E-couragement: IT'S OK TO TOUCH…

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” Albert Einstein My wife and I recently spent a week in Asheville, NC---a beloved vacation spot for us. In addition to enjoying the mountain air, local cuisine, and talented street musicians, one of our favorite pastimes in Asheville is to visit the eclectic mix of art galleries and museums. It’s interesting how life can throw amazing learning opportunities in your path at the most unexpected times. It was while visiting two different art galleries that we witnessed first-hand what it truly means to create an engaging culture. It was an experience we’ll not soon forget.

After purchasing our tickets at one museum gallery, we were handed a pamphlet listing eleven sacred guidelines designed to “help make your visit more enjoyable.” Among those:

• Please do not touch the walls, frames or glass.
• Please do not stand too close to the artwork.
• Please do not point at the artwork.
• (And, our favorite, the puzzling…) Please go outside to…ride your Segway.

The staff stealthily hid behind desks rather than interacting with visitors, yet appeared out of nowhere to scold me for violating one of their commandments (as I inadvertently placed my hand on the wall to read the description of a piece of art). When it came time to leave, feeling bored and uninspired, we joked about asking for a refund and the hour of wasted lifetime we’d never get back.

What a contrast to our experience at the Jonas Gerard Fine Art Gallery. Upon entering the inviting, bright and open gallery we were greeted by Gerard’s original work and several signs that boldly stated, “IT'S OK TO TOUCH.” He had a world map with the question “Where are you from?” Alongside the map was a box of colored push pins. The map was covered with hundreds of multi-colored pins representing visitors and customers from around the globe.

We were delighted when, moments later, the white bearded, raspy voiced Gerard entered the gallery and began interacting with visitors. Throwing back his head and shaking with hearty laughter, he took the time to display various works under special lighting and discuss the pieces with those gathered round him.

Later, he gamely posed for a picture with my emerging artist wife and spoke personally with us for 30 minutes. Yet, our conversation had little to do with his artwork. Instead he encouraged my wife, Ivy, to pursue her love of art as a healing modality for her stage four breast cancer. He breathed inspiring words into Ivy about artistic expression and surviving cancer (himself a 16-year survivor of larynx cancer), causing tears of belief and gratitude to well up in her eyes and cascade down her cheeks. The experience left us feeling inspired with a renewed sense of well being. We plan to return again and become collectors of his work.

It’s hard to imagine that these polar opposite experiences were both created intentionally. Our gallery encounters reflected two vastly different organizational cultures: one that honors people and interacting with them, another which values rules and regulations. Sadly, many people exist in similar soul sapping, process focused environments for a majority of their working lives. In these cultures, greater respect is given to the hallowed pages of the Employee Policy and Procedure Manual than to the employees themselves.

The formula for an engaging culture is amazingly simple, yet dishearteningly rare. People before product. Interaction over procedure. Jonas Gerard gets it. Focus on people and your product flows. The stodgy museum approach is wallowing in a model that’s out of touch with the people and wholly focused on its product.

What does your team/business culture resemble?  If your employees were interviewed about their work experience, how would they respond—Gerard Gallery or Stuffy Museum? Innovative, creative, inspiring, and people focused or cold, dreary, uninspiring, and procedure focused? Your business is your art and it reflects who you are. What is it saying?

Leave your comments: How has your organization succeeded in creating an engaging work culture?

**Click here to see Jonas Gerard in action as he paints and talks about the beauty of “letting go.”