan – different views taken by others

but for battle strategy he was an outlier – he did not follow military hierarchy based on wealth and titles but instead on qualifications and skills

did not keep himself aloof, he was in the middle of the fray

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back with the author ..

leading an HBS exec programme using org Morning Star as the case study – no bosses or job titles, innovation all the time, people can simply change things

brainstorm in class about 1st response to term “rule-breaking” – chaos, disorder, innovation, creativity etc

many of words make us think of subversive, even dangerous individuals

examples of disastrous rule breaking

most decisions are governed by a process with a set of rules e.g. company handbooks, policies

there are also social norms re the “done” thing which provide order and predictability

violators tend to be punished by gossip, derision, rumours

shared rules make society run smoothly

soldiers swear to obey officers’ orders

Napoleon story about a battery high up that no one wanted to man – he printed a sign “The battery of the men without fear” – lots then volunteered to fight, Napoleon was there too

you do not necessarily become an outcast when you break the rules

Napoleon is a prime example of how a rebel can be a hero

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19th century economist Thorstein Veblen challenged a number of theories – spending by middle class as if they were upper class was to enhance status, called it “conspicuous consumption” – signals success even if on credit

lots of examples where we do this in other areas e.g, many of personal qualities we want to convey to others are not directly observable – commitment, dedication, co-operativeness, persistence

signals take up time, may be costly, may involve personal risk

this type of public grandstanding observable in the animal kingdom

Israeli ethologist Amotz Zahavi: animals engage in showy, even dangerous displays of courage to attract mates and raise their status

Napoleon’s joining his men in the battery seems foolish, beneath him, risky but sent a costly signal – his talent allowed him to break the rules, to serve, to lead his army to victory – an important insight to rebel mindset

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Facebook IPO tour – Zuckerberg wore his trademark attire regardless – he was going to remain “him”

other tech “stars” flout social norms for proper business attire

we generally have a clear sense of how to match behaviour with context

something very powerful happens when we act in ways that are unconventional or unexpected

Rome is capital of Italy but Milan is the fashion capital

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is oldest shopping centre in the world
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galleria_Vittorio_Emanuele_II

survey of shop assistants there where 2 scenarios of lady dressed in fur etc and lady in gym clothes – which was better sales prospect – view was that if dare shop underdressed more likely to buy – context is everything

same exercise but asking people at Milan railways station said well-dressed lady had higher status

did exercise about attire of lecturers at prestigious university where students said prof in T-shirt had higher status

the perception that an individual is consciously choosing not to conform is critical

to signal status, deviations from norm must demonstrate one’s autonomy to behave consistently with one’s own inclinations and to pay the cost of non-conformity – the master/mistress of his/her own domain

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author teaching 2 classes back to back for inner city economies at HBS – senior leaders in room did not want to waste their time, demanding audience – swapped shoes between sessions to red Converse as experiment- got lots of looks – 2nd class more attentive, thoughtful, laughed more – not only impact on me but on audience – survey at end of each class re my competence etc – higher status and more likely to be in HBR + higher consulting fees from red shoes class

karaoke experiment with students in 2 groups – bandana as uncomfy gear and group without – bandana wearers sang better, lower heart rates, felt more confident

we all have opps to boost our confidence through non-conforming behaviours

3 week experiment with 2 groups 1 conforming 1 non-conforming behaviour, former were more confident, more engaged in jobs, more creative as assessed by supervisors on innovativeness & performance

non-conformity can also enhance our personal lives e.g. expressing true preferences in social circles rather than falling in line with majority opinion improved their happiness in daily interactions

research suggests we can bring more happiness into our lives by being rebels, behaving in ways that defy conformity even in small ways

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Gerben Van Cleef (psychologist), Amsterdam cafe, shot 2 vids of same man in cafe ordering, 1 was rude, the other polite – 2 groups, each watched 1 of clips and asked about their reactions to vid including how powerful they thought the person was, the former was the result

power typically associated with lack of constraint, think of powerful people as generally having freedom to behave as they wish – we notive in our professional and personal life, people in powerful positions and those who feel powerful often act without fear of negative consequences

whether power is real or perceived, leads us to take more risks, express stronger more emotions / views, act as the real us, ignoring situational pressure

interrupters viewed as more assertive

anger expressers as mightier than those who express sadness, a more socially acceptable emotion

as people increase in power, feel greater freedom to defy conventions

can become a self-perpetuating cycle that goes too far

link between non-conformity, power & status leads us to deeper question – how should we use the power & status that we gain throughout our careers

….

small brass sign on a wall in Modena, Italy – Bottura’s restaurant, sweeps the street outside – does tasks his team does

the team knows there are no pre-defined roles that will box them in

everyone free to experiment with ideas & challenge their “leader” with a unique perspective

before service he joins staff for a meal

inbetween services helps clean up or in street playing football

atypical chef behaviour

his troops are devoted as they have seen him on the front line – they are inspired to greatness

Chapter 2: The Dog Named “Hot” A Talent For Novelty

My research and application notes from the book

Tione de Trento, home town of the author:
https://www.trentino.com/en/trentino/valli-giudicarie/tione-di-trento/

Italian Commedia dell’Arte:

Keith Johnstone and American acting coach Viola Spolin:

Challenged by the section about people and jobs, Re me and and jobs, I want the novelty but I seem to want the predictability more it seems – doing my head in! I am still wrestling for the novelty to outweigh the predictability.

Pal’s Sudden Service:
https://youtu.be/YfZN9gl9cvI

I use the picture myself of being better at seeing where I have been (looking through the rear view mirror) rather than looking forward (through the windscreen). I am trying to spend more time looking forward rather than looking back.

There is an amazing section in this chapter that could have been written about participating in a Working Out Loud circle (!!):
”In another study, I enlisted about five hundred workers across a wide range of U.S. organizations to take part in a six-week study inspired by Arthur Aron’s research on novelty and romantic relationships. I randomly assigned each employee to one of three conditions. In the novelty condition, I asked participants to carve out some time at work (at least once a week) to engage in novel or challenging tasks, such as reaching out to a colleague in a different division, learning a new skill, or working on a project outside their comfort zone. I sent them a reminder once a week for five weeks. For participants in the pleasant condition, I asked them to make some time at work to engage in tasks they enjoyed, to the extent possible. In the control condition, participants did not receive any instructions. At the end of week six, I asked everyone to complete an online survey on job satisfaction, engagement, commitment to the organization, and innovative behaviours. I also sought permission to ask their supervisors about their performance. Just as in the romantic relationships Aron studied, boosting novelty produced the highest scores on all the measures I assessed."

This chapter definitely leaves me thinking about how much novelty there is in my life vs stability. I would score highly for novelty in how I learn but poorly on novelty relating to personal and work relationships. I need to think of ways of addressing that.

My notes from the book

“The first kiss is magic. The second is intimate. The third is routine.”
(Raymond Chandler)

author at an improv session, 2 hours, 10 Monday evenings – “actor switch” – one liner each person

in improv you go with the flow, add to scene not contradicting it – best to say “yes and …”

author missed cultural reference to Star Trek

improv is all about performing without prep and without a script – responding to others in the moment, listening to your inner voice, bursting out with whatever comes to mind

cf steering v ia rear view mirror

was gift to husband – research suggests if inject novelty into our romantic relationships, we will stay more engaged in them and experience greater satisfaction in long run

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decided to get married in Italy – Tione de Trento, home town, 3k people

honeymoon – ancient Rome newly weds would spend entire phase of moon eating a portion of honey at every mealtime

respect for tradition is at heart of all cultures –long history across societies

examples from around the world of these traditions

rituals improve group performance

rituals / traditions impart / nourish values

in time shared values gain the power of treasured memories

broken traditions can result in disappointment

author got married in USA for legal reasons to address issues with Italian marrying an American

Mum was mad!

still had the full-on Italian wedding

rituals can bring us together & imbue life with deeper meaning – but often also rob us of the experience of making difficult decisions

in the grip of tradition, we miss out on novelty and therefore the excitement of working without a script

beware copying things  by rote that are not helpful e.g. even copying mistakes

example: kids watching adults taking toy out of box

over-imitation actually increases as we age

much of what we “know” is only trust in someone else’s knowledge

example: T-shirt folding

in orgs these often endure out of routine not thoughtful deliberation – status quo bias (William Samuelson, Richard Zeckhauser, 1988, people chose status quo as option when obviously less advantageous)

we take these for granted and view new things as offering less potential gains

if only we could put aside fear of losing, we might jump at chance to win, but fear holds us back, fixing us to status quo even when change clearly in our best interest

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history of improv started with Italian Commedia dell’Arte in 1500s broke with traditions of mainstream theatre, demanding of players an unusual ability to react in the moment

improv reinvented in 1950s by British – Canadian playwright Keth Johnstone and American acting coach Viola Spolin – separate spontaneous contributions to improv

Keith: “spontaneous improvisation” and sports characteristics – teams, judges, scores, competitions – tried to help actors be more responsive and alive in their work, believed ed system was blunting creatvity

Viola: kids loved to learn to act when lessons were a series of games – realised adults could do the same

“The Compass” in Chicago led to formation of improv theatre company Second City (where Tina Fey, Bill Murray etc started)

back to author at improv session – one-word story – tell story one word one person at a time

improv based on unpredictability – goal is to always react in the moment

compare and contrast – ping pong vs chess re planning ahead

even as it makes us anxious, the unpredictability fuels our need for novelty

example of monkeys lifting lid on box of snakes and doing it a 2nd time despite fear due to novelty

novelty compels humans and animals to engage with the unfamiliar

novelty improves our survival odds by keeping us alert to friends & threats in our environment

babies always play with unfamiliar things!

helps unleash their inner explorer

human geographical exploration is down to novelty seeking

this drive for novelty fades over time – predictability takes over

the orgs we build and join reflect this reality

predictability of pay cheque

novelty of something at outset can instil a sense of delight/wonder at our good fortune but fades over time and becomes ordinary – the intensity fades

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Pal’s Sudden Service – fast-food chain in Tennessee / Virginia – 29 stores, speed is key, process to follow for zero errors, tedium is constant threat – org changes sequence of tasks that worker will do each day – novelty as stimulant – fast process time, very low errors in orders

so room for variety in even most rote job

study by author with Brad Staats of Japanese bank processing mortgage applications – variety of task allocation acted as motivator

novelty increases our job satisfaction, our creativity, and our overall performance. It also increases how much we grow in both confidence and ability

study: people remember interesting lists of facts more than less interesting – felt more like masters and more confident in their ability to do new things

in our brains, novelty and pleasure are deeply entwined – novelty generates surprises, surprises lead to pleasure

the happiness experienced after an unexpected kindness (e.g gift) lasted longest when act was anonymous

uncertainty of a situation can increase pleasure rather than detracting from it

excitement is a powerful source of novelty

survey of couples: activities to do with partner re exciting & pleasant – 3 groups – 1: activity both rated exciting but moderately pleasant; 2: both highly pleasant but not as exciting; 3: no special activities; 1st group had dramatically improved relationship quality; no change in the other 2

for an experience to be exciting, it needs to be more than novel, also needs to be challenging

insufficient novelty makes us feel that the relationship is boring which takes a toll

even very brief novel activities increase relationship quality

when we engage in exciting activities together, we view both our partner and the relationship as exciting

seeking novelty may involve simple activities

novelty even more important than stability

cf stable jobs doing same things every day

author did research with the same groups as couples survey above with similar results

value of novelty at work (and in relationships) seems pretty universal

back to Pal’s – example of 1 mgr setting challenge of employee predicting orders correctly – not as hard as could have been given lots of repeat customers

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author and husband with latter opening Christmas present – Improv sessions! – 1st class he hated, 2nd class had “3 things” exercise … idea is to generate a quick response not a “right” one … really hated it! … in later sessions learned to stop worrying what others thought … he came to truly love improv

we came to feel that we were good at something new

this is called “self-expansion” – when we engage in novel activities and acquire new skills, our sense of who we are expands – ditto with the number of traits we use to describe who we are

this heightens our confidence that we can reach our goals, even when outside our comfort zone, & increases our commitment to reaching our destination no matter how tough the road

by getting closer to our partner we learn something new from them and we “expand”

author & husband now know they can be silly and therefore vulnerable in front of strangers

3rd week – hot spot – 1 person enters circle and starts singing then take turns – learned to do that and helping others by singing along, swapping with someone quickly or smiling in support

Improv teaches that it is OK to be uncomfortable. Comfort is overrated. It doesn’t make us as happy as we think it will. With too much comfort, we miss out on the anticipation of what’s going to happen next. It’s so much better to go through life like a child dreaming of Santa Claus, wondering what gifts the future holds.

Chapter 3: The Vanishing Elephant A Talent For Curiosity

My research and application notes from the book

I have had so much fun and joy rabbit trail-ing after reading this chapter. There is lots of gold in the links I have found and I encourage you to have a watch of some of these links and go wherever you get taken in your mind.

As always, I read the chapter and made notes on my way through. I have learned to stay more focused when I do this and list things that come to mind to look up when I have read the chapter.

Now adding my fave audio clip on curiosity and fascination after watching etc all the links that follow. If you do only one thing with my notes on this chapter, I encourage you to play this clip: https://www.sixpixels.com/podcast/archives/spos_542_-_finding_what_fascinates_with_julie_klam/ 

Never been one for magic tricks. Obviously curious how they are done. Houdini and elephant – not Houdini in this video: https://youtu.be/67E7p-5ovTk.
Houdini documentary: https://youtu.be/72IBUiXJogc

Definition: “beguile” (used in the chapter about eclipses)
charm or enchant (someone), often in a deceptive way.

Solar Eclipse 101: documentary; https://youtu.be/cxrLRbkOwKs

A fave video of the natural world with a fave band’s soundtrack (Sigur Ros): https://youtu.be/RUp_P2g8sAc

Another video that I have used at church for the video footage and the lyrics while we sing the song: https://vimeo.com/232562877

Coloured milk reminding me of this tasty hot chocolate! https://www.whittard.co.uk/hot-chocolate/discover-hot-chocolate/hot-chocolate/raspberry-ripple-flavour-hot-chocolate-318634.html

I am a big fan of Greg Dyke. He was ousted – he resigned – in Jan 2004 from his tenure as Director General of the BBC by the Tony Blair UK government over criticism of the BBC's news reporting process in the Hutton Inquiry. At the time I believed he was the best person for that role and it was a shame he left.
Greg Dyke resigns (2004): https://youtu.be/2LsjmhTAUTM 
BBC staff show their support (2004): https://youtu.be/hPekjsnyFwk
Greg Dyke speaks at the Cambridge Union (May 2011): https://youtu.be/Wgfpe8eLuTs
Leadership interview: https://youtu.be/J8IfSSwkufQ

On the subject of creativity, innovation and the BBC, I was reminded of this article “Prejudice and a BBC pioneer - the amazing story of Grace Wyndham Goldie”: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jun/12/grace-wyndham-goldie-bbc-producer-1940s-1950s-invented-tv-formats.
Wikipedia entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Wyndham_Goldie
BFI profile: http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/1401847/index.html 
Romola Garai's heroes of TV news: Star of The Hour reveals the women she watched to prepare for her portrayal as the pioneer of TV news formats: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2011/jul/16/romola-garai-the-hour 
The Hour: Meet BEL (Romola Garai): https://youtu.be/fZyPCCCKyFI
The Hour Trailer - New Series - BBC Two: https://youtu.be/InILSU-ZV9M

At this point in the chapter, I saw the weekly email from Steve Clayton (Chief Storyteller, Microsoft). I recommend that you sign-up for his weekly newsletter. Given the subject, I include his email in its entirety:

“The Friday Thing #602 is about curiosity. I fairly regularly get asked what I look for when hiring people to join our merry band of storytellers here at Microsoft. There are lots of talents, but the one I really look for is curiosity. I don’t mean people who are curious (but that often helps too….), I mean having a natural curiosity about the world. In my experience it’s those kind of people who make for great storytellers – across many domains. It may be one of the reasons I am a huge fan of Sir Paul Smith. I remember shopping at his little store in Nottingham, England when I was at university and buying a Paul Smith toothbrush. It was the only thing I could afford in the store at the time. I had the good fortune to meet him last year in London while we were both looking at curious things in the shop at The Design Museum. He was curious in his own unique way while we enjoyed a brief chat. Well, I did at least.

I own very little of his clothing as I simply don’t fit in to the svelte silhouette he generally cuts for….but he’s so much more than a fashion designer. He’s a collector and a naturally curious person. His curiosity stems from simply being interested in the world around him and collecting things that pique his interest. I may have been know to do similar. I especially like his advice on buying art – buy in because you like it, not for any other motives.

Anyway…back to my point. Curiosity is something we tend to forget in the busy world we live in today. So sit back and listen to Sir Paul talk about his eclectic collection. I hope it inspires you as it did me.”
https://youtu.be/pmLJjtc0Ul4

Starting to get carried away and watching more YouTube videos on these themes. Back to the chapter …

Wondering now how often I ask for advice – I certainly do not think that I know it all. I love being on a quest to find things out. This chapter is encouraging me to ask more people more questions than before even when I do not necessarily need to.

For some reason, my thinking on asking questions prompted “passive-aggressive” to jump into my mind. What does it mean and do I do this? Found the following …
5 Signs of Passive Aggressive Communications: https://youtu.be/eeQwC2dQA8M 
How to Handle Passive Aggressive Behaviour - Stephanie Lyn Life Coaching: https://youtu.be/DR8mBIUJNto

Probably one for me to explore further in my WOL self-care circle. No major issue from me to others but sense that some of these are down to me occasionally.

And then the chapter makes me think about my curiosity and others. Does my curiosity  inspire and encourage others? The example in the chapter of someone (e.g. me) as project manager for a task, do I stifle creativity by saying to people who are going off-piste by e.g. researching a subject that this activity is not in the plan? I do not believe so BUT this is making me think about the projects that I manage and how much necessity there is for creativity and innovation. The projects I manage are about understanding business requirements and delivering system solutions to meet those requirements. May be if I was managing other sorts of projects demanding lots more innovation and creativity then this would be more of an issue!

Found a video of Massimiliano (Max) Zanardi hotel manager - https://youtu.be/WeS0wnyBJMU

I was familiar with Olivetti from the early days of computing so it was interesting to read the back story of the company. It was amazing reading the chapter and Steve Jobs and Apple came to mind and then the author mentioned them!

Olivetti: a great story of Italian innovation: https://youtu.be/ZdJua6BjVac 
Brand Series – OLIVETTI: https://youtu.be/MCRfvK0nQuY 
Valentine typewriter https://www.massmadesoul.com/olivetti-valentine/
Macchina per scrivere Valentine Olivetti Write Olivetti from the heart: https://youtu.be/F-3TLADDacc
Lettera22_il documentario su Adriano Olivetti: https://youtu.be/Ax_zKlnSxHE

Typewriters mentioned in the Olivetti part of the chapter reminded me that Tom Hanks has recently published a collection of short stories on the theme of typewriters – “Uncommon Type: Some Stories”:
Richard & Judy Book Club podcast: https://player.fm/series/richard-and-judy-book-club-podcast-exclusive-to-whsmith/uncommon-type-tom-hanks
Interview at Chicago Humanities Festival: https://youtu.be/TJvPsHjiz-Q

James March was a new name to me:
Passion and Discipline: Don Quixote's Lessons for Leadership: https://youtu.be/NYmbiv_cbn8 
pdf of the article referenced in the chapter: http://www.analytictech.com/mb874/papers/march.pdf
Google Books entry for book of the same name: https://goo.gl/L9SsDH

IDEO:
IDEO's Tom Kelley is Design Thinking's ultimate disciple, he makes the case as to why: https://youtu.be/L1pBhHjGKvI

My notes from the book

“Look At This Life—All Mystery And Magic”
(Harry Houdini)

New York’s Hippodrome Theater opened 1905 – 5,600 capacity, Jan 1918, Houdini walked across stage – Chinese water torture cell – amazing tricks – used elephant – H had always been a trickster – 1st performance aged 9 – became expert on locks & handcuffs – elephant disappeared – how was a secret for 90 years after

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18th century Adam Smith was father of modern economics for explaining capitalism – but also talked about “wonder”:

“arises “when something quite new and singular is presented . . . [and] memory cannot, from all its stores, cast up any image that nearly resembles this strange appearance.” & associated with a specific bodily feeling: “that staring, and sometimes that rolling of the eyes, that suspension of the breath, and that swelling of the heart.”

sense of wonder / awe in old days at solar eclipse, even today it beguiles

cf 2017 total eclipse, people travelled miles to be on path of totality

natural world common source of wonder e.g human birth, animals in natural habitat

kids experiencing everything for 1st time are the creatures most filled with a sense of wonder

kids repeatedly asking “why?”

they take time to puzzle over issues & do not dismiss ideas that might be outlandish

youthful sense of wonder was a central part of Houdini’s personality throughout his life

1st interested by high-wire walkers

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1900s Henry Ford looking for ways to reduce production costs to create a car for the masses

1 October 1908 – 1st Model T Ford built

single-minded focus on efficiency & minimising costs

then trend in market for variety not just  all the same

failed to master change

Houdini allowed his sense of wonder to guide his thinking

kids eventually start to rein in their curiosity often as parents close everything down

peaks around 4-5 years old!

with age self-consciousness increases & so does our desire to make a show of expertise

rebels learn to hold on to this childlike curiosity – never stop asking why

author’s family coloured milk in cereal story

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in 2000 BBC facing many challenges

clear vision from the start to educate, inform and entertain

became one of UK’s best-known global brands

market challenge with increased competition

intro of Greg Dyke – charismatic leader, remarkable track record in TV

John Birt hsi predecessor ran the BBC from London, Dyke visited all offices and no presentation just asked “what is the one thing I should do to make things better for our viewers and listeners?”

asking this question was remarkable – people fear asking qs makes them look foolish especially when problems in the org have been present for a long time

on visits he ate with the staff

discovered that many had lost their creative spark & facilities needed updating

1st strategy statement was to shift BBC goal from being best-managed org in public sector to being the most innovative & risk-taking place there is

on lots of metrics, Dyke improved the BBC

when we interact with others by asking qs, our relationships grow stronger because we are showing genuine interest in learning about them, hearing their ideas, getting to know them more personally – we gain their trust and our relationship becomes more interesting and intimate

people think we are smarter when we ask qs than when we do not

we underestimate how flattering it is to be asked for advice

by asking qs we give others the opportunity to share their personal experience / wisdom thereby stroking their ego

curiosity is a way of being rebellious – it may feel scary but brings all sorts of benefits

curiosity related to greater positive emotions & greater closeness when we interact with strangers for 1st time

people who ask more qs are better liked – speed dates who ask more qs get more 2nd dates

having intimate convos makes you feel closer to partner and happier than those who just had small talk

we are usually reluctant to ask more probing qs – we think we are getting too personal and should mind our own business

curiosity is associated with greater satisfaction and sense of social support in existing relationships

when you show curiosity by asking qs, others share more, and they return the favour – a spiral of give & take that fosters intimacy

when we open ourselves up to curiosity, we are more apt to reframe situations in a positive way – cf challenges at work become opportunities to learn

in general curiosity motivates us to view stressful situations as challenges not threats, talk about difficulties more openly & try new approaches to problem solving

curiosity associated with less defensive reaction to stress & less aggression when responding to provocation

people with higher tolerance for uncertainty have fewer conflicts with friends, fewer passive-aggressive reactions and more willing to excuse transgressions

curiosity translates to greater engagement with others & the world, tx to exploratory learning that it inspires

our expression of curiosity has roots in our childhood & shaped by lessons we are taught as we grow up

a teacher’s behaviour has a powerful impact on a child’s disposition to explore

a manager’s actions can influence the curiosity & creativity of those in their org

how we react to exploration & experimentation of our colleagues or subordinates is likely to directly influence whether they feel comfortable exploring their curiosity

schools may be too focused on perfecting skills or preparing for tests that are detrimental to curiosity

ditto orgs

Max Zanardi, hotel mgr, knows how to tap into employees’ curiosity & his own to run a better biz – born Italy living Turkey – key to opening of Ritz Carlton Istanbul – 2015 voted best luxury hotel in Turkey – employees point to the way in which he encouraged them always to ask questions and to get them to redefine luxury via “why?” and “what if?”#

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1908 Camillo Olivetti founded Italy’s 1st typewriter factory in Italy as family biz – inspired by trip to States and imported some – started with 20 employees, 20 machines/week, early 1920s 250 staff, 2k+ machines pa – son Adriano started in 1924 on shop floor – saw monotony of the work

James March 1st wrote about tradeoff between efficiency & innovation in 1991, highlighted contrast between exploitation & exploration in orgs

exploration = looking for, identifying new ideas, ways of doing things, involving risk taking, experimentation, flexibility, play, discovery, innovation

exploitation = improving/refining existing products/processes via efficiency, selection, implementation, execution

these need very different capabilities, processes, cultures

groups set up for exploration = flexible structures, improvisation, autonomy, chaos, emerging businesses/ technologies

groups for exploitation = routine processes, control & bureaucracy, stable markets & tech

exploitation often crowds out exploration

Adriano Olivetti got balance right between the 2

built factories of glass so workers could see the surrounding mountains and people outside could see inside

he was engineer fascinated by art, design, architecture, used these in his work

design strategy became integrated with product dev process

1937 1st org to have graphic design team inside the org

designers/engineers working togther collaboratively i.e. not simply picking up the design from the engineers

1940s new products – calculators, printing machines

1969 – Valentine typewriter became must-have product creating a new mass-market product

diversified into calculators & electronics

the products became known for being highly functional but also aesthetically unique

Valentine made in lots of colours – fun and personality in a category that had long taken itself too seriously – the office

expanded globally

in 70s became an undispted leader in industrial design – Steve Jobs used that label for what he wanted Apple to become

Adriano paid more – ensured they remained engaged, curious, exposed to knowledge & culture from different discplines – workplaces included playgrounds for workers’ children, libraries with thousands of books/mags, rooms for film screenings & debates – cf tech companies today but rare at the time – hired writers, poets, other intellectuals – 2 hour break for lunch – 1 to eat food, 1 to eat culture (read books from library, attend concerts/talks by invited people) – sponsored renovation of masterpieces incl LDV “The Last Supper”

Adriano had no data to support his approach – others thought waste of time – BUT company kept innovatiing – new products including 1st PC in 1964

innovation at core of production strategy, so fostering highly creative environment

IDEO, design consultancy, hires “T-shaped” employees – vertical stroke is depth of skill/knowledge, horizontal stroke is collaboration across functions comprising empathy and curiosity

like IDEO’s leaders, Adriano believed people perform at best not because they are specialists but because skill depth + intellectual curiosity leads them to keep exploring

lots of evidence for link between curiosity & innovation

curiosity provides performance benefits in all kinds of jobs

author’s research finds that curious people often end up being star performers in their orgs due to:-

  • larger networks
  • more comfortable asking questions
  • more easily create & nurture ties with others at work – where those ties critical to their career development & success

employer gets benefit too re workers overcoming work challenges & motivated to go extra mile

Adriano story of worker stopped on way home with company material – working on project at home as no time at work – appointed Tech Director later

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Highway 101, west coast USA, 1500 miles – billboard with strange message on it & maths puzzle – also appeared at Harvard subway station = part of a recruitment game for Google

example of Microsoft recruitment about hands on clock being in same place how many times a day

quest for problem solvers with a passion to work for these companies

curiosity:-

  • encourages new ways of thinking
  • challenges long-held assumptions
  • fuels transformative change

biggest challenge is how we keep people creative

beware stopping asking questions

we need to celebrate curiosity

we all differ in how curious we are by nature but orgs can foster our curiosity

leaders can encourage this by being more inquisitive & curious themselves – by asking “why?” and “what if?”

cf public learning goals by e.g. Zuckerberg

encourage employees to explore their interests

“I don’t know, let’s find out”

“What if … how might we?”

inspiration that led to Polaroid instant camera in mid 1940s

parents excitement at new things rubs off on kids

the importance of psychological safety – a shared belief that members can take risks – Amy Edmondson’s work with medical teams

cf Curious George who never gets punished for getting into trouble

Satya Nadella (MS) changed criteria in performance reviews to include how well employees learn from others, share ideas, apply their new knowledge

Ed Catmull (Pixar) ensures induction process covers mistakes the org has made over time so new starters aware that they can happen and not to be intimidated abut the org

training can foster healthy questioning

when we ask qs about our job & org that are generally taken for granted, we build relationships with colleagues more easily & our ideas get more interesting

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how did Houdini to the vanishing elephant trick?

curiosity-led participants in research to generate ideas that experts judged as more creative & that diverged more dramatically from status quo

Houdini looked for new ways to challenge himself

when we realise we do not have answer to a problem, our mind fills with creative ideas if we let it

every day we can choose to focus on what we know and what we do not know

credit for Houdini’s elephant trick was to Englishman Charles Morritt from Yorkshire – donkey sub-ed for elephant when Houdini bought the secrets

=============

Chapter 4: The Hudson River is a Runway – A Talent for Perspective

My research and application notes from the book

I do try to see things from different perspectives.

I was reminded of personas in user experience design that I have never used fully but have some understanding of.

As a person who reads widely, I do not believe I have a narrow perspective.

The chapter though is a challenge and has made me think whether I do automatically accept content as being true and correct if it is consistent with my understanding and past experience. I need to be careful!

The plane landing on the River Hudson in New York is an amazing story. See documentary: https://youtu.be/5SL1A2d2e7M

We did the film “Sully” in the film club that I lead at church. It is an amazing and inspirational story. I love his attitude towards learning and puts mine to shame! See the trailer for the film: https://youtu.be/mjKEXxO2KNE.

Sully also features in this BBC Horizon documentary “How to avoid mistakes in surgery” that is based around the power of checklists: https://www.bilibili.com/video/av604306/.

Having read Walter Isaacson’s mammoth biography “Leonardo”, it was good to read about his bridge design thinking and the footbridge that was built on his designs in Aas Township in Norway: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vebj%C3%B8rn_Sand_Da_Vinci_Project


My notes from the book

“There’s a literal freedom you feel when you’re at the controls, gliding above the surface on the earth, no longer bound by gravity . . . Even at a few thousand feet, you get a wider perspective.”
(Captain Chesley Sullenberger)

Jan 2009, US Airways flight 1549 LaGuardia Airport, New York, to Charlotte, North Carolina – Sully pilot with a co-pilot never worked with before final leg of 4 day trip – just started, bird strike of many birds, both engines failed, started working through dual engine lost checklist, low altitude, low speed, no engines, rapid descent, realised no options but Hudson River

Sully had flown planes for 42 years including military, no experience of engine failure, never landed in water

landed plane on water, 3.5 mins everyone out of plane, 1st rescue boat in 4 mins, Sully last off plane and into boat, all survived, no casualties. time from birs strike to landing in water 208 seconds


for many pilots, flying is familiar routine, sticking to script/checklists, taught to follow procedures all the time including emergency

the manual for dual engine failure assumed higher altitude, Sully could not work through full checklist in time available

fight-or-flight not ideal in modern world

under stress we scan a few options rapidly and overlook bigger picture

in crisis we rely on what has worked for us before BUT counter-intuitively, taking a step back would help us most

look at what we could do not what we should do

broadens our perspective

Sully and lifelong learning – made each flight a learning experience & each better than the previous one

had the view that each flight he could learn something new that he had not considered before, wanted to avoid tunnel vision, broaden perspective to be in better position to evaluate options, including novel ideas like Hudson as runway

by forcing himself to continuously learn, he fought tendency to succumb to routine & assume every flight same as last one

this aspect of the rebel mindset kept him open to new perspectives & saved lives of every person on the flight


B&B buyout work for Suntech – 2 people who know each other, issue of breaching your loyalty to friend & risking serious damage to employer and 1 of their clients – no obvious right answer

became a case at Harvard via one of student’s real-life experience

what would you do? – one group asked – the other asked what could you do?

could thinking led to new/fresh perspectives & generate more possible solutions including more morally insightful


cardiologists perform n hundred thousand angioplasties each year (restore blood flow through coronary artery via vascular stent

relieve pain and less invasive than bypass surgery

started being used for reasons not approved leading to FDA warning

we studied how medics responded to the guidance and how expertise was used

those with more experience continued to use them despite the warnings

the effect of experience was to obscure what was best for patients

beware experience taking us into situations mindlessly rather than thoughtfully

Sully’s varied military experience including jet fighters

interested in air accidents and lessons learned re pilot mistakes or where std op procedures failed

2 Masters degrees

he viewed expertise not as something to achieve but as process that must be kept alive = deposits that he made a withdrawal from on that day

water landings not in simulators

be prepared for the unexpected

before each flight … what can I learn?

when we frame working around learning goals – e.g. developing our competence, getting new skills, mastering new situations – we perform better than framing work around performance goals – e.g. hitting results goals

experience rationalises our prior views/decisions, gets stronger with more experience – makes us do things as we have always done them

power aggravates the problem – ego inflates, threatened by info that proves us wrong, can close us off to to what other have to offer

when any of us feel powerful we are less open to perspectives of others

when we take too much “airtime”, we demotivate those around us

when leaders work with highly talented/ skilled people, this lesson is esp critical

example: when surgeons inaccessible or autocratic style, the team’s performance suffers, often harming patients

Rebels recognize that it is more important for the team to work well and get the job done than it is to display their power or respect some formal hierarchy.

too often power viewed as licence to raise one’s voice without listening to others

“playing deaf” is dysfunction I often observe in leaders

back to Italian restaurant, family of 4 there 2 nights running, 1st night the 12 course, 2nd night Dad asked for 10 courses

but maitre d’ saw kids did not want that, asked what they wanted, pizza which the restaurant brought in from elsewhere


we all tend to process info in self-serving manner, we uncritically accept evidence consistent with what we want to believe or disregard the evidence when it is not

cf when we weigh ourselves

people wait more patiently for data when they believe the data will reassure them than when they believe it would scare them

there are ways to combat our self-serving tendencies cf film Sliding Doors

certain moments stand out to us as turning points that lead us to reflect on how life might have been different for better or worse if they had not occurred

“counter-factual thinking” is powerful way to forget what you know & consider situation from fresh perspective

when employees do this their commitment to the org/co-workers rises as does their happiness at work

e.g. their org might not have existed if some things had not happened

this thinking also prompts us to make positive changes

when we consider how things might have unfolded differently, we become more sensitive to the unpredictability of life – we then consider decisions more systematically & approach life with more open mind

can also instil a sense of meaning

takes focus away from just our own view – which is compounded as we gain experience

1 of problem is that we seem to forget the experience of being inexperienced

we are also prone to hindsight bias – having knowledge of outcome leads us to assume we knew the info all along

this “curse of knowledge” makes us overestimate the amount of knowledge that others have

we underestimate the time it would take for novices to learn complex tasks

try rediscovering the feeling of inexperience – is a way to counteract the misleading – and potentially life-threatening feeling of knowing


diamonds being cut by mechanical means then lasers arrived

cut marks reduce diamond’s value

cf food processing to deseed peppers via use of pressure up and down applied to diamond laser cutting

same process applied to diamonds, crystals split along natural fracture lines with no additional damage to stones

we all face problems we cannot solve on own and need others to help e.g. experts

but times when we should try to get help from those outside those domains

Rebels understand that different perspectives can lead us away from stale assumptions toward deeper, more powerful thinking.

in a student group, the perspectives may be more powerful than what is taught in class

InnoCentive site for online challenges often solved by people outside relevant domain, cash prizes

HBS reviewed successful solvers those whose domain of interest 6 times removed from problem domain were 3 times more likely to solve than those in that domain

non-experts actually better problem solvers than experts

further analysis - breakthrough solutions more likely to be result of investments of time/effort than expertise in field

insiders with a some knowledge of their own field devised solutions more creative when used more diverse set of outside resources

odds of outsiders developed winning solutions when went deep into problem domain

easier to approach problems from fresh perspective when not experts – less rooted in & defensive of existing viewpoints

1500 story of idea for Golden Horn bridge, Istanbul – idea with input from Leonardo Da Vinci – would have been longest bridge at the time & 8th wonder of world

300 years later LDV’s principles became accepted

2001 Norway wooden footbridge built to those principles in Aas Township, Norway

= fresh perspective to new / old problems, may take years / centuries to recognise their brilliance since as experts focused on own point of view


working with Chef Bottura is to be constantly reminded of how differently people can see the world – example create dishes based on pieces of music – encouraged staff to play in their work – too rare in our jobs!

good to be reminded our knowledge / skills can be expanded – increases our motivation & humility

Tenelle Porter’s research: higher levels of intellectual humility associated with greater willingness to consider views that do not align with ours – & perform better, makes us wiser – wisdom means rejecting the feeling of knowing

what we see in any situation depends on our perspective

Chapter 5: Uncomfortable Truths: A Talent for Diversity

My research and application notes from the book

Diversity is a subject that I have never studied in depth. My Christian worldview which I hold to my core means that I believe that each and every person is made in the image of God and that we are all therefore equal in God’s sight and mine. So with that view there is no room for discrimination and not fostering and encouraging diversity.

I am aware of my own comfort zones when it comes to relating to people but as I get older I increasingly value getting to know deeply everyone that I come into contact with.

It was therefore interesting reading this chapter to fill out some of the gaps in my understanding of the power and benefits of diversity in teams and groups and organisations.

I was aware previously that diversity of teams is a good thing e.g mixing creatives, planners, implementers and the like per this blog post: https://srjf.blogspot.com/2016/01/team-diversity-or-conformity.html

Some resources I hunted out prompted by this chapter.

Ava DuVernay, Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated director, producer and screenwriter discusses "A Wrinkle in Time", based on Madeleine L'Engle's novel, it's the story of a young girl who learns to bend the rules of time and space on a quest to save her astrophysicist father from captivity in another dimension. A formidable force in the fight for female voices and intersectionality in film and beyond, DuVernay was the first African American women to be nominated for best director at the Academy Awards, and is the first woman of color to direct a film with a budget of over $100 million: https://youtu.be/vzLuOpEj-g4.

Trailer for Ava’s film Selma – https://youtu.be/x6t7vVTxaic - and A Wrinkle In Time – https://youtu.be/b9Ezoiqt2HU.

A making of the film Beautiful People - https://youtu.be/Kl3Qulrbzb8 – and the trailer – https://youtu.be/0q8WZkLevcg . The specific clip mentioned in the book – https://loopvideos.com/QBNOWrLKV9w?from=4517&to=4852.

Kim Campbell, former Canadian PM,  on leadership: https://globalnews.ca/video/rd/1337685059930/?jwsource=cl

Breaking the Mould: The Story of Bobbi Gibb (1st female runner in the Boston Marathon when females were not allowed in the race): https://youtu.be/2LjGKwedIIU

Info on the coaches at San Antonio Spurs, 1st NBA team to have female assistant coach:-

My notes from the book

“The difference between a lady and a flower girl isn’t how she behaves. It’s how she’s treated.”
(George Bernard Shaw, Pygmalion)

Disney story about Ava DuVernay (from Compton) possibly directing adaptation of A Wrinkle In Time (Madeleine L’Engle’s beloved science fantasy novel) – an atypical sci-fi story with lead character being cerebral 13yo wearing glasses

brought up wanting to be a lawyer – 1st black homecoming queen & student body president – introduced to films – journalist & Hollywood marketer & publicist – people all around her had creative ideas but so did she

did some additional study/practice, picked up camera, just started making it, 1st short film at 32

faced several challenges as woman in male-dominated industry

beware only doing things that are you trying to get others to do something for you

Selma re MLK was hit – Queen Sugar series for Oprah – podcast for African-Americans “The Call-In” concentrating on tech aspects of film-making – set lead role as from mixed-race family becoming comfortable in own skin


author finally got round to doing driving test in USA after having Italian licence years previously – tester assumed colleague in car was her dad due to how both were dressed and her backpack

stereotypes: sets of attributes we associate with particular groups are rooted in fundamental mechanics of human thought

animals have evolved to make snap judgements about predators

humans distrust outsiders

some things we use to judge: age, weight, skin colour, gender, educational level, disability, accent, sexuality, social status, job

when we buy into stereotypes we can sometimes become perpetrators of cruelty & discrimination often being unaware of it

rebels do not thoughtlessly accept the social roles & attitudes that society promotes; they challenge such roles & attitudes, never missing an opportunity to prove them wrong

stereotypes can become firewalls blocking us receiving new info preventing us from changing our minds unless something dramatic happens

cf scene from “Beautiful People” where Bosnian refugee brought to London by doctor, at meal time, snobbish behaviour by doctor’s family then refugee apparently unsophisticated / uneducated plays piano

exercise author does with students to categorise words – struggle most with female names & career on 1 side and male names & home on other as labels – applies to male and female students

primitive stereotypes when kids play with hammers or scarves

parents set scene for gender stereotypes even before kids are born with setup of nursery rooms

Disney stereotypes – starting to be challenged with Frozen, Moana, A Wrinkle In Time

once learned stereotypes / prejudices hard to get rid of even when evidence contradicts them

we like interacting with people like us & we gravitate to people like us

dealing with people not like us can cause friction making us feel unsettled /unproductive

some say opposites attract but we are attracted to people like us

daring to violate stereotypes often experience backlash

cf former Canadian PM Kim Campbell ..it was the right way for a leader to speak but it was not the right way for a woman to speak


initial rise of women in workplace caused by World War 1 and 2 as women replaced men in roles when men went off to fight – retrurned to former situation but had set trend – gains for economy & economy

McKinsey survey: firms in top quartile for gender diversity 15% more likely to have above average financial returns

increasing number of women in workforce can increase country’s GDP by up to 21%

but resistance to this change

challenge of women juggling work and home

stereotypes of women: communal – other-oriented, modest, affectionate, helpful, gentle, pleasing, sensitive, nice;
men: “agentic”, independent, strong, forceful, self-focused, competent, competitive

we expect men to work and women to look after the kids

male boss, female bossy

persuasive vs pushy

gender views lead to bias in hiring, reviews, promotion decisions

story of Ann Hopkins as she sought to become partner at Price Waterhouse

cf group work on author’s course in 4s/5s, often 1 person does bulk of work and often female

sub-optimal for orgs as they miss out on output as some slack off while others do the work


author’s 1st exec ed class at Harvard, one item of student feedback about her attire!

years later, heavily pregnant, course delegate said easy to get tired & she should have got someone else to take the class

the effect of such judgements is truly insidious

common, esp when outnumbered, for women to be interrupted, talked over, shut down, penalised for speaking out

the more power men have the more they talk, not the case for women

men showing anger at work are rewarded with more respect / authority, such women seen as incompetent / unworthy & get penalised

this affects confidence, expectations & future behaviour

“stereotype threat” or tendency to choke and underperform due to fear of bias

women spend energy disproving stereotype leaving less energy for task at hand

no one is immune to stereotype threat

but expectations can influence results – thinking you will perform well, helps you perform well

this also true for our expectations of others

cf Pygmalion, sculptor, lost interest in women due to disgust at local prostitutes, crafted a beautiful women who he fell in love with, Galatea, who came to life after Pygmalion had prayed to Greek gods, his expectations had brought her to life

Pygmalion effect: a person’s expectations of another person turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy

helps author when she is introduced with a bio that includes her accolades and becoming HBS prof at a young age

also we can choose to rebel at low expectations that others set for us

approaching high-stakes performance situations by telling ourselves we are excited rather that telling ourselves to calm down, lowers anxiety & improves our performance

if fearing backlash, we can frame the task as opportunity to learn / improve and not dwelling on our anxiety

rebels know how to expect the most out of everyone, including themselves

harness that rebel spirit, do not succumb to stereotype threat – this encourages others to do likewise

story of Roberta “Bobbi” Gibb who ran the Boston Marathon in 1966 when women were not allowed to take part – it was opened up in 1972 to all

Harvard’s review of diversity in role models in case studies where only 20% of people in those cases were females = led to seeking more cases with females & minorities as main characters

bravery of those calling out discrimination – e.g. Ronan Farrow calling out Harvey Weinstein that led to #MeToo – used at peak for half million tweets in 1 day – courage of the few led to courage of the many

we all have opportunities – large /small – to change attitudes


2009 Eileen Taylor Deutsche Bank’s MD and Global Head of Diversity had stats that showed female MDs leaving firm – why? – moving to orgs for better roles after being passed over at DB

female influence on top teams yields $42m additional value – helpful to innovation results too

so gender diversity makes commercial sense

helps quality of ideas & decision making – more stimulating workplace thereby helping attract/retain talent

strong networks & mentors in the org help

cf Du Vernay who used women directors for OWN’s Queen Sugar

wider scale, national economies benefit when borders opened to travel / immigration

diversity of local communities associated with greater economic prosperity

note research does not show causal relationship but correlation

homogenous groups more vulnerable to narrow-mindedness & groupthink

issue that homogenous groups can feel more effective re comfort zones

adding outside to group can double a group’s chance of solving a mystery correctly

working in diverse groups uncomfortable but better outcomes

we believe disagreement is bad but no pain no gain

businesses can help dilute stereotype power by being thoughtful about it in small things as well as big things e.g wording in job ads

increase minority representation in orgs – sets tone to job candidates and develops role models

rebels understand that conflict can lead to growth & disagreement is a feature not a flaw


June 2014 San Antonio Spurs won 5th NBA in 16 seasons – more geog diverse than other league teams and 1st to have female assistant coach – Becky Hammon – head coach Gregg Popovich – diverse culture played a role

coach tried to speak to players in their own language – players mostly spoke English but in own when on court to speak rapidly to teammate

in teamwork, diversity encourages members – in majority & minority – to search for new info & novel viewpoints and to process that info more deeply / accurately – leading to better decision making & problem solving

diverse groups better at sharing

people who anticipate joining ethnically or politically diverse groups are more thorough in their prep

diversity can challenge our thinking in constructive ways

rebels help their orgs reap benefits of greater diversity by focusing on how best to leverage differences

rebels recognise initiatives to increase / effectively manage diversity often fail as they treat issue as problem not opportunity

rebels know that to effectively leverage differences, their org should work beyond race and gender

in the rebel mind, all differences matter

diversity is not a quota system but a long term vision for growth

by finding a way to ignore the barriers that others may create for them, intentionally or not, rebels like DuVernay create their own ceiling, one set only by their own potential

Chapter 6: Coach Cheeks Sings The National Anthem - A Talent For Authenticity

My research and application notes from the book

This chapter reinforced how important it is for me and all of use to be authentic in each and every situation. Loved the examples quoted and enjoyed locating links for more resources to get the wider back story and go into more detail about some of their lives and motivations.

I am learning to be more reflective. I am learning to be more authentically me in how I communicate and operate. I am striving to live my life more completely as a peach and not as an orange in all my life roles (no longer living compartmentalised lives). When you interact with me you interact with the whole of me defined, in part, by these 50 facts (http://srjf.blogspot.com/2017/10/50-facts-about-me.html).

I am seeking to understand more what fills my Mojo tank and what empties it slowly or completely in one go and then act to do more of the former and less of the latter (per Liz Ryan's Reinvention Roadmap).

The practice of working out loud has further encouraged me to narrate my work and my thinking for those who stumble over my blog posts (http://srjf.blogspot.com/), tweets (https://twitter.com/srjf), Workplace by Facebook posts, LinkedIn posts/ articles / comments to see the real me in action.

Find following, links to various videos and articles of people referenced in this chapter.

Maurice Cheeks National Anthem with Natalie Gilbert: https://youtu.be/Sin9M9boANo

Patricia Fili-Krushel https://twitter.com/patfili also see https://www.talentinnovation.org/ 

Scott Cook (MBA 1976) founder of Intuit, speaks to the Class of 2015 on Wednesday, May 27, 2015, during Class Day ceremonies. https://youtu.be/YCsaeEIlpow. He mentioned three tips:-

  1. dig for feedback on yourself
  2. get a coach
  3. savour surprises (Kim Clarke: interview on his resignation from Harvard Business School: https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/exit-interview-hbs-dean-kim-clark)

Anne Hathaway’s character in The Devil Wears Prada: https://youtu.be/b2f2Kqt_KcE 

Rachel Chong https://youtu.be/O2o5GRjlEZg and TED talk https://youtu.be/aiM2BobJk_U and https://www.inc.com/video/201109/live-chat-rachael-chong.html and Stir It Up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51pxEO1HX3A (live) and https://youtu.be/S3UqvWk8-uw 

Mellody Hobson: Why Sheryl Sandberg, Bill Bradley, and Oprah love Mellody Hobson: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/03/mellody-hobson-ariel-investments-fighting-stereotype; Berkeley Haas Dean's Speaker Series with Mellody Hobson: https://youtu.be/LLsJJwU6dfU; Mellody Hobson - 2017 Horatio Alger Award Winner: https://youtu.be/o6oS6MjoKmA; "Do Not Let People Talk You Out of Your DREAMS!" - Mellody Hobson (@MellodyHobson) Top 10 Rules: https://youtu.be/bgl7_lHHc0k; Woodrow Wilson Award, Mellody Hobson '91, Alumni Day 2019: http://alumni.princeton.edu/learntravel/lectures/videodetail/index.xml?videoid=532; CUP Conversations- Mellody Hobson: https://youtu.be/jv4lXJ-MulE

My notes from the book

”No one man can, for any considerable time, wear one face to himself, and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which is the true one.”
(Nathaniel Hawthorne,The Scarlet Letter)

example of Blazers’ head coach Maurice Cheeks joining a 13 year old girl who stumbled in her singing of a song before a big game, ignoring his prep for the game, simply said he was a dad too & would have wanted someone to help his kids in the same situation

Patricia Fili-Krushel, Exec VP at AOL, introducing flexitime policy in a talk, decided after much thought to include reference to her daughter who needed extra care at home, her openness resonated with her staff

we all hesitate before making ourselves vulnerable, fearful of being judged by others, but these worries are usually misplaced. Opening up wins us trust, perhaps even more so when it involves showing weaknesses

revealing our deepest emotions takes courage, which inspires emulation and admiration in the people around us, and allows them to connect with us more quickly and more profoundly. Rebels understand all of this. They are willing to stand “naked” in front of others.

Sharing personal information is key to developing and maintaining strong relationships. When we do, our peers trust and like us more, and also feel closer to us. In addition, self-disclosure makes us feel (and appear) more real.

Psychologist Elliot Aronson has identified what he calls the “pratfall effect.”

We find it hard to relate to people who are highly competent, but we tend to warm to those who are flawed—because we know that we are, too.

When we own our blunders, people are impressed.

Scott Cook, founder Intuit, talked about his mistakes & his limitations including holding the company back in Harvard class day speech in 2015 – saying he had failed to develop as a leader and he had let the company down

he was only person in company who did not do 360 feedback, used coach to do 360, poor results but shared feedback with staff & asked for help

big reception from crowd with graduates wanting to know more – the power of authenticity

a good idea to include weaknesses in pitch competitions – 2 minute slots

Discussing failure in the classroom can also be inspiring and motivating to students, and research has shown that it usually results in higher grades.

cf Einstein’s childhood, lots of moves, lots of new schools, lots of catching up

It’s not just success that inspires others to greatness. Sometimes, in fact, it’s just the opposite.

stories of school kids, firefighters, surgeons hearing about failures of others in their field doing better as a result

example of a CV of failures on someone’s web site

We are always looking for ways to hide—whether by covering up aspects of our personality, keeping our emotions to ourselves, or concealing our fears and flaws. But vulnerability helps us create stronger connections with others.

We worry that rejection awaits those who reveal their true selves. To connect, we try our best to appear perfect, strong, intelligent, and polished, without realizing that this strategy often has the opposite effect.


author’s story of starting living in States with 2 housemates, Sunday evening Chinese became a tradition but she hated Chinese food but never said anything

may seem harmless to fake it, even in unimportant contexts but it is not – our self-esteem, job performance, relationships all suffer

small challenges seem bigger, health suffers

the more inauthentic we feel, the higher the stress, lower our sense of well-being, more prone we are to burnout

other subtler costs of pretending cf claiming to know things we do not

when we are praised for something that was inauthentic, our self-esteem suffers

inauthenticity can make it hard to get another job – e.g. being not you in interviews

cf Anne Hathaway’s character in The Devil Wears Prada who admits she is not skinny or glam with no interest in fashion

also best to be real when raising money for a startup

inauthenticity also acts as drag on motivation

also true for social pain – pain when we feel excluded or rejected

authenticity gives us the courage, energy & confidence we need to rebound from negative experiences

also easier to be around – people know when we are being inauthentic

people actually prefer honest boasting to the lying kind

people fear being rejected and judged but end up being rejected and judged in their inauthenticity

back to the chef, lots of tradition-bound opposition from Italians when opened his restaurant – fighting, not just resistance, did not want traditional recipes messing with

a struggle to keep the business afloat at the start

his 1st restaurant experience helped as El Bulli chef Ferran Adrià taught Bottura that he had to stay true to himself

Ferran gave him/others freedom to express ourselves in any way

part of freedom is expressing oneself honestly

even pretending to be happy can take a toll

we prefer happy people but no one can be happy all the time

authenticity is a rule in the chef’s restaurant – each week, team members cook a dish from their own culture for the rest of the staff – allows cook to tell their own stories + different ways of using same ingredients – each person had their own take in being unique – helped the menus develop


curious reality that most orgs manage employees on weakness – not much concentration on strengths –negativity bias

feedback from ourselves more on things that went badly then well

cf people’s own resolutions cf negative job review

people generally believe their weaknesses are more malleable than their strengths

we actually improve fastest in areas of strength

more motivated to self-improvement when confident of results & more likely to think our efforts will produce good outcomes when we focus on strengths

encourages us to be authentic & allow our true selves to shine

cf coaches and pro athletes

some of greatest gains in human dev may come from investing in what people naturally do best

power of coaching employees aimed at identifying strengths and making sense of feedback

cf Gallup: “at work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day” – people who use strengths daily are x 6 to get job satisfaction & report less stress & anxiety

concentrating on weaknesses causes performance to decline

helps people become the best version of who they truly are

power of self-reflection: instils confidence we need to accomplish our goals

look for ways to tailor your job to your strengths

spend last 15 mins of each day reflecting in writing on lessons they had learned – reflection increases performance

& significant effects over time

Rachel Chong, banker, volunteering building houses but not best use of her talents so launched a company to help non-profits (Catchafire, named after Bob Marley album), his song “Stir It Up” a good song for what volunteering is all about – help people find their spark & make the best use of their passion


Michelangelo talked about sculpting as letting the angel free – releasing ideal figure within the marble

all of us are like this with our signature strengths

find a way to sculpt work / life to bring out our uniqueness

every day we can be naked in front of our colleagues, to make ourself vulnerable and be more open about discussing our mistakes

reflect on our signature strengths so we know what they are and use them more often – no need to wait for the boss to nudge us

leaders have important role to play

Mellody Hobson (President, Ariel Investments) when starting work was given freedom to be herself – I want to hear you and I want to hear your ideas regardless of the other people in the room, to say the uncomfortable thing

when we play to our strengths and find ways to be authentic at work, we feel more committed to the organization we work for and experience more joy in our pursuits.

story of kid on vid saying he was greatest hitter in world, missed three times then said he was greatest pitcher in world


=====

Chapter 7: The Secret of Story: The Transformative Power Of Engagement

My research and application notes from the book

I loved this chapter. Loved the powerful stories and thinking, as I read and took notes, how to apply them in my own context.

Probably the most creative team I have been part of is the All Age Worship planning team at church where we pick a series theme and then plan a number of events on that theme to run on Sunday mornings for all ages instead of our “normal” Sunday morning services. We have done this for years. There is always lots of creative tension as we seek to create a powerful, challenging and inspirational experience for all ages making use of media of all kinds and creative ways of engaging all ages with the theme  . I love doing the planning and the execution whilst remaining spontaneous when we “deliver”.

I am getting better, or trying harder (!) at storytelling with sentences rather than everything being numbered or bulleted lists. This remains a challenge.

In recent weeks I stumbled over a podcast episode featuring who may be the world’s leading researcher on employee engagement. I was able to use the podcast in a tweet responding to a WEF Davos delegate’s assessment of the crisis that we are in regarding employee engagement. I recommend that you listen and apply the podcast lessons from the research: https://twitter.com/srjf/status/1068801592248299520.

I enjoyed digging for additional resources for this chapter as you will see from the range and the number of links that follow.


Airline safety announcements: https://youtu.be/DfaYKYFYHBk | https://youtu.be/07LFBydGjaM

Colleen Barrett  SouthWest:

avocation: means “a hobby or minor occupation.”

Doug Conant at Campbell’s Soup Company – started 2001

Pete Docter (Pixar) - The Power and Process of Animated Film: https://youtu.be/E4ubKaGau58

Jim Goodnight - Creating a Unique Culture for Innovation (SAS): https://youtu.be/JIIbQ0Ke7u4

SAS CEO Jim Goodnight on SAS' Great Employee Benefits: https://youtu.be/T5O3L6UdIGw

8 CULTURAL VALUES AT SAS via Jim Goodnight: https://youtu.be/7dbJC3eB6Lc

Ed Catmull:-

re use of devil’s advocates, cf Edward de Bono’s 6 Thinking Hats for different perspectives to be taken in a meeting: https://youtu.be/o3ew6h5nHcc

Line of Duty: The unexpected in storylines reminded me of BBC’s Line of Duty – breathtaking twists in the storylines, a rollercoaster:

My notes from the book

“To win in the marketplace you must first win in the workplace.”
(Doug Conant)


author exercise auction off $100 note where highest & 2nd highest bidder need to pay – highest bid 360, 2nd 355! – great start to discussion re common errors that affect our decision making – often irrational

airline staff safety announcements – rare for customers to really listen each time

with much of their job scripted, bound to get both boring and frustrating

workers do not start like this – but noticeable drop in first year

Gallup surveys: 2016 – 32% of employees feel involved in, enthusiastic about & committed to their jobs – 20% actively disengaged = busy acting out their unhappiness – slowly undermining orgs & attitude of co-workers – across 142 countries, only 13% feel engaged with their work

disengagement is expensive – hinders commitment, retention, productivity & innovation

engaged employees perform 20% better than disengaged counterparts & x3 more creative

costs US employers $550bn in lost productivity

highly engaged workforces 22% more profitable, 21% more productive, 37% lower absenteeism, 41% fewer defects, 48% fewer safety incidents, lower turnover (25% in high & 65% in low turnover orgs)

the problem increases with growth – employees less engaged in large orgs

same problem plagues personal lives

(SouthWest airlines humorous safety announcement – passengers engaged as novelty value)

Colleen Barrett, SouthWest’s Exec VP 1990-2001 priority to get staff to be themselves at work – no scripts as long as all needed info etc was communicated – their hiring strategies based on belief that authenticity & humour help people thrive during times of change, stay creative even when under pressure, work with greater energy & remain healthy in the process – positive impact on wide range of metrics – your avocation can be your vocation so no acting needed when working

engagement can do great things for employees, leaders, orgs – productivity is super-charged, ideas more creative, relationships stronger, organisation is more successful, customers more likely to be satisfied


we all delight in being engaged

humans tho do succumb to habits & conformity that are not good for us, we are social animals who want to be accepted

but this reduces our engagement

except for most rebellious we have a strong desire for the status quo

can lead in orgs to standard practices that make people feel stuck

Conant found Campbells HQ to be like a prison with barbed wire, paint and new carpet needed, product quality reduced to save costs – his 1st priority was to raise employee engagement – many scoffed with a view of other higher priority issues – 20k staff

coy started 1869, early 70s 1 of largest food coys in world – Andy Warhol can image

Gallup engagement survey of coy – 60%+ not engaged, 10%+ actively disengaged, 40% of top mgt “tuned out”

Conant started with pedometer for 10k steps each day with as many convos as possible with staff + started series of One-Over-One meetings (employee + manager then those 2 with Conant + Head of HR) – 2-way info flow

started sending handwritten notes to mark achievements/contributions (half workforce did not use a computer so had to be by hand) – sent more than 30k

environment sorted as visible signs of turnround

per Gallup, managers are key to staff engagement – when people quit it is bosses they are quitting

sacked 300 of top 350 mgrs in 3 years, 150 promoted from within

by 2009 marked improvement vs S&P Food Group & 500, sales/revenue up 24% vs 10% in market

Wall Street/investors credited Conant with results

3 ingredients of employee engagement: dedication, absorption (time passes quickly), vigour (persistence when work is hard)

when we feel that the work we do matters, our dedication deepens

Conant removed distractions so staff could focus on their jobs

Gallup survey at coy in 2009: 68% actively engaged, 3% actively disengaged

when do you feel most engaged? e.g. concert, writing at desk, after inspiring convo

what happens? happiness, outside-box thinking, productivity all increase + org benefits

lack of employee engagement negatively impacts quality, productivity, customer satisfaction & financial outcomes

positive effects extend beyond workplace: e.g. school/college results, relationships, families

what binds all talents together is path to engagement

at their core rebels are engaged

tx to their engagement, rebels are successful

and yet we struggle to understand how to boost engagement


author visiting Pixar

Steve Jobs oversaw construction of main building

large atrium that all pass through each day enabling random encounters/convos

industrial feel, lots of daylight, display cases of Oscars etc

changes to reflect current film

restaurants etc

wanted to visit Pixar because of Ed Catmull

same failure rate as other studios but failed films were not released plus some films changed dramatically from where they once were

he calls them not failures but “just things we tried”

Pixar has mastered the art of engagement

appeal to all ages – average $600m per film – unconventional plots / ideas in coy’s DNA – their stories transport us

how does their storytelling keep audiences engaged? what can the rest of us learn

Peter Docter, director of Monsters Inc and Inside Out, example Pixar career – parallel story line with his becoming a new Dad – included these new caring responsibilities by adding Boo for Sullley to look after in Monsters Inc, Sulley became a character people could relate to

the most engaging stories have this deep emotional core, main character faces challenges, reacts in authentic ways & exposes his vulnerabilities, might not be totally sympathetic but if his reactions / emotions seem real, audience will start caring deeply about him almost as if story was their own, you go on the same journey as the character has

emotional connection can be used to spark engagement at work

cf Conant at Campbells  - emotional connection by getting to know them & celebrating their contributions

SAS founder/CEO Jim Goodnight promotes emotional engagement by giving workers plenty of freedom – when people free to make choices at work, they feel more authentic & in control

stories for Pixar become memorable in a way that resonates with people when they appeal to some fundamental truth about human nature

think of examples yourself – what moved you? what triggered your emotions?

Pixar staff can “decorate” their own cubicles/offices – freedom


Pixar’s Ed Catmull – period of problems for Pixar including employees not being willing to speak minds freely -

“A hallmark of a healthy creative culture is that its people feel free to share ideas, opinions, and criticisms,”

candour is key to effective collaboration – lack of candour leads to dysfunctional environments

“Braintrust” – 4-5 creative leaders oversee development of a Pixar film: put smart, passionate people in a room together charged with identifying / solving problems, encouraging them to be candid, no authority so director can ignore/accept their outputs

Notes Day introduced, all work stops for a day to get honest feedback from all staff = expansion of Braintrust, managers excluded, brainstorm ways to improve the company

cf crowdsourcing

cf all employees seeing in progress films and passing comment but Notes Day about the company

Notes Day got employees thinking 4 years in future and all films under budget and lots of other outcomes – how do we get there?

each resulting idea had an idea advocate to help advance the employees’ suggestions

Notes Day made it OK to disagree and allowed employees to say what they thought

benefits followed with successful films including Inside Out

Pixar had always recognised conflict as key aspect of creativity

“Creativity, Inc” book by Catmull]

Jobs had a reputation for being difficult and demanding, and no one would say he was an expert in conflict resolution. Catmull clearly had to work hard to make sure his boss heard his voice. But it’s notable that neither Jobs nor Catmull took the disagreements personally or allowed them to create barriers to collaboration.

In the creative process, tension and conflict need to be embraced for good ideas to emerge. A sense of conflict triggers exploration of novel ideas

When people disagree constructively, their ideas improve.

At Ariel Investments, the Chicago money-management firm, constructive dissent is actively encouraged by assigning devil’s advocates to meetings and other dialogues. The devil’s advocate is charged with poking holes in the decision-making process. …. Mellody Hobson, the company’s president, regularly opens team meetings with a reminder to those attending it: They don’t have to be right; rather, they simply need to voice concerns and be willing to disagree to help the team make the right decisions.

Insights and innovations seldom arise when we’re feeling satisfied with the status quo. Rather, they come from the energy that’s created when we crave change. In storytelling and organizations, as well as in our personal lives, conflict leads to engagement. Different perspectives work to heighten our attention.

Rebels embrace tension and conflict.

“Ideas only become great,” Catmull told me, “when they are challenged and tested.” The right amount of conflict makes for a good story and a more rewarding life.


1996 start of Toy Story sequel at same time as A Bug’s Life was completing, so new prod team started with limited experience, not going well,

Pixar faced the challenge of introducing unpredictability—that is, making the audience come to the realization that Woody had a tough decision to make and it was unclear which option he would choose. But the team working on the movie was unable to come up with a solution to the challenge. …. All of us can relate to the fears that grip Woody and his new friends. Suddenly, Woody’s choice is no longer predictable, and the audience is engaged.

When a Pixar movie starts, it’s difficult to predict where it’s going or how it will end. This is true of the most engaging stories in general—they are full of surprises.

Organizations can use unpredictability to improve engagement.

Surprises quench our thirst for the new and feed our curiosity, making us wonder what could happen next.


author did not want to leave Pixar at the end of her day – my attention was held all day

When we are engaged, time flies, and life and work take on a different, deeper meaning.

cf President Kennedy at NASA, spoke to janitor sweeping up, asked what he was doing, answer helping put a man on the moon


Chapter 8:  Becoming A Rebel Leader; Blackbeard, “Flatness,” and the 8 Principles Of Rebel Leadership

My research and application notes from the book

The book comes to a conclusion with the author distilling the book into her 8 principles of rebel leadership. Lots to think about and apply with each principle.

This will take observing me in action via reflection and seeing how much of a rebel leader I am and where I could be more rebellious. Likewise with encouraging others to do likewise.

Yet more resources I found as I read the chapter as per list below:-

The Real Pirates of the Caribbean; historian Marcus Rediker: https://youtu.be/bl3C4-5CmMA 

Cheese Board Pizza collective in Berkeley: https://youtu.be/Xn2nR7g1lNw

Valve Software and Steam – see Valve handbook: https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/apps/valve/Valve_NewEmployeeHandbook.pdf
What you can learn from the Valve Handbook: https://youtu.be/14i6-sBdd5U 

Chef Bottura has his own home library. I found this article referencing it: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/11/04/post-modena

Apollo 11 creativity: https://youtu.be/egWvQuT5TCU

Dr Seuss; Green Eggs and Ham: https://youtu.be/2KRkR8HaR9c

My notes from the book

“Every man shall have an equal vote in affairs of the moment.”
(First article in the constitution governing the pirate ship of the legendary Black Bart)

early 18th century, pirate ship attacked merchant ship – Blackbeard, notorious English raider in West Indies & North America early 1700s

we usually associate pirates with violence, theft & mayhem

but their ships were forward thinking in surprising / instructive ways

merchant ship was floating dictatorship – with blessing of ship owner, captain treated crew often harshly – often beaten, overworked, underpaid, sometimes starved – morale low – dissent punished as mutiny

pirates, on other hand, practised revolutionary form of democracy:

to keep ship running smoothly for months at a time, captain voted for democratically, limited his power, guaranteed all a say in running of ship

elected a quartermaster; main duties were settling minor disputes & distributing supplies & money but also check against captain’s authority

captain in full control in battle but all other times decisions were voted on including demoting captain or even leaving him somewhere or throwing overboard

when rules disputed, jury of crewmen

“to live outside the law, you must be honest” (Bob Dylan, “Absolutely Sweet Marie”)

rules agreed before expedition launched

anyone could raise an issue

captured sailors given opportunity to become pirates

blacks welcomed as equals

Blackbeard’s ship arguably more democratic than America at the time

“Pirates constructed [a] world in defiant contradistinction to the ways of the world they left behind”; historian Marcus Rediker

Blackbeard’s real name was Edward Teach – did not kill a single man at sea, captured many


1950s – Robert Freed Bales, Harvard, study of group interaction, groups of 3-7 people – no leader, series of decisions & challenges – hierarchy automatically happened, based on status, respect, influence, prominence

globally groups/orgs rely on some form of social hierarchy to instil order/efficiency forming pyramid

when orgs attempt to dodge/suppress hierarchy, they usually fail

benefits of hierarchies:-

  • satisfy common psychological need for order
  • make it easier for people to learn about one another
  • can work well when coordination needed to produce product / service

but they have powerful consequences, not all good:-

  • resources / power tend to be distributed unequally across members of the organisation & outsiders based on role
  • idea from talkative person judged more valuable that a quiet person’s same suggestion
  • overestimate the performance of high-status members & underestimate low-status, giving the skills of the former an unfair sheen

groups often fail to grant status on merit

wrong people at top leads to poor decisions & performance

steep hierarchies:-

  • lower job satisfaction, morale, motivation
  • reduced employee loyalty
  • more stress / anxiety among workers

hierarchies can suppress dissent

study of Himalayan expeditions found groups with majority of hierarchical countries were less likely to survive the trek

flat organisations – author prefers rebel organisations – exemplifies rebel talents in this book

Cheese Board Pizza collective in Berkeley – no explicit status hierarchy – just one type of pizza daily, 2016 Yelp users’ best pizza place in the world – relies on shared work ethic, high standards, strong emotional connections with each other – they run the business & share the profits

does this work for larger more complex orgs?

Valve Software – games maker and games delivery platform, Steam – all work is pitched, just need to find people to work with you – no one has the formal power to tell anyone what to do – per employee profitability higher than Google, Amazon, MS – boss free since 1996

founders from MS – Gabe Newell & Mike Harrington – created flat org for max employee flexibility

all desks on wheels – just plug in where you want to work

Newell believes by giving employees freedom you liberate their talents & creativity – self-mgt builds pride in work/commitment to org

most CEOs do not act on these benefits

new starters experience culture shock  - section in handbook “How not to freak out”

example of Toyota in 1940s when started allowing single employee power to stop the production line if problem

employees with strong sense of ownership in orgs more committed, satisfied, productive

we can all choose to organise our lives so that every person in it shall have an equal vote (1st article in Black Bart’s list)

Black Bart – Welsh pirate, most successful in Golden Age of Piracy, based on ships captured


rebel leadership is not just for people who think of themselves as leaders – and you do not need direct reports

rebel leadership means you prefer working in a rebel organisation and you support your org in that mission

rebel leadership means fighting our natural urges for comfortable & the familiar

we have innate desire to be accepted by others & thus regularly conform to views, preferences, behaviour

we rarely question status quo

we easily accept existing social roles & fall prey to unconscious biases like stereotypes

human nature to stay narrowly focused on our own perspective & on info that proves us right

by contrast, rebels know themselves & are aware of these limitations but do not believe there are limits on what they can accomplish


The Eight Principles of Rebel Leadership:-

1: Seek out the new

Olivetti production lines in 1950s – lunch time for culture

Chef Bottura has a library at home, all sorts of artefacts for inspiration for his recipes, music plays in workplace but not when customers are dining – inspiration everywhere

the rebel is voracious with wide-ranging interests

new interests do not need justification in the moment – may come in later

cf author’s interest in motorcycles, nothing practical in that interest … yet!

cf Fangio saving himself from crash when he realised race watchers not watching normal way!


2: Encourage constructive dissent

1962 – Cuban missiles crisis – JKK – sought dissent from his advisors – decision making process changed after Bay of Pigs fiasco – aimed at defeating groupthink and people just agreeing with him

the rebel understands that a certain amount of tension is healthy, that discomfort leads to striving

rebels seek out diverse perspectives / experiences

knowing when to listen is as important as when to speak up

cf Ariel Investments’ devil’s advocate

cf Pal’s Sudden Service, new ideas trialled in 3 stores – 1 supporting idea, 1 against, 1 neutral

cf Catchafire’s Rachael Chong looks for people who disagree with her when she is interviewing

the most successful top mgt teams encourage disagreement  in private meetings

cf Alfred Sloan of GM, stopped meeting as all agreed and said come back when we have counter-arguments – this is rebel talent


3: Open conversations, don’t close them

at Pixar, premium on developing creative solutions – use of plus-ing = ideas improved with non-judgmental language

= “yes and” principle of improv

requires great effort to maintain

beware silence – “the death pause”

rebel keeps open mind, understands that communication drives insight & that closed convos generally fail

dissent welcome but only when shared respect & everyone feels on same team

so many things can close a convo – the rebel resists them all, solicits honest feedback & new knowledge by sparking new convos – even difficult ones – & sticking with them even when hard

when convos are open, a ship runs fast & nimble


4: Reveal yourself and reflect

soon after becoming CEO of Campbells, Doug Conant got to know his senior executives in one-on-one meetings talking about “what’s important to me both in and out of work, what I look for in an organization, how I operate, why I do what I do, and much more.” His goal? To convey a full picture of who he was, what he was all about, and what he wanted to accomplish as CEO. “If I do what I say I’m going to do,” he told the executives, “I guess you can trust me. If I don’t, I guess you can’t.” He considered this as key to effective / healthy working relationship. “I explain[ed] that my goal is to take the mystery out of our relationship in a personal way as quickly as possible so that we can get on with the business of working together and doing something special.”

rebels understand the power of showing themselves – & knowing themselves – they do not hide who they are or pretend to be someone they are not – they encourage others to find & express their strengths

Cheeks singing with young woman who was struggling

Patricia Fili-Krushel pre AOL Time Warner, hired as CEO at WebMD Health, asked by all-male audience what she knew about engineering, she said nothing but hoping they would teach her to supplement her running a biz skills

all quick to judge ourselves & colleagues but so much better to learn to focus on strengths not weaknesses

once we are in touch with our talents, the thrill of potential takes hold

Chef Bottura cooked what he wanted despite resistance


5: Learn everything – then forget everything

John Wooden basketball coach started his players putting socks/shoes on properly so would move well

master the fundamentals and you will prosper

rebels know limits of their knowledge & that mastering basics is lifelong project

but a rebel is not slave to the rules either

sometimes you return to the fundamentals only to discover a strategy that is very different – and better – cf fast food orgs with 2 hours training vs 135 hours over 6 months (Pal’s Sudden Service)

cf cheese dish from Bottura – 5 types – “if you want to innovate, you need to know everything, then forget everything


6: Find freedom in constraints

cf Apollo 13 oxygen supply issue – needed solution from ground control – the remarkable constraints & pressure drove them to a completely novel solution

rebels work through constraints to freedom on other side

when faced with constraints, we dedicate mental energy to acting more resourcefully & doggedly & surpass expectations or better

Dr Seuss bet he could write a book with only 50 words – Green Eggs and Ham

constraints can open our minds & drive creativity rather than hinder it


7: Lead from the trenches

16th Century French pirate Francois Le Clerc v successful – led from front

cf Undercover Boss TV series where bosses see the reality at the coalface

rebels know where the action is & want to be there & know best place to lead from is the front

Bottura uses the word “we” not “I” when talking about the restaurant he founded


8: Foster happy accidents

friends are the people you bump into (cf housing units at MIT post WW2 for students)

Steve Jobs designed Pixar HQ as one building around an atrium for people to mix and not be separated

need to not only design workplaces carefully but team composition including opposites e.g. in restaurant, sous chefs precision and the other improvisation

such collisions, Bottura believes, makes his kitchen more innovative

rebels know value of happy accidents – workplaces and teams that cross-pollinate

rebels realise mistake can unlock a breakthrough

Oops I Dropped the Lemon Tart story

====

Conclusion: Risotto Cacio E Pepe

My research and application notes from the book

I had heard the story of the Modena earthquake and how Bottura had helped saved the local economy with a recipe whilst I was rabbit trailing early on in my reading of the book. Such a great story featured in this Netflix programme (see trailer: https://youtu.be/1pY6IvkQm2Q).

Good to read more info about Bottura in this conclusion.

A number of great quotes about rebels, how they spend their time and their consequent relationship with time.

Article that includes the recipe: https://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/risotto-cacio-e-pepe

My notes from the book

“You should always keep the door open to the unexpected.”
(Massimo Bottura, Owner And Chef, Osteria Francescana)

c 04:00 20 May 2012 magnitude 6.0 earthquake hit Emilia Romagna region in Northern Italy, affecting cities of Bologna, Ferrara, and Modena

Italy’s gastronomic heartland: Modena’s balsamic vinegar, Parma ham + parmesan cheese, Bologna’s meat ragu, lasagna, mortadella all Italian icons

extensive damage to heritage buildings

9 days later 5.8 quake in same area

threatened Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese industry

annual production of that cheese: 3m wheels, $2.3bn consumer sales


Chef Bottura special relationship with the region

thought how could he help, thought recipes … experimented with cheese as the central ingredient

took cacio e pepe (pasta with cheese and pepper) recipe from Rome and switched the cheese used to the one that was at risk and switched past for rice (also at risk from local economy) - Risotto Cacio e Pepe

risotto prepared with cheese water, left overnight in fridge splits into 3 parts

he said he “borrowed an iconic Roman spaghetti dish . . . and transformed it into an Emilian symbol of hope and recovery.”

Bottura and the consortium of Parmigiano-Reggiano producers decided to sponsor a one-day event when people across the globe could make Risotto Cacio e Pepe at the same time. So, they organized an online fund-raiser: On October 27, 2012, people were encouraged to make the new recipe or a dish of their own featuring Parmigiano-Reggiano.

all around the world a quarter of a million people had dinner “together” that night with that recipe

all 400k of the damaged cheese wheels sold, no one lost a job, no cheesemaker had to close down

an industry saved by a recipe


when Bottura is in Modena, works at restaurant, visits markets and farms

he found time to help

2015 started initiative called Refettorio, which uses leftovers to feed people who do not have access to good food

Somehow, with Bottura, there always seems to be time for more, for sucking the marrow out of life and making the most of every moment

We tend to think that the more we have to do, the less time and mental space we will have for other tasks. This is a matter of basic logic, and it is hard to imagine life being any other way, right? But it turns out this is wrong. When we are fully engaged in our work and in our lives, we actually have the energy to accomplish more.

This is another secret of the rebel: What seem like tangents, or doing extra - or helping someone when it seems that there is no time – become paths to a more vibrant life. Doing more gives us more.

But people who give time, Mogilner’s research shows, also feel more capable, confident, and useful. They feel they’ve accomplished something and, as a result, that they can accomplish more in the future.

Perhaps this explains the almost magical quality I sensed when I was with Bottura and the other remarkable people I met during my research for this book. In their joy of doing - in their total engagement with life - their recipe for success turned out to be rebelling against time itself.

Epilogue: Rebel Action

My research and application notes from the book

Great to get a call to action at the end of the book.

Glad to see that there are different kinds of rebels with different approaches to developing our rebel talent.

Now off to continue being rebellious with renewed vigour and enthusiasm.

“The First Day I Got My Michelin Stars: Massimo Bottura of Osteria Francescana”: https://guide.michelin.com/us/chicago/people/the-first-day-i-got-my-michelin-stars-massimo-bottura-of-osteria-francescana/news

My notes from the book

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”
(Walt Disney)

Bottura when young with Dad saw Michelin guide in dad’s car, 15 years later said one day to dad one day I will have a Michelin star , when Dad not happy he was leaving law school

a challenge – no cooking skills, no connections – but had an idea – break Italian cooking traditions plus had a lot of passion

in your own journey to embracing your rebel talent, you may also find hardest part is getting started

for help see www.rebeltalents.org


What type of rebel are you?

many varieties! – behave in different ways – need different approaches to develop their talent

understanding your rebel quotient is important first step – see assessment on the web site

being rebellious is uncomfortable – becoming more aware of your own rebel profile will help you become more comfortable with the uncomfortable

hard to bring rebel out all the time – means fighting against elements of human nature – but can also be incredibly exciting & satisfying – even small changes in your approach to work can have big results


Rebel ways to keep learning

rebels value learning & stay humble

resources on web site

“When you think you know everything, you’ve stopped growing. . . . Keep your eyes open and ask questions.” (Bottura)


The way forward

Bottura’s father lived long enough to see him get his 1st star

eventually got three of them

like the examples in this book, rebels go about their work & life a bit differently

they break rules and bring about positive change in the process

they smile at life and feel fulfilled

there is no better time for rebel action than now

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