Do you think of yourself as a pioneer?
If you don’t, you probably should.
“Imagination is more important than
knowledge. For knowledge is limited
to all we now know and understand,
while imagination embraces the
entire world, and all there ever will be
to know and understand.”
—Albert Einstein
Traditionally, we have reserved the respected
and revered “Pioneer” title for individuals who
have demonstrated the initiative and courage
necessary to overcome distance and personal
hardship to brave unfamiliar lands. It is only
recently we have begun to think of pioneers as
exploring the boundaries of imagination, and
even still, typically this honor is reserved for
those working in technology and science. But is this limited view of what defines a pioneer accurate?
We can easily argue that Bill Gates and Steve Jobs were pioneers. They, and their like, opened new
intellectual and social frontiers forever changing how we work and interact, laying before us infinite
possibilities for the path forward. However, it will be you and I who help to define how those possibili-
ties are realized. It was not the first individuals who moved to the West Coast who imagined California,
it was those who followed that validated the vision of the new frontier and ultimately defined what
would become California. So, while the major pioneering innovators made headlines, it was our collec-
tive imaginations that made the difference. We are the ones who implement and evaluate and, therefore,
validate the idea. It is you and I, with our value judgments and our tenacity, who ultimately define how
future generations will live, work and play.
In our cover story, “Investing in Engagement,” Erica Kemp shares how a growing company, Credit
Union 1, imagined, embraced and ultimately validated a new vision for employee engagement. The chal-
lenge that Credit Union 1’s leadership faced is one common to many of today’s businesses. How does
a company embrace and engage a remote workforce? How can it reduce the perceived distance remote
workers feel from their coworkers and company?
In 2005, Credit Union 1 implemented a new vision in conjunction with the construction of its new
corporate headquarters. Through their endorsement and financial commitment, Credit Union 1’s lead-
ership imagined a new path forward further validating recent innovations in collaborative technologies.
With the goal set, it was now up to Erica and her team. Regardless of the innovative potential of the
technology or the level of investment and support on the part of leadership, success would ultimately
be defined by Erica and her team. Their approach to change management, process improvement and
their innovative and creative mindset would serve to implement the company’s vision; she and her team
would not only define success but would define how they get there.
As Erica and her team discovered, an innovative and pioneering idea is no more than a virtual baton.
It may start with an individual’s imagination, but it must ultimately be passed forward and incorporated
into the collective imagination of future pioneers. Any progress associated with the idea will ultimately
be the result of the aggregated imagination, courage and tenacity of those who
chose to actively endorse the idea and move beyond the
status quo.
So, the next time you are faced with a challenge, stop for
a moment and realize that it is imagination that overcomes
obstacles and courage that embraces change. These are the
Rick Thomas
traits that define a pioneer.
CEO & President
The STRIVE Group