I went to an event last night put on by the University of Washington chapter of Net Impact. Paul Dolan, formerly president of Fetzer Winery (he just left to get his entrepreneurial groove on) talked about his ideas on sustainability, the need for a paradigm shift for business, and his new book, True to Our Roots.
I read an article in Fast Company magazine last December about Paul, and was impressed by both his philosophy and what he has been able to accomplish, so when I heard he would be speaking here in Seattle, it was a no-brainer that I needed to go.
Interestingly, many of the things he talked about from a corporate perspective could easily be applied on an individual level as well. It occurred to me that part of the focus of my work is "personal sustainability."
Some of the ideas he shared that stuck with me:
"The soul of your company is found in the heart of your people." Sustainable business is about more than numbers and the bottom line. It brings the hearts of your employees into the picture. "See them as great, and they'll show up as great," Paul said.
"The power comes in living what you know." He points out how Fetzer went from having an organic garden, to growing grapes in the acres surrounding the garden organically, to creating an organic wine, to implementing green building practices, to setting a goal to be 100% organic by 2010.
It's the same on a personal level. When you act on your core values, it opens doors, and leads you places you would never have suspected.
Paul says, "There is a way to make an idea's time come." How?
* Take a stand, versus a position (JFK took a stand with a commitment to reach the moon. Most politicians take a position).
* Create a context (e.g., it can be done)
* Go public. Speak it. Commit yourself. Make it available for others to support you and get involved.
"You can't predict the future, but you can create it." Amen to that! Paul suggests operating from the future. Put yourself five years out and act as though it were already reality. "The possibility pulls you through the obstacles."
Finally, Paul noted the power of conversation. "Nothing happens without conversation. If you don't share, there's no room for additional creative development." So talk about your ideas. Talk about your dreams. Put it out there for others to engage in.
Curt Rosengren
Passion Catalyst SM
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