Context Is Decisive

Hi everyone, this is Mike Lipkin and I’m thrilled to talk with you. People often want my opinion on the most important principle of success. I respond with a single word: context. Context means the interrelated conditions in which something occurs. It comes from the Latin word contexere which means “to weave or join together.” The people with the greatest understanding of the context in which they operate are the ones that will lead the way. They are the ones that can anticipate and adapt fastest to massive change.

I call those people The Potentiators. They create the future because they’re constantly looking for it. They see the patterns and connect the dots so that others can follow them. In this short video, I want to play that role for you so you can win in a post vaccine world. So here are the eight great transformative trends that are remodelling the future. As the Potentiator, your mission that you’ve already accepted is to transfer these ideas across all your communities to keep the cycle of innovation turning

1. Personal Wellness: from sidebar to main-thing
   The opposite of wellness is not disease. It’s ignorance. Ignorance isn’t bliss; it can be fatal. Covid elevated self-care to the top of all our agendas. “Staying safe” now means protection against disease and dis-ease. Prior to Covid, the majority of people treated their personal wellbeing as an afterthought. Now wellness is the No. 1 issue because it drives the success of everything else. As The Potentiator, you must take great care of yourself so you can take great care of others. Are you?
2. Life Integration: the merging of home and office.
   We’re working where we live and living where we work. All separation is futile. Being able to navigate the new professional realm means mentally commuting while you switch rooms. The office is where you go to physically meet people so you can brainstorm and bond. Home is where you do the work that can be done solo or online. As The Potentiator, you must demonstrate professional ambidexterity. Do You?
3. Avatar Evolution: mastering hybrid communication.
   No matter what comes next, online will coexist with in-person. We’re all part avatar, part flesh-and-blood. Being able to toggle back and forth effectively between physical and virtual communication will be a core capability. It’s not good enough just being good enough. You have to be great on Teams, Zoom or Webex. Every conversation will become more valuable in the face of everything else competing for people’s attention. As The Potentiator, you must inhabit the avatar that best expresses your true self. Are you?
4. Everyday Activism: the rise of ESG.
   It’s not just about doing things right; it’s about doing the right things. Environmental, social and governance considerations are dictating how and where resources are being invested. We’re voting with our attention, time and dollars. Stewardship, social-justice and ethical leadership is everybody’s business. They must permeate your language and guide your actions. As The Potentiator, you must be seen to walk the ESG talk. Are you?
5. Earned Trust: The drive for dependability.
   In the maelstrom of continuous, cataclysmic change, we crave the familiar. In the face of gargantuan challenges, we want trusted champions by our side. We turn to people and brands that have proven their dependability. We seek the comfort of confidantes who have come through for us in the crunch moments. Our greatest resource is go-to people who will help us raise our game. As The Potentiator, every action must build others’ belief in you. Do they?
6. Moonshot Mindset: The outsizing of ambition.
   The astonishing consequence of the immediate Covid aftermath has been the explosion of innovation and breakthroughs in almost every category. From financial services to healthcare to entertainment to government to entrepreneurship, the notion of impossible has been totally redefined. Along with great misery came some great miracles. If you can dream it, you can do it faster and smarter than ever before. As The Potentiator, you must create by example. Are you?
7. Collective Connection: exchange to grow.
   Nothing brings people together like an unprecedented pandemic. It’s a universal experience that instantly establishes common ground. It sparks curiosity about how others are handling it and compassion for the toll it has taken. It’s the first thing we want to know when we meet. It also motivates each of us to share more of ourselves than we ever would have previously. Zoom has brought us into people’s homes and offered a window into their personal lives. We’re being enriched by each other’s perspective. As The Potentiator, you must create an exchange that enables others to grow. Are you?
8. Personal Accountability: It’s up to you, along with everyone else.
   Covid set in motion a 21st-century renaissance that is inviting each of us to re-examine our contribution. Automatic pilot is not an option. Neither is withdrawal, resignation or abdication. Just standing on the sidelines or bellowing from the bleachers won’t make the difference others are counting on you to deliver. Every person matters. As The Potentiator, you must inspire others by playing your role the best way you can. Are you?

This is Mike Lipkin and I hope you feel empowered to thrive on the eight great transformative trends. Let’s talk about how we can create the best context for all your team members to create the future together. Until then, remember: if you want to go far, go with the flow. The trends are your friends. Carpe contexere.