January 2018 - 10th Human

10thHuman: To Grok or not to Grok, that is the question

In our 24/7/365 soundbite world, where millisecond pauses are registered on the book of Face and then used to deliver tailored content to a product (because we aren’t users, we are their product), it may be that we have lost something of ourselves.

We have at our fingertips the greatest information distribution system the world has ever known. Yet, we seem to be increasingly in an age of distrust for expertise (a generous characterization). We seem to be in an age where “my ignorance is as good as your expertise” is becoming commonplace.

Here’s the thing: that’s false. Let’s slow down and push for a deeper understanding, in all things.

If we don’t push for a deeper understanding of the world around us, from the physical sciences to the arts to, well, everything, then…what’s the point of it all?

I challenge you to seek to Grok the world.

There is another way

I had a great conversation with a new acquaintance – friend, I hope – in which we discussed at length OODA loops and ethics and business in general.

My takeaway for today is an affirmation that “there is another way.”

There is another way to approach ‘business’. I was reminded this evening of something James P. Carse wrote in Finite and Infinite Games:

Business is not a finite game. It is an infinite undertaking and the self limitations imposed by a finite lens should be abandoned.

Ask yourself this question tonight, “Why am I doing it this way? Am I playing a finite or infinite game?”

Who are you? What is your purpose?

Today’s meditation, for me, is about clarity of purpose and identity.

Marcus Aurelius is said to have written that “A person who doesn’t know their purpose in life doesn’t know who they are.”

I find merit in that statement. If you don’t know what you want to do or be, who are you?

For me, I want to be three things:

A good dad
A good human being
A good advocate

These are my guiding principles.

Who are you?

Knowledge is freedom – Ryan Holiday

One of the goals of this blog…one of the goals I have, rather, concerning the blog is to make a daily post part of my battle rhythm. As you can tell scrolling through the history of the posts, I’m not successful in this yet.

To that end, along with wanting to work on the practice of Stoicism, I’m reading The Daily Stoic this year, one page a day. It’s a collection of a year’s worth of “meditations on wisdom, perseverance, and the art of living.” Accordingly, I’m going to TRY to make a daily post in line with my thoughts on the daily mediation.

Today, Holiday writes about education being freedom. Why do we pursue knowledge? Holiday writes that such knowledge – “self knowledge in particular – is freedom.”

What does this mean?

If, in the end, we are simply the stuff of stars, why bother pursuing education?

I do, because it provides me a sense of meaning, in addition to being a father.

Why do you pursue education and knowledge?

10thHuman: What To Do When You Make a Mistake

Apologize.

Make it right, if you can.

Try to forgive yourself.

We all make mistakes. We are but human. When we do, I think the three steps above are the starting point for addressing the mistake and trying to rebuild the damaged trust.

I know that when I make a mistake, for me #3 – forgive yourself – is the hardest. I often cannot move past a mistake mentally unless the person against whom I have transgressed offers forgiveness or at least acknowledgement that I offered an apology.

From a business perspective, I would offer that there is a step 4. Actually, as I type this I realize this is both a personal and business step (given the nature of this blog, I automatically started to step through a business process / checklist). That is: figure out how to prevent such an error as caused the mistake from happening again.

As a businessperson, maybe this evaluating the process you were going through and adding a step to a checklist. As a human, this is engaging in introspection and perhaps asking yourself, “How did I wrong this person? Is this something I can change about myself or the way I conduct myself?”

I would offer that the very concept that spawned this blog – the 10th man concept – is itself a process aimed at preventing errors. Essentially, the job of the 10th man in an organization is to argue against the boss’ decisions, regardless of how they really feel about it. In this process, the thought is that it enables the boss make better decisions.

I don’t offer definitive answers here, only food for thought from one imperfect human.