Recharge in Paris

I just returned from Paris. Life in the Northeast is like riding on a train full of people. You can't wait to get off, but the longer you ride - the further you get. In order to enjoy the ride, it helps to notice the details along the way while keeping an eye on the destination. It seems as though the Parisians have done both quite well.

The city itself is well-planned, from the gardens to the subway system. Paris seems to have been built with such grand plans, yet all the little details are there too.

Transportation in paris is effortless. Beyond the beautiful art nouveau subway entrances painted dark green with deep red light globes, there are 20+ subway lines all interconnected with trains running every 3-5 minutes. Streets are beautifully lined with a mix of old and new architecture which transforms walking into strolling (and later into meandering.) Throughout the city there are rental bicycles lined up in racks. For about $2/day you can grab one, and return it to another rack elsewhere. All of this translates into cleaner air, while providing you with enjoyable and effortless transportation options.

You can have a fresh croissant (with chocolate!) at almost any street corner. There are no lines to wait in, just tons of little tables to sit at. Almost all restaurants have the front wall open to the sidewalk and you can't help but to sit and relax. Coffee is served in tiny cups with lots of sugar. The sugar crystals stick to the lip of the cup and the aroma is strong.

The Musée d'Orsay and other national museums are free to people 18 and younger - an obvious effort to provide art and culture to everyone from a young age. And it shows. Parisians are proud of how they look, and how they live. Public bathrooms are as common as phone booths (which they still have) and most are free - cleaner streets! There are trash and recycling receptacles in all public places and cleaning crews are constantly visible. All this contributes to a healthy and aware society.

So as I recharge this summer, I'll enjoy great music, interesting books, wonderful movies, amazing food, big thoughts, and of course, my family. And hopefully, I can carry this through the Fall and beyond!

Finding the A-Team

As much as I loved the campy TV show of the 80's, that's not what I'm talking about. What I mean, is that I'm always on the lookout for members of my crack team of collaborative commandoes. I think finding those perfect personalities is almost more important than finding new clients. Because in order to do great things, you need great people.

What makes an A-Team? Its probably different for everyone. I look for boundless energy, optimism, and charisma. Leaders who - by themselves - could do great things. But when you put a few together and you've got an unstoppable force! Sounds great, but where do you find them? Everywhere.

I try to meet as many people as I can and get to know them. Often times, right under your nose, are neighbors, friends of friends, clients, vendors, and even competitors who can help you.

Assuming that overachieving leaders are probably in great positions already, I'm content to sit tight until a transition occurs. Change can happen rapidly - so stay alert. I also like to let people know that I'm fishing - always open for new opportunities. That way, like-minded professionals might find me as well.

Lynda Gratton and Tamara J Erickson published a much higher-level view of team building in the Harvard Business Review, called, "Eight Ways to Build Collaborative Teams." Although it discusses building teams of 100 or more, I think their principles are solid goals for any team.

I keep my eye on potential A-Teamers. I'll stay in touch and keep the relationship positive. At the very least, we may share some resouces and hopefully, I can learn from them. When the time is right, something will happen.  As Hannibal Smith used to say, "I love it when a plan comes together!"

Steampunk comes to Newton.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Jake Von Slatt on his Victorian-Era RV; an old converted school bus. Yes, its a little weird - one one might ask, "why?" But you just have to love this style to understand the answer of a mere shrug of the shoulders. 

So what is Steampunk? I like how Aether Emporium describes it: "Steampunk is an eclectic world of cogs and rivets. It is airships, goggles and steam. It is romance. It is traveling on clouds and diving beneath rugged waves. It is adventure." It's essentially a combination of high-tech buried beneath a classic mechanical exterior.

You can see some examples of steampunk on the silver screen in Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass, Sean Connery's last film, A League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

Jake's web site shows what you can accomplish when you have a vivid and  creative imagination, quite a bit of skill, and a lot of time. He also explains how he makes a lot of his creations. You can see more of the photos I took here.

I'm currently reading The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling. Its based on Charles Babbage's plan for a victorian-era computing device, finally built by engineers and curators at London's Science Museum. I'll let you know what I think.