If every organization, association, company, guild, union, club and institution created, adopted and lived by a Code of Ethics; perhaps the world would be a far better place in which to live and do bidness.

Am I dreaming? Perhaps. A little.

Though, I don’t believe it is out of the question for such organizations to consider and adopt such a code; to embrace a set of standards of conduct that are espoused, held as respectable examples and voluntarily exemplified by leadership and members of such a group.

In response to last week’s post, some have pointed out that “…we don’t have a Code of Ethics, and our Mission Statement says nothing about having the backs of one another…,” as though such absences – these failures to outline and stand up for doing business with honor and integrity – somehow justify looking the other way as members fall victim to inappropriate and generally unacceptable business practices.

Seeming to assert that, as these things aren’t covered in the organizational documents, said organization is absolved from any responsibility or blame. We can’t be bound by what we haven’t written and included.

Consider: perhaps the absence of such codes of recommended conduct and the ongoing voluntary, active support of them are a large part of the problem…

“We aren’t in a position to police our industries!”

Actually, “policing our industries” has not been suggested.

On the other hand, it may be accurate to suggest that a laissez-faire attitude toward irregular and sometimes dishonorable practices in the name of “doing business” over the past few decades has contributed to the proliferation of such conduct.

Perhaps transforming or evolving through example is a realistic, and potentially a compelling and effective, logical approach.

The association of which I am a proud member was founded, in part, under an implied umbrella of collective bargaining. The little independents who made up the core of this then-new and now-worldwide leader in the industries were often put in exceedingly exposed positions – and sometimes put out of business – due to accepted and standard practices of the Big Boys of the Industry. Not by intent, perhaps; but by [perhaps unintentional or careless] de facto design.

As the industries have grown and become more and more global, diversified, expanded, sophisticated; perhaps some of the spirit of those founding, aspirational moments have been lost… dissipated.

Those companies that have been able to afford the losses so often inherent in some contexts and cultures could slough those losses off; building protections against them into contracts in such a way as to protect profit even without the occasional failure to pay at the end of a project.

The shape and form of the industries have, however, changed.

Now, more so than ever before, a far greater segment of the work done worldwide is by and through ad hoc or to-the-project collaboration of small businesses and independent contractors – organized and managed under the purview of a pivotal entity, perhaps, but contracted directly with a much larger entity as Client.

Thus, financial dealings are not always equal within a given project; such that some companies and groups might be fully paid while other, smaller companies and individuals might be made to wait…or even never receive their full due.

This can seriously compromise the stability of the smaller businesses and individuals, or simply put them out of business.

With that, and harking back to broad and often ambiguous language found in Mission Statements and Statements of Purpose that speak of healthy growth of industries and quality of experience for audiences and customers; we are again confronted with the vital importance of advocating honorable business practice among colleagues, clients and contractors, worldwide.

To eschew such responsibilities – in my opinion pretty much inherent in the DNA of any such association – directly imperils the depth of the talent pool, the breadth of skills and talent at hand, indeed the very quality of skilled, contractable, collaborative expertise available to all of us as future projects materialize and future teams are assembled.

If they’re no longer in business, we have lost access to those assets and the quality of work achievable is at risk, overall.

So, Why Not…?

To be clear:

Having A Code of Ethics does NOT imply…

• Judgement
• “Policing”
• Arbitration
• Bureaucracy
• Administration
• Legal Issues

However… Having A Code of Ethics DOES imply…

• Ethics, and
• Offers the opportunity to live by them, and
• Lead by Example

So, why not create and adopt a Code of Ethics? Not something to be “enforced;” rather, one to be embraced and exemplified voluntarily?

Such a code; proudly held and lived by membership, stands to contribute to transformation by example; colleague-to-colleague, encouraging one another to take the high road of honor and respect when conflicts or obstacles occur.

As George W. Bush said at the opening of the African American Museum on September 16, 2016 (and I surprise even myself by quoting GWB, but here it is…);

“A great nation does not hide its history,

it faces its flaws, and corrects them.” 

Sweeping these problems under the rug is no small part of what got us here. Perhaps we can work toward correcting our own failings by facing them, acknowledging them and exemplifying what is Right.

’Tis possible; n’est-çe pas?

Perhaps a task force created to study and recommend…

IMHO

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Still popular throughout the Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxies, “IMHO : Creating Compelling Experience” remains a free download from the Apple bookstore and iTunes. Seriously: Free. IKR?! Read it. https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/imho/id555219645?mt=11

If a business fails in the Desert…

…and the reasons are not addressed; will it happen again?

Probably.

Tonight; the largest, most respected organization of its kind in the world – conceived and created more than 25 years ago and comprised of thousands of the most creative, accomplished, productive, innovative and even legendary men and women in these industries – is bestowing annual, glowing acknowledgement on the most exemplary accomplishments of the year just passed.

Born of a very real need to work together to nurture and build an international association of creators of experience – and, by design, to protect these independent business people, small businesses, individual artists and artisans from being victimized and having advantage taken by the Vast and Powerful, by those of Big Money, by the Dominant (who have since become, coincidentally, active members) – this association has become respected worldwide, is the “go-to” entity in these industries for new knowledge, for sourcing the best in the business, for building teams and leading projects in every country on the planet.

The Experts, the Leaders, the Setters of Standards and Practices. That’s us.

Tonight, this organization is giving one of its highest awards to a company and a project that, by refusing to live up to its own contracts, by failing to pay the vendors, creative and production, who have delivered this project to such high standards, has egregiously risked the financial security – indeed the very existence – of a number of our own members.

How have we come to this?

This is not a New Thing, and has been going on for decades. For so long, the big boys in the business may have wryly griped about it over cocktails and dinner; though in the end, seem to have pretty much simply considered it a cost of doing business in these countries.

As the world has shrunk, however, and the number of small, independent, specialized craft, technical, design and management segments have become more specialized and to-the-project rather than living protected under a massively financed umbrella; this dynamic has persisted and the risk to the “little guys” has grown. Concomitantly, those who have become more and more vocal about the untoward business practices have been told to keep quiet in the interest of The Business, the stories are not reported and the incidents are swept under the proverbial rug.

Yesterday, during a presentation for the awardee, for the first time in…ever, the owner of one such small business currently having been put at great risk by this awardee stood up and, in open forum, asked when he and the rest of the unpaid vendors of this ostensibly finished and apparently award-winning project can expect to get paid.

The room fell silent. The CEO remained silent. The question went unanswered.

But. The conversation is now in the open.

The basic question: how can an organization that was founded to protect individuals and independent businesses overlook the damage being done to its membership and award the perpetrator for such a project?

Are we overlooking where lies our real value? In supporting the Big Money to the detriment of the people who actually do the work; is that not the opposite of nurturing an industry?

Don’t embarrass the <Name of Culture here>!!

The offline responses to this man’s plea, yesterday, were myriad; a mix of “don’t quote me” support and cautionary admonishment. “You don’t want to embarrass the “X,” you know; you may never see your money…”

I have two responses to this.

1. You know what? He may not ever see his money. He may not ever have seen his money whether he raised the issue or not. But, if he didn’t raise the issue and never saw his money, he most definitely would not have been the last to suffer this fate.  Similar to coming out of any Closet: the first ones to stand up most often pay the price for those that follow; but they open the door for those to follow. Without the courage of the first, all who follow will continue to suffer.
2. Seriously. “Don’t embarrass the <company / person / culture>?” What sort of de facto acceptance of unacceptable behavior is that? If a businessperson comports himself (or herself) in such a way that public knowledge of that conduct would be embarrassing; how is the person who calls out the transgressor doing that embarrassing? The embarrassed has embarrassed himself. If it’ll embarrass you, don’t do it! Pretty easy stuff…unless one isn’t interested in integrity, honor or doing business in a manner of which s/he can be proud.

Our Industry Press

One of the biggest problems is our industry press. For the most part, essentially reprinting Press Releases from the public relations arm of owner companies; these publications virtually never actually investigate and report. If a writer attempts to actually share underlying truths, editors or marketing departments seem to stand in the way. Thus, in the name of Client Relations, they only print positive stories.

…At least, until the press releases finally begin to acknowledge the billion-dollar-shortfalls which, I would offer, might have been avoided were candor to have been a larger part of the earliest and ongoing conversations.

The vast amounts of money, the billions of dollars lost and wasted, is painful to the philanthropist in me. How great would it be were these monies to be pointed toward the quality of the human condition, of life on the planet.

One can dream…

That being said; it’s understandable how a selection committee ostensibly in possession only of the “facts” of a project by way of our industry press and through the presentation of the nominee might not be aware of the downside or dark side of a given project.

If anything, this is an egregious flaw in the system. Beyond that, perhaps Selection Committees could be more open and responsive to membership from the divisions in that part of the world for informed enlightenment.

Being a part of a free press does have some risks; especially in “client-supported” publication. Meaning, effectively, that we don’t have an industry based free press.

Something to consider.

What Price: Self Interest in the Short Term?

So why don’t Principals in and of our industries uphold fact and truth when the sharing of fact and truth is in direct conflict with the vision or intent of a potential or current client? The answer most often cited is generally, “…there will always be someone who will take the work and the money and get out; so, why not me?”

How is this in any way healthy for an industry? Is it conceivable that an association united under its Code of Ethics could make a positive, worldwide difference by embracing and living such a Code? Enforcement by peer pressure?

Just as enlightenment doth grow in other areas and industries: the bottom line in any question of conduct or integrity is that if one knows of and does nothing, one is complicit.

Speaking of a Code of Ethics

In a search of the website for our association; I was unable to find specific reference to a Code, Ethics or a Code of Ethics…there is a Best Practices series, though that seems aimed at specific disciplines rather than the overall responsibilities of doing business.

Perhaps simply featuring on the website what is expected of membership with respect to responsibilities of doing business and respect for one another might go a long way toward communicating the importance of integrity in business from the POV of the association.

“We Aren’t the Police!”

Currently, our association tends to meet such situations with an I-Can’t-Get-Involved, knee-jerk reaction; running and distancing from any sort of intra-membership conflict. IMHO, this doesn’t jibe with an organization that openly claims to watch out for one another.

What is the point of a Code of Ethics if it isn’t respected and supported? If members cannot adhere to a level of standards and respectable practices; then, should they continue to be Members?

This, then, is the opportunity for evolution. For recalibration. For self-examination and commitment to what we claim to and can be.

This is not a call for an Arbitration Board or Judgement panel or anything of the sort. Rather, this is an opportunity for the evolution of how we live and do business under the umbrella of such a Code.

When a member company, client or advisee is seen to perhaps be crossing a line, how is it not apropos for a call from a respected colleague; simply saying, “buddy, perhaps you might sit down with this person with whom you are in conflict and see if you might be able to work something out; learn what each of you may not know…” and work to eradicate the “So, Sue Me!” mentality.

And, if we can’t sister-to-brother, brother-to-brother or sister-to-sister encourage the embracing of responsible, respectful practice; perhaps we shouldn’t have a Code of Ethics at all.

This is not a call for public banishments and pogroms. Sought, rather, is the personal, private, individual-based embracing of the High Road in all things. Yes; there may be a short-term price for stepping up and “…Going High”. In the long-term, however, and taking the High road, we build a business and industry based in integrity, truth and respect.

Just two days ago, this association opened a dynamic conversation on #BlindersOff, #TimesUp and #WhatsNext? If we can discuss and offer perspective on subjects at this level of resonance and empowerment with and among ourselves, our clients and vendors; surely we have the spine to address Getting People Paid and Keeping One’s Word.

Just sayin’…

Can we live, lead and do business by example? We have the spotlight and the cache; let us find a way to embrace that … and make money at the same time. I cannot accept that this is not possible.

IMHO.

——————————————————-

Still popular throughout the Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxies, “IMHO : Creating Compelling Experience” remains a free download from the Apple bookstore and iTunes. Seriously: Free. IKR?! Read it. https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/imho/id555219645?mt=11

Elizabeth Streb at work. Photgraph by loulex.

Old dogs can – often and effectively – teach new dogs even newer tricks.

Some of the most (Re)volutionary Ideas, Concepts and Actions may take decades to germinate.

I had an entirely different post written; then came across this article on Elizabeth Streb   and am compelled to set that aside in the interest of sharing this article, this brilliant woman and this perspective on value, creativity and vintage.

Here is a woman of Sixty-Seven years who is breaking ground, shaking up, challenging and evolving an Art and Experience form as she continues to challenge, startle and scare even herself…bringing decades of experience to the table (or, in this case, stage). Her company respects her, her colleagues respect her, she is watched and heard in her Community and beyond (and probably not always with agreement…though that isn’t necessarily a negative).

As I read this article and watched the video (WATCH this short video! http://video.newyorker.com/watch/action-hero-choreography ), I kept thinking of my own gig and job-market experience since returning to the States and the immense value of experience, experimental leadership and mentorship potential I see being lost and overlooked in this MBA spreadsheet- and, it would seem, myopically ageist-driven, culture here at home.

After about four years, I returned home to San Francisco from an eminently well-paying final gig in Dubai at the end of 2016; planning to continue project work in different parts of the world and figuring on extensive contract work in and from San Francisco.

Not to be so. The experience represented by the silver hair that is so valued in other parts of the world seems seen as a sign of irrelevance (or “unnecessary” expense), stateside.

As continues to be discussed in threads that run through such sites as LinkedIn and Medium, there seems a prevalent prejudice against Experienced Skill and Talent virtually inherent in US-based business; especially and in my experience those of SF and Silicon Valley.

Silver-haired, “Vintage” (my preferred term) pros seem dismissed and rejected out of hand without exploratory conversations that could prove transformational and enlightening; this, a trend or syndrome it would seem is based on assumptions made by…well, who knows?

We Vintage People (there are many of us out here, and we talk to one another) can still rely on our vestigial, applicable networks to gain entree to some arenas of opportunity; though are regularly stymied by this wall of unresponsive silence encountered at younger companies (some of which are actually already decades old.

These institutions might perhaps find significant value in some new thought and approaches ( “Opportunities for Storytellers…”) by a silver head or two…

The real losers, though, are the legions of brilliant, articulate, aspirational young professionals entering and rising through the work force with sights set on leadership and groundbreaking evolution of their own.

As brilliant as these Millennials, X’s, Y’s, Z’s and Beyonds are; what is missing in their development is practical experience and healthy, respectful, collaborative relationships with these potential Vanguards of Practical Experience.

Offering enlightened experience to the leadership mix – those who embrace change and are adept at resolution of the unstructured problem, those who can ramp up the inspiration among the New Professionals – can only add value and productivity.

Sourcing, gathering and recruiting individuals who’ve broken ground in their own fields, iconoclasts who made change before and have maintained their edge, placing these people in key positions to affect the valuable resources coming on board, now…this is protecting and enhancing your investment with “Collaborative Leadership” .

The request, then, this “alert” to the current CEO, COO, HR Professional is read this article and check-out this video through the filter of the needs and vision of your own institutions and companies; then, re-examine the recruitment policies and processes in place.

Go out on a limb. The atmosphere is fresher and opportunity flourishes.

Elizabeth Streb is amazing; there is an army out here of folkx ready and willing – indeed, excited and nurtured – to be part of passing the torch of inspiration manifestation to new generations so’s they can blow the top off their respective arenas as they come into their own.

This can significantly expand the ROI of every hire made. IMHO.

Still popular throughout the Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxies, “IMHO : Creating Compelling Experience” remains a free download from the Apple bookstore and iTunes. Seriously: Free. IKR?! Read it. https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/imho/id555219645?mt=11 ]

Our industries are in the midst of a magnificent boom and concomitant crisis. It seems the world of themed entertainment and experience is at capacity in terms of experienced, skilled creative, tech and production personnel to design, build and open projects currently underway…and there are even more projects coming off the boards as this is written.

Ground is well-broken on massive, new, from-the-ground-up theme parks across all hemispheres. Beyond that are vast expansions of, and new Lands in, iconic parks, renovations of legacy installations and dynamic ideation of properties and experiences we haven’t yet seen.

It’s a tsunami of abundance…

Word on the street is that <name a conglomerate> is scrambling to find experienced people to support the myriad business plans and projects already in process; not to mention what’s coming down the pike.

At the same time, there are scores – if not hundreds (if not even more) – of smart, talented young people coming out of design schools, universities, technical schools and basements who possess the “book-learnin’,” the valuable objective knowledge and the passion that is going to drive Entertainment and Experience into the future.

…and these two Rivers of Project and Resource are flowing together at a moment of synchronicity that stands to greatly benefit our industries and very likely completely evolve the way things are designed, done, sold and experienced for the next few decades.

Thus, this Convergence of Harmonic Opportunity…

There was a conversation in this space some years back about the bestowing of titles that imply experience to those fresh out of school; an inflation that has historically been seen as diminishing of the title, itself (“Creative Director,” “Producer”…), misleading the person holding the premature title and undermining efficiency and quality.

Well…that’s not gonna change. These “darn millennials” are going to come out of school thinking they are ready for anything. In reality, this is not a problem; rather, it is a portentous opportunity…for all of us.

The opportunity, then, for the remaining grey-haired heads, our peers and colleagues in these industries is to embrace these folkx*, their aspirations and ambitions, and support them in becoming who and what they see in themselves.

Collaborative Leadership & The Apple Store

Rather than confront them for who they may not yet be, embrace them for what they are about to become.

During the Crash of 2009+, I was most fortunate to find myself immersed in 20-somethings at Apple SoHo** at a golden time for that company and the perfect time for me. Where I first walked-in to this sea of edgy youth thinking I’d never fit; I learned in short order that this was just the opportunity for me to completely recalibrate my own collaborative style – something of which I’d been proud and something I learned could be vastly revivified in that maelstrom of tech and humanity.

No one knows everything on the floor at Apple; but together, we knew it all. The context is one of ad hoc dynamic collaboration. Everyone is resource to each other, respect is paramount and the fundamental skill – the basis of success in that place- is Listening: to one another, to the customer.

(Listening. we may have spoken of this quality, before…)

We each had our own ways of addressing a given problem; yet, with successive interactions I would offer that each of our approaches evolved just a tad, time after time, as we collaborated with other Specialists or Geniuses on a given problem at hand.

We learned all the time; about the technology and about one another. The level of respect afforded every, single team member was radically empowering: we each knew something the person next to us did not, and we each could learn something from that same person.

There was an inherent, healthy curiosity, an inquisitiveness among the team. “Who ARE you…?”

Leadership / Mentorship

Those who feel fully Heard are far more likely to Listen and Learn. Listening first, hearing one out, offers the listener the opportunity to see through new lenses and gives the other a sense of validation and trust. Defenses evaporate and true collaboration is more likely to ensue. When people don’t feel pressured to Prove, they improve.

And this, I believe, is our key to success from here on out. We must embrace these folkx for who they are and bring them along through collaboration as we address challenges together that will make them the leaders of the future…and ensure the best future for our industries.

If we Listen…really hear who these folkx are as we bring them onboard, we can create an almost immediate symbiosis. For having been fully heard engenders confidence, self-respect and respect for Leadership. Taking the time, up front, will pay off in massive dividends, creativity and loyalty…teamwork.

When I add new people to a team, my process is:

• lay out the responsibilities of the job and get agreement
• agree on schedule, milestones, deadlines
• share my own methodology and how I would do it, then say
• “you don’t need to do this ‘my’ way; I’m just showing you what I know works. If you have another way or idea, do that…just be sure to keep your eye on the ball and let me know if things seem to be going awry. Don’t hide errors or mistakes. Your way is fine; as long as it’s successful…”
• more often than not, some effective hybrid evolves that we both embrace
• then, if s/he comes to me with a problem, my first question is “what do you think we should do?” And chances are that I’ll suggest we try that; this person is closer to the problem – and solution – than I am.

Y’just gotta have their backs.

Thus empowered, these folkx grow fast…and may be more likely to realize their aspirations without the years of apprenticeship heretofore seen as necessary.

Learning Leadership – Listening & Respect: Respectful Listening

As Leaders, we must be willing to learn. The world is moving fast; and these folkx (loving this word!) think very differently than do we. While the physics of a given problem may remain pretty much the same, solutions can evolve from new perspectives, experiences, points of view, technological familiarity…

Our “tried and tested” are not the only options. All are models from past experience that have worked well; though not the be-all or end-all. Everyone can evolve; even we old guard…and this exercise in Listening creates trusted bonds as all parties discover one another.

Being in positions of “power,” it behooves us to take the first step.

Before we reveal or share what they don’t know; we must learn and acknowledge what they do know.

Some of our most progressive companies have recognized and embrace this philosophy and methodology; some have not quite, yet. It’s the ego-free way of the future.

Beware; it is ever so subtly easy for the Visionary to become a Dinosaur virtually overnight. Stay current, be open, be welcoming, share.

Remember “Don’t trust anyone over 30”?

Well, then. We must authentically, genuinely share and show that we can be trusted and that we trust. I’m telling you, it’s freakin’ exciting, surfing the surge of evolution with teams of disparate ages and open minds.

IMHO.

* (ht: to Clara Rice of Jack Rouse Associates for introducing me to this new, pangendered word.)

** (Shout out to Durk Snowden; an amazing, brilliant, powerful and supportive man and our kickass Flagship Store Manager at Apple SoHo.

“IMHO : Creating Compelling Experience” is still a free download from the Apple bookstore and iTunes. Can you believe it? STILL Free. Read it. https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/imho/id555219645?mt=11 ]

…written after the National AIDS Memorial Quilt display on the Washington Mall in the fall of 1996…

Dear Craig;

It was so great to see you.  Life is moving too fast for us to let it take several more years before we do it, again. 

I was far too cryptic in telling you of my Washington experience.  I know you wanted to hear more.  Perhaps, had we another dinner the next night, I would have slowed-down enough to truly articulate my experience.  So, here, I give you more . . .

It was one of those days that distinguish Autumn from Fall . . .  In the morning, it was cold enough for sweaters and overcoats.  The sky was the clearest of blues without a cloud or any haze; crystal clear with the white granite and marble architectural outlines of Federal Buildings and monuments  — and the Brick of the Smithsonian — providing it’s frame. 

It was crisp and cold, and the wind was so gentle that it just breathed on one’s cheek, a caress of a loved spirit. . .

When we arrived at The Mall at 8:00am, the volunteers had just begun to gather in preparation for the 9:00 Opening Ceremony.  Small groups of the white-clad army dotted the latticework of walkways that stretched from the edge of the capitol grounds to the Washington Monument.  Everyone’s breath came out in streams of steam as they nursed cups of coffee and donuts (donated for the entire three days by Dunkin’ Donuts) and spoke in tones of hushed conviviality.  Old friends welcoming old friends, hundreds of these people had volunteered at each of the Washington and other regional displays over the 12-year history of the quilt.  Serving in this capacity is an honor.

From the Easternmost end of the display, one could look toward the Washington monument and see the 12′ wide pathways that criss-crossed the mall from end-to-end, creating 24′ x 48′ rectangles that rose — in-line, three-across — from there to the spire of the monument at the other end.  Inside each of these rectangles were placed two bundles — the two 24′ x 24′ sections of the Quilt that were to be opened and displayed there within the hour.

It was serene and peaceful, and full of a calm anticipation.

By 9:00am, the perimeter of the display was 2-3 people deep with spectators.  Some of these people had come to see the ceremony for the first time, some to see the Quilt for the first time; most of us were there awaiting the opportunity to visit loved ones’ panels.  At about 9:05, the loudspeakers began to voice the litany of names of people on the quilt, and the teams of volunteers moved quietly, soberly onto the field and began to open the fabric.

There must have been two-hundred of these teams; one for each row of rectangles.  While one team would be opening the first square on the North Side of the display, the team for the next row would be in position on the South side.  It takes a full minute to open each square — first, it is unfolded like a lotus, then the team of eight lifts the fabric high into the air so the breeze can catch it as they rotate 1/4 turn to the right and set the monument down into it’s position.  Then the team moves to the next position across the field as the alternating team replicates the rite.

All the while, all one hears is the litany of names in the morning sunshine.

It takes forever, and it takes twelve minutes to open The Quilt.  In that brief eternity, poignant memories flow through the mind, one after the other, of lovers, friends, famous people you never knew, people you’ve read about, people who are in danger of losing the battle even now. . .

Then, it’s open.  Where, moments before, there was a predominance of green throughout this mile of mall, it is now a million colors and textures.  Flannel, satin, silk, plastic, leather, curtains, bed sheets . . . shiny, dull, warm, cool; every color and texture imaginable spreads out across the ground and welcomes the eyes and feet of the guest.

The litany is interrupted for the words, “The Quilt is now open.”  Then, the names resume.

The crowd that had encircled the display moves silently onto the pathways, and in no time it is truly a sea of humanity.  Thousands of people walking silently, reading panel after panel.  Tears — some silent, some not — begin to fall and will continue.  People stop and stare, some kneel beside the panel of a loved one or someone unknown, compelled by the story on the panel to stop and absorb it.  Some remove their shoes and walk onto the quilt, feeling the fabric, feeling the love of the one who is represented there.

Some of the panels have photographs, some entire albums (Terry’s has a stack of pictures in a plastic case), some have favorite pairs of pants sewn-in, dresses, shoes, teddy bears, favorite shirts, sea shells, hats, icons of lives that some will never forget.

This scenario continues all day long, from 9:00am until 6:00pm.  People silently wandering, politely passing one another, holding one another with love and support.  Strangers will stop and comfort others who are suddenly overcome by the experience.  This is unlike anything else you will ever experience.  This brings the human toll of what is happening into starkest relief.

…….

At noon, on schedule, I was at the stage-side tent below the Capitol to prepare for my reading of names.  As I signed-in, I was handed my sheet of names; 36 of them, representing a specific 24’x24′ display piece.  As it happened, all of mine were first-names only.  (Tragic evidence of the all-too-pervasive stigma and phobia associated with this pandemic and it’s victims. . .)  I was seated on the rear of the stage, in a row of six or eight folding chairs, next to those who would read before me. 

As each reader left the podium, we would each move one seat to the left — toward center stage.  Some people went alone, some went with their friends or lovers or husbands or wives; their names being announced as they walked toward the microphone.  When it was my turn to read, I stepped to the podium and began. . .

“Don R. . . . Tom . . . Sarah . . . Tim. . . .Steve . . . . Gene D. . . . .Javier . ..  David. . . . . Alex . . .. Dominic . . . ” and, in my head, I wondered how old these people were, who they left behind, what had they left unfinished . . . .?  As I read each name, I paused ever so briefly and looked at the Quilt and the sun shining on it and the faces of those standing before the stage who were listening.  They were listening to me, and to the lives of the people I was sharing.

As I reached the end of my proscribed list, I added (as many, indeed most, do by tradition) a few close to me who had died since the last Washington Display.  “Mark Bloomfield . . . ” I repeated the name of one of the funniest men I’ve known, who moved to San Francisco at about the same time I did and with whom I created some of my most idiotic memories; “John Witherow . .. .” one of the most handsome men to ever have walked this planet — with a laugh and a smile that could charm the hardest of hearts and a lack of guile matched only by the most innocent; “Tim Okey . . . ” truly one of the hardest party-ers I’ve ever had the privilege of witnessing, who could drink and drug ’til dawn, then successfully run one of the US’s largest swimming and athletic wear  manufacturer’s Sales Departments; and, finally, “my lover, Terry McCormick, who died on this day, six years ago. . . ” a man who loved me with absolutely no conditions, who saw in me everything he wanted in another, and whom I continue to miss — profoundly and in the deepest core of my being.

I left the stage, tears in my eyes as they are now . . . down five steps to the arms of a volunteer.  Two or three deep sobs into the shoulder of this anonymous soldier, a deep breath and across the tent into the sunshine . . . .

I miss him, so much.  I miss them all. ..

If you see something, say something.

Women are stepping up and speaking out; men are beginning to hear with enlightenment, anxiously examining their own actions or re-examining situations wherein they have been witness to transgressive acts without actually seeing what has been taking place, often right before their eyes. Bystanders are beginning to appreciate the complicity inherent in having remained silent and without action in the face of impropriety, aggression or assault.

These are tough and difficult lessons as people’s perceptions of how the world has been operating around them turn out to be very different from what had been assumed was the reality…or what so many may have obliquely chosen to assume by not seeing beneath a very thin surface.

Social lubricant can be a dangerous, myopia-perpetuating thing.

From what I am reading, this Moment may be or may be becoming a watershed of personal consciousness and responsibility in our culture. As people – men and women – look back over their lives to specific and certain times and instances where they might have spoken-up or acted to stop something bad or wrong from happening – but did not; when, in the name of avoiding personal discomfort or an “awkward situation,” nothing was said or done – leaving nothing changed, the spectre of personal responsibility, of complicity, begins to take shape before each of us.

In reality, when one witnesses evil or badness and does nothing, that inaction has the very real affect of strengthening the transgressor.

Silence = tacit approval.

If no one says, “no” or “stop” or even, “bro, that’s not cool…,” that silence is taken by the aggressor as acceptance, as approval, at the very least as contributing to the perpetrator’s perception that what s/he is doing is Okay, as long as it’s gotten away-with, successfully.

Silence and inaction are, in and of themselves, support for what is taking place.

As this maelstrom of revelation has built through the past months, I’ve seen increasing numbers of men and women now realizing and writing of these moments of silence in their lives and the guilt they now realize they carry for having done nothing in the face of wrongfulness.

Might this mean more…?

…More than the bringing to light of sexual harassment?

Could this possibly be the beginning of a New Awakening in our society? Could it perhaps become more than a trend of the Moment; rather, a movement toward personal responsibility for the quality of life in our society? Might there be a resulting, evolving consciousness and commitment to truth, integrity, honor and respect for others?

Power and Profit

It would mean a society that takes a hard look at our priorities; as these cover-ups are motivated almost completely by two things: Power and Profit.

Sexual harassment does not stand alone in this field. Wall Street, shady business dealings, government and corporate graft and corruption, racism, sexism, ageism…all find strong roots in the high priority given profit and power in our culture and the egregiously low priority (if any awareness at all) given to integrity and honor.

Perhaps what is taking place, here and now, might inspire a broader self-examination of what we accept in ourselves and in others; in the respect we demand of, from and for ourselves.

Government to Serve; rather than to Serve Themselves.

Healthy, thriving businesses that reap appreciable profit while contributing positively to society, to a healthy economy, to a healthy planet.

Am I describing a Fairy Tale? Possibly: I hope not. Am I being idealistic? Absolutely.

“A man’s reach should exceed his grasp or what’s a Heaven for…?”

-Robert Browning

Bullying and Business

When one sees something wrong…dishonorable, dishonest…in any context, is it not a responsibility of the individual to do or say something to stop it, to alert the transgressor to the unacceptability of the action? Whether it’s a bully on the playground, a cheater in the classroom, a thief in boardroom or boulevard,

On the Spectrum of Egregiousness, is there a place where one can draw a line beyond which it’s okay to let things go?

• Where between a rape and a grope and a pat on the ass does any of that become okay: or does it, ever?
• Where between copying the answers from another on a university exam to plagiarizing a novel or newspaper article to appropriating intellectual property and selling it does it become okay to take credit for the work of another: or does it?

In our business professional and personal communities, these questions arise and are ignored almost as a matter of course. Can we change that by taking responsibility at some level?

Are we the keepers of our brothers and sisters?

In the sense that we have the responsibility to take care of or protect those around us who become victim to an aggressor: are we? In the sense that we might call out a friend or colleague whose conduct is without honor or integrity, are we bound to address this in the name of said honor, of integrity, of social acceptability or business practice?

The DGA has expelled Harvey Weinstein. Awards have been rescinded and projects cancelled as one after another of the current transgressors have been brought to light. Is this an ad hoc witch hunt that will crest and dissolve, or could it be a new beginning, an evolution of the taking of responsibility for the way the world can work?

Ethics and a code thereof

Is there Code of Ethics inherent in simply being human?

Is this to what people refer when they speak of “doing the right thing”? Were we, as simple and complex human beings, to espouse and adhere to a code of ethics; would the world be a better place?

Are we capable of accepting the vast panoply of differences between beliefs and cultures on this planet while at the same time supporting one another in respectful and honorable ways of treating and interacting with each other?

What a wonderful world that would be.

Whistleblowers Always Pay the Highest Price

The first to step out of any closet take the greatest risks, and virtually always pay the highest price. That willingness to bear the brunt of speaking out against an amoral, immoral or even illegal status quo and face retribution from those who wield the power is the only key to changing the way things are.

The only key.

What is taking place right now, as more and more women and men stand up, step out, speak out is as inspirational and encouraging as it is shocking in its vastness. As disheartened as I am to begin to grasp what I almost cannot understand as I appreciate the iceberg-ian depth; I am encouraged to think that this movement might grow and spread throughout our social consciousness.

Our morale as a country and community are at the lowest point in my experience; we cannot go, I believe, much lower (…though, with each successive tweet I find that we quite possibly can…). Can we inspire and motivate ourselves back from this dark brink and bring ourselves closer to an ideal America that hasn’t actually existed, yet?

It is only after acts of brave integrity and courage that other voices join in to add credibility and support for the righting of wrong.

As long as Profit Trumps Honor, Integrity has a Price.

IMHO

Something I just came across, today…

“Out of the blue, I asked, ‘Have you ever read Reinhold Niebuhr?’

Obama’s tone changed. ‘I love him. He’s one of my favorite philosophers.’

So I asked, ‘What do you take away from him?’

‘I take away,’ Obama answered in a rush of words, ‘the compelling idea that there’s serious evil in the world, and hardship and pain. And we should be humble and modest in our belief we can eliminate those things. But we shouldn’t use that as an excuse for cynicism and inaction. I take away … the sense that we have to make these efforts knowing they are hard, and not swinging from naïve idealism to bitter realism.’”

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“IMHO : Creating Compelling Experience” is still a free download from the Apple bookstore and iTunes. Free. Read it. https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/imho/id555219645?mt=11 ]

“Life is Hard, Not Fair, and No One Is To Blame”

The six months since the previous original post (noting the shared reprint in June, “Design Ethics Across Cultures…” ), have been a wealth of unique experience. The Muses are aching to reenter the fray and return from absorption to creation; freshly regenerated and revivified…

There have been some exceptional Moments through this period. One of the most impactful being my invitation by the Principal to speak to the Secaucus High School student body. My name had somehow come up in a conversation about speakers who would have a positive affect on the students; delivering a message of inspiration and encouragement from an experienced perspective. He found my “It Gets Better”  video on YouTube, then googled further and for some reason thought I’d have a positive message for his students.

Thus, I went to Secaucus as part of their annual “Respect, Responsibility and Remembrance” Day.

When I arrived, I learned that I was on an agenda with one of the First Responders who’d been buried in the rubble of 9/11, Jane Clemente – mother of Tyler Clemente, the young student who killed himself as a result of cyber-bullying and being outed online, and a small group of other amazingly accomplished people.

It was an honor to be a part of it.

My talk, “Life is Hard, Not Fair, and No One Is To Blame” was about embracing one’s aspirations and ideals and living with integrity, not taking personally the things that happen to us and striving simply to embrace What Is; knowing that there is so much of one another – of all whom we encounter in life – that we simply do not – cannot – know…and that these are the things that make each of us unique.

AND, about not fearing the making of mistakes, not being ashamed to learn from them, not pressuring oneself to have or know all the answers and just stepping up. Going out on that limb is pretty much the best way to learn.

Leadership is about knowing how and where to get the best answers, not knowing (or pretending to know) them.

The visual metaphor I used is the cypress tree. From tall, elegant, columnar and straight along the roadsides of Italy to whipped by the offshore gales into unique lacework, all genetically identical, each tree is a reflection of experience.

Just like us.

We spoke of life pathways, of our own aspirations and those of others, responsibility, integrity, our own personal darknesses and troubling experiences. And Regret.

In exploring Regret; I made the point that rather than “mistakes,” I look at many of the Life Decisions I’ve made that simply didn’t turn out the way I’d envisioned; sometimes with disastrous effect, but giving me the benefit of learning from each of them…sometimes learning a LOT…but never regretting the act, move or choice.

While I see in retrospect that perhaps a different choice in a given circumstance might have been wiser, I would not give back that knowledge gained. Thus, here we are.

My only true Regrets are when I have hurt another person; done damage to a relationship that I cannot repair. So, we talked about that.

What blew me away is the quality of these High School kids. This is not my experience of High School. These kids are acute listeners, enlightened to so much more of the world than we were (due, obviously, to the internet, YouTube and social media for starters). They are, as a body, very clear on and embrace the difference between Tolerance and Acceptance…and are remarkably Accepting.

The respect I was given, the respect for one another that was evident simply passing through the corridors and in the cafeteria, remarkable.

This is a public school in a working class neighborhood. This country just may have a future, after all.

Talk about knowing our audience; this is the audience for whom we are now creating.

I have presented to colleagues and peers, taught Master Classes in inspiring and managing creativity to graduate students. I was a tad trepidatious at the prospect of this young audience, and I came away having had my own epiphany. The questions these kids asked, the things they said, individually, as they passed by me on the way out…powerful and beyond heartening.

So, I share the presentation with y’all in this Quicktime Movie  of the Keynote. In this 5 minutes, I believe the essence of the thing is communicated. What’s missing is, of course, my brilliant storytelling narrative (there is no sound on the video); the dark and sad interstitials that now inform my experience, fuel my creative work and remind me that I know less about more, every day.

I hope this has resonance.

“IMHO : Creating Compelling Experience” is still a free download from the Apple bookstore and iTunes. Free. Read it. https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/imho/id555219645?mt=11 ]

On March 20, we published an updated conversation on ethics of and obstacles to creation of experience across cultures and geography. This was picked up, examined and further explored by Margaret King Ph.D and Jamie O’Boyle Ph.D. of The Center for Cultural Studies & Analysis in Pennsylvania. The two of them delved far deeper into the dynamics observed and questions asked and have carried the conversation well onward.

Shared, here, in it’s entirety; an evolved conversation possibly opening enlightening doors on pathways toward a more powerful diversity and compelling solutions for our industries…

Some areas of concern for designers working in other cultures are proposed as “Consciousness Conversations.”  These topics come from Kile Ozier’s IMHO online posting of March 20, 2017, at http://imho.kileozier.com/?p=777  (“Sharing what I’ve learned…of creating experiences with deep emotional connections”), on his blogsite. Coming off his most recent pre-Expo 2020 experience in Dubai, Kile declaimed on several aspects of concern for professional ethics for Experience designers working overseas.

Exploring topics of expectations, mentoring, problem-framing, attitude, open communication, and installation maintenance should become standard for discussions about best practices and the ethics of cross-cultural project management, with designers as “Ambassadors of Best Practices.”  We responded from our cultural analyst perspective below.

Kile asks:

Might we find ways to communicate these things, cross-culturally, to the benefit of future projects?

Is it too late to impress these lessons on EXPO 2020? 

Do we not have an obligation to support the ultimate success of all projects in order to continue to build and evolve the industry? Is it possible; would such advice be or have been heeded were it to have been given, supportively and early on, without coming across as paternal?

What are the realistic possibilities?

….It has to do with self-awareness, responsibility for the business, the future of the business, the sharing and spreading by example of best practices…and the obligations inherent in leadership.

Cultural Studies & Analysis offered responses to clarify cultural differences.  Often this is a matter of pointing to the contrasts between American values and developing world cultures, roughly dividing culture into East and West.

1. Maintenance and upkeep post-design:  “It’s natural to evaluate the likelihood of good or poor maintenance at the pre-design stage, under ‘How will this installation be used and abused?’  Our job is to do the absolute best work possible to prepare the receiving client to manage and maintain…in the best way.”

CS&A:  The maintenance concept can often be an outcome of culture, which is the outcome of environment. Many tropical and subtropical countries have evolved a fatalistic – and quite environmentally sensible – culture that says “You can’t fight nature or God’s will.  Things will fall apart.  The cost of keeping up outward appearances is steep in labor and materials.  So it would be futile – if not outright blasphemous – to try to maintain when the environment always wins out eventually.”

Maintenance is a cultural issue, based on the environment, not a personal character quality (which also works for health care, for the same reason). It actually makes sense from a cost/benefit analysis, so deterioration is viewed as natural and just another aesthetic stage. That’s mostly confined to Africa and Asia.  However, Louisiana began as a French colonial possession, and culture evolves very, very, slowly. You can see evidence of this in the tourist zones of New Orleans. If you were trying to theme New Orleans, you would have to build in a sort of genteel deterioration to make it look right. That’s what they do with new construction in New Orleans. If you are building a Cajun restaurant, it can’t be sharp and polished.  No foul here.  It’s the way groups think based on long experience within their own environments of extreme heat, humidity, and the sheer cost of upkeep.

2. Condescension:  Across race, age, gender, ethnicity, education, and language:

CS&A:  Concepts of respect and honor vary widely across the globe. In the US, we promote the concept of “constructive criticism.” That value doesn’t exist in many countries, where any criticism, even “constructive,” equates to a personal affront. Americans are not culturally conditioned to the extensive social negotiation of the Middle East and Asia–particularly whenever they have one eye fixed on the deadline.

Condescension in working teams between client and consultant: this is a tough one. As professionals, we are always selling our ideas, but people accept or reject them on the basis of their own reasons—of which a newcomer may be totally unaware.  So as a professional, you have to recognize that their local colleagues are not unintelligent or willful. They have reasons – and these may be reasons they are unwilling to share with an outsider out of mutual consideration.   Some of the dominance and hierarchical behaviors that go on in projects are outcomes of stress; others are culturally driven.  We are engaged on a project for a major music school to identify some of the cultural awareness points that need attention — and finding that intense competition and professional stress at a young age are the core issues, not cultural insensitivity or ignorance of other ways of life.

The short form: when working outside the US: never criticize, condemn, or complain. Not even “constructive criticism.”

3. Speaking Up with negative communications: “Is there an approach where projects known to be at risk can be rescued before it’s too late?”

CS&A:  This one has strong cultural underpinnings. In many strict hierarchies, including China and the Middle East, you don’t ever, ever, give a superior bad news. Army Special Forces are specifically taught the “no criticism, overt or implied” rule when dealing with foreign nationals.  One polite fiction was to ask their advice, then say “Very good…and may I also suggest we … (do what actually needed to be done).” This would generally be OK’d, not because they were unaware of our ruse, but because they themselves probably invented that particular tactic of face-saving dialogue.

Now nobody seeks criticism, but in many cultures “critical thinking” can/will be interpreted as setting up an adversarial relationship. Arab business relationships, for example, are built on a history of personal exchange – they are trust relationships, but they are also fragile. The only true trust relationships in these settings are family (extended). No matter how good your relationship, as a colleague, you are not family. And criticism or trying to set realistic deadlines when someone higher up the ladder has already made their wishes known places you in the role of adversary – and trust-breaker.

4. Raised expectations at openings:  “Today’s opening-day expectations are far more sophisticated, aware, and critical of failure than in the past.”

The world is now full of lifelong theme park experts: they are the sophisticated guest list.  They’ve seen the best and rest, led by top-shelf design.  This is one reason museums hold “soft openings,” to learn from their own mistakes as part of the process of fixing what doesn’t work in real time.  Perhaps that’s a way to frame the opening as experimental – making the audience part of it as evaluators. Raised expectations are part of the equation for competing in the experience economy.  Beginning with Disneyland, the designers made it better than it had to be – setting the A-plus standard for the industry ever since.  Unless you can exceed expectations in novel ways (as innovation across park-design parameters), there’s almost no sense in trying to be creative.

5. Role of mentors / rescuers:  “Can we effectively offer advice, mentorship, responsibly sharing cautionary tales to contemporaries in other parts of the world or industry?”

CS&A:  This would be far more routine if the profession were more self-aware and didn’t view one another as rivals bound by trade-secret silence.  We’d love to see this happen as what we should all be pursuing.

If you are working in another culture and you have a good working relationship with your local counterpart, think of that person as a guide, interpreter. Don’t offer your opinion, ask him what he thinks of this or that idea. Placing yourself in the eager student position is flattering and you may start hearing things that would never occur to you otherwise.

6. Problem solving for best design answers:  “And how do we create these answers? By applying our bodies of knowledge and experience to what we learn before we act in a new context; using our judgement with that experience to craft original approaches to the cross-cultural work.”

CS&A:  Problem-solving – and problem FRAMING, especially – rather than just coming in with off-the-shelf answers, is the heart of the creative enterprise.  This is what expert opinion is all about: the “lay of the land,” understanding the context of any project and its opportunities and limits — as we do for the cultural and human factors side in cultural analysis. The Japanese might spend years preparing, thinking, and learning before they initiate action. Then they go straight for their goal.  Americans tend to jump right in and correct as they go rather than spend their time making certain that the problem they are solving is, in fact, the problem they should be solving. We think we have a planning stage–but compared to other cultures, our background research and percolation is ridiculously brief.

7. And finally, Social Media:  “…will cut the [subpar] project down before the day is out,” if it’s found wanting.

CS&A:  Think about Black Sunday, July 17, 1955, at Disneyland in California–as a social media event.  Half a century later, such a disastrous opening would have set the proto-park off course for the next two years or killed it.  Social media leaves almost no margin for parks and events to develop and grow within the audience experience feedback loop.  Instant feedback presents yet another aspect of design to be considered and weighed in the pre-opening equation.

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“IMHO : Creating Compelling Experience” remains a free download from the Apple bookstore and iTunes. Yep; Free. Read it. Here’s the Link.

A few years before the turn of the century, just weeks after having left my position as Creative Director at Universal Studios Florida and moved to Manhattan; I attended a Silicon Alley dotcom launch party.

Approached by the prime VC, I was asked what I did before coming to New York. I told him what the job was about as Creative Director for a theme park; of story, experience, immersion, engagement… He was, “Wow, I should have you come work for me!”

I laughed and said, “…No, thanks!”

“Why not?” was his surprised response.

I told him, “Well… If I consult for you; you’ll pay me well and listen to what I say, when you question me you will treat me with respect and value everything I tell you. You will likely follow my advice and I’ll deliver a project for you that will probably exceed your expectations. On the other hand, if I come to work for you; you’ll pay me less, dismiss what I say if you aren’t comfortable with it, challenge me on everything, veto my recommendations, act like you own me and all your other VP’s will suspect me of wanting their jobs.”

He looked at me for a moment and said, “You’re Right.”

You want the truth and to challenge yourself; you want to evolve? Bring in outsiders.

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So, this Ad: Link to the Pepsi Ad

The video has already been universally reviled; described as being “tone-deaf” in a digital avalanche of negative response.

Rightfully so; as it is a prime example of the expensive and expansive dangers of the in-house agency model. The supposed savings sought in the name of Time and Money puts at far greater risk the money actually spent and the time taken to produce something that ends up at best ineffective if not – as in this case – actually damaging to the brand.

Many Agency Voices are jumping on this example as evidence of the faults inherent to the in-house agency; citing this as the case for outside agencies as the choice of greater potential.

I don’t know that this hypothesis is entirely accurate. It ain’t necessarily so black-and-white; though it certainly does point out the vast pitfalls of the in-house model; those being myopia, subservience, sycophancy, fear of losing a job.

Agencies, however, are not the only alternative.

There are some who would posit that the age of the agency is over; certainly the mammoth agency is barreling toward irrelevance. Large, legacy agencies are most often burdened with bureaucracy, overhead, sluggishness and an inventory of resources they must employ and sell in order to profit.

For instance: a client may get the agency’s best writer; but is that client getting the best writer for them, for the project, for the audience?

To that, the best agencies are generally small, nimble, flexible…able to ride trends and embrace cultural evolutions; offering clients and their brands options that may even make the client a tad uncomfortable … which might be a good thing, serving to evolve the culture and communicate the message with resonance and relevance.

Or, maybe build specific teams to specific projects or campaigns.

A note on Relevance:

“To me, Pepsi is more than just a beverage. It registers as a pop culture icon and a lifestyle that shares a voice with the generation of today”

– Kendall Jenner

Speaking only from my own experience from teaming with Millennials / Generation Z / and those minds of prior generations who have remained active and current; the thinking behind the “I’m a Pepper” & “Pepsi Generation”-type ad campaigns (1977 and 1963, respectively) is just plain out of date. People aren’t interested in being identified as part of a legion loyal to a high-fructose soft drink; that doesn’t symbolize anything for which these individuals might stand. They certainly aren’t defined by it.

As was explored and articulated in August’s “An Emerging Market for StoryCrafters and Opportunity for Business Leaders”, people – especially those below 40 – are not interested in being a part of a “sponsored” generation.

Rather, today’s Millennials, Millennial-adjacent and Millennial-friendly thinkers want to be a part of and support something that makes a positive difference in the world. Health, fitness, sustainability, peace, equality, fairness; they will align with brands and products of integrity, conscience, authenticity.

A Protest Party Rave Parade full of Smiling Faces, Pretty Girls and Hot Cops ain’t gonna engage this audience.

No.

So, How did this ad happen? 

One accomplished principal in this industry, Jim McDonald of SuperString Theory, offered this opinion:

“…bunch of us have been commenting as to whether a big issue with the tone deaf nature of this spot was the result of it being created by their internal agency, Creators League Studio. I argue that part of the rising problem with creativity in US is a lack of courage. 

They want epic, but not willing to be authentic. Outside agencies, in an effort to keep the account from flipping, bend to the will of the client who want “big” but not “real”. The Agency has a harder and harder time telling the client, “No, that will suck.” 

Then the rise of the internal agency, spawned from cost-cutting, has no backbone to push back to their bosses and say, “Wow! that will really suck!” So you get this sh*t. We are at a crossroad in the creative fields…”

Perhaps go Bespoke. Look further afield.

There is a vast, worldwide cornucopia of storytelling artists, designers, experience architects and messaging professionals from which a specifically-qualified and talented team can be cherry-picked to specific corporate cultures, brands, products, budgets and audiences.

Look to theatre, theme parks, talented individuals who create entertainment experience in other contexts. Bring them in and add them to your team(s) on a project basis. They bring real-world experience to your table, are able to refresh the talent on your team, offer perspectives unforeseen, challenge what may be conventional with approaches that can re-define and evolve what is being created to reach further and last longer to greatly extended value-life.

Well worth exploring is the global network of creative professionals that is the Themed Entertainment Association. Hundreds of writers, designers, composers and producers with experience from all over the world in myriad contexts – most all with experiences of having parachuted into one culture after another and have developed superb sensitivities to the cultures for which they create – are a part of this group.

And then, there’re the New Kids

Beyond the Broadways and Hollywoods and not to be overlooked are such institutions as the Savannah College of Art & Design, Carnegie Mellon, CalArts, virtually any university or college art or theatre or dance department. There is something solid to be said for bringing-in the unrestrained imagination that is coupled with a responsibility and commitment to the planet. This is a consciousness that seems to manifest more universally in the current wave of 20-somethings; offering experience in the realities of the work we do while embracing the untempered points of view and perspective.

Pair young people like that with experienced producers and let the collaboration begin. Learning flowing both ways in the context or creating the message and experience will likely yield the brilliant and new.

In My Humble Opinion, a recipe for the most effective success is the augmenting of what may exist in-house with those of disparate, successful experience from outside along with a fresh-out-of-the-box mind or two to explore and create the messaging.

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IMHO: Creating Compelling Experience is a free download from iTunes or the iBook store.

Extensively updated from Original Publishing – March 2015

[NOTE: Have we in our industry let down our Dubai and Emirati colleagues? Are we letting down our peers in other parts of the world…at home? Might the disasters of IMG Worlds of Adventure and Motiongate (and prior to that, the lessons offered by the Ferrari World experience) have been avoidable were we to have spoken more strongly at, and to, the highest levels of the importance of seamless experience, of unbroken and immersive storytelling pathways; would a difference have been made and the now-passed precipice of eliminating key elements over which these projects have fallen perhaps have been avoided? 

Might there have been some way for the problems we all saw coming that have now materialized been more emphatically and effectively communicated to those whose hands we shook in the years leading up to these projects’ opening? 

Might we have communicated more compellingly the importance of the intangible, unquantifiable, unspreadsheetable value of the more ephemeral components of storytelling experience? Might we find ways to communicate these things, cross-culturally, to the benefit of future projects?

Is it too late to impress these lessons on EXPO2020? 

Do we not have an obligation to support the ultimate success of all projects in order to continue to build and evolve the industry? Is it possible; would such advice be or have been heeded were it to have been given, supportively and early on, without coming across as paternal?

What are the realistic possibilities?]

It is again the virtual eve of the annual TEA Summit Conference  and Thea Awards Weekend; arguably, the most Important annual event in the Themed Entertainment Industry, just a few weeks away. Soon, hundreds of members of this community-slash-industry, The Themed Entertainment Association — Production and Creative Executives, Writers and Technical Experts, Inventors, Project Directors, Artists — will board flights and head to Disneyland for two days of seminars, iconic speakers and intensive networking: all to wrap up on Saturday night with an Awards Night of Glamour that almost rival’s Cinderella’s Ball.

The Best of the Year’s Work is acknowledged, awarded and celebrated over this three-day show-and-tell at the highest of levels. And while the stages are filled with What Has Been Built This Year, the conversation on the floor is about Who is Building What, Next Year.

As hands are shaken and awards are given, amidst the congratulations and the laughter and as “would you believe it…” anecdotes are shared; there exists, on the periphery, a vibrant and growing conversation on responsibility, honor and integrity.

It has to do with self-awareness, responsibility for the business, the future of the business, the sharing and spreading by example of best practices…

…and the obligations inherent in leadership.

To be more direct:

• We, as leaders, are responsible for how we and our peers represent when working in other countries.
• We are responsible for delivering the best possible product irrespective of context or client.
• There is no excuse for delivering substandard work; we can and are morally obligated to encourage our colleagues and peers — and competitors — to maintain the highest standards.
• We can be Ambassadors of Best Practices.
• This includes how to treat laborers well and the financial value of that philosophy.
• This includes the concept of Green-ness and awareness of resource consumption.
• This includes plenty of other stuff…
• We pay the price for conduct unbecoming; whether such conduct is intentional or inadvertent.
• That being said, we can be responsible for maintaining, within our industry, awareness of negative trends that can (and have) become virtually cliché and we should support methods of eradication and enlightenment to said trends and actions.

These are areas of paramount importance to any industry doing business, offshore or local; from across a state line to beyond national borders, across oceans and most especially across language barriers.

Many in our industry aspire to become positive influence. Conversations on these subjects are taking place everywhere; kitchens and patios at parties, over cocktails, over dessert at dinner, over lunch on job sites, at picnics. Consciousness Conversations such as these are becoming part of the casual agendas of multiple trade and professional organizations; in that light, we offer this…

An Open Agenda for Casual Business Conversation.

After having asked, “how’s the family…?”

Perhaps an informal chat about these…

Condescension Communicates

To paraphrase Jeff Foxworthy, You might be a racist if… you’ve ever said the words, “Those people…” and followed with some generalization applied to what a given population or demographic will or won’t do with regard to maintenance or upkeep to original design or production.

1. That is a racist comment, full stop. It could be sexist, too, depending on who says it and when. Whether or not some of one’s best friends and colleagues are also members of that group, and whether or not one is at all comfortable with the fact that one may be just a little bit racist does not alter reality. Not even with a magic wand. Be aware of it, guard against it, nip it in the bud and freaking acknowledge it when one sees it in oneself. We’re only human; most of us aren’t perfect.
2. What the client may or may not do with a project or property, after handoff, is irrelevant in the context of quality of work delivered. Nothing excuses “designing-down” to a population or client. Our job is to do the absolute best work possible, to prepare the receiving client to manage and maintain in the most efficient, best possible way, and hand it off. Period.
3. Nothing mitigates that obligation.

“Those people” are just as smart as any of us and, while there may be an absence of knowledge in certain areas of experience and expertise, while there may be a virtually crippling lack of experience or failure to grasp certain concepts with which we Westerners may be almost inherently (or culturally) familiar; this does not mean the mind across the table or desk from us is not just as sharp as (if not sharper than) our own. Maybe even smarter, as we are likely speaking our native tongue which may be the other person’s third, fourth or fifth language.

Respect.

Publicity, Press Releases and Reality

Used to be, development companies could issue a press release and make promises and predictions about a project. Those releases would be picked up by industry or mainstream press and repeated. People would read them and consider them to be truthful, make assessments (and, in our case, plans to visit or participate) and do so. Showtime would come and people would travel from far and near to see this thing and, having been told nothing different, would embrace what they experienced as exactly what they’d read it would be…trusting that this is the best, possible experience without even thinking about it.

Now, It’s all google-able. If we say, today, that our park will be the utmost in immersive guest experience; those words will remain in audience consciousness to fuel expectation for Opening Day…and today’s Opening Day Expectations are far more sophisticated, more aware and certainly more critical of failure than those of generations past.

This raises the question of how to report on ongoing, developing and soon-to-open projects.

In the name of supporting the industry, our industry press is skittish about reporting negatively and candidly on projects coming down the pike. This makes sense in terms of the revenue stream that supports these publications, as well as in the context of not wanting to undermine potential successes.

That being said, is there an approach, avenue or forum where projects known to be at risk can be rescued before it’s too late? How can we help? In recent forums, industry audiences have been adamant that they want to know the truth about projects in development as these projects go from concept to reality. Might candid, clear-eyed reporting offer opportunity for the appropriate Rescuing Colleague to step up and offer White Knight services?

We, as an industry, could embrace a moral obligation to be policing ourselves, mentoring and encouraging one another. How to do that in a positive way? Can we effectively offer advice, mentorship, responsibly sharing cautionary tales to contemporaries in other parts of the world or industry?

Social Media Will Bust Us

Day One: “Opening Day:” 4- and 8- and 10-hour flights land, the doors open and thousands of Tweeters and Instagrammers and FaceBookers and YouTubers and Snapchatters eagerly flood through the gates or to the box offices.

And if, on said Day One, the experience delivered falls short of what was promised; Social Media will Cut <name of project> down before the day is out. The reality will be everywhere, the reviews will be legion, the worldwide message will be “don’t come!”

Business and Management Skills: ExPat Agony

“Well, back at Disney…” or “When I was at Universal…”

Seriously, Just don’t say it.

This talk even bugs the other alums in the room. Pretty much everyone has worked for one or the other or both the Big Boys by now. One makes no friends with name-dropping and, frankly, one is definitely making one’s own job significantly harder…probably more so as millennials fill the workspace. Such talk tends more to imbue the speaker with an aura of arrogant irrelevance.

Experience is respected most when it is presented in the context of the problem before us.

As an Expert Expat, one has been brought in because of one’s experience. There is no question that Disney and Universal generally do it best, have some of the best processes and procedures and offer great models for approaching a given project.

These Big Boys do not offer the only way to do anything, nor always the only best way. We must not lose sight of the fact that even these iconic creative fonts have learned massive amounts from mistakes made and as a result have evolved their own processes and philosophies from Paris to Hong Kong to a quantum evolution in the approach to Shanghai.

As Expatriate, Western “Experts”; we are brought in not because we already know the answers. Rather, we are best and most effectively brought in under the assumption that we have the ability to discover and create the best answers.

And how do we create these answers? By applying our bodies of knowledge and experience to what we learn before we act in a new context; using our judgement with that experience to craft original approaches to the cross-cultural work.

The methodologies and processes we apply, the way we build and create may look very similar to ways which we may have learned have worked well in other contexts. But, if we parachute in and begin to apply without first truly investigating and learning the lay of the land, where to avoid the cultural rifts and gullies; we are shortchanging ourselves, our clients and ultimately our audiences.

Finally:

The Ever-Present Burden of White Male Privilege

As a Middle-aged White Guy (or Gal, but not so much I think); perhaps keep in mind that we are often and actually burdened with exhaustive and sometimes exhausting Privilege. Such privilege does open doors, elicit deference and favors…

…and it can also get in the way.

That privilege, more often perceived by the viewer, can become a significant barrier to being told, presented with or hearing a valuable Truth when such a Truth needs to be spoken. There is often an inherent and ubiquitous fear or reticence to bear bad news upward, especially with staff and colleagues predominantly of other races and nationalities, when we are working in the often caste-like environments of other cultures.

The message may not even be articulated when we most need to hear it, for retribution can be feared (and in many cases, appreciably so), as many believe they risk their own jobs by offending or even delivering bad news to higher ups.

This can threaten the quality of an entire project. Important information can be missed or hidden.

Aggressive Listening.

Such Privilege obligates outreach and mitigation by those privileged. It is the responsibility of the privileged to alleviate the fear of candor and to invite initiative. It’s a big job; and many a powerful executive from the west has failed without comprehending why.

Talking to everyone. Learning names, asking after families and work backgrounds.

Listening.

Chances are, with aggressive listening, that valuable relationships, nuanced understanding and enlightened appreciation of the the possibilities inherent in the blending of cultural approaches will result in a team that produces results far greater than the sum of parts.

IMHO.

 “IMHO – Creating Compelling Experience”  , read and studied in both Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies, is a free download from iTunes and the iBook Store. Free.

Link to the Themed Entertainment Association site.