Have you ever had the “bucket list” conversation? You know the one. People share their list of extraordinary things to do before they die. It’s a conversation I have resisted. It isn’t the list part; it’s the die part.
While I really haven’t spent time thinking about and planning for fabulous goals, I believe I still have achieved some of them. Most recently I met one of those non-goals through an adventure with my two sons. As we stood in Iceland looking out at a glacier, I found myself saying, “I think this is on my Back-Bucket List*.” Interestingly enough, both my sons understood what I was saying. While I didn’t plan this adventure on any particular list, once it was done, I realized that it was something meaningful and memorable. It could have been on that kind of list and thus was worthy of celebration.
How does this apply to organizations? While it is important to be strategic and have clear goals, back-bucketing may be a good thing. Here’s why:
So this is my challenge for you and your organization: plan well, but keep an eye out for the Back-Buckets in your life.
* ©Thom Peters 2018 Yes I made this word up. My blog, my words.
Me and my sons, Daniel and Jared. Iceland 2018.