Saturday, April 10, 2021

Agile culture: The story of one man sharing his Caribbean culture


Every morning, as I scan through my new emails and social media, I find at least one gold nugget that I want to share.  Since my Agile/Happiness workshop is on my mind, I'm specifically looking for examples of people "being Agile"! 

This morning I found this video that was posted by Growing Bolder.

Culture is defined as: "The customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group."

The video is about David Muir, a native Jamaican who after years of exploring different passions, started a museum, Island Space, in South Florida to share the Caribbean culture.

Though we usually think of "culture" in terms of geography, there is also an organizational culture. There are several things about this story that demonstrate the mindset that is encouraged in Agile cultures.

1) An attitude of experimentation and learning.  A lot of people talk about passion as if it's this one thing and that should help us choose our career.  Those who don't know what that one thing is, may feel like they're wasting their lives in the "wrong" career.  But it's through experimentation and learning that we grow and discover our passions.  These can lead to new passions.  We don't know what we don't know until we start trying things.

2) Finding a "safe space to be himself."  One key part of an Agile culture is that there is safety and freedom to be genuine. An agile culture is one which promotes authenticity and acceptance. 

3) "My time zone is a place called happiness," says Muir. He talks about having a happiness mindset which sets the tone and dynamic for everyone around him.

4) His tenacity, grit, and commitment to growth.  Muir talks about the determination not to be discouraged or let a naysayer keep him from moving forward. If anything, any mention that something couldn't be done, just challenged Muir to find a solution.  An adaptive, innovative, and growth mindset are other traits of an agile culture.

Overall, his optimism and can-do attitude in pursuing his dreams have led David Muir on a path to success! 

I guess the Caribbean culture and the Agile culture have a lot in common!

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