What’s your metaphor?
I read a great post some time ago over on Creativethink.com by Roger von Oech . Roger uses a metaphor exercise during his workshop to get his participants to think about their company culture and persona (my own extrapolation of what Roger is saying). Here’s the original post on his blog.
Roger inspired me to fire up my favorite text editor and write a couple metaphors for exceler8. Make one of your own and post it on your blog or here (I’d love to hear from you). Be serious or have some fun (or both).
exceler8 as a science lab
Our company is a like a science lab at Princeton. There are a bunch of smart people from all different walks of life all mixing up ingredients in the belief that we’ll invent the next wonder drug. We enjoy it when our experiment blows up because the explosion is both entertaining and educational and because we know we’ve just moved one step closer to creating our vision.
exceler8 as an API for people
exceler8 is like an API for people. We know how to plug in or connect systems (people) that speak different languages (knowledge) with divergent protocols (practices) but share a common end and are both stronger from the combination in achieving it.
Hmmm. What do you think? I like the blowing up/science lab metaphor because it seems like real life and captures some of my real nature. The second one is attractive to me because it’s a little clever and cheeky which is also like me (well, I said a little didn’t I!)
Technorati Tags: Corporate Culture, Strategic Planning, Employer Branding
EXCELER8ion is where Shannon and Julian Seery Gude write on Social Media & Recruiting, Digital Marketing, Technology, Internet Business, and other Geekiness. 
10 comments ↓
EXCELER8 is cool. That’s not a metaphor. It’s a fact.
Since I’m in “transition” right now, my company is Me, Inc…it’s like Rober Frost’s poem about a walk in the forest and “miles to go before I sleep”…or the infamous NY Yankees’ cathcher, Johnny Bench’s comment (I think it belongs to him) “when you come to a fork in the road, take it.” I take them all these days. Networking is like taking every fork in the road…or tapping on and navigating hotlinks as they hit your windshield…or like Virginia Satir’s (family therapist) method of linking family members with string to emphsize their connectedness and the impact they all have on each other. Hello LinkedIn!! Nice to meet you Jules and Shannon (Shannon, I met you at the Tribune in April for info session–for your corporate gig–regarding seach engine optimization…and here I am. Thank You!!
Norm – thanks for stopping by and contributing. Frost is beautiful and so is Johnny Bench!
I have not heard of Virginia Satir – I need to check her out (I like the string metaphor). Most intriguing to me is your idea of “navigating hotlinks” as they hit your windshield. With hotlinks are you referring to web links? I just want to make sure that I got your metaphor correctly. Your windshield as a touch screen? I will send as Linkedin invite and Shannon and I would recommend you join Facebook for social/business networking if you haven’t already. Cheers!
Ami – takes a cool cat to know one. ‘Nuff said.
Hi, good post Julian. I’m working on one for my company right now.
I prefer the API one but that’s probably because I am a geek.
Julian, thanks for the invite to LinkedIn. I sent you an email response, but I’m learning that email is so 90’s…a black and white, dark, closet channel. Now, I’m tip toeing into this new naked technicolor social medium. Some of us older boomers take a little longer to adjust, but I’m getting there. Yes, the windshield is the touch screen. And, I will be hopping onto Facebook. I feel a little like a parent intruding into my kids’ party. Thanks again for connecting.
Thanks Norm. I got your email. You’re right – email is dead as an effective relationship communications medium. Too much occupational spam. Thanks for connecting on LinkedIn. I’ll be looking for you on Facebook (which at present I only marginally like but certainly prefer over MySpace which I loathe.
Julian, I’m slowly getting it…thanks for the coaching..I’ll get there soon. What’s the most effective medium to communicate with you?
N.
Hi Norm,
I’m glad you’re getting it – I wonder if I am half the time.
I think everyone is in the same boat because we’re trying to figure out what works best. As for communications with me the answer is ‘it depends.’
What do you want to accomplish? All of the normal methods work. It’s just about which one works best for what we’re trying to do. Phone, blog, email, face-to-face conferences, the bar, they all have their strengths and weaknesses don’t you think?
Is there anything specific I can help with or that you want to talk about?
Leave a Comment