Flip the Script Like a Visionary

Have you ever known or worked for people who had a bunch of big ideas but didn’t want to pitch in? That was the conversation that happened next to me at lunch one day. The women at the table over loudly discussed a new Fall initiative. But after 15 minutes, I realized I kept hearing the same phrase: “Somebody needs to do this.”

It was clear there were many tasks to be completed. However, they had decided they only had one job: Supervisor. Everyone else would have to roll up their sleeves!

That attitude made me groan—how about you? But here’s the upside: You don’t have to wait for the perfect, anonymous Somebody to show up and step up. Instead, you can decide you’re the Somebody. You’re the Somebody who has a big vision, is a leader, and has the dedication to get projects over the finish line. In the September series, Be the Somebody, we’ll talk about four inspiring personas and how you can use soft skills to step into that role.

First up, let me tell you how a regular guy turned a neighborhood around.

The Light Bulb Goes on for Ron Finley

Entrepreneur Ron Finley didn’t plan on becoming a guerilla gardener. His business was fashion, which he distributed to celebrity clients and through high-end stores like Nordstroms, Neiman Marcus, and Saks Fifth Avenue. But the state of his neighborhood in South Central LA pushed him into action.

People were in declining health and the cause was in plain sight: One fast food restaurant after another lined the streets. Soon, dialysis centers which Ron says “popped up like Starbucks” followed to treat adult-onset diabetes. He had a light bulb idea: They needed a neighborhood garden right in the middle of LA. The benefits were compelling: A stronger, better community, and the chance for every participant to take back their health by growing their own food (an especially important lesson for kids).

Whenever Ron is pitched to partner, he shuts down invitations to boring meetings in windowless conference rooms. Instead, he lights up talking about his “dig ins” filled with volunteers—there’s no commercial operation. He laughs, “If you want to meet with me, come to the garden with your shovel so we can plant some shit! Get gangsta with your shovel and let that be your weapon of choice.”

How to Use Soft Skills to Be the Somebody

Ron Finley’s story shows that the ability to turn problems into possibilities doesn’t depend on having the perfect qualifications or a huge staff. Instead, you can make your dream a reality by starting right where you are.

Are you like Ron, where your internal wisdom is urging you to Be the Somebody that leads a transformation? To get there, you’ll need to employ soft skills. For instance, turn to:

* Empathy to understand the current situation and learn how it got that way

* Creativity to envision a new North Star

* Adaptability to work around problems that are sure to arise

* Discernment to know what battles to fight and what to let go

Here are three ways for you to get started:

1. Make it fast by taking 30 seconds to declare, “I use my vision and insight to transform problems into possibilities.”
2. Make it deep by taking 30 minutes to reflect on a situation that might be calling your name. What do you see that no one else does? And how can your personal touch make a difference?
3. Make it real by digging in, whether you go big or take baby steps. Don’t wait for somebody to step in and create a solution. Be the Somebody that makes it happen.

Ron Finley describes a gangsta as: Projecting strength on one’s own terms, hip, cool, innovative, revolutionary, resolute, vital, the cutting edge. Be gangsta about your vision and flip the script from aspiration to realization.