We were very proud to that Sharon Chang, joined as Partner. What makes this extra special is that Sharon was firstly a participant in Class #2. Sharon and I spoke last week to find out more about what inspired her joining the THNK team.
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Sharon Chang[/caption]
Q: What inspired you to join THNK as Partner?
I have witnessed THNK spark magic by bringing amazing people together. These are people who understand that brilliance and success do not mean much without generosity and humility. We come together to support each other in reaching our true creative potential, and through helping each other, we scale our impact individually and collectively. It's an exhilarating journey. I joined THNK as Partner because I see that journey as a promise. In fact, I see THNK itself more as a promise than a school. It's a promise that brings optimism, because we help each other to see and forge meaning. It's a promise to leave our egos behind so our collective wisdom and commitment will give us bigger wings to fly. It's a promise we give each other to love and trust without reservation. It's a promise we make to ourselves to always strive for honesty and mastery. All of this may sound a bit flowery, but that's just how I feel about THNK. I believe that we are all making a big promise that's too extraordinary to let go. Now, how does one resist taking on more responsibility to hold that powerful promise? I couldn't resist. ;-)
Q: You have inspired many of us in the THNK team as a creative mastermind, how does your particular expertise hold any clues for THNK’s future and what you are helping with?
I love chaos. But I love beauty even more. I want to spend some time to thoughtfully listen to all the voices at THNK, and find a way to elegantly reflect a culture that's often too dynamic to describe. As we celebrate diversity, we resist conformity and sometimes even unity. But it's important to recognize that a strong and definitive identity inspires pride, and pride fuels success. An explicitly expressed culture also invites more focus. What I intend to bring isn't any sort of creative masterminding, but a level of rigor and discipline to fight the urge to entertain too many options that do not fit our DNA. It's quite simple: we must know what we want before we can ask for it. THNK can become a formidable global creative force if we can find and maintain focus. I want to help us paint that target, and then ask everyone to practice, practice, and practice, until we hit the bullseye every time we aim, with our eyes closed.
THNK is moving from start-up mode to growth mode. The most pressing job isn't glamorous. It's rather mundane. We need to find every single piece of duct tape holding things together, and replace all of them with beautiful carpentry.
Question: Do you have any asks for the THNK Community?
I'd ask everyone to be patient and critical at the same time. This is an important year for growth, and we will experience growing pains. If you feel strongly about something, fight for it, don't hold back, don't give up. We all sense something big coming - that's an incredibly exciting feeling. Let's stay open and honest so we can create great momentum for change.
On a more practical note, I am working with the team to ramp up some internal design efforts, and will be reaching out for feedback and participation soon.
From all of us at THNK we'd like to welcome you on board the THNK team Sharon!