plot: (4 min. read) Man starts a consultancy, has fun, and spreads the Agile mindset to change the world. And himself.
subplot: Man awakens the inherent change agent in the audience, asks to be a co-conspirator on their journey, and asks them to be a co-conspirator on his.
Hi. Help me change the world. I’ll tell you how in a second.
Oh, I have your attention? It helps when I use grandiose ideals like “change the world”, but I’m not baby goating kidding.
Does the news get you down? Has your Facebook and/or Twitter feed been filled with… more stuff that pisses you off than in Presidents months past? Do you wonder what you can do besides protest or donate to the ACLU?
Yeah. Me too.
I consoled my coworkers with a long Slack post, where I said we each can ‘vote’ every damn day. We each can decide what to do with every damn hour. We each can decide where to place our effort.
We may not like the outcome. We may not like how we do not have control of the outcome. Yet, we DO have control of how we respond to the outcome. I am responding by acting on how I believe I can change the world.
It may come off as hokey, you may roll your eyes, but the following underlies the change I’d like to see in the world, in Señor Gandhi’s words.
Here’s what I firmly believe:
- I believe Agile Thinking is USEFUL for everybody & every industry.
- I believe in CONVENIENT ACCESS, both in time & price, to learn this philosophy.
- I believe the WORLD WOULD BE HAPPIER, or at least more efficient & effective, if we behaved in a more Agile manner.
How shall I act on these beliefs, and be the change I want to see in the world?
(Is this the part where I ask for your help? I’m getting there, I swear!)
My twofold plan:
- Create & Share in an Agile manner.
- Help others Create & Share in an Agile manner.
More specifically:
- Be a prolific & fun musical composer & performer.
- Serve as an Agile Consultant through AgileByTheHour.
The music idea took a couple of years to explicitly write down, after analyzing this blog for direction. Because I believe in the “power of example over example of power”, what better way to show the results of an Agile mindset than by MY showing it in action? My ‘products’ (experiments & proofs of concept at first) are housed on SoundCloud.
The consultancy idea came from my experiences with helping others in a short amount of time. Most situations benefited from recommending basic Agile principles & practices, yet with others, like a complex one during an interview, I used reframing and provided an approach they seemed genuinely happy with. These constant little wins got me thinking… maybe I can take this show on the road!
…
Enter AgileByTheHour. Fanfare version of Kashmir by Led Zeppelin plays with a light echo. George Michael attends to the family banana stand.
AGILEBYTHEHOUR
You called?
GEORGE MICHAEL
This job sucks. I keep hearing there’s money in the banana stand, but this feels like a waste of time, and I have this urge to burn it all down.
AGILEBYTHEHOUR
It sounds like there are other things you’d rather do.
GEORGE MICHAEL
Yeah. I hear that a focus on continuous improvement and an experimental mindset can help with almost any industry, even boardwalk food stands. Is that true?
AGILEBYTHEHOUR
That’s what we see. It also sounds like you know some fundamental aspects of Agile philosophy, way out of line with your character, but we’ll roll with it.
GEORGE MICHAEL
Thanks. So, you’re a consultancy?
AGILEBYTHEHOUR
Yep. We’re a pretty fun group. Of one.
GEORGE MICHAEL
What are your rates? Established players in the Agile Consulting market can charge quite a pretty penny.
AGILEBYTHEHOUR
Nice use of an antiquated phrase! First half-hour is free. If you think our chat is useful to you, and you feel that with each passing hour you’re more Agile, since that’s my, I mean our, goal, then we can talk about something that’ll work out for us both.
GEORGE MICHAEL
Gotcha. Let’s chat. Want a chocolate-covered banana?
AGILEBYTHEHOUR
Thank you, maybe late- who’s that on the Segway?
The Final Countdown by Europe blasts from stage left.
…
(I would like to thank George Michael Bluth for helping me explain how the AgileByTheHour consultancy works.)
If you’ve worked with me, read a few posts from this blog, or otherwise know me, y’know I have a playful style, focusing on making things fun. I’ve been told this is a gift, so why not use this to help each day be better for someone, and thus help change the world?
My playful approach and my Agile experience are what I want to bring to you, your projects, or your business, so that you not only get the most out of what you’re doing, but you also feel you’re doing the best thing you can at this point. And maybe even have fun along the way.
(Is THIS the part where I ask for your help?)
This is the part where I ask for your help.
Do YOU have a way YOU want to change the world? (I bet you do.)
Do you have a gift or passion or curiosity you’d like to engage with more on a daily basis? (I bet you do.)
Do you, or someone you know, feel you could benefit from a no-judgement chat regarding your self or idea or project or business? (I’d of course like to think you might, but your call.)
Check out AgileByTheHour.com, or scroll to the bottom of this post, and together let us conspire. (Suggest when you could share some time over Skype / Google Hangout / the phone / in person.)
Changing the world really does start with YOU, and what YOU can do. Big impact starts with small actions… like… what I’m doing right now (insert winkie face).
While I use an Agile mindset to help me change the world (the music thing), let me help you with how you want to change the world. You might even have fun.