In the last Yellow Press we spoke out our dream to make a Revolution of Speaking From The Heart and Taking Care at workplaces. How does the revolution happen and what do we mean by that? These two questions are in the core of the Yellow Press Revolution Edition you're reading right now.

Monkey Business is famous for its mysterious functions. Numerous times we heard the question: What is this Monkey Business? We used to answer: Well, what could it be? This mystery marketing approach was maybe less planned and more a result of the fact that we weren't sure of what this Monkey Business is. And we even haven't wanted to know. When the starting point is a company without a business idea, the road to the future is certainly not a traditional one. From the very beginning our aim has been to research what a future organization could be like, and create one for ourselves. With this quest we are forced to act as explorers and work like detectives, like James Bond. We follow the 007 philosophy created by Esa Saarinen and believe that the real purpose of this effort will reveal itself later in Bahamas.

Monkey Business was born as a result of a misunderstanding, sincerity and Do The Never spirit in action. Since 2007 we have learned a lot and become more able to clarify the core of our existence. Now we are here, and this is just a beginning. Bahamas wait in the future!

With all my yellow energy,

Wonder Girl Johanna Hytönen + All the Monkeys

Yellow Press - Monkey Newsletter #4 / 2012Revolution

© We reserve the right to change the world - www.banana.fi - Monkey and Banana Coop.

The Best from Finland 17.5.2017

Monkey Business is a Learning Design agency. We boldly combine learning events, coaching programs and yellow consultancy. For creating impact and results that stick it's important to get the personnel excited and to have everyone taking part in the development process of the company. We dare to accept this challenge! We promise to enable people to speak from their hearts!

But speaking is not enough. We must get down to action and to experiments. The changes in work cultures are done together with the management, middle management and the personnel of the companies. Everything starts from discovering a common mindset and willingness to act, and strengthening the community spirit. We involve the personnel in the planning process straight from the beginning for creating a shared vision and excitement that are essential for creating the culture of experimentation (entrepreneurship). This all makes it possible to reach the vision. The most important corner stones of change are 1. Permission 2. Space 3. Time. Read more about the Corner Stones of Change from our Monkey Blog.!Everything culminates to creating better life, life that is more fun than lame.

The yellow color represents the main area of action for Monkey Business. The arrow demonstrates the impact of our action through the organization. We are not working only in one level.

Yellow Press - Monkey Newsletter #4 / 2012Revolution

© We reserve the right to change the world - www.banana.fi - Monkey and Banana Coop.

Spotted in the Monkey Blog: The Power of Concretizing

The only way to create change is to do concrete experiments. The experiments, however, are not always successful. Ville Keksijä Keränen blogged about the Power of Concretizing. The biggest insight Ville got is inspired by the two principles of concretizing by Adam and Markus of WorkPlayX:

1. Doing not Talking.2. Use what you have.

These two principles are great because they block out many excuses of not getting into action. And as we start to concretize, there are at least three potential outcomes:

1. This works. We can move on.2. Hmm. Not quite yet. Let’s fix this and that and try again.3. No. It doesn’t work this way. We have to try something completely different.

Read the whole story.

A woman was sitting in a bus. Seated in front of her there was a man whose phone rang suddenly. The man answered, but barely said a word. After ending the call a man started to cry helplessly. A woman felt the pain in her heart. "Now or never", she thought. She reached out to touch the man's shoulder with her hand. Nothing was said. After 15 minutes a man pressed stop to leave the bus. Before heading out of the bus he turned and gave a piece of paper to the woman. In the paper he said: I will never forget you.!

What's the experiment you could do in your own reality? It can be even a small one. It can be a moment when you challenge yourself into the uncomfort zone. It can be a moment when you want to thank your workmate or give feedback or feedforward. Even a little help you can give, can be meaningful.

Yellow Press - Monkey Newsletter #4 / 2012Revolution

© We reserve the right to change the world - www.banana.fi - Monkey and Banana Coop.

Ville is the second guy on the left in this pic.

Losada's Law – 3:1

Marcial Losada was researching 60 strategy creating companies and their management teams in his laboratory at the University of Michigan in the 90's. Losada with his team estimated each phrase spoken in a strategy meeting by 3 variables1.!

1. Positivity vs. negativity of the phrase?!2. Inquiry vs. advocacy of the phrase?3. Focus of the phrase on others or self?

According to Losada, the most important variables are the positivity and negativity. According to him we need at least 3 positive comments aside of one negative to make the people feel safe and!positive in a situation. This 3:1 relation is called the Law of Losada. The feeling of safety increases our willingness to share thoughts and ideas that might be crucial in our strategy work and in our work in general. !

How to increase positivity in practice? How to create a safer and more creative organizational culture? How to do those small actions?

Our friend David Vorpalina Criado has a habit of using four different sentences:!

1. It could be great! 2. We can try. 3. We can do it! 4. Incredible!

With these 4 sentences David is creating a huge amount of positive energy around him. This reminds a little bit of Gordon MacKenzie's work at the

Hallmark postcard company. His title was "Creative Paradox” and he didn't have any subordinates nor any official power in the

organization. He reported his activities directly to the CEO. In this way he was, at the end of his career, practically blocked out from

disturbing the organization. However, all the employees of the company came into his room to present their ideas.

Picture by Juha-Matti Kinnunen.

1 A speech act was coded as “positive” if the person speaking showed support, encouragement or appreciation (e.g., “that’s a good idea”), and it was coded as “negative” if the person speaking showed disapproval (e.g., “that’s about the dumbest thing I ever heard”), sarcasm, or cynicism. A speech act was coded as “inquiry” if it involved a question aimed at exploring and examining a position and as “advocacy” if it involved arguing in favor of the speaker’s viewpoint. A speech act was coded as “self” if it referred to the person speaking or to the group present at the lab or to the company the person speaking belonged, and it was coded as “other” if the reference was to a person or group outside the company to which the person speaking belonged. (page.745, American Behavioral Scientist 2004; 47)

Yellow Press - Monkey Newsletter #4 / 2012Revolution

© We reserve the right to change the world - www.banana.fi - Monkey and Banana Coop.

Gordon told everyone: “Great idea! Go ahead.” He didn't say no to any idea. His philosophy was that if the creator of the idea knew the idea better than he did, there was no point shooting down any idea in the beginning. The real test for the ideas comes in the implementation - the quality of the ideas and belief in making them reality is really tested.

Our leader Hugo puts emphasis on making things visible. It's system intelligent to tell your opinion, especially if it's positive. Otherwise people might think that you support negativity. I think about the story from my brother who is a musician. After a gig he often wonders if he played well and if the guests enjoyed the music. He cannot be sure if the guests were happy if nobody tells him that his music was nice after the gig. So there's a question. How often do I pass a situation without thanking or complementing the person who offered me a good experience, even if I had really enjoyed the service? A fact is that I could easily make a difference, thank, and also become happier by doing so.

Janne wrote earlier this year into our blog: “If a leader greets happily, looks directly into your eyes and is present, this habit will spread little by little to the whole community at work. If a leader always shows up busy, tense, and behind closed doors, that becomes an accepted way of working in the whole community.”

Maybe the easiest way to change your behavior is exactly in the morning when you come to work. We can always choose our attitude, and also our way to greet our workmates. Go for looking straight into the eyes, giving high fives, cheek kisses and hugs! Those are the easiest actions for creating the positive energy that we need every day.

Sources:

The Role of Positivity and Connectivity in the Performance of Business Teams: A Nonlinear Dynamics Model. Losada, Marcial and Heaphy, Emily. American Behavioral Scientist 2004; 47; 740Positive Affect and the Complex Dynamics of Human Flourishing. Fredrickson, Barbara L. & Losada, Marcial F. Orbiting the Giant Hairball - A Corporate Fool's Guide to Surviving with Grace. MacKenzie, Gordon. (1998)

Yellow Press - Monkey Newsletter #4 / 2012Revolution

© We reserve the right to change the world - www.banana.fi - Monkey and Banana Coop.

Case Study: Leadership Revolution São Paulo

Monkey Academy´s first Leadership Program

In September 2012 we started the first Monkey Academy Leadership program in São Paulo, Brazil, in collaboration with The Hub São Paulo.

These were the themes of the workshops:

1. Orientation, Learning and Leadership2. Leading Clients and Brands3. Leading Creativity and Innovation for Sustainability (session done in collaboration with Pablo Villoch, an alumni of MSLS)4. Leading Knowledge and Communication5.Personal Mastery and Me as a Leader

You can see the pictures and read more about the Leadership Revolution program in here. 

Leadership Revolution convinced the participants. The value of if for many of them was how fast we can create ideas and concepts and implement them into practice, making a lot of experiments and learning from the mistakes. 

"In the Leadership Revolution the knowledge and the process are moving fast. Before we even notice we are in action, making trials and creating results. I want to take this style and fastness to my own workplace. Sharing experiences has been the best part of the program." Claudia Cavalcanti, coordinator, Centro Ruth Cardoso

"Leadership Revolution offered a very cool and new way to think for me! We build on each other's thoughts." Thiago Koscak, programmer, Pax Tecnologia

"In the Leadership Revolution process I've learned to see new possibilities and to break my boundaries. I've learned to put ideas into practice more effectively." Marcus Colacino, event organizer, entrepreneur

Yellow Press - Monkey Newsletter #4 / 2012Revolution

© We reserve the right to change the world - www.banana.fi - Monkey and Banana Coop.

The participants were surprised of the speed of learning and the new kind of way to stimulate it. They have learned to lead by example and with a vision. "Leadership is the responsibility of everyone in the team. Everyone of us needs to be a leader." participants concluded.

Leadership Revolution is literally following our motto: More Action, More Chaos, More Mistakes, More Learning. The participants have got excited about this way of action learning and have started to take it into their organizations and working teams. 

Leadership Revolution in your country?

Are you interested in participating in the Leadership Revolution program? 

Ask more and sign in: 

Valtteri Melkko

valtteri@banana.fi

http://fi.linkedin.com/pub/valtteri-melkko/2/47a/a32

Yellow Press - Monkey Newsletter #4 / 2012Revolution

© We reserve the right to change the world - www.banana.fi - Monkey and Banana Coop.

MINNTEAM went to China & India, boys returned touched

Inside Ville's journal after the journey to China and India:

Saturday night, 24th of November:I have just arrived home 30 minutes ago. Just took a shower and now in my own bed. I have the cleanest bathroom that I have seen during the journey, and feel thankful for that. The trip was overwhelming, literally. Crazy schedules, loads of moving around but also many interesting people, places and experiences. Also, especially in India there's potential for business which is very interesting. I'll sleep now after long travel but will write more over the weekend.

Sunday night, 25th of November:This 45sqm studio feels real big compared to India. We have so much space in here. We work hard for what? India and China will grow and soon own the Europe pretty much. So what should I (we?) do? I think falling into despair is no good option either. I think the middle class dream of owning an apartment ain't my primary dream. Or something that would inspire me. Apartment, why not, but I prefer to be free for now.

I look up to sustainable entrepreneurs, who are making a difference with fair and green business practices. Maybe I need to become on of those? But there are so many interesting and exciting potential projects that I am troubled with the choice. There's no time for everything. Life is too short to be spent doing case studies and not doing something that matters. Like Tatu says, today's survival challenge for our generation is the survival with our head. I think we are doing a massive social test with all our 25/7 connectivity in the world today.

In Pune in a U-Theory workshop I met a lady, an experienced consultant, with whom we shared interest in educating creativity among youth. After the workshop she looked into my eyes and asked me if I would come back if she booked bunch of visits for me with potential partners for our rural design+entrepreneurship school. I said: “Yes, I will come back.”

Yellow Press - Monkey Newsletter #4 / 2012Revolution

© We reserve the right to change the world - www.banana.fi - Monkey and Banana Coop.

On the road.

Free Flow of MINN Chindia by Tatu

We don´t travel in order to be away from home. We travel to be able to return home. I cried some tears when leaving home and my family. I was travelling into myself. I am not sure if I experienced China. I was a bit disappointed, Shanghai was like any other big town in the world. Taihu, The Great Learning Center was powerfull experience. I could really connect to myself. The place is magical, full on energy, wisdom and laugh. I got a bit scared when realizing that our future is greatly depending on Chinas development. Maybe after 10 years they buy cheap labour from Finland. I felt happy and hope when visiting Fagor Ederlan Factory in Kunshan. And saw Alex, young Production Director really living trough "humanity at work" with Chinese employees. It was friend leadership!

What can I really do for better world? What can I really do to help these children? Do they have any future? I cried when leaving from voluntary work at Mother Theresas child house. I cried at the gate of India in Mumbai when thinking about Gandhi. I felt something very powerfull and got a bit scared. I cried when returning home. I am grateful for having healthy children, loving and caring wife, homeand Monkey community.

I have to be the change I want to see in the world. -Gandhi-

Yellow Press - Monkey Newsletter #4 / 2012Revolution

© We reserve the right to change the world - www.banana.fi - Monkey and Banana Coop.

Is our future in the hands of this youth? #china #capitalism #change #revolution #step #rhythm

What’s coming up for 2013?

The possible futures for 2013 is a delicious thought to think about, if the world doesn’t end at 21.12.2012 like the Mayans predicted.

The creation of Future Organizations is our core activity. We continuously experiment in this field. Dream is a destiny.

We already know that next year Monkeys will move to Pori and Helsinki doubling the amount of Yellow Offices from two to four, or even to five by opening a Yellow Office in Brazil as well. The reasons behind this expansion are mostly family-related, but it’s well in line with our vision to become a cooperative of 700 members worldwide by 2017. The yellow action seeds we have planted in Finland, Brazil, India, China, USA and all over the Europe will grow connected. The Leadership Revolution is ubiquitous.

Part of our vision for 2017 is to be the best from Finland in our field. We believe that the most brilliant ideas are coming and projects are made all around the world simultaneously. So how is it possible or even desirable to be The Best in the world? The key is connectivity. Admirable is to be able to grow connected among the best, or let’s say, the most useful projects in the world.

How do we define the most useful then? The quest is to be liberated from the negative. The way to change the world, as put by Edgard Gouveia Jr., father of Play the Call game that will move 2 billion people to act on the global causes that need attention, is to: “Honour and celebrate what’s great in the world, and be generous with trust”.

What if the biggest competitor brands, for example Coca Cola and Pepsi, would collaborate and together offer something useful for the world? What if dialogue would replace debating as the way of communicating used by the mainstream and the governments?

Viva la revolución!

With Yellow regards,

Henna & all the Monkeys

Yellow Press - Monkey Newsletter #4 / 2012Revolution

© We reserve the right to change the world - www.banana.fi - Monkey and Banana Coop.