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At Keukenhof Tulip Farm in the Netherlands, there’s a pond with stepping stones that are sometimes submerged just beneath the surface of the pond. You can still walk on them (it looks like you’re walking on water!), but you can’t see the next step until you’re standing on the one right before it.
Exploring the unknown is like this. As much as we might like to plan, we don’t know the future. Most of the time, we can’t see the next right step until it’s right in front of us, and sometimes even that step takes time to appear.
At Redmond, we have a culture of exploring the unknown because life is full of unknowns. Plus, possibilities are exciting!
We love playing with new ideas and learning new concepts. This practice of exploration also gives us the confidence to try new things because we know we’ll keep exploring to figure it out as we go and pivot as needed. (This is why we keep talking and sharing what we’re seeing. We’re not just talking about the same plan over and over!)
We also challenge widely accepted paradigms and false dichotomies, even if we don’t always have a perfect model for enacting the paradigms and ideals we replace them with.
Most of all, we’re stubborn about creating the best imaginable. After all, pursuing what’s possible is part of our vision:
We want to live in a world with people who are eager for self-discovery.
Where those intentional and aware individuals come together to form exceptional teams.
And where those teams come together to pursue what’s possible and make contributions that really matter.
In order to pursue what’s possible, we have to imagine, which means exploring the unknown.
What does our culture of exploration look like?
How does this actually look in practice for a company with 700ish people (and growing!)?
Our core values encourage exploration
We chose our core values partially BECAUSE they foster exploration. You simply can’t develop these values without a LOT of exploring.
Passion for Contribution requires us to explore how we can be the most helpful and contribute in an impactful way.
Occhiolism means knowing that our perspective is limited, and that we need to explore other perspectives constantly so we can find clarity as a group.
Ubuntu involves exploring how we impact the people around us and vice versa. It’s exploring ourselves and others so we can see the people around us clearly and function together more effectively.
Reflection is just another word for exploring what’s happening around us and what’s already happened so we can learn from it and move forward with that wisdom.
Renewal also requires exploration because it’s so much more than naps and bubble baths. Learning and exploration is a very meaningful form of renewal on its own, and we also explore how to make our growth and journey sustainable by supporting our body, heart, mind, and spirit.
Redmond Lean: Continuous exploration for continuous improvement
We also pursue continuous improvement of our processes, a process we call “Redmond Lean” or “Kaizone.”
Exploration is the essence of this practice, because in order to improve something, we have to deeply understand it. And this requires—you guessed it—lots of exploration, observation, asking questions, experimenting, and tweaking.
We try to avoid the pitfalls of “knowing”
As Liz Wiseman says in her talk “The Power of Not Knowing,” “Who wants a job you’re qualified for? There’d be nothing to learn.”
We try to approach each situation with a beginner's mindset, because we’ve never encountered this exact situation before, even if we’ve been in situations with some similarities. We’ve never worked with this exact group of people and these exact market conditions and this exact product mix and this exact customer base and…well, you get the picture.
When we approach a situation with a sense of exploration, we can actually see possibilities instead of locking ourselves into plans that may not work for our current circumstances. Those “tried and true” methods only replicate results that others have achieved. We're striving for the best possible outcome, not something we’ve seen before.
Side note: This is why we’re wary of experts and expertise. All the experience in the world does no good if you can’t be flexible, if you can’t keep learning, and if you just stick to what you know.
“Some people say they have 20 years of experience, when in reality, they have 1 year's experience repeated 20 times.” - Stephen M. R. Covey
Ideally, an expert has explored a lot in an area and wants to keep exploring with us. These people might have valuable perspectives to share and a vast library of knowledge and resources, but they must remain curious about their area as well because the more you really understand, the more you’ll realize there's so much more to explore.
We explore and grow as a group
"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change." - Charles Darwin
Exploration is a crucial part of our routine.
We explore new concepts together in our culture meetings, Kaizone meetings, seminars, and retreats.
We learn about our 3 Circles Journey, which is a journey of exploring where we’re most helpful, what we’re wired for, and what fills our cup, in that order. Then we explore where all those things overlap.
Everyone here helps each other on their paths because we can’t do any of this alone. We need each other’s perspectives and support. None of this is a solo endeavor!
We also have a lot, a LOT, of conversations. Different teams and groups meet frequently to research, seek new perspectives and ideas, discuss what’s going on inside and outside the company, and even just get to know each other.
Meetings get a bad rap. They’re often the butt of office jokes, and for good reason, but these meetings aren’t waffling or wasting everyone’s time with information that should have been an email. They’re about exploring, which takes time. But once we reach clarity, we can be much more effective. We aim, then shoot.
This exploration and constant flow of information are the lifeblood of Redmond!
We get direction from group exploration
Sometimes people outside of Redmond ask us, “Who tells you what to do?”
In operational roles and day-to-day stuff, it might be obvious what to do. But when there’s no clear next step, like when it comes to improving processes, working through snags, or creating something new, where do we get our direction?
This is when we explore and figure it out as a group. We have conversations about what’s going on, what we’re seeing, what it means, and what we do next. Then we decide what to do with that info.
That doesn’t mean it’s always a perfect consensus, because it’s not. We do our best with the perspective we have, and we’re not afraid to put an idea on hold while we keep exploring.
Ideally, we explore until the next step becomes clear, like that next stepping stone in the pond.
This is a messy process, but it’s a far more effective and nimble way to make sure what we’re doing is relevant.
Different personalities, different ways to explore
Individuals make up the group, so it’s important that we all have this mindset of exploration.
That being said, some personalities and work styles take to exploration like a duck to water, while others are naturally more cautious and prefer set rules and processes.
So how do we explore together?
Not every person needs to be involved in the intense, big-picture exploration process. Some people LOVE the exploration piece. They love talking about ideas and playing things out and researching and toying with possibilities. Others…not so much.
But just as a very tactical person who thrives in operations might not be helpful in big picture budget discussions, a big idea person might not be helpful when exploring the best way to run a certain process on a team.
No work style is right or wrong. We need everyone. We need structure and get-it-done energy just like we need ideas and brainstorming. Those who are very comfortable with the unknown are just as crucial as people who can standardize and provide structure so things don’t fall apart.
That’s the beauty of doing this together. You don’t have to be good at everything or be helpful everywhere. Instead, you just need to be open to change and progress on your journey in order to be more effective on your team. It’s okay if you realize “Wow, I should not be in that conversation because I’ll lose my mind. Give me a rundown later.”
Explore your areas of greatest potential and wiring. A great tip is to pay attention to what you pay attention to. Chances are, you’re more wired for exploration in that area!
Be the best YOU you can possibly be, and find where you’re the most helpful. As long as you’re exploring your Three Circles and finding where you can make the most impact, the exploration is paying off.
The Quest for the Best Imaginable
There are always lots of conversations going on throughout the company. It’s like that never ending text thread with your group of best friends. We have some exploration meetings that have been going on for years, across brands and teams, within teams, all over the place until it’s turned into a big river of information that we paddle around on as we explore.
It sounds abstract and complex, but this is how information flows.
Exploration isn’t optional for creating the best imaginable and making contributions that matter. This is a core practice at Redmond. You don’t need to explore EVERYTHING or be in every conversation, but we do want you to explore your Three Circles, our values, and also your team’s work.
This is how we create the best imaginable, together!
