What can happen when you leave the tap on?

I find myself in a common place, I know it is common because of the amount of clichés to describe it. For example:  “You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink”.

So often I hear people dissatisfied with their lot, the way things are around here, the way things should be different. If only were we more like them over there, those ideas were tried, we did something different.

The problem with this quest for leadership: For someone else to effect the changes on our behalf, and to our specification is that we seem unable to articulate what we want or recognise it when it is there.

For example: Russell Brand ranting that he doesn’t like the political system and that nobody should vote. Too late it seems to dawn on him that the way to change a political system is to vote for a different one. Far from helping his followers the self-nominated guru of change disenfranchised them and left them in the wilderness whilst the others take the spoils.

Sharing knowledge is hard, because you should neither preach nor teach but simply make available the possibilities. This is because you can only teach according to the others’ willingness, capacity, capability or desire to learn.  The same is true of any rehab, it cannot start until the candidate really , really wants it to start. That is usually at rock bottom.

Are enough people at rock bottom to start a revolution or even evolution?  I don’t think Russell Brand is at rock bottom. He seems to be doing OK.

Knowledge is a bit like water, it is all around us but it is pretty difficult to consume it without a glass which gives it meaning: it becomes a drink, rather than something to float upon, bathe in or surf along.

Running events like ciChange and TEDxStHelier I’ve realised that I’ve left the tap on. There is so much knowledge and opportunity there for everyone, but I haven’t provided any cups or glasses to explain how this might quench their thirst.

The last ciChange event attracted over 200 people, the  next TEDxStHelier will have an audience limited to 100 (TED Talks and the TEDx franchise is strictly controlled) I can fly in speakers from all over the world, setting stages and film crews, provide a show, a fair, food and drink. I am be the impresario but it is rather like pushing string, it only really goes anywhere if someone at the other end is pulling.

So rather than do a Russell Brand and tell you to rebel against the system by staying at home and doing nothing I’m going to tell you that we have a broad and eclectic range of speakers from arts, science, technology and business who may be able to transform your world with their insights.

We have a Tech Fair, where you can look at that world from a Drone’s view or Virtual Reality and you can talk with the thought leaders, entrepreneurs and theorists, as well as the practical people making it happen.

Please bring your own cup, bowl, glass, bath, surf board or boat. I’m not going to tell you what this should mean for you. I’m providing the water it’s up to you what you do with it. I’m not a leader, I am not Russell Brand, I’m simply the guy that turned that tap on.

USEFUK LINKS

Come to TEDxStHelier 6 June 2015 http://www.tedxsthelier.com/

THE AUTHOR

Tim Rogers is an experienced Project and Change Leader. He is founder of www.ciChange.org and curator for www.TEDxStHelier.Com . He is Programme Manager for the commercialization of Jersey Harbours and Jersey Airport, and previously Operations Change and Sales Support for RBSI/NatWest, and Project Manager for the Incorporation of Jersey Post. He is also Commonwealth Triathlete and World Championships Rower with a passion for teaching and learning and is a Tutor/Mentor on the Chartered Management Institute courses. He is a Chartered Member of the British Computer Society, has an MBA (Management Consultancy) and is both a PRINCE2 and Change Management Practitioner.

Tim HJ Rogers   

PRINCE2 - MBA (Consultancy) - APMG Change Practitioner

Http://www.timhjrogers.com | Twitter @timhjrogers | Skype @timhjrogers | Mobile: 07797762051

Curator TEDxStHelier (http://www. TEDxStHelier.com)

Founder ciChange (http://www. ciChange.org)