HOW DO YOU SPELL IT?

Of late, we’ve been pondering success. 

Maybe because of sitting through relatives’ graduation ceremonies, where speakers always tell captive audiences to “do their best, make their mark, give back.”

Or maybe because of the annual Bloomberg Businessweek round-up of commencement quotes, coupled with a many-paged special on success.

Either way, it prompted us to stop.

Those profiled in the mag have little in common.   Except all are originals, in their own way.  The Fault is in Our Stars John Green created a unique conversation with teens – direct, sympathetic, intelligent.  Shaq of Shaquille O’Neal fame fastidiously manages his brand, a peculiar kind of goofiness … sort of an oversize fun kid attitude.  Max Temkin and friends launched Cards against Humanity, a decidedly non-Internet game encouraging people to spend time together, sans Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat, and other e-distractions.

The other share-able attribute?  Again, each person gives back.  In different ways.  It might be product or time or a particular philanthropy.  What mattered most was the act of doing things for other people.

It’s what Robert Greenleaf meant when he talked servant-leaders in the 1970s.  Those execs who put people first, help them develop to their highest potential, and share power.  The top of the pyramid, he felt, has to show caring attitudes and actions, building a solid foundation for performance for both the individual and the organization. 

In these uncertain days, we feel, giving is vastly under-rated.  It’s part of our definition of success.  And yours?

WORTH [OUR] WHILES

It’s been some time since we heard of value propositions.

Obviously, a business and its strategy are lost without one.  Yet figuring out how to prove that we, denizens of intangibility, deliver value is tough.  And wiser heads than ours haven’t yet cracked the code, seeing as we – marketers, designers, branding gurus, communicators – are usually among the first to be RIFed and our work, eliminated or cut back.

Some of the more apparent extra value options offered by one agency head:

  • Generate ideas in new ways.  All well and good (and something we fervently believe in and practice), but where’s the revenue?  Unless, of course, it’s built into your contract … as both consultants and practitioners.
  • Go above and beyond.  That got us in pretty hot water years ago; billing software couldn’t account for all the hours expended.  Then again, that premise should be built into mindsets and behaviors … balancing is the key.
  • Drive results that make a difference.  Okay, that’s our mission, our mantra, our zeal.  Problem is, many outcomes are anecdotal.  Others rely on squeaky numbers that not everyone buys into.  And still others target changes in behaviors and attitudes, shifts that take a longer time to calculate.

Questions we can ask ourselves in an honest aside:  Do we talk about our services in memorable headlines?  Why do our customers choose us over another Jane and Tom?  Is our language (argh!) accessible … and jargon-less?  Have we strengthened our case with all the usual suspects, from customer testimonials to results, as well as the more unusual benefits?

There’s much more on this topic, trust us.  Watch this space … for a while.