Great visions evolve over time.

The following excerpt from the Rock Hall’s web site says it all:

“Every year, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum welcomes visitors from all 50 states and 100 countries the world over. Since we opened our doors in 1995, seven million visitors have toured the Rock Hall.  We’ve worked hard to live up to our reputation as the preeminent home for the celebration and study of rock and roll music.”

Whether it was working to bring the induction ceremonies to Cleveland in 2009, constructing an archives facilities in partnership with Cuyahoga Community College to house its rapidly expanding collection, or opening the Annex in the Soho neighborhood in New York City, the Rock Hall’s vision has evolved and the organization has consistently demonstrated the ability to be relevant and true to its mission.

The Annex in Soho is another example of how great visions evolve over time. Visit www.rockannex.com to see how.

Leaders make no little plans.

In 1910, iconic architect and planner Daniel Burnham said:

“Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will not die, but long after we are gone be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistence.”

Great leaders put forth big visions and are comfortable with the fact that they may never see the vision fully realized. However, they take joy in knowing that if they have done their job well, the vision will transcend generations and involve thousands of people before it is realized.

Great visions are “built to last”.

An organization’s brand begins with leadership.

A brand is defined by words that describe the functional and emotional attributes of an organization, its people and products or services.

If you are a leader, your brand will generally describe how you lead, the culture of your organization, or the way you treat individuals with whom you interact.

Brand attributes of effective leaders include words like transparent, goal-oriented, accountable, respectful, sincere, trustworthy and honest.

Visit the link below to review the Cobalt Group’s Values and Principles. It is here where we begin to define our brand.

http://www.cobaltgroupinc.com/webroot/practice

What is your brand?

Our senior consulting associate, Larry Checco, was quoted on the following site when asked to comment on why the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation received such large unsolicited and unrestricted gifts in 2008. Visit the following link to see his reply.

http://nonprofit.about.com/

Meaningful Connections = Growing Businesses

I was encouraged today when I answered my emails and found a “connect” request from my cousin who resides in Gaithersburg, Maryland. He wanted to connect me to an entrepreneur located in Bay Village who once was employed with him at one of our former client’s (place of business also in Cuyahoga County). The entrepreneur and I talked briefly today about how to grow his business in Northeast Ohio, where he might find clients, and how to prepare for future opportunities as the economy and our region recover from this downturn.

When people take the time to make meaningful connections, businesses grow.

We are meeting in early May to have another conversation.

Change Management and Managing Expectations

As the first 100 days of the Obama Administration draws to an end, it is a good time to talk about managing expectations for change.

Anyone who has ever managed change knows that there is a predictable ebb and flow of change/resistance/progress. There are high points when everyone is ecstatic that change is happening (like election night this past November). There are low points when so much change has happened that everyone just wants to stop the merry-go-round, get off and take a break (like the Tea Parties held on tax day). And there are the points along the way when those managing change are stuck in the “down trough” of the change cycle because everyone around them wants change to happen to everyone — except themselves.

The environment of change is full of opposing forces. Managing sustained momentum in any change process requires leadership that can anticipate and manage the cycle of change. Today, we might be approaching a down trough, but with strong leadership this too shall pass.

Civil discourse . . . a definition

Last night, Oberlin College hosted NPR journalist Diane Rehm. As her son interviewed her in front of a standing room only crowd at Finney Chapel, Diane reflected and spoke honestly about her ethnic roots, her childhood, her coming of age, and the life changing moments that have made her who she is today.

She was never shy and offered her perspective on many contemporary issues including civil discourse. I paraphrase her definition which is powerful and meaningful:

“Civil discourse is our ability to have conversation about topics about which we disagree, and our ability to listen to each others’ perspectives.”

She commented further that, “Civil dialogue and civil discourse begin at home.”

Polyculture debuts . . .

It is more than starting. It is powerful with its local cast of Maurice Small of City Fresh, Rashidah Abdulhaqq of the Hunger Network, Ward 13 Councilman Joe Cimperman, and Emmy Levine of Wonder Garden (my favorite fresh produce purveyor at the Tremont Farmer’s Market), among many others. Every resident of Northeast Ohio (and beyond) must see this film.

The 33rd Cleveland International Film Festival is underway and this is a film not to miss. An extra showing on Sunday morning at 9:25 am has been added to allow the overflow/demand for this film to be met.

Why patents matter.

For some time, leaders in our community  have talked about the importance of the number of patents filed in our region/state as an indicator of our future economic health and viability.

Tonight, I was honored to be invited to a “patent party” in the Tremont neighborhood where NEW patent-holder Aaron Lemieux, founder of Tremont Electric, gathered family, friends and colleagues to celebrate the issuing of his first patent for an “electrical energy generator”.

Today, more than ever, this patent matters because it is a sign of the wide and varied innovation in our regional economy bubbling below the surface. While much of this activity is hard to measure, when a patent is issued, it counts.

I love my city!!!

Where in five hours (including travel time) on a Friday night can you . . .meet a colleague to wind up a deadline, eat an early dinner, and run into old friends and hear about the latest Cleveland Orchestra’s residency in Florida, drive down the street to a City neighborhood to attend an art opening featuring art by musicians, and then head downtown to the City’s best modern and contemporary art gallery to listen to public radio’s best interviewer being interviewed by Cleveland International Film Festival groupies.

The answer:  In Cleveland, Ohio.