This is our second article in this series. Read article #1 here.
Even if you’re lucky enough to be able to travel fairly freely around your corner of the world right now, ‘iso’ might be a fact of life for some time to come. So in this article we’re reframing what ISO could mean for us and for you, starting with what the letter ‘i’ will mean for Keogh in 2021.
Innovate – we plan to innovate and continue to create experiences and things of value.
Innovation is incremental, rather than a lightbulb moment, and requires minds from varied backgrounds. The myth of Edison inventing the lightbulb has been disputed by many historians. Electric lights already existed as street lights before Edison tested the one he became famous for; one with a bamboo filament. Though he didn’t come up with the whole concept, his light bulb was the first one that was practical and affordable for home use. It was also Edison’s “invention factory” in Menlo Park, not him alone, that tested more than 6,000 possible materials.
A friend of Edison, Henry Ford, also gets much of the credit for transportation age. However, the first patented combustion engine was built in 1807, before Ford was even born.
It wasn’t until 1886 that Carl Benz’ petroleum engine, mounted on a 3-wheeled carriage, would be patented as the ‘first petroleum engine automobile.’ Motorised transport still remained a novelty among inventors and the wealthy until Henry Ford brought his Model T to market in 1908 – almost a hundred years on from that first engine. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, but look for what came before and improve upon it.
Innovation also doesn’t have to be external. Ask yourself, “what is one small improvement I could make today to my thinking, personal processes or habits to reach my goals?”
Inspire – do work that inspires others around us.
We don’t work for accolades or ego. We do it to change the world and live up to our purpose: to help businesses understand and amplify human potential.
“Average leaders raise the bar on themselves; good leaders raise the bar for others; great leaders inspire others to raise their own bar.”
– Orrin Woodward
Start jotting down a list of any people, events, actions, articles or even websites that have made you feel inspired this year, keep a catalogue of these and start working out ways you can emulate them.
Introduction – introduce ourselves to others and form new networks.
As consultants, we are the connectors of sectors. 2021 will be about continuing to work with diverse industries and bringing new energy into the fold. What projects are on the table for this year that need skills not currently present in your team? Who do you need to meet to get that big goal moving again?
“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.”
-Brene Brown
