Stop Being Ordinary

The first step to becoming extraordinary of course is simply to stop being ordinary. You’d certainly like to have remarkable returns as an organisation, wouldn’t you? And extraordinary rewards as an individual right? Then start behaving remarkably. So, where to begin? Here are five quick suggestions:

1.       Avidly collect first hand experiences- Be your own Sherlock Holmes. Take pains to observe and understand nuances from the front lines of your business

2.       Practice the principle of “Beginners mind” – People with a thirst for learning can momentarily set aside what they “know”. They’re confident in their knowledge, yet willing to challenge it when confronted with new information.

3.       Keep an “idea wallet” so you don’t lose momentary insights – Try recording ideas in real time-on your PDA, or even on a folded piece of paper you keep in your back pocket.

4.       Be a Proactive “idea broker” and practice continuous cross-pollination – Try to give equal weight to learning and collaborating so that you can be a conduit for fresh ideas.

5.       Embrace the power of storytelling to bring it all together – Storytelling has an emotional appeal that trumps all the raw data in the world. Reject routine and set your team on its own remarkable course.

Excerpt from The Big Moo by Seth Godin