We have all heard the story of the fish that asked the other fish, “How’s the water?” The first time you hear this you expect the other fish to reply with something like, “Warm” or “Just right!” Instead, the reply is, “What water?” From this question, what unexpected insights can be gleaned?

Our intention is always to expand your thinking. We do so by weaving water analogies with business and life. We often write about internships. Recall, this passion project is bringing dignity to the internship discourse. Intern Management, the second book in the internship series, is nearly ready. Like a mountain spring from which water and life flow, an excerpt from the prologue setting up key internship principles starts thus.

Agile Rainmakers focuses on rainmaking for high growth companies. You could say we do so in an agile way. That could be by providing strategic advice, redesigning marketing material, making introductions to sought-after people and resources, sales coaching, proofing corporate communications, sharing highly effective recruiting tactics, and leading extraordinary project work done by interns. And, if you know business, isn't it always a dance?

When you feel an ache, what can you do? If you have felt something off, what common remedy was recommended to you? What if you need to slow things down? What have you found that is effective? There is something out there that we use in our personal lives – and in our businesses – that is actually versatile. 

When is the last time you felt light? Was it when you were floating in water? How did that feel? Did it require much skill and if so which ones? What did the feeling of lightness make available to you? Let’s think about skills and buoyancy as they will inform us of the nuances of business and life.

Can you feel the annual rituals happening? Many have reviewed the year, looked at how it felt throughout, tried to let go of whatever ideas or memories didn’t serve them and have made promises for the new year. And now by the stroke of midnight tonight we will all be the new human beings we crave to be, ready to take on business and life just as surfers charge a big wave. Soon it will be paradise.

With beautiful Thanksgiving celebrations now passed – as well as Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday – what if you got in touch with the feeling you get when you ask for something? What if you got committed, creative, and courageous asking for what you want in business and life? That’s what we are up to in this newsletter, cool?

Last issue we shared how everything is ambiguous. Look at light and water. We don’t think deeply about either – even though they are ever present and crucial for our survival. Yet, at the same they are quite ambiguous. We also saw there is ambiguity in our work and play. Returning to these ideas now, how does this make you feel?

Life is ambiguous, isn’t it? There you are working away and you find out something that can have more than one interpretation. Someone – perhaps a manager or a customer or a client – says they want to talk to you privately. What could that mean? What’s the feeling that’s right there? Is it good news or bad? Or, you do something great for your company and everyone appreciates it. One year later, however, that same thing you did is viewed undesirably. How can this be you wonder?

There are few things in life that give you that feeling of excitement and nervousness in your gut at the same time. These are the moments that you learn and grow while enjoying each obstacle along the way. This summer, I had the privilege of having many of these experiences, two of which really stand out to me.

In the journey of self-improvement, it's easy to get lost in novel new ways to better oneself. For me, it's the new book I have to read, a new workout trend, or working on my morning routine. With so many options, and every one vouched for as “the one to try,” I wondered: everyone seems to have their thing that works, their own secret to success. What do all the success stories have in common?

The media these days has been discussing our favorite topic – water. There is too much of it in some places, too little in others. While some suffer from unprecedented floods, others wait desperately for rain in a drought. Similarly in your career and personal life, there is too much of some things and not enough of others. Why is it so and what can be done?

Interning at Agile Rainmakers is like surfing. Even though the place I call home is only a ten-minute drive from the beach, I never once learned how to surf. But on my walks along the shore, I do occasionally stop and watch the surfers ride the waves over and over again. I’d imagine that learning to surf is similar to learning how to ice skate or how to ride a bicycle. So, how are acquiring a new skill like surfing and interning similar?

What is your idea of a typical internship environment? For me, this summer at Agile Rainmakers, I was fortunate to work in a supportive environment where I achieved my goals of building upon my communication, consulting, and professional skills and was also empowered by the strong bonds that I had formed with my manager, fellow interns, and clients.

In our last of this three-part series, we look at what it takes to get people involved in something extraordinary. Recall, you are aware of something amazing and you want to convey that to those close to you, but how? Given our society views the possibilities for interns and the work they accomplish as limited, the summer intern reflections are an excellent source for this inquiry. As you read, keep in mind this is what the interns said after working in Agile Rainmakers’ Summer Riptide program for just one month.

Utilizing summer intern reflections, we are continuing to inquire into what it takes to get others involved in something phenomenal. On the surface, this sounds like an easy thing to do. Who doesn’t want to get involved in something extraordinary, right? The reality is it just isn’t that simple, just as looking at the ocean surface tells you nothing about the activities beneath.

Ever experience or feel part of something that was really amazing? What did you then do? You probably felt like sharing it with someone close to you. How did that go? They quickly accepted and embraced what you told them and asked you how they could get involved, right? Rarely. Life doesn’t work like that. So, what does it take to get others involved? Let’s explore this in a multi-part series by looking at what we found in some Summer Riptide reflections.

Using your head in business and life is a given. That’s how you make great progress: think, plan, execute, review results, and think again. With some variation, that’s how it generally goes. Let’s consider why sometimes, though you are using your head and logically managing your business, you feel certain urges that may not seem productive - and how water comes into play.

If you knew your wishes could come true in reality - so much so that you could practically feel them happening almost immediately - what would you wish for in your CAREER and life? Perhaps you would wish for a new business partner or soul mate. Or, would it be new office space, a bigger home, a more up-to-date computer or a sportscar? Would you wish for abundance, freedom and joy? What are you wishing for now? And what would it take for everyone to have what they wish for?

Picture waves, lots of them, approaching a shore. What comes to mind? The first thought could be of a picturesque image – beautiful blue and white waves gliding effortlessly to land. It is an eye-dazzling sight. A second thought may be about preparation. Is the shore ready for the waves? Is there something that needs to be done to embrace the waves? Let’s ponder this image for it is quite timely.