Andy Lykens

Innovating and operating through growth

Design

The Roots and Growth of Decisions

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They’re cutting down a tree on the corner of my block. A big tree. There are 3 big trucks and 6 guys with chainsaws. The tree is outnumbered, but it still seems like it’s winning.

This one’s major offense is that its roots have completely upended the sidewalk. It’s dangerous. I know because I’ve tripped on it more than once.

Cutting this tree down has done nothing to fix the sidewalk. And putting a sidewalk next to this kind of tree in the first place is a short-sighted idea – but whoever made that decision is at least retired and maybe dead.

So if the decisions people make have consequences, and if they’re hard to undo, and if there’s even a remote possibility that 6 men with chainsaws will have to undo it – maybe it makes sense to think more about the roots and growth of our decisions in the first place.

Tweak

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If you’re trying to be persuasive or helpful, if you need to sell something or influence someone, or if you need to get someone’s attention, you are probably hoping for a response.

Curiosity is a positive response. So is a statement. It could be an action like sharing, replying, or recommending. What it isn’t, is silence.

If you get only silence, the thing to do is to decide what to tweak. Deciding what to tweak can be hard because there is no formula for understanding the silence. For example, it might not be what you’re saying, but how you’re saying it (you can hone your message). Or, you may not be reaching the right people (you can hone your audience). It may also just be bad timing (in this case, consistency comes in handy). Most people won’t tell you “thanks, but no thanks.” If they do, that’s good feedback.

If you’re focused on getting others to take action be prepared to be patient and consistent. Be prepared for silence. Most of all, be prepared to make a tweak and try again.

A Quick Of Italian Design

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I’m just checking in while abroad and have some great content upcoming for when it’s back to the grind for me! Until then I’d like to point out the amazing, seemingly inherent Italian focus on design. Every cafe, apartment, door, window, shop…everything! Beauty is everywhere in this country. In the States, our focus is on being better, doing more, earning more, achieving more. Here it is about creating better aesthetic, looking nicer, feeling better.

Neither is right or wrong, in fact I think it would be perfection to combine the two ideas. Let me know your thoughts in the comments on which you focus on, and how you could better improve the alternate trait wouldn’t you?