My purpose is to empower those that inspire. It is easy to support individuals and causes who I interact with daily but I wonder what I can offer to those of you who bring your talents and time to this page for a few moments each day. What do you need to be empowered?
Perhaps the most important questions to start each day: How can I serve you?
I noticed a little sign on the counter of our local dry cleaners served as a notice of the price increase that went into effect on June 1, 2011. It struck me as interesting that they felt they needed to announce the change their pricing structure by decided to make the notice almost unreadable (my iPhone photo could not capture the text adequately). If you believe in your service and you have created a tribe of followers, why not be transparent? Why not try the following:
“We know that you have many choices when it comes to providing professional dry cleaning services and we appreciate your loyalty. We believe in making you look your best. We accomplish this daily by using the highest quality products, flexible scheduling, and consistently aspire to achieve the friendliest service. We have chosen to raise our prices to continue to meet your expectations and keep you looking your best.”
If you act like a commodity and only compete with price, you will loose your empire. If you keep your tribe connected to purpose and communicate honestly with them, your fans will advocate for you even when it requires a little more of their time and treasurer.
Robert Parker is known as wine advocate. His 100-point rating scale is akin to a movie review from Roger Ebert. A 95-point wine that one has never heard of gets attention when it is 4 points higher than your all-time favorite. A wine you may consider could require a personal recommendation from another advocate to overcome a low Robert Parker rating.
It raises an interesting question. How does one avoid resting their fate on a rating system that is the preference of one individual? How to standout from on a leaderboard that may not reflect your strengths? It is similar to being authentic. One cannot fake authenticity. You simply state what you believe and then allow your actions to be measured against your beliefs. One cannot completely ignore a prominent rating scale but one can be known for some characteristic that is clearly not captured by a ranking. Volvo for years was know for the safety of its cars. Even thought they may have not been stylish, if your chief motivation was a safe car then one would give less consideration to low luxury rating but focus instead on the safety features. Initially the Prius design was unconventional but for those who believed in making a statement about the environment, it was the perfect representation.
If one defines what they believe and acts accordingly, rating scales are less likely to apply.
If you are providing a service to others and ask them to meet you halfway then you are essentially suggesting that the ball be placed back in the middle of the field. Why not allow a client to put the ball inside the penalty box?
I want to do business with you when you talk about an arrangement that provides me with some recognition of what talents I bring and what services you offer. If you are just about creating balance there are plenty of businesses in the world who can resemble that model. If you are willing to standout for what you believe, then you are remarkable.
Seth Godin’s post on writing naked is a good challenge for me and perhaps valuable to your efforts.
The moment I expressed my concerns with an online subscription service, the customer representative quickly apologized that I was not going to complete the transaction, rattled-off the toll-free number, and then hung-up. Sounds familliar.
The funny thing is that had he just listened for a moment, my issue could have been solved and he would have closed the deal. But his senses were so tuned to identifying a non-performer and getting to the next call that the opportunity was lost.
How do you make sure you really hear what your customers are saying? How do you listen for their real needs? If you believe what your fans believe then taking a moment to at least acknowledge your common belief. It may be the starting point for a completely different type of conversation.
During a recent strategic planning engagement a retreat participant asked what would happen if we placed the organization’s purpose statement (Start With Why) at the center of the cause’s plan. Radiating out from the purpose statement were eight strategic goals that had been identified. It suddenly brought the plan to life for many in the room. The plan was not bound like a book with a table of contents. Instead, each strategic initiative was directly linked to what the organization believes. A subtle change in context and presentation suddenly brought exponentially more meaning to the enterprise’s vision for the future.
I lead horse pack trips for a summer camp when I was in college. We ran with an outfitter who would take the pack string of mules ahead and then I would guide the campers on horseback into the base camp and then beyond. The most nervous moment was ten minutes from the trailhead. Before everyone had really gotten settled on their horses and adjustments were still being made we would round a corner and encounter a 1/2 miles section of trail that was exposed against a hillside with a 500-foot drop-off to the river below. The trail was sufficiently wide and in the course of normal travel was not an unreasonable obstacle. The challenge was that once you started with sixteen head of horses, there was no turning around. If a mule string happened to be coming the other direction and they did not stop at the right location, you were sure to have a nearly impassable predicament. There was some serious faith that once you launched your party on the trail that other users would have your best interest in mind. It reminds me of my work with enterprises that are launching strategic plans. At some point you have to make the turn and launch on the trail that feels like you are riding on the edge of the world. Have faith that if you have planned well and your purpose is compelling, then the journey is worth making the first step.
Your vision is only actionable if you say it out loud. If you keep it to yourself, it will remain a figment of your imagination.
In a philosophical moment at the end of his graduation speech, Stephen Colbert reflects on the importance of service to others.
Could you please be more authentic right this moment? Turn up your authenticity from a 5 to a 10. Really stretch yourself, you can do it, right?
Turns out that faking authenticity is not possible. You can only be authentic by stating what you believe and then take actions that are consistent and mirror your belief. That is why we can easily understand where authentic people stand. We may not believe what they believe but we can see what they stand for.
It does not take a huge capital investment to create authenticity. However it does take consistency and commitment.
What-if-concepts 