What a week this last one has been. I've watched those of us in the Christian world move through Christmas and all of us on the globe move into the New Year. Amazing no, 11 years ago, we thought the tech and banking connections of the globe would collapse, it didn't... 10 years ago the trade center towers did; this last year the banking world did collapse and still came out with bonuses and still holding "all" the money. And in 1 more year the Mayan's say we're all done... Chaos is constant.
Fundamental Capitalism is in a fight for its life as the complexity of the world and our interwoven nature of life simply demands social care at the same it demands free enterprise...
Enter skiing... again...
I'm struck that the skier/rider responsibility-safety code has relevance here. When its followed, the code provides us some pretty amazing wisdom on this second day of 2011. I paraphrase below:
- I am, we are, responsible to stay in control.
- I am, we are, responsible to not hit or impact the skiers or riders below me.
- I am, we are, responsible to look uphill before we start moving to avoid becoming a target.
- I am, we are, responsible to have some sort of brake system, protective device on our gear to avoid gear becoming a random missile.
- I am, we are, when stopped, responsible to stop in a place that is out of the way of others, safe for us and "them."
- I am, we are, responsible to know how to safely load and unload (get on or off) any lift onto which I journey...
- I am, we are, responsible to read and understand, posted signs and warnings.
Seems to me that these simple guidelines have some relevance to life in general. And, yes "stuff" happens.
Yesterday, I was on mountain, and the air temp without wind chill added, was -10F. When I took my young guest and his family in to warm up, there was a patrolman handing out hot cocoa to folks; young competitive skiers were there with coaches and volunteer moms/dads changing layers, hugging kids hard pressed to practice their skills to someday make it to a national team, regardless of frozen conditions; lift operators, perhaps the least thankless job on the mountain, yet critical for everyone's safety and happiness, as we move to keep warm, they stand, and smile and talk and somehow work to maintain their body temperature... all these folks at once sharing the common bond of what is at once both fun and hardship.
Okay, we're all skiing and riding... this wasn't an earthquake or tsunami or flood... but it was community, smiles of common bond, head nods and assistance when and wherever, without having to be ordered or cajoled into some way of behaving.
The skier/rider safety code doesn't take much to put into place... awareness yes, consciousness yes, choice yes.
Imagine if we stayed conscious about each other as community as a way to lead; as a way to get to profit as we step into 2011 and on...
This awareness of code, awareness of excellence and care for team in support of care of production... this collaborative journey's been a compass for me, my team, and our clients for two and half decades. My intuition is that this collective conscious awareness is the future if we are to do more than survive and actually... thrive.
Best to you this new year, 2011!
And oh, by the way...
Just in case, here's the actual skier/rider code:
- Always stay in control.
- People ahead of you have the right of way.
- Stop in a safe place for you and others.
- Whenever starting downhill or merging, look uphill and yield.
- Use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.
- Observe signs and warnings, and keep off closed trails.
- Know how to use the lifts safely.
NSAA copyright
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