Let Your Freak Flag Fly!
If you remember the 1960's and 70's, you will think of the deep divide that existed in our country. A chasm that divided our youth and all things political or government. It was a decade plus of turmoil that centered on Vietnam and Richard Nixon. In the spring of 1970, the Ohio National Guard stormed a protest at Kent State and killed four students. A few years later, Nixon was impeached. The looming counter-culture took their cues from the music and their right to protest. Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young toured the country in 1974 fanning the flames of protest. A favorite song, "Almost cut my hair" contained the following lines:
It happened just the other day
Was gettin kind of long
Could have said is wasn't my way
But I didn't I wonder why
Feel like lettin my freak flag fly
I was young then and influenced by the music and the fight. My parents wouldn’t let me go to Woodstock at ten (I tried, though, my buddies and I had a plan). The effects of this generation are still alive and serving me well today. My wife and I have collected Peace signs for years; they are all around our house and property. I have a drawer of tie-dyed shirts and never pass up the chance to buy another.
My first big presentation in the corporate world was in my early twenties. I presented to the Head of Consumer Banking at Chase Manhattan Bank. I wore my blue suit, white shirt and suspenders (with spit shined wing tips). Under the suit I wore a Jimi Hendrix t-shirt. No one knew, but I was letting my freak flag fly. My idea was to use ATM screens to announce job openings for tellers in branches with vacancies. Just put your card and password into the ATM. If you were looking for a job once you took your cash, you could step inside the branch and apply (or tell a friend).
Brilliant, I thought.
The executive wasn't too pleased I wanted to use the cash machines as the world’s first electronic job board. He did agree to put the help wanted ads in the subway stations close to branches that had vacancies. My fall back idea won the day, but hardly moved the needle. A counterpart of mine then took my idea to subway cars and did move the needle. In business, that was radical in the mid-eighties.
I’ve counted the years I have been in large enterprises, and it now totals 17. It's amazing how many good ideas I’ve seen get kicked to the curb, stolen and called new, or just flat squashed. Not long ago, I was working for the software arm of a big company. I had dreamt up an idea to automate the marketing, sales to support process. A dozen technologies that all talked to each other and our website. I had to pitch my idea to a senior banker to get approval. Under my blue suit, white shirt, suspenders (with spit shined shoes) I had a surprise. I had worn my Neil Young Harvest shirt. Spirited; I made my pitch. He approved and today there are more than 2000 users of the technology across the company. Go figure.
Now I am in a small company again where flying my freak flag doesn't need much wind. We're fueled by some new ideas, a good attitude and the desire to do great things. Today, we head towards the next brick wall and are destined to crash into it or sail clear over.
My best, Chris
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