A Very Small Bit of “No”

John Carver is famous for describing a way to run organizations that has turned everything upside down. Normally, leaders have to ask for permission to do anything new. Then the idea is filtered painfully through one or more layers of leadership where it is in almost everyone’s interest to say ‘no’. Why? Because change represents a risk – and people don’t like taking those.

Under Carver’s model, however, leaders are given a short list of things they can’t do right from the start and everything else is left to them. It’s like saying to a leader, “Outside this short list of things you must avoid, you can do absolutely anything else that fits with the vision and values of this organization.” It’s a very refined, elegant way of saying, “Go nuts.”

Interestingly, it’s also how God set up His garden in Genesis chapters 1 through 3. He put our ancestors in the center of it and said, “Outside of these two trees which you must not touch, you can have absolutely anything and everything else in sight.” Which is also a more refined and elegant (but slightly qualified) way of saying, “Go nuts.”

Approaches like these are designed to tap our greatest creative potential because you’re not stuck always having to ask permission. Boundaries are set, permission is given and you are left to your possibilities.

It’s also something stunningly true of your whole life. You’ve been given a short list of things to avoid: things like bitterness, selfishness and a lack of self control, but apart from that, you have 7 continents, 6 billion people, 360 degrees and 70 years. And if you train your ears, then you can also pick up a still small voice in the background which is whispering, ‘Go nuts.’

All of this is something I’d like to pursue further on Sunday August 24th with the question, “What have you been given?” Join us for coffee before either of our Sunday celebrations or tune into the podcast through the week.

Chris