South by
Definition for the ones that still do not know about SXSW in Austin, Texas:
Silicon Valley startup mentality dropped into hippie town of Texas.
It is a mixture of weird workshops, good speakers, global audience (6 figures), pricy and packed but friendly all town event for almost 3 weeks. You have a choice of 100+ daily events ranging from knitting to military leadership lectures from edu to gaming. NOT forgetting the music and festivities surrounded by the event.
This time there were three of us.
The three cowboys: me, Toni and Gerhard.
Here are few takeaways in short:
1. Human race has never experienced the current momentum. We are living in the middle of the S-curve where most of the laws of nature to society and economy cease to apply and new methods need to be invented. . The next 20-30 yrs will be times unrest to stabilize the global situation. This means change to our daily routines/habits and people have hard time accepting the new truth. In the individual level you can do the following:
- Learn to listen other people and be empathetic and human
- Try to push change in your local environment (family,community, neigbourhood)
- Support change in big picture
- Remain optimistic
McKeel Hagerty gave the most inspiring leadership talk. He has a book coming out soon.
These are some of the new leadership challenges we face according to McKeel Hagerty.
2. New challenging era in leadership
Current leadership faces currently a long list challenges, maybe it’s a longer and more complex list than ever in the history of leadership. Take for example a random issue like longevity. To cope with that list demands personal skills that are not taught in any leadership crash course or university. They all deal with your personality and sad to say but those are one of the hardest things to change and faking them is not making them. People will see immediately through you if your heart is not there. Let’s take a look at some of the challenges:
Know yourself and let everyone else know you too. Who are you and where are heading? Ask yourself the big 5 questions.
Manage your limits and appetites. Can you take a break and distance to issues?
Know the world, filter it through you and seek for better explanations. World is complex. What is real and what is not?
Be highly empathetic and inclusive. Are you human and a good listener?
Can you create and communicate a context and meaning of success through rituals and a good story everyone can follow?
Can you lead us toward a flourishing future and eudaimonia (the right actions that result in the well-being of an individual) ?
Do these match with you? You just got hired or fired!
Check your facts!
Wanna shake?
3. Cannabiz
Let’s get two things right about Cannabis:
CBD: This chemical has strong health related benefits
THC: This chemical has strong head related benefits.
And these two can be separated in laboratory.
It’s happening right now thanks to Canada, who legalized cannabis 17.10.2018. Now all countries are forced to put up cannabis strategy due to Canada’s act in their territories. In the US all states have their own legislation from licenses to packaging.
Why? There is an opportunity and money to be made. Pressure comes also that doing nothing is not an option and that will have serious side effects in local politics, health, criminal and economics.
Someone said once that if alcohol be invented now, it would be banned as a hard and harmful drug.
Cannabiz is currently estimated to be worth 12bn dollars annually with a very disruptive effect on for example alcohol industry and therefore tax revenue. In cannabis legalized states consumption of alcohol has dropped 12% so far.
Once the products are ready and available in your local store, which will take some time, you will wonder why it took so long. Finland most likely will follow last... again.
4. And thank God then the good old Texas Blues! Halleluja!