"Turning Inspiration to Action" Paris Ramezanpour

"Still, five …

That’s because deciding and acting are not the same thing. We know this to be true, but how many times have you decided to learn something different but then found a year or two later, no progress had been made? Innovation happens only through action. No strategy is “great” until it is actually executed. And no one grows without making new choices.

Now, I just attended from the Fortune Most Powerful Women’s (MPW) conference, a few weeks back. In the course of a few days, I heard Swimmer Diana Nyad, Business Titan Warren Buffett (pictured in this post), IMF Chief Christine Lagarde, Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, and Spanx founder Sara Blakely… and so many other leaders think aloud. The span of topics covered the value of audacious goals, to ways to build a more workable workplace, and included specific product and marketplace strategies.

The point is: inspiration was plentiful. It would be so easy to leave something such as this with a warm glow in my heart, but not have it change me. But I've found that I grow by using the “action” muscle so I thought I’d share how to do this, even for something as simple as a conference.

1. Talk it out. Conferences often a deluge of many varied things. Ofttimes I let the ideas decompress – first. It may sound counter-intuitive, but you need to give yourself some space from the long days and over stimulation to let the conversations and ideas take root. After reflection, I saw a broad theme at Fortune was how leaders build great cultures and so I wrote that up, and shared it here. My husband is known to send trip reports to his work colleagues, especially after doing customer visits. A CEO buddy will do a company wide note when he sees industry trends worth noting. The best learning moment is a teaching (and now in this very socialera world, also a sharing) moment.
   
2. Cultivate relationships. Because networks are the new companies, tending relationships is a skill worth honing. I use cardmunch to convert business cards to contacts at LinkedIn. I also send quick personal follow-ups via email. Last year, at this same conference, I had met Sallie Krawcheck (banking executive extraordinaire), who now owns 85 Broads …but we barely talked this year. I noticed that just as I was writing a note to her to say I wished we had connected, she dropped me a quick line. Staying in touch, keeping it short, making it personal helps to build your community over time. I am just as likely to trade fashion notes with a CEO, as I am a major piece of research. It doesn't follow any specific regimen, but I do aim to be helpful. This year, I noted Jules Pieri, CEO of the Grommet, is working on changing the ratio in the financial investment community. I connected her to some data I could find, as well as brokered some introductions that I would be helpful to her. Helping others to accomplish their goals is an inherently self-less but social way of saying "I care about your goals". Don’t make it transactional, nor about you. Just do it because you care, knowing networks are how work gets done now-a-days.
   
3. Chase Your Curiosity. The most important resource we have in growing is our curiosity. I remember when I first heard Clay Christensen say that ‘without a good question, a good answer has no place to go.’ When I look down at my notes, I often see a page of questions. Those help formulate what ideas I'm curious about, what needs exploring. This conference I was curious about the role of data in society – especially as it relates to how power is being/will be reformulated. I met a former FCC commissioner, and I’m looking forward to learning more of her points of view (she’s sending me research and papers shortly) that will let me learn more about this subject matter.

The most important thing I’ve learned over the years is this: Move inspirations into action. Don’t be the frog who just sat there, I tell myself. Even a little jump today, might help me build a muscle for a bigger jump later."