Management Craft is 5 Years Old - Reflections from Pals - Rosa Say and Dwayne Melancon

Continuing my anniversary "special" guests posts.... Management Craft is celebrating its 5th anniversary this month. I asked several of my long time online pals what lessons they have learned in the last five years (so that I could post their thoughts as part of my celebration). Today I am sharing the key learnings from Rosa Say and Dwayne Melancon.

From Rosa Say, of Talking Story with Rosa Say:

Aloha Lisa and all,
 
I have learned of the “why” and “how” I need to grow —constantly.
 
A bit of context: I share this 5-year August anniversary with you Lisa. What an incredible 5 years it has been, for it marks 5 years for both Talking Story (which I now refer to as my ‘crucible blog’) and Managing with Aloha, the book which launched me into an entrepreneurial mindset and self-employment after a 30-year corporate career. I have few regrets, for it was a great ride, however being a corporate exec is a full immersion deal: It swallows you up because you are working on someone else’s dreams versus your own, even though you may do so willingly at the time, buying in as completely as I did — I was quite happy to milk that place and time for what I’d learn, and I did enroll in other leaders’ visions.
 
I’ve always been someone who writes to sort things out — to think better — and so discovering blogging in 2004 was extremely liberating and useful. I’d just completed my book and was in getting published mode narcissistically sure it would be the only book I’d ever have in me. The question sounds naive and very silly to me now, but back then I could not imagine what to do next since I was so fully preoccupied with finishing up a true BHAG: Although I had a ton of next action steps lined up, I asked myself, “Then what? Will this be it?”
 
How thrilling to discover what huge capacity we all possess to learn, and to grow. I thought of myself as an organizer and operator before, but now I know those are just a couple of my strengths. Today I think of myself as a culture activator and inventor. I absolutely adore project work and think of new projects constantly. I feel I bloom in pilot projects with value-aligned visions which allow for unspecified outcomes (“Begin with the End in Mind?” Only sometimes, and no longer a requirement). My sense of place, so defining an element in Managing with Aloha, has busted out and taken flight: I love working on stuff collaboratively, virtually and globally.
 
So to sum up, I’ve learned how I learn, why I learn, and how that combination keeps me growing and thriving so I can be a bigger person, and serve others better as a result.
 
Mahalo nui loa Lisa, thank you so much for being part of it all, for you have been, and I fully intend to keep you close! Management Craft, and the mana‘o (belief and conviction) you intentionally bring to it, has nurtured me.

With much aloha,
Rosa

I totally agree with Rosa that writing helps us think and this is why I would recommend a blog to anyone who wants to continue to challenge himself/herself.

From Dwayne Melancon, host of Genuine Curiosity:

I discovered Management Craft when it was about 6 months old – right after I started blogging at Genuine Curiosity.  I’ve been hooked ever since, but it hardly seems like 5 years have past!  Lisa has been a huge part of my learning process, through Management Craft, her books, and – most of all – the interactions all of these activities have created.  Thinking back, here are a few of the learnings that come to the fore:

• Life is a bunch of spinning plates and (no matter much I’d like to) I can’t keep them all spinning.  The art comes in knowing which ones to let fall, and I still have so much to learn before I master that skill.
• Hanging around (physically or virtually) with smart people helps me get better – it’s like they say with sports: you get better faster when you play with people who are better than you.
• Knowing lots of people is great potential energy – the trick is knowing how to tap into it.  That’s what makes great things happen.  Lisa not only knows this, but she knows how to teach others how to tap into the potential of your network.
• The key to a balanced life is in your perspective (and your perspective is within your control).
• I’m really glad the internet exists for me to feed my curiosity – I can’t imagine what I’d do without it.

Happy Birthday, Management Craft!

I love the spinning plate metaphor, don't you? Here's to a week filled with curiosity!

Comments

[Rosa Say]

Thank you so much Lisa.

Learning, and growing with both you and Dwayne continues to be so joyful for me. I include you both in my blessings!

Hau‘oli la hanau – Happy Birthday to Management Craft, getting better with age :)

[Dave Rothacker]

Congratulations Lisa! What a great combination - Dwayne and Rosa - two deep wells of insight!

I too began my blog in 2004 and can't believe how time has smoked by :-)

[lisa haneberg]

Rosa and Dave - thanks so much for the kind wishes. Yes, five years is a loonngg time in internet land.