Being of Service

The importance of being of service in business is certainly not new. But how we serve, our motive for service, should be looked at anew. With our increasingly global economy, with new markets opening through innovative technology, service is becoming an even more integral part of why we do what we do.

Companies whose focus is service are undoubtedly in greater demand. Our increasing technological innovations from off-shore call centers to online interactive help aides to registering for airline tickets and hotels beg the question of service in our global economy. What is our motive for service? How can we best serve others? Who are some of the great examples of service and why?

The greatest example of service to me is Christ. His motive was for others, though his mission brought others to him. He spoke of service to others as not being connected with the desire to draw attention to himself, but one of being of service to others disconnected from the sole purpose of self-serving promotion. The "sole" here is necessary, as it is abundantly clear in scripture that Christ well positioned himself for recognition.

Recognition was not Christ's main purpose, but it was most certainly vital to his ministry on earth. His very statements alone brought attention to himself as well as his telling those to whom he brought miraculous healing not to tell of them. Who do you know, after being healed of such present diseases as AIDS or terminal cancer, would not tell of it? Not many, if any. Seeking recognition was by no means his raison d'etre, but recognition was vital to his cause. His mission statement was one of service. Christ said, "I am among you as One who serves." Service brought him recognition.

The distinction of being of service is the motive of drawing and the reason for being. It is the difference of drawing others to be as opposed to being to draw others. It is not that we do not prepare for how our service will impact us or our business, but it is our motive of being of service for others that distinguishes. It is our initiation of strategy and implementation of service that matters. Being for others, in fact, draws others to us.

Christ understood well that we often consider our personal position when serving others and not necessarily those whom we will serve. Strategy and implementation of service is often initiated by how it will most benefit us, as opposed to those whom we will serve. Service is not often about the other, but about us. While the focus of service should be about others, the result directly benefits us.

In Luke 22: 24-27 Christ's disciples wanted to know who among them would most benefit from their acts of service. They wanted to know who would be the greatest in his circle, as if the reward of service is greater than the act of service itself. Christ thought otherwise. Here is the scene:

"Now there was a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest.

And He said to them, 'The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors.

But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.

For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves."

As those in business, our reason of being should be to serve. When we have served well we will have met the needs of our clients. When we have served well our rewards will be great. When we have served well our name will be known. When we have served well recognition follows. When we have served well others will seek us out. The key is being of service to others and not soley for ourselves.

What are your thoughts on service? I'd love to hear any stories.

Being Joyous Inspite of All Appearances

There is something about maintaining joy at the appearance of endless calamity.

There is something about keeping the faith amidst gloom and doom.

There is something about smiling when others around you are frowning.

There is something about speaking hope when others are speaking despair.

There is something about arising peaceful after an unrestful night of uncertainty.

There is something about showing love when hate appears more likely.

Being joyous inspite of all appearances requires action.

Act now for a joyous present and a hilarious imminent future.

Being in the Circle of Life III

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being in seven ages.

Acts Redefined

Act 1: Infant
Begin again. What have you begun lately?

Act 2: Whining Adolescent
Arrest complacency and unwillingness. What are you curious about?

Act 3: Lover
Rekindle the passion within which lights the passion without. Are you in pursuit of excellence?

Act 4: Solider
Swear by nothing; seek consensus. But what would you die for?

Act 5: Judge
Use uncommon wisdom and understanding void of arrogance and pretentiousness. How do you lead?

Act 6: Pantaloon
Vitality lessens; live anyhow through continuous creation not re-appropriation. Have you become a caricature of you?

Act 7: Ending
The end is the beginning again. From nothingness to creation. And then back again.

Being in the Circle of Life is created by our daily actions through work that matters. What matters most to you?

Being in the Circle of Life II

It can be posited that we create meaning through being. Our mere existing is being. But on a much deeper level, in a more significant way, we ourselves create being. This creation is meaning. Existing itself does not create meaning. Meaning is derived from the work we do every day. This is work that matters most. I work therefore I am.

The ideas in "All the World's a Stage" are not novel; they are eternal, forever thought-provoking in creating being, in creating work that matters. What matters most is the creation of being through performance. But performance is influenced by many factors such as the audience, ambitions, aspirations, dialogue, inspiration and value. As "All the World's a Stage," there are always others who are watching us, even when we are unaware.

Because we are forever on stage, these things, though seemingly insignificant, matter: our tone of voice, the kindness in our eyes, the warmth around the corner of our mouths, the encouraging of others, the hope in our step, the passion of our efforts, the judgelessness of our squint, the light of introspection, the gentleness of our stride, the determination of purpose, the welcoming of extended hands, the strength of our character, the embracing of all others, the intensity in which we seek solutions...

Work that matters most does not simply include what we do but how we do it. As "All the World's a Stage," others are influenced by our actions. Our conscious understanding that both what we do and how we do it then becomes increasingly more important. Our actions affect everything else. Everything is everything. Vibes are released into the world that cannot be recaptured, though they can be overridden by forthwith improved continuous actions. "All the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players."

In the circle of life, I work therefore I am. Work that matters most constitutes being.

Being in the Circle of Life

William Shakespeare-All the World's a Stage (from As You Like It )

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

What is the significance of these lines in doing work that matters every day?

Being is Believing

On this day, the day of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I believe that his hope of unity is more possible in our country and in the world more than ever before. Hope calls for peace. Hope embraces change. Hope defers to others. Hope is beautiful. YES, WE CAN!

Being is believing the many possibilities of our very existence. It is the immediacy of change. Being is believing the imminent forever hopeful possibility of change. It is forever present, though perhaps not seen. It is the fulling of Dr. King's most beautiful "Dream." Being is believing all things are possible if we believe. Being is believing: YES, WE CAN!



Being is believing: YES, THEY CAN!



Being is believing the hope that does not disappoint.

Being Relevant in Marketing in the 21st Century with an 18th Century Spin

With a recent discussion on the negativity of snide advertising online, I thought about the relation between marketing and the theater. How is marketing similar to the theater today? Is marketing dialogue similar to the theater? As in the theater, there are a many people involved in the creation and response of marketing.

In the theater there are performers, make-up artists, writers, lighting technicians, audience members, etc. In marketing there are designers, technology professionals, researchers, advertising specialists, customers, etc. Customers participate in the dialoge for marketing strategies, but do not create marketing. Audience members in the theater used to participate in performance, creating a sort of improvisational performance dialogue, but no longer do.

There is the actual creative process of marketing (of creating an ad, for example) that customer has no awareness of, but the marketing team does. The initial process, in fact, involves the customer. The dialogue is created response to the marketing. The good marketing team, then, is both internal and external viewing and acting upon the consciousness of the customer wholly. The general public is indeed savvy and aware (rejecting or accepting a product) and their response is key to the success of marketing. But they are probably not aware of the ins and outs of the process.

I love movies and the process of movie making. So, when I go into the theater all aspects of the movie intrigue me. I am aware of the lighting, script, music, sound affects, and skill of the actor or lack thereof; I am aware of the process that involves the whole. Many moviegoers undoubtedly have similar experiences. But I would venture to suspect that most go into the theater and let the movie wash over them, simply emoting or experiencing the film in the moment.

A good marketing team sees the movie beforehand, experiences it in the now, and makes adjustments based upon the responses of the customer in data collected. I see the marketing team as the moviegoer who is very much aware of all aspects of the movie as both the creator and spectator, as apposed to the general public who simply go to the theater for the experience alone. The marketing team then becomes both internal and external in the marketing process.

Perhaps the analogy of a live 18th century performance would be better than the movies in describing dialogue which is by nature interactive. Spectators in 18th century theater actually had immediate input in the very performance; performers had to improvise on the spot in order to hold the audience’s attention and avoid rancid fruit and vegetables being hurled at them.

With technology, there may even become a time, if not already, that this immediate interactive approach to marketing will be a norm—though perhaps not as brutal. Imagine as a performer bracing for such immediate response of displeasure? Would this affect the performance for the better or worst? To silence an audience with pleasing music performers would improvise, even composing completely new pieces on the spot. This was a successful night at the theater in the 18th Century.

Could a sense of this kind of immediacy be relevant to current marketing? Innovation, quickness and foresight are needed in the creation and re-creation of marketing strategies that are based on the response of many. Sales persons, customers and technical support teams will all have a response in the dialogue. But somebody has to synthesize all of the responses. Is this not the marketing team? Monologues and internal brand-exploration is simply the initial ideas of individuals of the marketing team prior to synthesis. It is not good to try to synthesize before understanding the differences and similarities of thoughts and ideas; this is what dialogue addresses.

Dialogue addresses the difference and similarities to bring about consensus of marketing. Engaging the audience, allowing for dialogue and interaction, is inclusive. This is altogether lovely. The best marketing and branding is inclusive, not necessarily all encompassing but allowing for dialogue.

Does dialogue in marketing and branding include words alone? The best dialogue is probably that which is created by the team, influenced by customers, and responded in kind through sales. This may be the best kind of dialogue in marketing and branding.Dialogue is the relationship between you and your customers. What kind of dialogue are you having with your customers? Is it relevant? Does it result in innovative useful services and products? How are the sales?