I recently dined at a ‘west coast fish house’ in San Francisco called Anchor & Hope. It’s in a renovated turn of the century artist’s warehouse. The food and ambiance were terrific, but the name of the place is what keeps me remembering it.

The name, Anchor & Hope, seems to be a really good metaphor for what we often spotlight in this blog – the challenge of breaking free from the weight of the past in order to pursue the possibility of a more valuable future.

If we were truly honest with ourselves, many of us would admit that we’re bogged down by the security of the past. It’s no one’s fault, really. Human nature relies on a cyclical, continuous system to stay alive. It’s called Life. We survive on patterns, repetitions, and consistency.  As the saying goes we are creatures of habit. Is it surprising, then, that some organizations are stuck in their ways?

We take comfort in the way things are – even the way things have been. The past and present are familiar on multiple dimensions. You know what was involved. You know how you felt. You even know the impact of your actions. Anything beyond that, by definition, is unknown.

Most people don’t do well with the unknown. Nor do they jump into situations that are ambiguous and fuzzy. That’s why it’s so difficult to enroll people in change platforms.  We are innately opposed to doing something different.

Then why do some people and certain organizations risk the comfort and reward of the past and present for the possibility of a better tomorrow?

1. Darwin said only the fittest survive. Put another way, someone will always step up to do whatever it takes to win. That’s drive.
2. Some people simply desire more. And they are willing to risk everything to take them to a place they believe is better. That’s ambition.
3. Whether by intent or accident someone will disrupt what’s known with an innovative solution to a big problem. That’s curiosity.

To break the grip of inertia, we need leaders who are unafraid of the dark. We need leaders who are comfortable with ambiguity. We need leaders who can paint a powerful picture of what’s possible. We need leaders who can articulate a compelling case for the journey there.  We need clear, tangible tools to guide us forward. And we need constant reminders of our progress.

Sustainable change will not happen without proper leadership and fortitude.  Give people a compelling reason to believe. Show them where you’re going and how you’re going to get there. Make it emotional, not just rational. Reinforce the message every chance you can. And transparently highlight your progress.

Do this, and you will release the anchor that’s holding you back. Give people hope and they will move mountains.

What is your anchor? What is holding you or your organization back?

What is your hope? What do you really wish for?

The sooner you focus on shedding what’s holding you back, the sooner you can start realizing the potential of what you hope for. Otherwise, your hope will remain anchored in the past.

Thomas Butta

For me 1WTC is less about what it is — a building — than what it stands for — the commitment to building something bigger, better and bolder. Think about it.

• A building is static. The act of building is active.
• A building is about what is. Building is about what can be.
• A building is the embodiment of how things were. Building is about forward progress and reaching higher.

Why is the notion of building so important — especially now? Because doing the opposite — not building — is a path to nowhere. Why?

• Consider the speed at which everything is changing.
• Consider how innovation lifecycles are shorter and shorter.
• Consider our easy access to just about anyone and any market.
• Consider the thousands of entrepreneurs and billions of investment currency committed to challenging conventional wisdom and current market leaders.

Taking pleasure from past success may be comforting, but it’s delusional. Continuing to operate in the same manner and style as how it’s always been may feel familiar, but it’s an insular trap. A new workout routine ceases to produce new results after six weeks. Budgeting off of past year models is an inside-out view that doesn’t reflect what’s going on in the market. Managing off of organizational practices built for productivity and efficiency will not produce the innovation and breakthroughs needed to prevail in a highly dynamic and fiercely competitive economy.

Contemporary thought leaders are actively promoting the need to think and act in this manner. Take Gary Hamel, who was ranked #1 most influential business thinker in the world by the Wall Street Journal. His latest book, What Matters Most, is about “how to win in a world of relentless change, ferocious competition, and unstoppable innovation.” You should also check out The Management Innovation Exchange. It’s “an open innovation project aimed at reinventing management for the 21^st Century.”

You have a choice. Remain as you are. And stay how you’ve been. Or courageously commit to aggressively building a bigger, better and bolder future for yourself and your organization. 1WTC may have eclipsed the Empire State Building as the tallest building in New York City, but it is committed to building the tallest building in the Western hemisphere and third largest in the world. Now that’s ambition.

The question is: Are you a building? Or are you building for a better future?

Thomas Butta