Where the Sidewalk Ends, Shel Silverstein

(This is one of a series of posts we’re running on what inspires us as facilitators and designers here at Collective Next.) 

I’ve been reading a lot of Shel Silverstein’s collection of poetry Where the Sidewalk Ends to my children lately. It’s a book I read when I was a child, and I’ve always loved the feeling of freedom of thought it encouraged in me. It’s stokes the passion I have for humour, creativity, and collaboration. There’s a poem called “Invitation” at the beginning of the book that , I think, captures what Collective Next is able to do to help the leaders we work with. Here it is:

Invitation
by Shel Silverstein 

If you are a dreamer, come in.
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,

A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer,
If you’re a pretender, come, sit by my fire.
For we have many a flax golden tale to spin.
Come in, come in.

So much of business today is buried in details. And details are important; the best leaders can use details to turn a vision, a strategy, or a story into a “flax golden tale” that resonates with their people and arms them with passion. These stories are important because they turn employees into the dreamers, wishers, hopers, prayers, and even magic bean buyers that organizations need if they want to move forward. Come in!

Gordon Eby is a Solution Design Partner. For more information about Gordon and other Collective Nexters, visit our Team page.

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