Late Apple founder Steve Jobs used to say he wanted people to “think different.”
That wasn’t a grammatical mistake.
Jobs was different. Walter Isaacson’s book, Steve Jobs, painted Jobs as a man obsessed with realizing his visions. Jobs’ visions were crystal clear. His standards were unforgiving. None of his pursuits followed anyone or any group.
The physical works he left behind, aside from Apple Inc. itself – the world’s first consumer laptop (the Macintosh) and the first true smartphone (the iPhone) – transformed our world.
A lifetime of introspection, imagination, courage, self-acceptance and other experiences were poured into the Apple Macintosh and the first iPhone, mostly thanks to Jobs, co-founder Steve Wozniak and their team of engineers and designers.
Jobs knew that no ideas, feelings or thoughts exist in a vacuum. By promoting the notion of “think different,” he broke pre-existing mental, emotional and intellectual conventions to produce something completely different.
Similarly, the team at HomeEc has developed its own cultural and philosophical framework that guides their perceptions, reactions, thoughts and work.
Like Jobs’ iPhone, the HomeEc team’s first three tiny-home (or accessory dwelling unit) models are not an end to themselves; they represent the group’s core tenets and values:
Finding Yourself and Your Curiosity
Focusing on oneself might sound … well, selfish. But without reflecting on our own perceptions, experiences, biases and our personal development, we can’t objectively address the problems in the world around us.
Once freed of preconceptions, we can tackle problems with a childlike curiosity, face challenges with an open mind, and ask questions and solve problems without fear of judgment. One real-world example of this approach is when the founders of HomeEc saw the panel-construction technology used for large homes, they immediately envisioned applying the solution to tiny homes (accessory dwelling units – ADUs), so they could help solve the global housing shortage.
Leading by Empowering Others
Conventional thought defines leadership as telling people what to do. HomeEc leadership involves helping partners understand their power to make a difference, and then giving them the freedom (and means) to act. So, rather than managing (or micromanaging) people, leadership means motivating people to solve problems themselves. Non-binary – or flexible – thinking is a key element here, as is paradoxical thinking, which encourages individuals to seek insights from within and without. This also sort of thinking encourages people to consider a range of actions – even options outside of comfort zones – rather than “this or that” thinking. For example, when HomeEc learned its business model resembled Levitt & Sons – who mass-produced tiny homes in the 1950s, but wouldn’t sell to minorities – the leaders of HomeEc embraced the similarities and differences, to contrast itself as a minority-owned builder that will sell to everyone.
Innovating Through Fearlessness
Those who innovate must embrace uncertainty. But first, we must acknowledge the fear that often accompanies uncertainty. The leaders believe that by acknowledging and accepting fear, it no longer is an obstacle. The result is, rather than avoiding the unknown out of fear, HomeEc leaders view the unknown as an opportunity.
Aside from fearlessness, truth and rationality also drive innovation at HomeEc. Yet what was true decades ago, or even yesterday, might be obsolete today. That’s why it’s important to question accepted truths when seeking out answers and solutions. Similarly, within an organization, individuals must frequently take part in self-reflection and self-awareness, to make sure they’re growing and adapting as dynamics change.
Harmony Through Self-Acceptance, Courage and Compassion
HomeEc views self-acceptance, courage and compassion as integral in realizing organizational and personal harmony.
Accepting oneself for one’s abilities and limitations often means coming to grips with his or her humanity. And once one understands their own humanity, it will see the humanity in others. Finding courage often means facing one’s beliefs, and facing down lies about oneself, or told about others. Courage also means making an organization’s cause bigger than oneself.
Compassion, meanwhile, allows us to see situations from another person’s perspective, to understand what needs to be done, and then doing something about it. An organization will never realize its mission without first finding compassion. Compassion should never be confused as pity.
That sums up the framework that makes the leaders of HomeEc tick. In further installments, you’ll see how those values and tenets apply in the real world.