Collaboration

Feb 6 2012

Tactics for Tough Times: Practice Bricolage

An oxygen tank in the service module of the ill-fated Apollo 13 space capsule ruptured and the astronauts were slowly asphyxiating from a build up carbon dioxide gas. The NASA engineers on the ground in Houston were tasked with creating a filtration system using only the materials that were available to the Apollo 13 astronauts. Duct Tape, tube socks, plastic moon rock bags, log book cardboard, and other limited assets were used to successfully construct an apparatus that saved the astronauts.

This is an example of “Bricolage”,  a word derived from the French that carries the connotation of tinkering and doing odd jobs. It’s the creation of something useful using only the resources that happen to be at hand. It is the epitome of “thinking inside the box” and stretching the limits of what you can accomplish there.  We all have parameters based on who we are as unique individuals. We have to make the most of the “box” we find ourselves. We have to practice bricolage.

Living in uncertainty and change can seem like we are living unscripted and unrehearsed lives. Professionals who are good at  improv comedy come to the stage open to the surprises of the moment. They are masters of spontaneity and ad lib because they’ve learned to do much with little by practicing the techniques of improve, and by extension bricolage.

  • Move the Scene Forward. Improvisation uses the immediate scene at hand and uses its plot line to move the story forward. Those who practice bricolage accept the scene they are in, find an opening in it, and exploit it to move their circumstances in directions they intend.
  • Trust your gut. Improvisational actors don’t hesitate to make decisions in the moment.  They trust their gut. They go with their instinct and express it spontaneously. They don’t let fear and self-consciousness dictate their direction, nor do the belabor a decision to act.
  • Say “Yes, And…” This is a technique essential to bricolage. The first actor makes a suggestion or statement and the second actor builds upon it by saying “yes, and…” It’s all about accepting what others have to offer. Don’t discount something because it’s something you never encountered before. Keep learning, keep exploring, work with the contributions of others.
  • Play to the top of your intelligence. Jerry Seinfeld said that raunchy comedy is lazy comedy. It’s easy to throw in expletives and dirty jokes often at the expense of the show. Those who practice bricolage to effectively engage tough times play to their best material and strengths.

What ideas do you have for practicing bricolage to engage the tough challenges today?

 

By Jeff Vankooten • adaptation, Collaboration, creativity, Uncategorized • 3 • Tags: , , ,

Jan 19 2012

Tactics for Tough Times: Don’t Go it Alone

Our country values the myth of the “rugged individualist”. We are enamored with the resolve of one person to succeed in the midst of adversity. We have been socialized through cultural influences to believe that we, too, must be a rugged individualist.  In fact, popular culture perpetuates the message that you are the most important person in the world- “this Bud’s for you”. You can do it!

When it comes to thriving in change and creating a life you love, it has to be accomplished with others. Comrades. Amigos. Family. Because the fact of the matter is, none of us is as smart as all of us. Community works.

If we want to strengthen our resilience, our thriveability, we can’t go it alone. We must rely on our relational resources.

  • Our social networks. Given the technology that was available back in the 1960′s, it was suggested we were six degrees removed from anybody else on the planet. Remember the game “six degrees of Kevin Bacon”? It meant that between you and anyone else on the planet there were only five other people. Find the right people and you could meet anyone. With today’s technology that separation is now three degrees. Two other people are needed to meet anyone else in the entire world. My wife and I discovered fairly quickly that we are three degrees removed from Barak Obama in two ways (punchline here). So, your social networks can help you to not go it alone. There is understandable caution on digital relationships, but the collective hive can often provide resources you are looking for.
  • Our intimate bonds. Let me ask a question: “how do you know who you are?” Really, how do you know?. I would answer by stating we know who we are only because we are in close relationships with other people. Our closest friends and allies are those who know us well, who have helped define us, and keep us honest when we deviate from that identity. They reflect back to us the core elements, good and bad, of what makes us, us. When I was at a very low point in my life, my counselor told me to give people the honor of ministering to me. Though it went against my “rugged individualist” nurturing,  I humbly relied on a select few, intimate friendships to help move through the tough time. I thank God for them everyday.

What might keep us from close relationships? Is there anything practical we can do to nurture the relationships we have? I’d love  your comments

 

 

By Jeff Vankooten • Change, Collaboration, Friendship, Integrity, marriage, resilience, Robust Collaboration • 1 • Tags: , , , ,

Nov 30 2011

What I blogged on in November 2011

As some of you know, I speak, create content, blog and consult on the issue of resilience. More and more people I talk to are very interested in how they can strengthen their resolve to bounce back and thrive in these uncertain times. I try to stay on topic and focus on what I believe are core competencies of resilience: communication, collaboration, adaptation, and imagination. All my posts are organized around those with a few miscellaneous posts thrown in for grins. So, here is a visualization of my posts for the month of November 2011 created by Wordle.

If you had to visualize in words your  month of November, what words would you come up and which ones would be the major focus for you? I’d love to read your comments!

By Jeff Vankooten • adaptation, Collaboration, Communication, Imagination, Miscellany • 0 • Tags: ,

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