#cltrshck weekly ammo 8

Here the latest Culture Shock inspired links, plucked carefully from my LET’S CHANGE THE WORLD radar:

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Just an absolutely inspiring piece of writing about one man’s journey out of corporate life into something that feels meaningful and right to him. Totally uplifting, brilliant clarity. I know Mark and he said he’d been doing a lot of thinking. I admire anyone who can reflect and then express themselves to succinctly, in such an organic-shot-in-the-arm style.

Here’s an excerpt but I encourage you to read the whole post:

I can’t stand board meetings, I dislike the formality of most conferences, networking isn’t something that comes easily and most of all I hate forced innovation in places where I can’t be inspired to think differently. If you bear in mind that I was experiencing this at Virgin, one of the most progressive cultures there is, I wonder if there might be a problem in the structures of business that constrain the way we think and the way we do?

And this bit!

Even today my two favourite creative mediums are sea water and muddy hillsides. That is where my ideas live and where I need to go to unleash my potential.

LOVE IT. Go @searsio.

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In Sweden, bus stops offer light therapy

As someone put on Twitter, quite literally enlightening!

Umeå Energi has replaced bus stop advertising boards with therapeutic illumination, hoping to tackle instances of winter depression.

Trendy term, but rarely seen, ‘design thinking’ like this can unlock so much more potential if only we stopped to think, non? Like this solar bag that purifies water as you walk home from collecting it. Clever.

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P&G’s Muddled Messages, And The Need For Corporate Meaning

Interesting piece pointing out how cluttered the messages are from the top in P&G to regular employees.

It’s an interesting challenge, that – communicating succinctly and clearly when one’s organisation and one’s environment are so complex. In a world of VUCA (which I learnt from Stowe’s talk at Meaning, see below) how does one even do that? I struggle (hugely) to do this in our 20 person company!!!

What’s interesting is where the guest authors of this Fast Company piece take it – their schtick is a ‘meaning message’ which I think sounds interesting:

It’s time for P&G to rethink what its one message should be. For an organization known for its superior marketing and business discipline, it’s time for it to focus on one unique and meaningful message. We call this the “meaning message,” a concise, commonly understood statement that highlights the true meaning of the organization and which serves to inspire and provide direction. It’s a message that also captures the spirit of the organization.

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The Happy Startup School

This is interesting, though I don’t know what it is yet 🙂

They say:

We’re helping a new breed of entrepreneur to realise their dreams. Startups that put people first and measure success in happiness, as well as profits. Think sustainability above short–term.

Good to see this kind of initiative happen, and especially exciting to me as part of this groundswell that I personally am seeing in the rise of a more conscious approach to business. Looks like they’re based here in Brighton too…

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Beyond Social: imagining the post-normal business

This is Stowe Boyd’s keynote from Meaning 2012.

It is jam-packed with brainfood about the near-future of business. I recommend it: you’ll walk away with something to mull, something to pass on.

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Further reading: For a book that wraps these ideas up into 8 chapters, check out my book Culture Shock – a handbook for 21st Century business. It is well reviewed on Amazon, I wrote it and I believe in it.

Onwards! Will.