Service

Idyllic and Purpose

If you were asked to represent your cause’s utopian state and frame the representation, what image comes to mind? For some enterprises, it is an iconic headquarters building; others aspire to a level of impact, another group may highlight the people committed to the cause, and some might capture a signature program. Perhaps ask yourself if you can see yourself in the image. If we see a confluence point, we are doing the work that matters. If we cannot see ourselves in the projection of the future, our attempt to be of service may be misaligned.

Slight Disruption, Major Impact

Ninety-nine percent success feels extraordinary. But if the one percent disturbance is the central communication outlet (see iCloud mail), then dissatisfaction can outweigh the other successes. How might we remember that not all detours create the same experience? How might we be prepared to communicate and fix the detours that are critical? What is the cost of pointing to all the services that performed when our community is focused on the damaged link?

Illuminating

When you make a place visible, who are you serving? Do they need illumination? Is the light entertaining or creating value? What impact does it have on the adjoining ecosystem? If we direct the spotlight into the eyes of those we intend to support, they may be more discouraged than motivated about continuing their journey but in our minds, we provided a beacon to light the way.

How might we understand if we are randomly creating unchoreographed bursts of light or if we are providing a pathway for those looking to navigate a challenging section of the trail?

Amaze vs. Contribute

Some things amaze me. I might be impressed by scrolling social media, navigating a city, or walking in nature. Not all of these moments of wonder add value to my journey. Some are worth a glance, but few are worth double-clicking on to explore further. How might we assess if our primary motivation is to amaze our audience or contribute to their odyssey? Are we curating moments for Klout or customizing a benefit that serves those who follow?

Serving Others with Visible Work

Let’s add depth and dimension to our work by illuminating how we strive to serve others. Behind-the-scene tours focus on how the work is completed. We can hear about the obstacles that nearly derailed the project before it was completed. We can see the errors that were left in the construction phase but now are iconic hallmarks. We can feel the commitment to the process.

How might we share our work so our masterpiece has more depth and dimension?

Setting Others Up for Success

If we move in the correct formation, we can make it easier for those who follow. In an attempt to break the two-hour barrier for the marathon, Eliud Kipchoge deployed his pacers in a variation of the original pattern they used previously.  A diamond head pattern was less effective than an open V formation. By questioning conventional wisdom, the performance team found a better way to reduce the drag and create a less turbulent pocket of air for Kipchoge to run.

How might we embrace a culture of curiosity to find better ways to support those we intend to serve? How might we avoid getting stuck in a historic mindset? Even those trailing behind the person being paced can contribute. Studies found that a support vehicle packed with spare bikes on the roof offered a marginal gain to a time trialist over the traditional single spare bike on the vehicle’s roof. A kind of bow wake created a vortex to boost the cyclist riding ahead.

Speed vs. Utility

We can talk about how fast we can go and highlight impressive numbers. However, our speed might make our intended impact less. How might we better understand the needs of those we aspire to serve so we can calibrate our effort? A regional passenger train that stops for just three seconds at appointed stations is useless to any potential riders not prepared to board instantaneously. An arts organization that says it serves 1,000 students because it flashed a single image on a screen without context for five seconds during a school district-wide assembly is not doing the work that matters. Finding our cadence is essential, which is why detachable ski lifts have become so successful. We can load and unload at a slow pace. The journey between the bottom and top stations travels at a higher rate of speed, where the reduction in total ride time is more significant.

Being of Service

The movie Groundhog Day carries an undercurrent theme of service. In the repetition of the same day, the protagonist learns to position themselves throughout the community where they are uniquely positioned to serve. Be it catching a kid falling from a tree, changing a flat tire on a car, or purchasing life insurance from an eager associate.

We can all be of service. Some of our actions are actionable and measurable, and some of our work resides in the liminal or serving clients who cannot express their appreciation through social media. But we can all be of service.

Ranking and Mindsets

Does a ranking set the mindset of an organization? Does the staff at a two-star hotel take the same philosophical approach to customer service as a five-star auberge? When one joins the team of a high or lower-ranked establishment, what is the palpable impact on culture? When one is at the top of the ranking hierarchy, can they continue with a curious mindset focused on continual improvement, or does defending the status quo become the predominant fixation? For an up-and-coming enterprise with a lower ranking, does a nothing to lose and us versus the world mindset set a more ambitious tone?

How might we leverage rankings to bring out our best? How might rankings create dimension to our story but not define our future?

Frontier

As social sector enterprises, many of us work on the frontier. We address problems so big, complex, under-represented, or unique that business has seen limited ways to monetize a return on investment. So, we work at the edges of the map, cobbling together resources, scouting the landscape, engaging those with news from different geographies and cultures. It is not an romantic endeavor but a commitment of community. We invest, partner, fail, endure, and succeed.

How might we learn from the leading practices of a frontier mindset? How might we correct course before we adopt a perspective that we are first to encounter the challenge and there is only one approach to move forward? How might we set other up for success and be of service?