You only get one chance to make a first impression.
The blown first impression blues. I have blown this so many times in my life that I stopped counting. It is a lesson I keep learning and I may have blown it again with the BizCatalyst 360° and 360° Nation.
I asked Dennis Pitocco in January to join this community of writers, mostly out of a desire for another outlet for my writing. It was weird because he “accepted” me right away. Oh, I had been posting on LinkedIn for a while, sixty-some articles. Still, I expected resistance, not acceptance.
I had read the website and was already following several of this group of writers online. I have a facet of my personality that is pretty straight business and that guy looked at this cadre as a bit “out there.” But we are all multifaceted jewels. I have another side of me, at least one facet of my personality, that is decidedly “out there,” even “woo-woo” in the view of my straight business guy self. For most of my work life, I’ve kept the woo-woo guy on a pretty short, tight leash. Am I changing that?
I also have the Groucho Marx affliction;
I am deeply suspicious of and so have difficulty joining any club that would have me as a member.
And so in the beginning, I viewed BizCatalyst 360° and 360° Nation as another outlet for my writing. I even said as much to all the people who congratulated me upon my announcement of joining. My first posts were some older pieces that had been posted on LinkedIn about five years previously and then slowly I began to fill my queue with some newer stuff.
Now I have the “blown first impression blues.”
So I’m starting over. I know you don’t really get do-overs in life and there may be some in 360° Nation who may not easily forgive me for not noticing the specialness of this community sooner. I’m sorry. I “get it” more now, but I am still learning. I may be “a bear of very little brain” like Winnie the Pooh or just an insensitive old white guy; I’m a late adopter, late, but not never.
So then, in this my “first article” on BizCat, let me say how honored I am to be a part of this community. Let me say thank you to Dennis Pitocco, Ali Anani, Rached Alimi, Farooq Omar, Charlotte Wittencamp, Glenn Melcher, Debasish Majumder, Zen Benefiel, Aldo Delli Paoli, Diane Wyzga, Jeane Serio, Fay Vietmeier, Laura Gray, Ari Diamond Ehrlich, Eric Zabiegalski and all who have accepted me and engaged with my brain, heart, and soul on this platform and elsewhere.
I have long wondered how business can be a force for good in the world. I have wondered where the global forum is for people puzzling through how to solve the world’s problems. I think this might be one of those places.
My writing is all over the map, some straight business stuff, some decidedly “out-there”. Even my straight business stuff is based on the idea that business is about people -customers, staff, suppliers, even shareholders -all living, breathing, emotional beings. Getting those groups to work together to produce something of value is what business should be about. I am a process guy -inputs- activities- outputs, and measures at all stages. I believe in simplifying complex subjects, but I don’t just revel in breaking an idea down into component parts. Sometimes simplicity is in the whole, in the helicopter view or view from space.
On the other side, I am interested in consciousness, brain theory, the impact of intention, and thought on outcomes. And, of course, I love stories, from memories to fairy tales, from history to apocalyptic science fiction. I am learning new things every day and love what I’ve learned so far from 360° Nation.
So I’m pleased to be here and looking forward to knowing more about this community. Perhaps we might inspire some positive change together even if it begins with changing our own minds.
Think with me. . .
Alan
I almost missed this post, Alan, but fortunately I cleaned up my inbox including the daily update from 360.
Yes, this is an animal of a different stripe. Or perhaps multiple stripes, because with close to 1000 authors, content has many forms.
I appreciate yours.
Welcome Alan, reaching back into the archives can bring about new thoughts and comments.
Thank you, Lynn.
I appr4ciate the input and support.
Alsn
Dear, Alan Culler, welcome to have you on board on this grand stage, under the direction of Sir, Dennis Pitocco. I’m certain, we as a whole be perusing your astounding thoughts and entrancing contemplations and experience, which you have in overflow.
Coming to your specific circumstance, I think, – When we discuss huge organizations and their worldwide market, we need to comprehend that we are engaged with something about CSR, globalization, legislative issues, equity, and furthermore upright morals.
There’s one method for thinking about this issue. That is, hypothetically talking, assuming the organization offers criticism to the local area precisely equivalent to the advantage it got from this course of its worth chain, then, at that point, the organization is accomplishing something beneficial.
Nonetheless, to guarantee and screen this, the nation ought to be controlled by an ideal legislative framework, which doesn’t have a place in most emerging nations…. Accordingly, this issue is turning out to be more muddled.
Best Wishes
Thanks for your comments Brother Farooq
Businesses can serve customers, their workers and suppliers and the community and still make money for shareholders. It takes more planning, more discipline and it may mean less wealth for CEOs and investors, which they may not like, but they live on the planet and in the community to -and anything over $200 million is unspendable anyway.
Alan.
Thanks for your comment and continuing support, Brother Ali,
It means a lot to me.
There have been other articles I’ve published firsr on BC360, but this is the one my brain kept saying “I shoulda said. . .”
It is quite a platform and while you and I met first on LinkedIn, you are the reason I approached Dennis.
Thank you for evrything,
Alan
Wonderful that you’ve “done it again for the first time, Alan” … We’re honored to have the opportunity to share your wisdom, and of course, that of our good friend Ali Anani …
The concept of business, or rather of doing business, must mean that we work to create “shared value” understood as the set of policies and operational practices that strengthen the competitiveness of companies while improving, at the same time, the economic and social conditions of the company. community in which the company operates. The creation of shared value therefore focuses on identifying and expanding the connections between economic progress and social progress. This is the only way to restore dignity to business and consider it strategic for the economic and social development of society.
To help achieve this goal, however, companies must stop considering themselves extraneous to the common good and the creation of social capital. Dressing in “green” and “social” is no longer enough. It is necessary to change the paradigm if you want to give a new perspective, a new future to “doing business” and with it a new credibility, dignity, legitimacy for the entrepreneur. It is an extended vision that “uses” the social and the environment for a new creative tension aimed at seeking a new economic development.
It is a pleasure to know that you are part of the group. There are some smart, funny, inspiring people. Now you can share your opinions with us and start a new adventure that you will certainly find engaging.
Brother Aldo
I found your comment insightful. I like your ideas of combining economic benefits with social. I have followed some “b’- corporations (benefit corporations), which try to do that.
It is probably an opportunity for further research and communication.
Thanks for supporting my writing.
Alan
My heartfelt thanks for your time and appreciation.
There is always first, brother Alan.
First article, first comment on each article, first connection, first idea, first to think of that and examples are too many to include all of them.
So, if this is your first original article to BIZCATALLYST I assure you it carries your style- deep thinking with some fun and you succeeded as always in doing this.
One thing I did not understand is “I asked Dennis Pitocco in January to join this community of writers, mostly out of a desire for another outlet for my writing. It was weird because he “accepted” me right away.”
Knowing Dennis I know that he is careful in accepting writers to this platform. He has a sharp eye to talented writers. I am not surprised that he accepted you right away. Your quality of writing stands out.
One other idea that I liked very much in your post is “I believe in simplifying complex subjects, but I don’t just revel in breaking an idea down into component parts. Sometimes simplicity is in the whole, in the helicopter view or view from space.”
I am like you not being a reductionist thinker. In our complex world where the some of the parts give more than their arithmatic sum whereby new structures, thoughts and systems appear I fully support your thinking.