Service

Upgrades
Note the in-flight magazines, a mainstay of domestic flights 10-years ago

When traveling as a group, how do you treat the opportunity to upgrade? It may be a bus seat with more legroom, a cafe table by the window, or an aircraft class of service upgrade. Do you take the upgrade, give the upgrade to somebody in your party who may not have experienced the opportunity, or decline the opportunity unless the entire group can advance together? What does your group suggest if one person is provided a better way of traveling? Does the quality of the upgrade matter to your group’s decision-making process?

When upgrades are offered, they are a good test of our values and priorities. There is no right or wrong, but it represents a chance for actions and beliefs to align or bifurcate.

What have been your experiences in real-time?

Being of Service

Leaving the barn for a horseback ride, dirt and debris from one horse collects in the aisle. So, I could sweep just outside my horse stall. Or, I could sweep the entire aisle. The entire job might take a few additional minutes, and it leaves the barn cleaner for those who come after.

Are we serving ourselves, or are we being of service to others? We cannot always do more than needed but when we do, we amplify the work of those around us.

Care Committee

My father served on the vestry of an Episcopal church. He was commuting to the city for work and knew he had limited time outside of weekends to serve on the church committees so he joined the Cemetary Committee. Much to his surprise, he received frequent calls (landline days) regarding landscaping or other issues around the graves. My Dad’s perception was that general upkeep was the goal. To the relatives of the deceased, there was much to be done, most importantly attention to the details that honor the legacy of their loved one. My father’s initial view was the committee was a passive assignment. To the family members, it was an active site to observe memories.

How might we align our intentions with the intentions of those that we serve?

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.