New Ideas – please comment

And some random thoughts on the "Story Approach"…

Influenced by: Daniel Pink, "Free Agent Nation"

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/12/freeagent.html

and his new book "Whole new Mind"

Eckhart Tolle, Marianne Williamson, Fernando Flores, Phil Hallstein, Annette Simmons

Functioning Theories: (help me find evidence of these) is there anything here that is not accepted as true in business?

1. People, generally, want to be part of something successful.
   
2. Understanding a problem from all perspectives leads to better decision-making, locally and globally
   
   1. Video is the most effective means of communicating the perspective
      
3. Improved decision-making has bottom-line impact
   
4. The greater intent to be inclusive when problem-solving is undertaken, the more likely positive improvements in sustainable effectiveness will develop among those included.
   
5. When groups have the ability to clearly communicate their challenges they are more likely to take responsibility and improve.
   
6. Groups are currently missing an effective and cost effective method to articulate issues. There is no way to listen to the front line, an age old problem we can solve.
   
7. Improvements can be both organic and spontaneous or designed and orchestrated. One is achieved through understanding and inclusion the other through planning, building consensus and negotiating.
   
8. Community based groups are more productive than "every man for himself" cultures.
   
9. People that have meaning in their work are more productive workers.
   

Unique New Offering : Investigative Video Journalism - for the sake of understanding, inclusion, engagement, participation and ultimately improvement in any organization. Storytelling, with practical and strategic implications.

Establish organizational investigative journalism as the new generation, interaction based Six Sigma, but as Free Agents. (See Free Agent Nation, Daniel Pink) But make it free, and train any students that want to learn. Anyone wanting to improve their interactions with other should have access.

Business application for film students, plus

• Rapidly developed segments that bring positive change, much like the work we've done, but with video storytelling and social networking communication. –THE BEST STORY TELLER WINS!
  
• Facilitated social networking
  
• Community informed decision-making (we will have to define this)
  
• We could set a new tone for problem-solving in community. Provide templates and structure for communities to discuss issues, real-time, as issues and breakdowns are experienced in a civil spirit, help highlight the meaning in work for people
  
• Provide much needed transparency - This process could allow tax payers and stock holders in organizations, to see how any part of the organization is working and what is being done to improve. Improvement Gurus could emerge, and we could help shape the standard for how civil and whole oriented decisions are understood and made! A new role is born that revolutionizes inclusion, cooperation and participation.
  

Maybe every organization needs a Story-Teller (slang for the role)? It would be an amazingly useful role. They would have to take an oath to be impartial in their reporting for the sake of excellence, but with more of a skilled eye for facilitation, the goal to produce positive results not "rat people out".

• We could instruct roles to gather X minutes of footage on their challenges on mini cams and upload, we compile, ask clarifying questions, diagnose and make recommendations or help clients set up an internal center where decisions are made fully informed of any issues under consideration. Be sure to weight the issues – look back at the GE and GAI work. How could we achieve the same or better information gathering with surveys that are almost self managing once deployed.
  
  • Does the wisdom "people will tell you about themselves, if you just listen" (Maya Angelo) apply?
    
• We could have editors (Cutters) and fact checkers (Journalist) that works like Proscan has Radiologist reading MRIs. With "reporters" on-site – you (Ben) have to see Final Cut! Movie Night, my house, invite Brook and Yoohee too.
  
• We could develop a few styles of doing this. For example, PBS, Talk Show with clips, with humor where appropriate.
  

We have iPods now; this interactive communication was not possible just 2 years ago. Distribution is no longer the issue, it's the innovation in how the messages in the pieces are produced, edited and used. , finally the structures are in place so it doesn't have to be about the tools

Smaller scale: Thoughts on offers

    What is the value of this? Bring the "a day in the life of" each role, to the board room and then facilitate reasoned, practical, inclusive problem solving and innovation – EVERYONE is hungry for practical! Describe the interarchy story; I propose we play the map down, but use the clarity it brings in the way we approach finding out what's the story, really. And quickly produce a digestible piece for each role.

1. Develop the scope of participation and financial goals of the program – do this work for a minimal fee, with upside payment when goals are achieved
   
2. Prepare a video that clearly defines the project and evokes an emotional connection for the purpose (If we can't tell a compelling story, we shouldn't be doing the project)
   
3. Hold a kick-off meeting with sponsors to:
   
   1. Agree to the problem we will solve together
      
   2. Articulate their commitment to change
      
   3. Identify the up to 20 roles that are affected by the problem or unmet goal, up or downstream, regardless of what group or organization they belong.
      
   4. Agree to the metrics to measure success
      
4. Each role prepares, with our help, a 15 - 30 minute video showing their challenges. These are created prior to the initial gathering.
   
5. Get everyone together, show the videos and hold Open Space or virtual Open Space
   
   1. Develop the next steps for success
      
   2. Plan the next steps and get commitment
      
6. Facilitate continued discussions and decision making. Establish decision making criteria with the client
   
7. Measure the financial results and update often for all to see.