I read this week about a 'regional renaissance' approach to COVID-19 for Australia? The words stopped me. Why are we limiting ourselves to regional? Why aren't we embracing all of Australia in the renaissance? Why aren’t we acting locally and leading globally?
As governments and treasurers around the globe grapple with the fallout of COVID-19 and the myriad of challenges 2020 has tossed our way, we need to understand that WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. Not only do we have to understand it, we have to KNOW it. FEEL it. In every cell of our bodies. We are all in this together.
No one country is suffering in isolation. The pandemic has affected all countries around the globe. We will not imagine solutions to the possibilities of these unprecedented times until we 'zoom out', as our SingularityU colleague John Hagel says, and we are far enough 'out' to imagine solutions looking back at earth. As a connected collective. A whole lot of continents, countries, states, cities, suburbs, streets, houses, and inhabitants of houses - people. Let's not forget all other sentient beings with whom we share this planet.
To imagine solutions requires us to open our hearts and minds. Not figuratively. Deeply. It requires us to cease expelling energy on blaming, stop the selfishness of ‘it’s my right’, and to think about what collectively benefits us all. It requires us to replace our fear for what we might lose, with love and what we might give.
I recently heard a colleague use the word 'MWE'. The me is always part of the we. I wonder how long the 'me' would last stranded, isolated, and alone?
I don't listen to the news as a general rule. I am informed through a series of communication channels that I have selected. These sources are multidimensional and not limited to ideology or politics. In another life I worked in broadcast news. Sometimes we went home in tears. There's only so much 'bad stuff' you can take night after night. COVID-19 can get you like that. Night after night.
So let's LIFT each other. Make each other smile. Try this KPI for today: how many people will smile as a result of something you did or said?
What can you do to make those around you feel better? More secure? How do we take exponential or baby steps towards positive change? Towards changing those elements of our lives that have been broken for some time. Will you use this time to learn and re-skill? To create the change you want to see in the world? What's your Moonshot? And how will it help to create #afuturebydesign?