I THINK THEREFORE I AM

Mom wasn’t right.

When we chose to double-major in English and philosophy, the parental unit had a fit.  “Completely worthless!  What will you do with that kind of education?  Explain the jobs you’ll be able to apply for … (and so on).”

[And we went right ahead anyway.]

The latest in business thinking vindicates our choices.  No less august an institution than the Carnegie Foundation issued a report on undergraduate business education, saying it was too narrow, it didn’t challenge students to question assumptions, to think creatively, and/or to understand the place of business in a larger context. 

The solution:  Major in philosophy.  It teaches not what to think, but how to think, looking behind blind assumptions  to question supposed answers.  Philosophy also trains us to manage complexity and make solid decisions for the company as well as for society.

Way back when, we studied all manners of philosophers, from Plato to Heidegger (our main prof had a weakness for Martin).  In class, we argued and fought, constructively, figuring out how to logically refute and look for options.  Outside, we explored the whys of existence, the purpose of us, and our relationships to institutions and society.  It was pretty heady stuff, somewhat forgotten when we became journalists.

Today, a number of consultancies have risen from philosophical underpinnings.  Senior tech execs, Reid Hoffman of LinkedIn, for one, tout their beginnings in this discipline.  Most important:  When you share your worldview, you’re creating a connection with another individual or institution (a/k/a alignment).

Should we all become philosophers in pinstripes? 

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.