Inspiration - What You Didn't Know You Wanted

Recently I've been in a bit of a rut.

I've taken on a new role at work this year and it's been a 2-month slog trying to get to something resembling productivity. Not having a clear idea of what I (or my group) is trying to achieve is has gradually moved from an annoyance into a full-fledged drag. So what to do about it?

I'm a big believer in problem self-solving. If you have (or see) a problem: go solve it. Don't wait for someone else to fix it for you. Just go fix it. Take some (willing) people with you if you can, but don't wait for permission.

Until this evening I haven't seen that this is the answer to my unspoken question, "What the hell am I doing and why am I doing it?" I've been waiting for someone else to give an answer, and that's really the problem. I have to go an invent the answer.

And how did I come to this new understanding of my situation? Well, quite obliquely, if you must know.

I will give most of the credit to a random wanderings through Fast Company's Fast 50 for 2008. One of the companies, IDEO, lives practically in my back yard right here in Palo Alto, California. IDEO specializes in ... something ... like ... uh, innovation. (?) They apparently do anything from airplane cockpit design to advertising campaigns. Go figure.

Anyway, a couple of the things I saw on their web site started my own brain juices flowing. Here are a few items that caught my attention and inspired me to pull myself out of my rut:

• Method Cards: A set of 51 methodologies to help you or your team think out of the box. A very cool idea. Check out the visuals and be sure to read the backs of the cards.
• IDEO Eyes Open: The IDEO folks believe that their is lots of innovative potential in getting out and observing the world around you (or your customer's world, for that matter).

In reading through some of IDEO's material and getting a feel for how compelling it would be to work for a company like that, I realized that was missing from my own work: I want to be excited about my work. I want to feel like I am doing something cool or (at very least) extremely useful or helpful.

The fact of the matter is: I'm not excited about my work. Period.

And who's going to solve this problem for me? My boss? Her boss? The boss of my boss's boss?

No. It's me. I need to solve this problem and bring as many members of my team along with me as I can.

And, on a more personal note, dear reader, you are the source of you own solution to whatever problem you are facing today, tomorrow or next week. My parting advice to you: Wander off the beaten path for a while. Find something that that compels or inspires you and let that be the fuel for your own inspiration.

\\Joe

Comments

[Leighanna]

Good words.