In this Edition
1. Visionary Thinkers At Their Best
2. Inspirational Quotes
3. Recommended Reading
4. Services
5. Privacy Policy
Visionary Thinkers At Their Best
I was going through some old notes from my high school days in Manchester, England and came across some historical stories which I thought were as relevant today as they were all those years ago when I learned them. Actually at the time they probably did not mean as much to me as they did when I re-read them recently. I wanted to share them with you below.
Joseph Bazalgette was one of the great English civil engineers of the Victorian era. He was asked to build a sewer network for central London in the 1860’s to help relieve the city from a cholera epidemic and begin the clean up of the Thames river. He calculated the pipes based on the existing population – then he applied some “out of the box thinking” and doubled the size of the sewer pipes to provide for what he saw as the future population growth.
The citizens of London, England are sure happy he did that thinking, as without it, it is estimated that those sewers would have collapsed in the 1960’s. Bazalgette’s sewers are still in use today!
Isambard Kindom Brunel was one of most versatile engineers of the 19th century, responsible for the design of tunnels, bridges, railway lines and ships. He is probably best remembered for his construction of the tunnels, bridges and viaducts that would take the Great Western Railway across vast parts of Southern England and Wales in the 1830’s.
Brunel’s visionary thinking and planning laid the tracks in great sweeping areas across the countryside at the time because he foresaw that in centuries to come the line would need to handle trains at speeds far beyond comprehension in Victorian times. Brunel was right on with his assessment as today trains run at speeds unimaginable in those days. Many people who ride the railways in the UK are very indebted to him for going against conventional thinking at the time or limiting himself by what existed.
Lessons from these stories that can apply to our own businesses and personal lives:
1. Be forward thinking
2. Do not be afraid to go against the grain and stand up for what you believe in
3. Think outside of the box
4. Stand back and see the big picture before you make a decision; think of the future
5. Sharpen your pencil, be bold, imaginative and confident
6. Be a Visionary Thinker and action focused; create your vision, articulate that vision and execute that vision
7. There comes a time when one has to stop talking, thinking and writing, and start doing
I am sure there are many more but those are the main ones that come to mind right now. Think of your own life and what lessons and nuggets you can take and apply from the stories of these two great but not so well known people to be a visionary and out of the box thinker.
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES
“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one might do” Thomas Jefferson
RECOMMENDED READING
Change Leadership: Inform, Involve, Ignite! By Robert L. Harris
Bob Harris is a highly accomplished, very successful, and in demand speaker, trainer and consultant, This book gives you tips, tools and templates for succeeding at organizational change. The models and examples are easy to follow and there is a wealth of knowledge that can be easily applied to the inevitable and constant change challenges. It is an excellent read and laid out in a practical way. Bob’s common sense terms make it a very easy, useful, and interesting read.
