I truly appreciate Danny Hearn inviting me to the meeting this morning and allowing me to address the Chamber's Board. Below is my prepared statement and I am also placing it on the Project 3P website. I hope that you will begin visiting that website to see what the Future Economic Council is up to.
Thank You for allowing me to speak on behalf of the Future Economy Council. The Future Economy Council has given me hope that we can turn our area’s Economic Malaise around.
The last 2 meetings have been inspiring. Rick Smyre is very engaging and he certainly has a way of inspiring innovative communication. There are definitely quite a few forward thinkers in the group. This group seems to embrace the idea, notion, and actuality of an exponentially changing world.
The realities are that we need new skills, new approaches, and a different Philosophical framework for the world of tomorrow. And the world of tomorrow is actually here today. That is the reason why this area continues to fall behind. We have allowed innovation and technology to pass us by.
We are in a new age of enlightenment. We can’t cordon Hickory off from the global experience. Mr. Smyre believes that Catawba County's Future Economy Council is comprehensively setting up the initial conditions to deal with this New World effectively. One concept that Rick mentioned was the idea of looking at our community and organizations and building in resiliency. We have to develop capacities in our thinking, skills, and leadership to be able to adapt quickly in this exponentially changing world.
My role has been to develop a blog that will be the first in a number of websites dedicated to the process of rebranding Hickory as an area of innovation. I started a blog about the Hickory Metro’s political, economic, and cultural landscape called the Hickory Hound last August. I have received over 10,000 unique visitors to the website, in that short span, from cities around the world. I do not tell you this for self-promoting purposes. I am telling you this so that you might understand the possibilities of engaging the Global Community and helping them understand the Rebranding of Hickory and what we are setting out to accomplish.
The goals of this and subsequent websites will be to provide content, including books and links to websites, about what the Future Economic Council is trying to accomplish and what the Creative Molecular Economy entails. I will provide summaries of the agenda and the minutes of Future Economic Council and related meetings. We will create a message board forum that will allow for interactive communication between members and other interested parties.
My next goals are to interact with council members and devise a Mission statement. We want to outline a division of labor for both efficiency and effective purposes.
I really enjoyed Terry Bledsoe’s presentation of the Broadband upgrade opportunities for the area and the discussion that ensued. Since last Thursday I have had a couple of offshoot discussions that spoke to the limitless possibilities of upgrading our Broadband connectivity. If given the chance, this process will bear fruit. This is not the be-all, end –all, but it could enhance and attract entrepreneurs and forward thinkers from around the world to seriously enter Hickory into their equation.
In our last meeting, just last Thursday, Jay Adams said that he believes that the thing we need to aim at, is that there is going to be a lot of money thrown at solving problems like this (the Broadband issue). The project is going to have to be well formed and well thought out, it's going to have to look good on paper, it's going to have to be comprehensive. After the implementation, the maintenance is what local government and businesses have to cooperate to maintain. Hickory, because of size and layout, is in a much better position to implement these kinds of things than a major metro area.
Folks, the average citizen has been kept out of the loop on Economic Development Issues in this area. We are told that we are doing all the right things. We are told that it’s not the local government’s fault. It’s all caused by Washington and Raleigh. We have all the right ingredients, but we just can’t get over the hump. Apparently close only counts in Horseshoes, Hand Grenades, and Hickory.
I truly believe that the Future Economy Council is the missing ingredient. We have no plans to hide what we are doing. We are here and we are open to be approached from all angles. I believe in leaving the egos at the door. If this community will give us the tools and get behind what Danny, Rick, and this council are doing, then I 100% believe that we will bear fruit in the not too distant future.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Future Economy Council Meeting #3 (5/21/2009)
I will go over this meeting chronologically, but I will let you in on the fact that this was another excellent meeting. This meeting got opened up and people just went with it on some new levels of innovative dialogue.
Welcome - Catawba County Chamber of Commerce President Danny Hearn started out the meeting by announcing that Rick Smyre has been named Chairman of the Gaston County Future Economy Council. Danny mentioned that several parallel processes have been taking place since the last time we met. Four new members joined the team including Mark Fleming, Congressman Patrick McHenry's Office; Andrea Surratt, Assistant City Manager, City of Hickory; Shane Pitman, Information Security Specialists; and Chuck Adair (Consultant). The Unifour Foundation grant will be decided upon during the first week in June.
Future's Communi-Versity: Speaker Joshua Cooper Ramo - Rick Smyre had the floor next and he spoke about the book that Danny has already sent us an e-mail about. The book is The Age of the Unthinkable: Why the New World Disorder Constantly Surprises Us And What We Can Do About It . (Rick did not mention this, but the author was the man who translated events and was a guest commentator during the Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony on NBC). Joshua Cooper Ramo used to be an associate editor for Time Magazine. He lives in China and connects businesses to U.S. concerns. Ramo says, "We are in Revolutionary Times and We need Revolutionary Thinking." "We are living in a time when the ideas, the institutions, and the leaders are more attuned to an age that is 200 years ago." We are in a time of Civilization Change. Command and Control Management is no longer effective.
We need new skills. We need a new approach and a different Philosophical framework. We have to be able to identify weak signals. We are moving back to a new age of enlightenment. Rick believes that Catawba County's FEC is comprehensively setting up the initial conditions effectively. One concept that Rick mentioned was the idea of looking at our community and organizations and building in resiliency. We have to develop capacities in our thinking, skills, and leadership to be able to adapt quickly in an exponentially changing world.
Future Economy Council Website/ Hickory Hound Blog - Danny retook the floor and talked about our hopeful addition of an FEC website. He handed the floor over to myself to discuss the idea and a conversation that I had with Rick on Tuesday afternoon. The idea is to develop a subgroup that will in the end create a website focusing on the Creative Molecular Economy (CME). The steps to getting to the development of the website are 1) We need to obtain knowledge (concepts and methods of CME) about what we are doing. 2) We need to design the website after we have nailed down the concepts and have a connection of multiple websites to create a web based on that. 3) Basically, we need to identify individuals and small groups of intelligent knowledgeable people and I believe everyone in the FEC has something to offer.
He gave me a list of sites to check out that might be of interest. This will be like playing chess. We are going to have to think about multiple moves at one time. We can't afford to limit ourselves by thinking "This is the right move." If we all get together and go at this from a different angle, then when someone gets ahead of the game we can follow them. But, as in a horse race, when someone else takes the lead then we can slide on over and follow them. We need to go with whatever is the winning situation in this and that is how we are going to get ahead.
We are going to reference the minutes of our meetings, all of the references to books and websites, and interactivity of communication. This will essentially be the beginning of the communi-versity, where we don't have to have a physical building. We have the web and the virtual world to take care of, and obtain, knowledge from at any time.
Rick retook the floor and went over the meaning of the Creative Molecular Economy that he had spoken of at our last FEC meeting. He added that products being made in the future (some have already begun) and the processes in which they are made will be based upon biology. Our community's participation in this transformation will help us be at the cutting edge. The website will allow us to see what is emerging and Hickory is focusing on the idea of preparing for the CME. The website will create an access point that will 1) Bring attention to Hickory and help market our brand and 2) It will help build global connections to help access resources and other people.
I had to ask a question of Rick. "What is the syntax of the word "Molecular" in the term Creative Molecular Economy? We all know the definition of Molecular, but in this syntax are we talking about the processors and nanobiotics or are we talking about People?" There was a small discussion and in the end Rick said that it was both. Rick says that our education focuses on outcomes and content that think in either/or terms, but we need to think in and/both terms.
Houston Harris asked if "either/or" questions didn't give us the ability to prioritize? Rick said sometimes like in a city council situation you have to do this. He said however that many times these questions are formed wrong or put in the wrong context. Either/Or is necessary when you have to take control, but if you are trying to build new capacities it is the worst approach.
Future Citizen Teams: City and County Public Libraries: Mary Sizemore was given the floor and Danny encouraged her to address a library series being set up by herself, Karen Foss, Kim Whitmore, and Chuck Adair. There will be a feature learner group or book club that will meet once a month and come back for discussion. Hopefully this will grow. Mary addressed how this will be promoted by the Chamber and by the library. She hopes this will start this summer. Dates will be nailed down soon. Chuck Adair said he would like to have people on the FEC or their organizations participate in the series. He would like to see the transitional experience be a little more focused. Rick stated that Biological principle says that you can't have growth, evolution, or innovation without diversity.
Future's Institute/ Tranformational Leadership Training Site - Dean Bill Mauney of Lenoir-Rhyne was given the floor next. He has gotten together with Dr. John Brzorad and they are looking to make the Reese Institute at L-R a nationally known Futures Institute. The Reese Institute focuses on conservation. That provides all sorts of opportunities. L-R students are open to new ideas. Part of the Grant we are seeking as the FEC will seek to teach Master Capacity Building. L-R would be a regional center in that effort.
Broadband Connectivity - Terry Bledsoe next took the floor and displayed a Power Point Presentation. He stated that in the 1990s that Catawba County was a leader in the Fiber-Optic industry before losing much of that industry. Many people think that we are ahead of the game as far as Broadband is concerned.
What is the definition of Broadband? The legal definition was 256kb/sec download and 128kb/sec upload until March 2008. Now it is defined in tiers. Catawba County is defined as tier-4 on the scale (rated by e-nc). Terry said most studies say that we need 100mb/sec to the home by 2012.
In Europe, several areas have networks that are 100mb/sec to 1 gb/sec or higher. Public/Private partnerships have built most of this. Wilson, NC is offering 100mb/sec to the home and 1gb/sec to business. This $30 million plan is expected to only take 5 to 10 years to pay back. They are meeting resistance from Embarq and Time-Warner.
In Europe, the models are public-private to build the network out, then the companies can buy space on the fiber network. This has fostered more competition, a la carte service, and a better network.
There was an excellent discussion (and back and forth) by the group about capping of downloading usage and control of the internet by the private entities that offer the service. Terry said he doesn't know that we are even to that point, in the discussion, but he believes we are getting to the point of saturation. That is the point of the discussion. He stated that he does not know of any plans for 100mb/sec broadband to the home in Catawba County.
Terry showed some slides that show the average U.S. connection is 5mb/sec. Countries that had their networks installed later have obtained newer equipment and thus have better broadband. The U.S. were the innovators of the technology, but we have fallen behind as new equipment has been developed. The U.S. is paying on average $55/month or $11/mb. Japan is paying about $35/month. Wilson is paying $35/month for 10mb connections. Catawba County is going to have to move forward on this issue. We need to evolve with the technology. There are 30 counties in North Carolina with better broadband than Catawba County.
Another Lively Discussion Ensued about the possibilities of bringing Accelerated Broadband to Hickory. It was entertaining and informative. I'll tell you one thing. you better get Pat Appleson a gig connection soon (that would be an appetizer) or we might just see his head explode. I love his passion for technology.
Rick Smyre stated that he thinks we are going to see, because of the complexity of all systems, a move to public-private cooperation (in business). The ideological approach of the past isn't going to work in a time of constant change, interconnection, and increased complexity.
Jay Adams said that he believes that the thing we need to aim at, is that there is going to be a lot of money thrown at solving problems like this. The project is going to have to be well formed and well thought out, it's going to have to look good on paper, it's going to have to be comprehensive. After the implementation, the maintenance is what local government and businesses have to cooperate to maintain. Hickory, because of size and layout, is in a much better position to implement these kinds of things than a major metro area.
Danny asked Terry to continue more of this discussion the next time that we meet. He would like us to look more into what Wilson is doing and maybe bring in an official from CommScope.
Shane Pitman had an excellent statement that Internet Service Providers need to look to more than consumers, when trying to recoup costs. Consumers are downloading from Netflix and Hulu and the ISPs should be recouping part of the costs (of increased broad band) from those companies as well.
Houston Harris stated that if we solve the broadband issue, and move up two tiers, that doesn't solve our problem. It is an asset that helps us get to a real solution. This is about the economy. At the end of the day, we must be careful not to just focus on this one issue.
IT Training/Funding and Dialogue with Public School Teachers - Dr. Judith Ray spoke to the issue of "No Child Left Behind." She believes that it has strangled education. She wonders how we can bring more relevant instruction at a time when the schools are losing personnel (because of budget cuts). It is going to create more stress on the part of teachers and less receptivity to changing their teaching approach, because they have to have formative assessments. We are assessing the ability to regurgitate knowledge rather than think.
There have been a lot of strides in terms of hardware. She believes we have to look at small pockets, being able to get an initiative going. If we can find an outside entity to come in and talk and help partner with teachers, she believes it is an overwhelming task, but it must be done. Assessing current knowledge does not teach kids how to think. She said Rick asked how this will be received. Judith stated these are new jobs and they aren't replacing anybody, it is grant money, it is additional help, and it reduces class sizes.
Michael Neely spoke about the technology angle and teaching kids how to think. He sensed the urgency in education. He said his business depends on highly skilled people. He needs people that are skilled at more than one thing -- thinking and problem solving. Danny invited Judith to bring her counterparts to meet the council so that we may dialogue with them.
Danny Hearn then wrapped up the meeting. I truly felt like I learned a lot in that 1hour and 42 minutes. I think we all did. (Pictures by Pat Appleson)
Welcome - Catawba County Chamber of Commerce President Danny Hearn started out the meeting by announcing that Rick Smyre has been named Chairman of the Gaston County Future Economy Council. Danny mentioned that several parallel processes have been taking place since the last time we met. Four new members joined the team including Mark Fleming, Congressman Patrick McHenry's Office; Andrea Surratt, Assistant City Manager, City of Hickory; Shane Pitman, Information Security Specialists; and Chuck Adair (Consultant). The Unifour Foundation grant will be decided upon during the first week in June.
Future's Communi-Versity: Speaker Joshua Cooper Ramo - Rick Smyre had the floor next and he spoke about the book that Danny has already sent us an e-mail about. The book is The Age of the Unthinkable: Why the New World Disorder Constantly Surprises Us And What We Can Do About It . (Rick did not mention this, but the author was the man who translated events and was a guest commentator during the Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony on NBC). Joshua Cooper Ramo used to be an associate editor for Time Magazine. He lives in China and connects businesses to U.S. concerns. Ramo says, "We are in Revolutionary Times and We need Revolutionary Thinking." "We are living in a time when the ideas, the institutions, and the leaders are more attuned to an age that is 200 years ago." We are in a time of Civilization Change. Command and Control Management is no longer effective.
We need new skills. We need a new approach and a different Philosophical framework. We have to be able to identify weak signals. We are moving back to a new age of enlightenment. Rick believes that Catawba County's FEC is comprehensively setting up the initial conditions effectively. One concept that Rick mentioned was the idea of looking at our community and organizations and building in resiliency. We have to develop capacities in our thinking, skills, and leadership to be able to adapt quickly in an exponentially changing world.
Future Economy Council Website/ Hickory Hound Blog - Danny retook the floor and talked about our hopeful addition of an FEC website. He handed the floor over to myself to discuss the idea and a conversation that I had with Rick on Tuesday afternoon. The idea is to develop a subgroup that will in the end create a website focusing on the Creative Molecular Economy (CME). The steps to getting to the development of the website are 1) We need to obtain knowledge (concepts and methods of CME) about what we are doing. 2) We need to design the website after we have nailed down the concepts and have a connection of multiple websites to create a web based on that. 3) Basically, we need to identify individuals and small groups of intelligent knowledgeable people and I believe everyone in the FEC has something to offer.
He gave me a list of sites to check out that might be of interest. This will be like playing chess. We are going to have to think about multiple moves at one time. We can't afford to limit ourselves by thinking "This is the right move." If we all get together and go at this from a different angle, then when someone gets ahead of the game we can follow them. But, as in a horse race, when someone else takes the lead then we can slide on over and follow them. We need to go with whatever is the winning situation in this and that is how we are going to get ahead.
We are going to reference the minutes of our meetings, all of the references to books and websites, and interactivity of communication. This will essentially be the beginning of the communi-versity, where we don't have to have a physical building. We have the web and the virtual world to take care of, and obtain, knowledge from at any time.
Rick retook the floor and went over the meaning of the Creative Molecular Economy that he had spoken of at our last FEC meeting. He added that products being made in the future (some have already begun) and the processes in which they are made will be based upon biology. Our community's participation in this transformation will help us be at the cutting edge. The website will allow us to see what is emerging and Hickory is focusing on the idea of preparing for the CME. The website will create an access point that will 1) Bring attention to Hickory and help market our brand and 2) It will help build global connections to help access resources and other people.
I had to ask a question of Rick. "What is the syntax of the word "Molecular" in the term Creative Molecular Economy? We all know the definition of Molecular, but in this syntax are we talking about the processors and nanobiotics or are we talking about People?" There was a small discussion and in the end Rick said that it was both. Rick says that our education focuses on outcomes and content that think in either/or terms, but we need to think in and/both terms.
Houston Harris asked if "either/or" questions didn't give us the ability to prioritize? Rick said sometimes like in a city council situation you have to do this. He said however that many times these questions are formed wrong or put in the wrong context. Either/Or is necessary when you have to take control, but if you are trying to build new capacities it is the worst approach.
Future Citizen Teams: City and County Public Libraries: Mary Sizemore was given the floor and Danny encouraged her to address a library series being set up by herself, Karen Foss, Kim Whitmore, and Chuck Adair. There will be a feature learner group or book club that will meet once a month and come back for discussion. Hopefully this will grow. Mary addressed how this will be promoted by the Chamber and by the library. She hopes this will start this summer. Dates will be nailed down soon. Chuck Adair said he would like to have people on the FEC or their organizations participate in the series. He would like to see the transitional experience be a little more focused. Rick stated that Biological principle says that you can't have growth, evolution, or innovation without diversity.
Future's Institute/ Tranformational Leadership Training Site - Dean Bill Mauney of Lenoir-Rhyne was given the floor next. He has gotten together with Dr. John Brzorad and they are looking to make the Reese Institute at L-R a nationally known Futures Institute. The Reese Institute focuses on conservation. That provides all sorts of opportunities. L-R students are open to new ideas. Part of the Grant we are seeking as the FEC will seek to teach Master Capacity Building. L-R would be a regional center in that effort.
Broadband Connectivity - Terry Bledsoe next took the floor and displayed a Power Point Presentation. He stated that in the 1990s that Catawba County was a leader in the Fiber-Optic industry before losing much of that industry. Many people think that we are ahead of the game as far as Broadband is concerned.
What is the definition of Broadband? The legal definition was 256kb/sec download and 128kb/sec upload until March 2008. Now it is defined in tiers. Catawba County is defined as tier-4 on the scale (rated by e-nc). Terry said most studies say that we need 100mb/sec to the home by 2012.
In Europe, several areas have networks that are 100mb/sec to 1 gb/sec or higher. Public/Private partnerships have built most of this. Wilson, NC is offering 100mb/sec to the home and 1gb/sec to business. This $30 million plan is expected to only take 5 to 10 years to pay back. They are meeting resistance from Embarq and Time-Warner.
In Europe, the models are public-private to build the network out, then the companies can buy space on the fiber network. This has fostered more competition, a la carte service, and a better network.
There was an excellent discussion (and back and forth) by the group about capping of downloading usage and control of the internet by the private entities that offer the service. Terry said he doesn't know that we are even to that point, in the discussion, but he believes we are getting to the point of saturation. That is the point of the discussion. He stated that he does not know of any plans for 100mb/sec broadband to the home in Catawba County.
Terry showed some slides that show the average U.S. connection is 5mb/sec. Countries that had their networks installed later have obtained newer equipment and thus have better broadband. The U.S. were the innovators of the technology, but we have fallen behind as new equipment has been developed. The U.S. is paying on average $55/month or $11/mb. Japan is paying about $35/month. Wilson is paying $35/month for 10mb connections. Catawba County is going to have to move forward on this issue. We need to evolve with the technology. There are 30 counties in North Carolina with better broadband than Catawba County.
Another Lively Discussion Ensued about the possibilities of bringing Accelerated Broadband to Hickory. It was entertaining and informative. I'll tell you one thing. you better get Pat Appleson a gig connection soon (that would be an appetizer) or we might just see his head explode. I love his passion for technology.
Rick Smyre stated that he thinks we are going to see, because of the complexity of all systems, a move to public-private cooperation (in business). The ideological approach of the past isn't going to work in a time of constant change, interconnection, and increased complexity.
Jay Adams said that he believes that the thing we need to aim at, is that there is going to be a lot of money thrown at solving problems like this. The project is going to have to be well formed and well thought out, it's going to have to look good on paper, it's going to have to be comprehensive. After the implementation, the maintenance is what local government and businesses have to cooperate to maintain. Hickory, because of size and layout, is in a much better position to implement these kinds of things than a major metro area.
Danny asked Terry to continue more of this discussion the next time that we meet. He would like us to look more into what Wilson is doing and maybe bring in an official from CommScope.
Shane Pitman had an excellent statement that Internet Service Providers need to look to more than consumers, when trying to recoup costs. Consumers are downloading from Netflix and Hulu and the ISPs should be recouping part of the costs (of increased broad band) from those companies as well.
Houston Harris stated that if we solve the broadband issue, and move up two tiers, that doesn't solve our problem. It is an asset that helps us get to a real solution. This is about the economy. At the end of the day, we must be careful not to just focus on this one issue.
IT Training/Funding and Dialogue with Public School Teachers - Dr. Judith Ray spoke to the issue of "No Child Left Behind." She believes that it has strangled education. She wonders how we can bring more relevant instruction at a time when the schools are losing personnel (because of budget cuts). It is going to create more stress on the part of teachers and less receptivity to changing their teaching approach, because they have to have formative assessments. We are assessing the ability to regurgitate knowledge rather than think.
There have been a lot of strides in terms of hardware. She believes we have to look at small pockets, being able to get an initiative going. If we can find an outside entity to come in and talk and help partner with teachers, she believes it is an overwhelming task, but it must be done. Assessing current knowledge does not teach kids how to think. She said Rick asked how this will be received. Judith stated these are new jobs and they aren't replacing anybody, it is grant money, it is additional help, and it reduces class sizes.
Michael Neely spoke about the technology angle and teaching kids how to think. He sensed the urgency in education. He said his business depends on highly skilled people. He needs people that are skilled at more than one thing -- thinking and problem solving. Danny invited Judith to bring her counterparts to meet the council so that we may dialogue with them.
Danny Hearn then wrapped up the meeting. I truly felt like I learned a lot in that 1hour and 42 minutes. I think we all did. (Pictures by Pat Appleson)
Future Economy Council Meeting was awesome (4/16/2009)
Here is my report on this morning's Future Economy Council Meeting. Rick Smyre really got me to thinking about the possibilities for our community going forward into the future. We should be thankful that Danny Hearn has moved us in this direction.
Mr. Hearn made introductions of a few new members that will participate in our Future Economy Council: Mary Sizemore - Director, Hickory Public Libraries; Karen Foss - Director, Hickory Public Libraries; Patty Thompson, Mountain State University; Tom Alexander - Fire Chief, City of Hickory.
Mr. Hearn stressed the importance of utilizing library resources to get our message out. We have applied for a $10,000 grant from the Catawba Valley Community foundation. This money will go towards training 15 to 25 "Master Capacity Builders;" "Futures Institute Training at L-R, CVCC. and ASU;Improving the IT curriculum of Catawba County's 3 school systems; Transformative Dialogue Groups - to involve and educate the citizenry; and for Incidentals. Mr. Hearn stated that even if we don't get this grant, that there are other avenues available to raise the monies needed. We will know in 5 weeks whether we get this grant or not.
Mr. Hearn then introduced Rick Smyre. He was a CEO of a textile company in Gaston County and is a leading Future Development Specialist. He believes that we are in a period of Historical Transformation. He told us that he used to debate people, but now he has learned to listen and connect with what people are saying. He stated that everything he told us was an opinion and that he has no truth left in his body. One of the real challenges is to create a culture in communities where they can transform themselves.
His experiences led him to think structurally and linearly in the past. He used to debate upon what he heard. If he agreed with what a person thought, then he could carry on a discussion with the person. He said he really wasn't listening to what people were saying.
We need to learn to not just reform, we need to learn how to transform. Transformation means something has not been around (existed) before. Reformation is just changing something that already exists. Transformation requires people to rethink what they have thought for years. These are fundamental issues.
Dialogue is communication in the form of questions and statements. Dialogue is not enough in the transformative times we are in. We have to find value (a connection) in what one another are saying. This can help us with our capacity to innovate. The skill to ask appropriate questions is going to be more important at times than to make a statement.
Traditional Leadership is project oriented and is focused on outcomes.Transformative Leadership requires that we use new ideas that create a futures context. New ideas do not have a model or template to go by. If we don't open our minds to these new ideas, then we don't have the capacity to make the changes necessary to transform our community. We must have a sense of what is emerging, instead of being fixated on the way that things have always been.
Work of the future will be mental. Biological Principle says that you do not have innovation, growth, or evolution unless you have diversity. Diversity alone is not enough, you must have processes that allow that diversity to take shape. Nobody changes unless we as individuals decide that we must change. This is the reason that Statements are no longer effective. We must build connections between individuals. Questions help us to evolve and develop ideas and processes.
We are seeing 3 different Economies emerge:
1) The Knowledge Economy - Thought to be taking place from 2000 to 2025. Creation of an environment in the culture that supports continuous innovation that is always open to new ideas.
2) Industrial Economy - The Industrial age. Peaked in the 1980s. This is still the focus of most leaders in our community.
3) Creative Molecular Economy (Open Source Economy) - When you cannot control where you want to go, because you don't no where you are going, because things haven't been invented yet, then you have to create productive capacities. Adaptive planning says that you must work and network together (as individuals) to respond and adapt to what is emerging. Connectivity (And/Both reasoning) is important in understanding context, structuring statements, and objectives. The two major components a) Technology and b) Organization of economy and society around individuals, global innovation networks, and small groups.
People resist change, because of comfort. That makes it hard to make positive transformations in society. If we want to have our economy be vital and sustainable, then we must be willing to take what are considered radical approaches in changing society. We must depend on one another to achieve higher objectives. This is a systemic issue and we must build parallel processes to achieve objectives in an exponentially changing world.
We need to build relationships with cutting edge individuals that can help our area. These people might come to this area, if we are supportive of a Creative Molecular Economy. We must learn to collaborate and cooperate. Leaders need to develop environments where others can come to their own conclusions. We should not limit ourselves, because we are not willing to listen to others who might have different ideas than our own. That expands the mind.
Marching Orders - Lead and talk to one another. Ask questions of one another. Design a 6 month strategy. Bring our own ideas to the table, so that community transformation can emerge over the next 5 to 10 years. Build connections with people that we know virtually or personally and collaborate with them so that they can see the value in what we are doing.
Mr. Hearn made introductions of a few new members that will participate in our Future Economy Council: Mary Sizemore - Director, Hickory Public Libraries; Karen Foss - Director, Hickory Public Libraries; Patty Thompson, Mountain State University; Tom Alexander - Fire Chief, City of Hickory.
Mr. Hearn stressed the importance of utilizing library resources to get our message out. We have applied for a $10,000 grant from the Catawba Valley Community foundation. This money will go towards training 15 to 25 "Master Capacity Builders;" "Futures Institute Training at L-R, CVCC. and ASU;Improving the IT curriculum of Catawba County's 3 school systems; Transformative Dialogue Groups - to involve and educate the citizenry; and for Incidentals. Mr. Hearn stated that even if we don't get this grant, that there are other avenues available to raise the monies needed. We will know in 5 weeks whether we get this grant or not.
Mr. Hearn then introduced Rick Smyre. He was a CEO of a textile company in Gaston County and is a leading Future Development Specialist. He believes that we are in a period of Historical Transformation. He told us that he used to debate people, but now he has learned to listen and connect with what people are saying. He stated that everything he told us was an opinion and that he has no truth left in his body. One of the real challenges is to create a culture in communities where they can transform themselves.
His experiences led him to think structurally and linearly in the past. He used to debate upon what he heard. If he agreed with what a person thought, then he could carry on a discussion with the person. He said he really wasn't listening to what people were saying.
We need to learn to not just reform, we need to learn how to transform. Transformation means something has not been around (existed) before. Reformation is just changing something that already exists. Transformation requires people to rethink what they have thought for years. These are fundamental issues.
Dialogue is communication in the form of questions and statements. Dialogue is not enough in the transformative times we are in. We have to find value (a connection) in what one another are saying. This can help us with our capacity to innovate. The skill to ask appropriate questions is going to be more important at times than to make a statement.
Traditional Leadership is project oriented and is focused on outcomes.Transformative Leadership requires that we use new ideas that create a futures context. New ideas do not have a model or template to go by. If we don't open our minds to these new ideas, then we don't have the capacity to make the changes necessary to transform our community. We must have a sense of what is emerging, instead of being fixated on the way that things have always been.
Work of the future will be mental. Biological Principle says that you do not have innovation, growth, or evolution unless you have diversity. Diversity alone is not enough, you must have processes that allow that diversity to take shape. Nobody changes unless we as individuals decide that we must change. This is the reason that Statements are no longer effective. We must build connections between individuals. Questions help us to evolve and develop ideas and processes.
We are seeing 3 different Economies emerge:
1) The Knowledge Economy - Thought to be taking place from 2000 to 2025. Creation of an environment in the culture that supports continuous innovation that is always open to new ideas.
2) Industrial Economy - The Industrial age. Peaked in the 1980s. This is still the focus of most leaders in our community.
3) Creative Molecular Economy (Open Source Economy) - When you cannot control where you want to go, because you don't no where you are going, because things haven't been invented yet, then you have to create productive capacities. Adaptive planning says that you must work and network together (as individuals) to respond and adapt to what is emerging. Connectivity (And/Both reasoning) is important in understanding context, structuring statements, and objectives. The two major components a) Technology and b) Organization of economy and society around individuals, global innovation networks, and small groups.
People resist change, because of comfort. That makes it hard to make positive transformations in society. If we want to have our economy be vital and sustainable, then we must be willing to take what are considered radical approaches in changing society. We must depend on one another to achieve higher objectives. This is a systemic issue and we must build parallel processes to achieve objectives in an exponentially changing world.
We need to build relationships with cutting edge individuals that can help our area. These people might come to this area, if we are supportive of a Creative Molecular Economy. We must learn to collaborate and cooperate. Leaders need to develop environments where others can come to their own conclusions. We should not limit ourselves, because we are not willing to listen to others who might have different ideas than our own. That expands the mind.
Marching Orders - Lead and talk to one another. Ask questions of one another. Design a 6 month strategy. Bring our own ideas to the table, so that community transformation can emerge over the next 5 to 10 years. Build connections with people that we know virtually or personally and collaborate with them so that they can see the value in what we are doing.
The Future is Now (3/13/2009)
Click the Link to Check out Catawba County Chamber of Commerce President Danny Hearn's article in the Hickory Daily Record on Sunday, March 15, 2009 entitled Future Economy Council Ahead of the Curve (unpublished on the Web).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Harry Hipps and I discussed our thoughts about issues involving the Future Economy Council. Of course, we want to be transparent, open, and honest about how issues directly impact this community’s future. We will inform and make everyone aware of the different types of dynamics that may be happening in our world and how quickly these impacts may change the world as we know it. We are living in exponential times and that is a scary proposition, but these challenges must be met head-on or our community will continue to fall further and further behind.
Yes, this is overwhelming to many people. The indigenous inhabitants of this area remember when the population was half the size that it is now. Now we are part of a global experience that scares many of our citizens. But, we cannot stop that change!!!
As Dr. Jane Everson defined, our community must become “nimble,” especially during these drastically changing times. These times will require a lot of creative and critical thinking. Most of our citizens are wary of this type of rapid change and suffering Anxiety at the thought of having to adjust to such a different world. Such change can lead to fight or flight syndrome and it will be the Future Economy Council’s responsibility to help adjust our citizenry’s mode of thinking.
Why are people so scared and reluctant to address these issues of change? Why be scared when you are powerless to stop it? If you can’t beat it, join it. The exponential rate of change is not stopping. Some of us have come to that understanding and embraced this new world, but some people remain in a state of denial.
The number one issue our area faces is the jobs issue. People must come to the realization that careers will no longer be determined by specific tasks. Employment will be determined by broader generalities. You will have to define yourself by the strength of your skill-sets. Whatever you are good at and your niche and interests will determine your career. These manifestations of your unique, and in many ways inherent, skill-sets will determine what you can do.
It will be important to increase the education of the workforce to achieve the flexibility, malleability, and diversity that any industry needs to move forward. The bottom line is that we are going to have to get the basics (reading, writing, and arithmetic) down before we can move to the levels of critical thinking that we need to move forward in this exponentially changing world.
The overwhelming nature of the change that is ahead can make people feel lost, but does that really matter? We have to work on giving young people a firm foundation of values and principles, to establish their well-being. Young people lose their identity when they’re morality is not built upon substance. The result is that they turn to ways of escape from stress. They start drinking and using drugs, which leads to bad consequences that put them behind at a young age. Many times these young people have developed into something that they really don’t understand.
It is debatable how developed that young people are after they graduate from high school or college. We all know that there is development, but at what critical level? The basic mindset may be established, but when these young people advance to the next stage of development, many times they regress to a stage that they are more comfortable with. Many people of our younger generation become accepting of mediocrity. But, what they have to understand is that nothing ever stands still. You are either progressing or you are regressing. Education and attainment of knowledge only end after you leave this life.
I believe that was what Jay Adams was getting at, at this meeting, when talking about the current economic mindset of the local community… (summarizing) that over the last nine years we have become lean and that has in many ways put us in a strong position, but we have also adapted down and become accepting of this extreme level of cost containment at the expense of growth. In my opinion that is an acceptance of mediocrity, because if we aren’t willing to take chances and make some riskier investments in this community, then we will never get back to experiencing dynamic economic growth. Cheap Begets Cheap!!!
One of the main issues that our nation faces is that we have been shielding people from the consequences of their actions. Most people fail due to their own actions, yet we have created moral hazards that encourage the least common denominators in society. We cannot sustain this current way of thinking. We aren’t growing the economy, we are punishing everyone that creates growth in the economy, and we are encouraging the worst of the lot.
The worst part of our system is that our Government is constantly riding roughshod over the little guy. They don’t go after the powerful special interests, unions, agencies, or corporations; but they are systematically nickel and diming small businesses out of existence by creating a nasty regulatory environment and barriers to entry for upstart entrepreneurs. Not only that, but government in all forms is eating up the world’s capital pool, by bellying up to the trough and borrowing money to spend on gluttonous, wasteful expenditures. This is being done at the expense of capitalism and the free market.
Our culture is not going to accept the government crowding out our way of life. We are going to see Black Markets and fraud spring up, if the government continues down this path. That will delegitimize our society, because people will begin bartering and trading goods and services to keep the money away from the government. You will also see professionals get desperate and play with the bills and the books. Why should we criminalize our citizens, by creating more and more regulations that cannot be understood or adhered to? Look at the tax laws that are already on the books. Do you think that system is working?
Did you see today where the Chinese government asked for assurances and guarantees that the United States would meet its debt obligations? What will the implications of that be? What will that mean to our freedom?
We want creativity. That creativity will lead to progress. Creativity will not come without incentives. We cannot afford to kill the incentives towards growth. Yet, this monolithic character called Social Government has the ability to destroy the individuality needed to inspire creativity. That is what happened in the Soviet Union and in Maoist China. Those countries suffered through decades of darkness.
It is understandable that people are apprehensive about what the human race is currently experiencing. We must advance ourselves, both as individuals and as a community, but neither should be done at the expense of the other. What is happening is more than a change in lifestyle. It is a redefinition of life itself. That is a frightening concept, but we cannot stop it, nor should we try to stop it. For trying to stop what this world is now experiencing could lead to cataclysmic consequences for mankind.
We cannot afford to run and hide, either at the local level or at the world level. We have everything to gain by participating in the global community, but we must prepare ourselves to be successful in such a world. That is what Harry Hipps and I hope this “Futures Economy Council” can do; establish the creation of a road map of preparation to help Catawba County, as well as the region, move successfully forward into the future.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Harry Hipps and I discussed our thoughts about issues involving the Future Economy Council. Of course, we want to be transparent, open, and honest about how issues directly impact this community’s future. We will inform and make everyone aware of the different types of dynamics that may be happening in our world and how quickly these impacts may change the world as we know it. We are living in exponential times and that is a scary proposition, but these challenges must be met head-on or our community will continue to fall further and further behind.
Yes, this is overwhelming to many people. The indigenous inhabitants of this area remember when the population was half the size that it is now. Now we are part of a global experience that scares many of our citizens. But, we cannot stop that change!!!
As Dr. Jane Everson defined, our community must become “nimble,” especially during these drastically changing times. These times will require a lot of creative and critical thinking. Most of our citizens are wary of this type of rapid change and suffering Anxiety at the thought of having to adjust to such a different world. Such change can lead to fight or flight syndrome and it will be the Future Economy Council’s responsibility to help adjust our citizenry’s mode of thinking.
Why are people so scared and reluctant to address these issues of change? Why be scared when you are powerless to stop it? If you can’t beat it, join it. The exponential rate of change is not stopping. Some of us have come to that understanding and embraced this new world, but some people remain in a state of denial.
The number one issue our area faces is the jobs issue. People must come to the realization that careers will no longer be determined by specific tasks. Employment will be determined by broader generalities. You will have to define yourself by the strength of your skill-sets. Whatever you are good at and your niche and interests will determine your career. These manifestations of your unique, and in many ways inherent, skill-sets will determine what you can do.
It will be important to increase the education of the workforce to achieve the flexibility, malleability, and diversity that any industry needs to move forward. The bottom line is that we are going to have to get the basics (reading, writing, and arithmetic) down before we can move to the levels of critical thinking that we need to move forward in this exponentially changing world.
The overwhelming nature of the change that is ahead can make people feel lost, but does that really matter? We have to work on giving young people a firm foundation of values and principles, to establish their well-being. Young people lose their identity when they’re morality is not built upon substance. The result is that they turn to ways of escape from stress. They start drinking and using drugs, which leads to bad consequences that put them behind at a young age. Many times these young people have developed into something that they really don’t understand.
It is debatable how developed that young people are after they graduate from high school or college. We all know that there is development, but at what critical level? The basic mindset may be established, but when these young people advance to the next stage of development, many times they regress to a stage that they are more comfortable with. Many people of our younger generation become accepting of mediocrity. But, what they have to understand is that nothing ever stands still. You are either progressing or you are regressing. Education and attainment of knowledge only end after you leave this life.
I believe that was what Jay Adams was getting at, at this meeting, when talking about the current economic mindset of the local community… (summarizing) that over the last nine years we have become lean and that has in many ways put us in a strong position, but we have also adapted down and become accepting of this extreme level of cost containment at the expense of growth. In my opinion that is an acceptance of mediocrity, because if we aren’t willing to take chances and make some riskier investments in this community, then we will never get back to experiencing dynamic economic growth. Cheap Begets Cheap!!!
One of the main issues that our nation faces is that we have been shielding people from the consequences of their actions. Most people fail due to their own actions, yet we have created moral hazards that encourage the least common denominators in society. We cannot sustain this current way of thinking. We aren’t growing the economy, we are punishing everyone that creates growth in the economy, and we are encouraging the worst of the lot.
The worst part of our system is that our Government is constantly riding roughshod over the little guy. They don’t go after the powerful special interests, unions, agencies, or corporations; but they are systematically nickel and diming small businesses out of existence by creating a nasty regulatory environment and barriers to entry for upstart entrepreneurs. Not only that, but government in all forms is eating up the world’s capital pool, by bellying up to the trough and borrowing money to spend on gluttonous, wasteful expenditures. This is being done at the expense of capitalism and the free market.
Our culture is not going to accept the government crowding out our way of life. We are going to see Black Markets and fraud spring up, if the government continues down this path. That will delegitimize our society, because people will begin bartering and trading goods and services to keep the money away from the government. You will also see professionals get desperate and play with the bills and the books. Why should we criminalize our citizens, by creating more and more regulations that cannot be understood or adhered to? Look at the tax laws that are already on the books. Do you think that system is working?
Did you see today where the Chinese government asked for assurances and guarantees that the United States would meet its debt obligations? What will the implications of that be? What will that mean to our freedom?
We want creativity. That creativity will lead to progress. Creativity will not come without incentives. We cannot afford to kill the incentives towards growth. Yet, this monolithic character called Social Government has the ability to destroy the individuality needed to inspire creativity. That is what happened in the Soviet Union and in Maoist China. Those countries suffered through decades of darkness.
It is understandable that people are apprehensive about what the human race is currently experiencing. We must advance ourselves, both as individuals and as a community, but neither should be done at the expense of the other. What is happening is more than a change in lifestyle. It is a redefinition of life itself. That is a frightening concept, but we cannot stop it, nor should we try to stop it. For trying to stop what this world is now experiencing could lead to cataclysmic consequences for mankind.
We cannot afford to run and hide, either at the local level or at the world level. We have everything to gain by participating in the global community, but we must prepare ourselves to be successful in such a world. That is what Harry Hipps and I hope this “Futures Economy Council” can do; establish the creation of a road map of preparation to help Catawba County, as well as the region, move successfully forward into the future.
Time to Start Transforming Catawba County (3/12/2009)
This morning, March 12, 2009, I was privileged to attend a meeting with some of the most important decision makers in this area. The meeting about Transformative Leadership is exactly what I feel needs to take place to move this area forward and get us ahead of the curve economically.
Danny Hearn started the presentation by showing us this video called Did You Know 3.0
Mr. Hearn explained that he is in the same position as us. He is a student of futurism and he is here to learn, not teach. He told us a story of a local area that dealt with this subject and how they basically ended the discussion shortly after the process began, because they were uncomfortable about the direction in which the subject was being taken.
Mr. Hearn briefly addressed the economy of the area and the current economic development happenings and opportunities that are taking place in the area. He spoke about the direction that we can take with this new Future Economy Council. As far as Community Events (and involvement), he spoke of creating a dialogue with the community, creating Futures Institutes for/with the Local Community Colleges, developing 21st Century Learning Webs, and establishing what will be known as Communiversities.
Some of the issues that were brought up by others were that we need to assess the strengths, assets, flaws, liabilities, and gaps that are currently present in our community. We need to develop an asset map and if we are honest and fully acknowledge our faults, then those issues will be easier to address. We are basically suffering from the structure of what this community has been, which has been closed "Process" oriented. We need to move more towards an open ended "Thinking" structure.
The Hound: I am going to compose a more thorough article this evening, which I hope to release some time tomorrow, that will show what this is all about and why I personally feel that this is one of the most important developments in the history of our local area. Folks, we need to be honest with ourselves. This area has always been self-reliant. There is not going to be any substantial money coming from Raleigh or Washington. We are going to have to take charge and make these changes ourselves.
Let's be honest, our area is suffering from the complacency and the false sense of security that was instituted long ago. After years of malaise, we must realize that we now have nothing to fear and nothing to lose. The future is here and we must control it or it will most assuredly control us. We can face this together and turn it around. If we don't, this community will continue to wither.
I hope that you will all join me and the others in embracing this concept. We look forward to addressing the key issues, instituting creative processes, and making the changes that will be necessary to get this community ahead of the curve and make it one that we can all be proud of.
Danny Hearn started the presentation by showing us this video called Did You Know 3.0
Mr. Hearn explained that he is in the same position as us. He is a student of futurism and he is here to learn, not teach. He told us a story of a local area that dealt with this subject and how they basically ended the discussion shortly after the process began, because they were uncomfortable about the direction in which the subject was being taken.
Mr. Hearn briefly addressed the economy of the area and the current economic development happenings and opportunities that are taking place in the area. He spoke about the direction that we can take with this new Future Economy Council. As far as Community Events (and involvement), he spoke of creating a dialogue with the community, creating Futures Institutes for/with the Local Community Colleges, developing 21st Century Learning Webs, and establishing what will be known as Communiversities.
Some of the issues that were brought up by others were that we need to assess the strengths, assets, flaws, liabilities, and gaps that are currently present in our community. We need to develop an asset map and if we are honest and fully acknowledge our faults, then those issues will be easier to address. We are basically suffering from the structure of what this community has been, which has been closed "Process" oriented. We need to move more towards an open ended "Thinking" structure.
The Hound: I am going to compose a more thorough article this evening, which I hope to release some time tomorrow, that will show what this is all about and why I personally feel that this is one of the most important developments in the history of our local area. Folks, we need to be honest with ourselves. This area has always been self-reliant. There is not going to be any substantial money coming from Raleigh or Washington. We are going to have to take charge and make these changes ourselves.
Let's be honest, our area is suffering from the complacency and the false sense of security that was instituted long ago. After years of malaise, we must realize that we now have nothing to fear and nothing to lose. The future is here and we must control it or it will most assuredly control us. We can face this together and turn it around. If we don't, this community will continue to wither.
I hope that you will all join me and the others in embracing this concept. We look forward to addressing the key issues, instituting creative processes, and making the changes that will be necessary to get this community ahead of the curve and make it one that we can all be proud of.
Transformative Leadership -- All Chips In. How 'bout You? (1/29/2009)
In Sunday's Business Section of the Hickory Daily Record, The President of the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce Danny Hearn, offered an article entitled Creating transformative leadership is crucial to area (you can click the link - there is no online edition).
I have a little trouble understanding the jargon, but after looking up some of the keywords, I can see that he is pretty much spot on in his assessment. As we have stated here many times on this blog, you can't drive a car by looking in the rear view mirror. You must look forward, through the windshield, or you are bound to crash. In my opinion, our community has crashed, because of nostalgia, complacency, and stubbornness. These are three characteristics of people who live in the past.
There have been too many people in our local leadership positions that have been insulated from the financial problems that many of our citizens have experienced. That is the reason why people will tell you, "That's the way it's always been," when you point to deficiencies in our local area. To me, that is just an unacceptable response. I'm sorry, I am old enough to know better. Whole sections of this city have not always been blighted and it is immoral to ignore the plight of the least of us.
I think that Mr. Hearn is looking to do what has needed to be done in this area for years. We have to change the negative, "Can't Do" culture that has permeated through this community. I like what he says in his last paragraph of this article, "Please join us as we create a new system of values, concepts, capacities, strategies, attitudes, and behaviors..." Those are the words I have longed to hear and he is asking us to join together to do this.
What I think needs to be understood is the jargon Mr. Hearn has laid out in this article. We all understand what trends are. It is the general direction in which something tends to move. The concept that I had trouble understanding is "Weak Signals." To be honest, I have never heard of this term before.
In looking it up, Weak Signal Theory defines the ability to recognize and act upon subtle changes in conditions (such as markets) that may lead to extreme changes that can create barriers to growth. Weak Signal Theory espouses the Reduction of Noise (clutter) around projects, by not enabling Band-Aids (Temporary Fixes) to be placed on those projects to facilitate completion. Those Band-Aids mask "Weak Signals" that can lead to disastrous results. Another important "Weak Signal" problem solving issue is "Sense Making." Sense Making takes into account historical data, and using the patterns of that data, to theorize logical conclusions. By learning from past patterns of anecdotal evidence, we cut through problematic noise and get right at the heart of solving problems.
Next, Mr. Hearn went into the need for development of Transformative Leadership Skills. I agree with what he states here about Transformative Leadership Characteristics, but I have questions about "Characteristic 1," The ability to think systematically. I understand the need to have a plan as long as it does not espouse uniformity. In my opinion, uniformity kills innovation.
I agree completely with what Mr. Hearn states about the differences between Transformative Leaders and Traditional Leaders. Harry Hipps says it best, "Almost everyone wants a position and title but who wants to find, promote and evaluate initiatives that may carry some risk and may even fail." Transformative Leaders do not worry about failure. They learn from it!!!
Here I go being honest again, but in my humble opinion, this is where our educational system has failed us. It has turned the masses into a bunch of memorizing, copycat, follow the leader, cheating, grade earners. I was a failure in my formative education and I know why. Formal education isn't about obtaining knowledge, it's about being a good little robot and obtaining a letter of the alphabet (grade) that labels you. I have never accepted labels. Now that we are in changing times, all of the good little robots are running around, freaking out, babbling, "Does not compute, Does not compute, Does not compute," because they cannot think outside of the box.
I am reminded of something a local citizen said about the proposed Cloninger Mill Park. He said, "In 100 years, people will look back and ask why anyone attached a piece of commercial property to this land?" Personally I am not arrogant enough to look that far forward, but I can look back to the changes we have seen since 1909. We have seen 18 Presidents, America has fought in six major wars including 2 World Wars, 14 recessions have occurred including a Great Depression, there was still a Czar in Russia, and it was the first year the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was opened -- for automobile testing.
We must embrace change and relish it. My grandmother will be 95 years old in July. She gives me perspective. She has seen all of this transformation from an economy based on agriculture and sweatshops to where we are today. For all of the simplicity that life had to offer back then, there were still problems. We don't have to deal with Polio, billowing smokestacks, no indoor plumbing, or lack of electricity. We have the whole world at our feet.
We must carry forward with progress so that we may leave a lasting legacy to our descendants, as has been left to us. With all we have been given, we have the responsibility to not let what we have inherited wither. It is our obligation to enhance this area economically, culturally, educationally, spiritually, and environmentally for all our citizens; now and in the future.
I have a little trouble understanding the jargon, but after looking up some of the keywords, I can see that he is pretty much spot on in his assessment. As we have stated here many times on this blog, you can't drive a car by looking in the rear view mirror. You must look forward, through the windshield, or you are bound to crash. In my opinion, our community has crashed, because of nostalgia, complacency, and stubbornness. These are three characteristics of people who live in the past.
There have been too many people in our local leadership positions that have been insulated from the financial problems that many of our citizens have experienced. That is the reason why people will tell you, "That's the way it's always been," when you point to deficiencies in our local area. To me, that is just an unacceptable response. I'm sorry, I am old enough to know better. Whole sections of this city have not always been blighted and it is immoral to ignore the plight of the least of us.
I think that Mr. Hearn is looking to do what has needed to be done in this area for years. We have to change the negative, "Can't Do" culture that has permeated through this community. I like what he says in his last paragraph of this article, "Please join us as we create a new system of values, concepts, capacities, strategies, attitudes, and behaviors..." Those are the words I have longed to hear and he is asking us to join together to do this.
What I think needs to be understood is the jargon Mr. Hearn has laid out in this article. We all understand what trends are. It is the general direction in which something tends to move. The concept that I had trouble understanding is "Weak Signals." To be honest, I have never heard of this term before.
In looking it up, Weak Signal Theory defines the ability to recognize and act upon subtle changes in conditions (such as markets) that may lead to extreme changes that can create barriers to growth. Weak Signal Theory espouses the Reduction of Noise (clutter) around projects, by not enabling Band-Aids (Temporary Fixes) to be placed on those projects to facilitate completion. Those Band-Aids mask "Weak Signals" that can lead to disastrous results. Another important "Weak Signal" problem solving issue is "Sense Making." Sense Making takes into account historical data, and using the patterns of that data, to theorize logical conclusions. By learning from past patterns of anecdotal evidence, we cut through problematic noise and get right at the heart of solving problems.
Next, Mr. Hearn went into the need for development of Transformative Leadership Skills. I agree with what he states here about Transformative Leadership Characteristics, but I have questions about "Characteristic 1," The ability to think systematically. I understand the need to have a plan as long as it does not espouse uniformity. In my opinion, uniformity kills innovation.
I agree completely with what Mr. Hearn states about the differences between Transformative Leaders and Traditional Leaders. Harry Hipps says it best, "Almost everyone wants a position and title but who wants to find, promote and evaluate initiatives that may carry some risk and may even fail." Transformative Leaders do not worry about failure. They learn from it!!!
Here I go being honest again, but in my humble opinion, this is where our educational system has failed us. It has turned the masses into a bunch of memorizing, copycat, follow the leader, cheating, grade earners. I was a failure in my formative education and I know why. Formal education isn't about obtaining knowledge, it's about being a good little robot and obtaining a letter of the alphabet (grade) that labels you. I have never accepted labels. Now that we are in changing times, all of the good little robots are running around, freaking out, babbling, "Does not compute, Does not compute, Does not compute," because they cannot think outside of the box.
I am reminded of something a local citizen said about the proposed Cloninger Mill Park. He said, "In 100 years, people will look back and ask why anyone attached a piece of commercial property to this land?" Personally I am not arrogant enough to look that far forward, but I can look back to the changes we have seen since 1909. We have seen 18 Presidents, America has fought in six major wars including 2 World Wars, 14 recessions have occurred including a Great Depression, there was still a Czar in Russia, and it was the first year the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was opened -- for automobile testing.
We must embrace change and relish it. My grandmother will be 95 years old in July. She gives me perspective. She has seen all of this transformation from an economy based on agriculture and sweatshops to where we are today. For all of the simplicity that life had to offer back then, there were still problems. We don't have to deal with Polio, billowing smokestacks, no indoor plumbing, or lack of electricity. We have the whole world at our feet.
We must carry forward with progress so that we may leave a lasting legacy to our descendants, as has been left to us. With all we have been given, we have the responsibility to not let what we have inherited wither. It is our obligation to enhance this area economically, culturally, educationally, spiritually, and environmentally for all our citizens; now and in the future.
Project 3P
I have started a new blog per the request of Catawba County's Future Economy Council, which is a venture that was established by Catawba County Chamber of Commerce President Danny Hearn.
Project 3P is a play off of the idea of the future economy that is currently evolving. That economy is called the "Creative Molecular Economy." The 3P's = The Progressive Productive Proton Project. Progressive = the Future ( favoring or advocating progress, change, improvement, or reform) + Productive (Produce) = Create + Molecular = Proton (Positive Charged Molecule).
This website is just the first step in an ongoing process that we hope will evolve into something truly special. Let's work together to bring this community to the cutting edge of innovation. We already have so many tools at our disposal. This forum of open dialogue will lead to the innovation needed to bring us to an Advanced Economic Establishment for this community.
Thank You and May God Bless,
James Thomas Shell
Project 3P is a play off of the idea of the future economy that is currently evolving. That economy is called the "Creative Molecular Economy." The 3P's = The Progressive Productive Proton Project. Progressive = the Future ( favoring or advocating progress, change, improvement, or reform) + Productive (Produce) = Create + Molecular = Proton (Positive Charged Molecule).
This website is just the first step in an ongoing process that we hope will evolve into something truly special. Let's work together to bring this community to the cutting edge of innovation. We already have so many tools at our disposal. This forum of open dialogue will lead to the innovation needed to bring us to an Advanced Economic Establishment for this community.
Thank You and May God Bless,
James Thomas Shell
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