Design Principal (p. 105)
FC Article

• How would you design an organization for long-term creative growth? Bruce Mau Designs sets forth ideas that are building blocks in this process: team, commitment, creative process, value of experience. What would you identify as fundamental values for the creative growth of your organization? How do these values interact to create a sustainable structure of relationships within your organization?
• Choose four points from 'An Incomplete Manifesto for Growth' that are most relevant to your life/work. How do these four points resonate in terms of your experiences? Generalizing from a recent roadblock or success that you have experienced, personalize your list by creating your own point to add to this program for growth. How do you communicate this program to your team or organization? How can you make these ideas a part of the work experience, atmosphere, and environment?
• The phrase 'Avoid Fields, Jump Fences' used in BMD's recruitment advertisement seems to succinctly capture the character of the organization. Can you think of a concise slogan that captures the attitude of your organization?
• The multiple choice quiz of BMD's recruitment advertisement uses an out of the ordinary method of testing prospective employee character. What kind of exercise would you design to whet the creative appetites of prospective employees, test their innovative capacity, and at the same time provide a 'flavor' of your company?
• How can a developing organization cope with progressive growth while preserving 'company ecology' in terms of the health of the organization, expanding and utilizing the talents of employees, and maintaining the cohesion of the community?

Dr. Brilliant vs. the Devil of Ambition (p. 352)
FC Article

• What does 'Live your life without ambition. But live as those who are ambitious' mean? What role does ambition play in the path of your life? How does ambition interfere with your goals (whether they be financial success, innovation, or doing the right thing)? How does ambition motivate you to achieve?
• What are some examples of 'healthy ambition'? Larry Brilliant might define 'healthy ambition' as ways to act ambitious without letting ambition sink into one's sense of identity. In what way do your daily actions define your sense of self? How do goals, purpose, and mission define your daily actions? Do you differentiate these motivational qualities from the concept of 'ambition'? are these motivational qualities synonymous with your concept of 'ambition'?
• Brilliant says, 'the goal is to be equanimous.' How do you develop equanimity in your daily life? How could equanimity help you make important decisions? How would being equanimous affect your relationships with work peers, family, and friends?
• Brilliant's Advice for the Ambitiously Unambitious, rule #5: 'Just look. The answer to the question 'What am I doing here?' is obvious when you bother to see it.' How can individuals evaluate their purpose in life? Create a mission statement-in-progress for your life. As this is a hard issue to grapple with directly, here are five indirect approaches to finding an answer.
  #1: Take a look at your week: How have you spent your time? What does this division of time tell you about your priorities? Are these truly your priorities? Is this the person that you want to be?
  #2: What are your different roles in life (mother, doctor, friend)? What is your mission and purpose within each role?
  #3: Close your eyes and imagine an ideal day in your life - just the way you would want it to be. Now, what changes must happen in order for you to arrive at the ideal?
  #4: Project yourself ahead ten years: You are happy, successful, and fulfilled. What is it that you have done?
  #5: Focus on the present moment: Write a paragraph about your life as it is right now. Begin with the sentence, 'This has been a time when...'
• The idea behind these exercises is to help you understand what is your present state of reality, what the past has meant to you, and what you want to do in the future. What have you learned? What satisfies and fulfills you? What makes you happy? What is your contribution to the world? How can these things be in harmony in your life? What are some small changes that you can make in your present reality that will help lead you towards the ideal?

VOTE: Campaign 2000(p. 225)
FC Article

• What are the problems that come to mind when you characterize the organization of U.S. government? in what ways do you see the presence of the Internet affecting, influencing, alleviating these problems of government? Can you think of an organizational example that might be a model for the government's adaption to the needs and spirit of the new economy?
• Can the Web change the character of governmental organizations? Will the Web play a role in making the government more flexible? More in touch with constituents? More accountable for its actions? How can the Web change the operations of government (systems, hierarchy, etc.)?
• What does presidential leadership in the new economy require? What are the fundamental qualities that Gore and Bush suggest are important? Do you believe that Gore and Bush possess these qualities? What steps can the candidates take to achieve these qualities of leadership? What actions will the candidates have to take to prove their commitment to the qualities that they espouse?
• How do Gore and Bush propose to change the education system of the new economy? What do you think is the key factor in improving the quality of public education in the United States? How does the web affect the state of public education (benefits and negatives)? If 'the Web is freeing people,' how can government ensure that this freedom is available to everyone? How, from a global perspective, can the future president ensure that this type of freedom be encouraged and achieved?
• Al Gore says, 'None of us is as smart as all of us.' Is this a fundamental idea of the new economy? How does this philosophy correspond with the concept of the 'global citizen'? If effectiveness as a nation depends upon being in touch with the opinions and insights of people at the grass roots, how can government encourage this relationship of responsive action with constituent communities? what affect will the web be able to have on the application of this philosophy in the international community?

Ann Karash contributed this month's Flash Points.

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