| | I first shared the Simon Sinek video to the left in the Museum of Purpose with the promise I would discuss it here. A few weeks back I asked all of you to participate in an experiment inspired by this talk. Thank you for the help. The results of the experiment offers you a way to inspire action in yourself (and, less importantly, in others), and win a few battles against the Army of the Dead. |
I suggest you check out these results, and then you should watch the video.
The Experiment
I offered you 3 pairs of statements, and for each pair I asked you to select the statement that you found personally the most compelling. Here they are. Which ones do you find the most compelling?
I offered you 3 pairs of statements, and for each pair I asked you to select the statement that you found personally the most compelling. Here they are. Which ones do you find the most compelling?
Comparison 1
A. We make great computers. They are beautifully designed, simple to use and user friendly. We challenge the status quo. Want to buy one?
B. We believe in challenging the status quo in everything we do. We do this by making our products beautifully designed, simple to use and user friendly. We just happen to make great computers. Want to buy one?
B. We believe in challenging the status quo in everything we do. We do this by making our products beautifully designed, simple to use and user friendly. We just happen to make great computers. Want to buy one?
Comparison 2
A. I write a weekly blog. The content provides resources and guidance for taking purposeful and meaningful action every day. I want everyone to find and live their purpose. Want to read it?
B. I believe everyone has a purpose, though most of us don't live it. I want to change that. I do this by providing resources and guidance for taking purposeful and meaningful action. Currently, I share these with a blog. Want to read it?
B. I believe everyone has a purpose, though most of us don't live it. I want to change that. I do this by providing resources and guidance for taking purposeful and meaningful action. Currently, I share these with a blog. Want to read it?
Comparison 3
A. We provide direct grants, conduct issue advocacy and offer support services. We really want to create a community of acceptance for adults and children with Down syndrome in our region. We know that any individual with Down syndrome wants to live a life that matters and make their own dent on the universe, just like all of us. Will you support us?
B. Just like all of us, a person with Down syndrome wants to live a life that makes a meaningful contribution to the world and leave an unique dent in the universe. To make this happen here, we are trying to make sure that adults and children with Down syndrome live in communities of acceptance. Our direct grants, issue advocacy and support services help to create that community. Will you support us?
B. Just like all of us, a person with Down syndrome wants to live a life that makes a meaningful contribution to the world and leave an unique dent in the universe. To make this happen here, we are trying to make sure that adults and children with Down syndrome live in communities of acceptance. Our direct grants, issue advocacy and support services help to create that community. Will you support us?
Did you more frequently pick the A statements or the B statements?
My guess is that you selected the B statements the most often. In fact, you selected the B statements 89% of the time, and all of you selected the B statements the most 100% of the time. And, it seems your preferences match well with the general public.
The A statements have a lot going for them. I like how direct, simple and clear they are. The A statements clearly say "I do X. It has feature Y. It has meaning Z." Perfect right? So why are the A statements so unpopular? Let's compare the structures of the A and B statements.
The A statements put the "Why" last. The deeper motivations and purposes are buried behind the product/service and methods.
The B statements are the opposite. The "Why" is front and center. The purpose comes first. They say "Everything I do is because of Z. For Z, I want to accomplish Y. I accomplish Y by offering X."
For whatever reason, leading with "Why" is more powerful than leading with "What". I am sure there are profound marketing, sales, leadership and persuasion applications of this idea, and I encourage you to explore those. But I want you to first apply this idea to help you take purposeful action.
Priorities Over Processes and Resources
Back in January I proposed that, when it comes to living purposefully, your processes and priorities trump the resources you have.
To give a quick review of terminology: resources are basics needs (food, clothing, shelter, safety, etc.), money, time, relationships, knowledge, etc.; processes are your capabilities, experiences, abilities to solve certain problems, etc.; and priorities include your action-based and non-action-based values, motivators, ends, etc.
So, to lead with "Why" is to make sure your priorities trump your processes and your resources. Putting it another way, you can do almost any work (i.e. use any processes) or offer any product or service (i.e. offer any resource), even work or products you do not like, and you can be great at it. But, that work/product has to be driven by your priorities.
An example from my career may make this clearer. Over six years ago I was hired to lead and manage the Urban League of Greater Madison's employment programs; the programs that helped folks who typically struggle to secure employment actually find and keep meaningful work. It turns out that, I am told, I am pretty good at that. Even as unemployment rates rose in our community, we were placing record numbers of participants in jobs. I would count designing employment programs and training the staff who run those programs among my capabilities (i.e. processes). And, if you want help with your HR systems, diversity challenges, candidate searches, talent management, then please call me because I'm pretty sure I can help.
But, I have a dirty little secret.
I don't really like workforce development, employment programming, or career tracks. There is nothing really that inherently motivating to me about doing that kind of work. I apologize now to my colleagues and mentors in the workforce development world who may have thought I loved the work itself. I hope the Aspen Institute does not expunge me from their list of past Marano Fellows.
So I don't get excited about workforce development, but I poured so much of myself into my work at the Urban League of Greater Madison. Why? Because, I believe everyone has a purpose, though most of us don't live it and I want to change that (see comparison 2 above). If you have been reading this blog for awhile then you know the important role meaningful work and personal development can play in living purposefully, two things our Urban League programming changed focused on (for those of you who are newer to the Mighty Purpose community, I suggest you look at the Wellbeing Test).
I believe everyone has a purpose, though most of us don't live it and I want to change that. So, I became the Executive Director of the Madison Area Down Syndrome Society. Yes, people with Down syndrome have purposes too, probably purposes just as bad-ass as yours (excuse my language).
I believe everyone has a purpose, though most of us don't live it and I want to change that. So, I write this blog or offer a fellowship, or design a board self-assessment tool, or start a Facebook page, or work on a new web-based structured learning experience connected with one-on-one mentorship, and possibly including a social accountability aspect, or whatever I need to come up with to move this project forward.
I think you get the point. Priorities trump processes and resources.
I have one more thing for you before you check out the video above. Leading with "Why" gives you an excellent weapon against your Army of the Dead. In most cases the work that you do everyday is ultimately meaningless, unless your personal "Why" inspires it. When you get to work (or get to work looking for work), are you just screwing together that widget or just answering that email? Or, can you say you are doing it for a purpose you truly believe is a mighty one?
If you can, then I cannot see how your Army of the Dead can hold the field of battle for long.
Be well,
Sterling Lynk
My guess is that you selected the B statements the most often. In fact, you selected the B statements 89% of the time, and all of you selected the B statements the most 100% of the time. And, it seems your preferences match well with the general public.
The A statements have a lot going for them. I like how direct, simple and clear they are. The A statements clearly say "I do X. It has feature Y. It has meaning Z." Perfect right? So why are the A statements so unpopular? Let's compare the structures of the A and B statements.
The A statements put the "Why" last. The deeper motivations and purposes are buried behind the product/service and methods.
The B statements are the opposite. The "Why" is front and center. The purpose comes first. They say "Everything I do is because of Z. For Z, I want to accomplish Y. I accomplish Y by offering X."
For whatever reason, leading with "Why" is more powerful than leading with "What". I am sure there are profound marketing, sales, leadership and persuasion applications of this idea, and I encourage you to explore those. But I want you to first apply this idea to help you take purposeful action.
Priorities Over Processes and Resources
Back in January I proposed that, when it comes to living purposefully, your processes and priorities trump the resources you have.
To give a quick review of terminology: resources are basics needs (food, clothing, shelter, safety, etc.), money, time, relationships, knowledge, etc.; processes are your capabilities, experiences, abilities to solve certain problems, etc.; and priorities include your action-based and non-action-based values, motivators, ends, etc.
So, to lead with "Why" is to make sure your priorities trump your processes and your resources. Putting it another way, you can do almost any work (i.e. use any processes) or offer any product or service (i.e. offer any resource), even work or products you do not like, and you can be great at it. But, that work/product has to be driven by your priorities.
An example from my career may make this clearer. Over six years ago I was hired to lead and manage the Urban League of Greater Madison's employment programs; the programs that helped folks who typically struggle to secure employment actually find and keep meaningful work. It turns out that, I am told, I am pretty good at that. Even as unemployment rates rose in our community, we were placing record numbers of participants in jobs. I would count designing employment programs and training the staff who run those programs among my capabilities (i.e. processes). And, if you want help with your HR systems, diversity challenges, candidate searches, talent management, then please call me because I'm pretty sure I can help.
But, I have a dirty little secret.
I don't really like workforce development, employment programming, or career tracks. There is nothing really that inherently motivating to me about doing that kind of work. I apologize now to my colleagues and mentors in the workforce development world who may have thought I loved the work itself. I hope the Aspen Institute does not expunge me from their list of past Marano Fellows.
So I don't get excited about workforce development, but I poured so much of myself into my work at the Urban League of Greater Madison. Why? Because, I believe everyone has a purpose, though most of us don't live it and I want to change that (see comparison 2 above). If you have been reading this blog for awhile then you know the important role meaningful work and personal development can play in living purposefully, two things our Urban League programming changed focused on (for those of you who are newer to the Mighty Purpose community, I suggest you look at the Wellbeing Test).
I believe everyone has a purpose, though most of us don't live it and I want to change that. So, I became the Executive Director of the Madison Area Down Syndrome Society. Yes, people with Down syndrome have purposes too, probably purposes just as bad-ass as yours (excuse my language).
I believe everyone has a purpose, though most of us don't live it and I want to change that. So, I write this blog or offer a fellowship, or design a board self-assessment tool, or start a Facebook page, or work on a new web-based structured learning experience connected with one-on-one mentorship, and possibly including a social accountability aspect, or whatever I need to come up with to move this project forward.
I think you get the point. Priorities trump processes and resources.
I have one more thing for you before you check out the video above. Leading with "Why" gives you an excellent weapon against your Army of the Dead. In most cases the work that you do everyday is ultimately meaningless, unless your personal "Why" inspires it. When you get to work (or get to work looking for work), are you just screwing together that widget or just answering that email? Or, can you say you are doing it for a purpose you truly believe is a mighty one?
If you can, then I cannot see how your Army of the Dead can hold the field of battle for long.
Be well,
Sterling Lynk
| P.S. - If you enjoyed the Simon Sinek video above, check out the video to the right. I love his story about an experiment he conducted in partnership with a homeless woman, the neat short-term results, and the disappointing lack of long-term change. |