Around the time that I was designing and contemplating this new blog, I ended up watching “Mary Poppins” with my family one weekend.  I had forgotten how entertaining it is regardless of one’s age.  I had also forgotten how many years it has been since its first release.  Besides feeling nostalgically old, I began to look at it in a new light.*

While the protagonist is Mary Poppins herself, I began to see that she represented not the new leadership of the 21st century as one might imagine but was a typical icon of the old 20th century – charismatic but distant; visionary but manipulative; change oriented but no plan for sustainability.

One might even question her ethics.  Poppins resorts to magic or song on order to convince the children to do what she requests.  There is a tendency to mistake “a spoonful of sugar” as a way to encourage engagement when in reality is is the modern take carrot on a stick. While in the movie it is Mary Poppins who is credited with bringing the father, Mr. Banks, back into the family fold, she simply forced him into taking the children to work. After all it was her day off.  The ensuing events took place without her presence.

Bert, on the other hand, is much more than a side kick enamoured with Poppins.  Events happen and change occurs as a direct result of his interventions; entering the picture, laughing over tea and dancing on roof tops. It is Bert who is there to “rescue” the children. It is Bert who has a talk with Mr. Banks.  It is Bert that is the change agent not Mary Poppins.

Here are 5 skills that Bert and all eclectic change agents have and how to develop these abilities:

1. Unbridled Optimism – Seems Bert is always smiling and sees the positive side of things.  He see the possibilities in everything.  The new focus and interest in positive psychology is relevant today. Good news – it can be learned.  See Dr. Martin Seligman’s Authentic Happiness. You can track your own progress at the Positivity Ratio website.

2. Curiosity – Unlike good old Mary Poppins herself, one doesn’t get the impression that Bert has a set answer or way for everything.  He takes each moment not only for the joy of the experience but maintains that sense of awe and curiosity we often loose as adults.  That isn’t to say he doesn’t have his own views.  He is quite clear about trying to influence Poppins to participate in fun activities.  There are many ways to tap into your own curiosity but one of the best is to spend time with children under the age of 8.  Don’t be afraid of the question “Why” — at least ask it of yourself internally.  There are a number of businesses that focus on bringing in the element of play into organizations.  Please share your favourite.

3. Adaptability – Bert understood what he could and could not influence and he accepted this.  He remained both flexible in the outcomes and adaptable to new situations.  It is necessary in order to keep pace with the ongoing change in our lives and our world.  While curiosity is the first element to be creative, it is adaptability that turns that creativity into innovation.  On the surface this seemed to me to be a harder skill to acquire as it appears quite linked to our acquired traits.  A good starting point is self awareness.  Look at your natural tendencies and identify how you might like to shift.  This is where both behavioural style assessments with the support of a good coach can be extremely helpful.  Start saying “Yes” to things and opportunities that come your way.  What have you found to be a useful strategy?

4. Jack of All Trades - Like my blog title – change requires a lot of eclectic skills which may or may not be related. Bert was not only a chimney sweep but a painter and a salesman.  He was able to draw on his many experiences.  Change agents don’t have one tool or process that they use – they are able to identify from a variety of interventions that best meet the needs of the other person or system. Suggestions: study in your field of expertise, read a variety of information, volunteer, travel, hobbies etc. . .

5. Extensive Networks – Bert knows everyone and is quite comfortable talking with them all as his peers. Thus he not only is able access critical information quickly but he is able engage the support of others. While some of us may think this comes more naturally to those of us who are extroverted, this is not the case.  Connections with others is a basic need and requirement of living. Social networks as well as traditional networking are only as good as your deliberate and selected use of them.  Often it is quality not quantity that matters. What are you doing to nurture those important relationships?

6. Luck? - There is one more element of successful change agents – a little bit of luck.  Seems Bert has a lot of this.  Growing up, I remember that my mother told me that one always had a chimney sweep in the wedding pictures for good luck.   In my humble opinion, it is penguins which bring good fortune but Bert has that too.  Good fortune is not just about luck’ what you think about is what you draw to yourself.  This is called the Law of Attraction.  What are your intentions? What are you attracting in your life?

* Disclaimer: These observations are based on the Disney movies and not the books by P. L. Travers.  A rather interesting analysis can be found at Just a Spoonful of Sugar?: Anxieties of Gender and Class in “Mary Poppins” “Indeed, one could argue that Mr. Banks is the protagonist of the film: he is the only character who experiences significant external resistance, self-questioning, and personal change.”

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