Thanks for the mini hack Stephen and for Sean and Julian's comments.

Like them, I feel this is the right sort of thing to do and see happen - especially in (as Sean puts it - [like this]) brand-dense organisations. The brand density Sean labels feels to me (from the outside) a little like Skynet or the Matrix from the movies. Huge dystopian entities full of process mechanics and forced fusion rather than a collection of effective, intelligent and soulful people with vitality and belonging driving an enterprise to great things.

So, this immersion into true hardship conditions would make for a deeper realisation of "what it's all about". Paul Stoltz calls it that "Adversity Advantage". We are at our best when faced with something huge, real and tangible to solve/create/overcome.

I guess some might say the National Service model gives us some elements of this adversity and hardship, however that operates in what appears to be an ever decreasing number of countries and the German model (I believe) is optional and shared with civil/civic duties over straight up military training. So I don't think National Service gives what you are proposing.

So I think this mini-hack has something about it - creating experiences where people learn; grow and give back whilst also creating a life shaping experience for their future as a working member of that society.

With people being shown a virtuous way, perhaps the corruption and distrust we have seen and felt in many Execs will dissolve. It will take time but this feels like a good way to shape human beings to run human-centric enterprises.

Thanks for the comments here.

Perry

I like this idea of volunteering.

Not solely for hardship, which is a great way of exposing yourself to customer (or potential customer) realities, but for enabling a deep understanding of human needs and making meaningful human connections.

Given the existing brand density in most industries, the intensity required to establish meaningful consumer relationships (for present and future customers) has significantly increased. Consequently, the need to deeply understand fundamental needs of customer segments has never been higher.

Targeted enterprise sponsored volunteering (whether hardship or otherwise) not only offers brand and needs-focused insight opportunities, it offers a great way to raise engagement.

Love it.

Hi Stephen

I love the idea of giving fresh recruits "hardship" postings where the challenge is enormous and potentially-life changing for them, whereas the risk for the company and the individual, in case it doesn't work out, is actually fairly small. And by flagging in advance that this is part of the recruit's early life with the company, you also scare away those people who want or need a comfortable life!