Leonard Cohen could do many things that only he could do, namely remain mercilessly himself as a pop star. Among other things, part of being a Leonard Cohen was his sinister grumbling song, which threw and still throws light into many people's lives.
Thus, in his "Anthem" on the album "The Future" from 1992, there is the message from his poetic world-viewing almanac, which is often quoted to this day
"There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in."
An official reference to the imperfection of life, which by its very nature cannot be perfect in a constant wave bath of coming into being, becoming and passing away, because it is life. Perfect, isn't it?
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In the blogcast, I read this recent blog article to you. With emphasis, of course!
Leonard Cohen's work accompanied many of these cracks in the life of his audience, imperfect and therefore just right because it was as it belonged. Grumbling has to be grumbling from the heart, otherwise it's not beautiful, but just superfluous proof that someone else is Bob Dylan.
Whenever I encounter these "Crack & Light" lines, I think of Kintsugi, the Japanese repair method in which broken ceramic vessels are artfully reassembled and their scars kept visible with gold lacquer. In this way, the refined fracture lines create a new work of art with a special aesthetic that often surpasses that of the original vessel, in all its truth of life. That's where the light gets out.
Kintsugi is grown on a root branch of wabi-sabi. Wabi-Sabi, the Zen-influenced art philosophy, is nourished by the acceptance of imperfection in the constant flow of all things, and is thus itself particularly nourishing in the constant flow of all things. This is the inner story of the Wabi Sabi works, which can then reveal itself to the viewer if enough entry points are open in the right places. Good art can do this, and it is precisely recognisable at the breaking point that the American artist Ed Ruscha described as follows: "Bad art makes you say 'Wow! Huh?' Good art makes you say 'Huh? Wow!'"
You certainly know people's faces with wrinkles and furrows that tell of lives lived, of laughter and crying, of struggle, worry and doubt as well as of joy, hope and enthusiasm - grumbling message songs from the vessels of searching souls that shine as golden as no face, no matter how smoothly ironed, can ever do, whose messages are ultimately nothing more than fake news anyway, which not even their producers really believe.
There's a crack in everyone - because sometimes the only thing that helps is what feels like a crack in the bowl for many, but actually loosens the screws so that light can be shed on things and something new can finally emerge that is important for the next chapter of the story. Departure is not called that for nothing.
Do creators destroy?
People, teams, companies and our society all need new beginnings. In this context, the Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter coined the term "creative destruction", an innovation model that you can easily implant in yourself as a company, for example, by attacking your business model before others do. My favourite story is that of Hermann & Thomas Neuburger, who, in their fourth generation of traditional butchers, are suddenly edifying palate, body and soul with the very best meat-free products. Joseph Schumpeter and Buckminster Fuller already meet to eat sausages and, in the general start-up buzz, enjoy what a phenomenal smart company can bring together.
For such things, you need entrepreneurial people, entrepreneurs, CEOs who are willing to put their own soup in the kintsugi bowl, then spoon it out with relish and serve as role models and mentors for others. Often also in personal exchange, which they are willing to do often and again. Mentors on call, as it were, to pave the way for change.
Change is, after all, the essence of every story - The Little ABC of the Hero's Journey - when, after setting out and proving ourselves, we finally have to make a comeback to our old world and change a lot there and hopefully improve it. And then the Little ABC also includes a D for Disruption, because there is always something, and if there is nothing, then Joseph Schumpeter is standing within earshot. Story living, you might say.
Then jump.
Hardly anyone knows more about how a jump can change one's life than Gregor Demblin, and that sometimes such a jump initially brings anything but light into one's life. Gregor's breathtaking story is an example for us all. In how he experienced it, how he dealt with it and how he transformed his entire life into a smart company that also manifests itself as a start-up and does what companies are supposed to do: have a positive impact. I'm already looking forward to Gregor joining me on the podcast soon.
If you want to know something about him and his story in advance, he has just published a book: "How I learned to love Plan B". The book is available on the story.one platform. The founder of story.one, Hannes Steiner, was also a guest on my podcast - you can find Gregor Demblin and his book here.
Gregor, Hannes, Nicole, Thomas, Hermann - these are entrepreneurial people of whom we cannot have enough in our time, through which wide gaps run in many places, over which surprisingly little light then penetrates. These people are leaders of our society. They are writing a new story that is not different from the previous one, not better or bigger, but a New Story. It is about you and me, about all of us and about what is needed. In the podcast episode "Wake up, everybody!" I share some thoughts with you. "New Story. New Glory." should be our heartfelt wake-up call and "Wake up, everybody!" our soundtrack.
Looking for something?
What many people everywhere lack, I notice in a breathtaking density, is perspective, orientation and focus. They are - we are - in search of this and need knowledgeable companions, role models and mentors. Sometimes coaching also has an effect. I am particularly pleased that I have already been able to support quite a number of people with my offer in the PowerHour.
And when I get feedback like this, my heart naturally swells:
"The PowerHour has changed my view of things. Because story - that's what I've learned - is a way of thinking in a new way. Away from being driven and towards becoming the director of one's own journey. Gives impetus, brain power and perspective."
"No one else has mastered the great art of asking questions like he has. He brings clarity where visions have become entangled. He is an encourager, instigator and critic and has shown me the way to my story. The world needs more people like him. ”
"Markus Gull guides you through the coaching process with in-depth knowledge, an incredibly broad repertoire of tools, smart questions, interesting suggestions and ways of thinking. 60 productive minutes and a summary afterwards: for me, everything achieved that I expect from really good coaching. ”
Not least because the next few months between "Second Wave" and "New Normality" will hardly tip perspective & orientation off the scarcity shelf, I have decided to keep the PowerHour open. It is, in short, intensive coaching at half the price, which has been worthwhile for every one of my coachees. You can find out more about this PowerCoaching here.
At some point, yes ... at some point ... enough people will have understood what the Corona Crack wanted, the world-spanning, world-connecting leap that makes our time so fragile in the process. And I hope we will then have enough gold at our disposal to cure him with glitter & glory. This gold is hidden in the cave we must venture into on our hero's journey - with a courageous leap, the "Leap of Faith." This cave is guarded by a dragon that looks confusingly like our greatest fear.
If we succeed, this chapter will be included by my grandmother of old Story Dudette in the anthology of luminous heroic history, an almanac entitled: "No Story. No Glory."