The game startup is not going to work out. But during the week while I was their on-deck VP of Strategy, I wrote a Strategy doc for the CEO. It was short -- a definition, 14 principles, an example of a great vision, and two pages of implications for the company. An eight-page manifesto.
"The most efficient strategy is to have the same vision in everyone's head," was one of my core principles. "First reduce noise, then send signal," was another. "People improve infinitely and exponentially in the areas of their strengths. Their weaknesses stay weak," was another. It was a synthesis what I live by, drawn from software, theatre, spirituality, art, and team studies.
The example of a great vision I gave was Google's philosophy, "Never settle for the best." Within this, they list ten things they have found to be true, including: "Do one thing very very well" and "You can make money without doing evil."
I'm going to apply to Google. They have a few positions here in Seattle & Kirkland; most of their jobs are in the California Bay Area, in Mountain View. I'm open to moving. They also have a good sprinkling world-wide, but I don't have the languages for those.
Being VP of Strategy taught me two things: 1) Seven years of studying how to found & run a theatre company -- after 15 years in software -- has taught me how to run any company. 2) My software & theatre worlds converge in Greatness. When the people involved are fully ignited, incendiary, on fire as a group -- and I mean in a kind of way that most people have never experienced, in a way which engages their whole human sentient genius -- then it's good no matter what we're creating.
I used to think finding your calling was a Glory thing. Now I'm realizing, it is a homey thing. You like driving Hondas so you drive a Honda. You love spaghetti, so you eat spaghetti. All you think about is theatre, so you make theatre. You can organize anything, so you get a job organizing. At the heart of the holy fire, it's the perfect temperature for you.
I need groups of diverse wild humans, who want to open and embrace their full potential, while making some Great product -- the more metaphoric, the better.
4 comments:
Wow, that's profound - both your post and Ric's comment. Just want to say 'go for it'. Would love to know someone working for Google!
Yes. I'm not stuck on wondering what I should do -- I'm stuck on what I should do next.
I can clearly feel that constellation of theatre company, Greatness, illumination, books, speaking, intimacy, wealth, marriage, and Surprise that awaits.
My current puzzle is
a) how to get the parts of my life that need attention back up to shining par -- Body, Money, House, Relationships. And, while doing that,
b) what is the next step on my theatre path? and,
c) what is the best foundation step toward a compounding-wealth, job-independent future?
Google addresses the first. I think the next theatre step is a combination of a book and a project, headed toward getting a building. I'm feeling about for the foundation step.
Keep the insights, parables, and thoughtfulness coming, O fellow walker of worlds.
JJ -- ha! Yes, of course! The gmail connection.
And, JJ, it could be you. Go to Google's job site here: http://translate.google.com/translate?sourceid=navclient-menuext&hl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egoogle%2Ecom%2Fabout%2Ehtml On the left, in "Search on this site," search for Amsterdam. They're hiring.
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