3 Palms, Mission-Driven Organizations and How They Connect

It was 95 degrees but it was a dry heat.

I had just taken a sip from a frosty cold cerveza and glanced skyward observing the 3 palms blowing gently in the breeze. After a couple of days of rest and relaxation, my mind was fully disengaged from its usual fretting about commitments, deadlines and financial obligations.

And I thought to myself, what stories this trio of frond producers could tell of people and life they’ve seen over the years. What trials and tribulations they witnessed. The stories of love and loss they overheard.

And then that famous quote was confirmed to me yet again. “Curiosity is the lust of the mind,” said English philosopher Thomas Hobbes more than 330 years ago. 

We just have to know.

We’ve got to find out.

We must quench that thirst.

All of which brings me to the "content and mission-driven organizations" part of my title.

Are your posts and articles engaging or should I say “magnetizing” your readers? Does your title promise a story worth reading? Does the content fulfill on that promise?

What I'm saying here is that curiosity helps you in content development because it gets your “need to know” overriding everything in your head. It's what I call my "silver bullet" when it comes to engaging content. And it’s a safe bet that if that topic stirs your mind, it’s going to do the same to those coveted readers, ambassadors and potential evangelists of yours.

Just how do you that, you ask?

Engaging content starts with one action: Asking a question.

For example: How specifically did your organization help a family in need after living in their car for 17 months?

How many trees did your employees plant on a forgotten city lot only known for its piles of litter?

Or how did your contribution help seniors lacking access to medical care?

Then your content answers that question by being specific and personal.

By personal, I mean add your own emotional viewpoint about what you saw and how it made you feel. Don’t hold back. Authenticity is not only highly valued in our world today, it is mandatory if you’re to be a trusted communicator.

Stuck for ideas and no palm trees in sight? Consider these time-tested, mind-freeing suggestions:

• Take a walk in a city park
• Visit an art museum
• Ride public transportation
• Eat in a restaurant you’ve never visited
• Listen to music you know nothing about.

My bet is you’ll come up with several worthy ideas that promise to make your audience curious (and engaged) indeed. Just as those 3 palms did for me as I dozed off for my afternoon siesta.

~hcollaborative.com~

Why Be Kind in a Cruel World

If you've lived in the business world for any period of time, you have seen it.

Rudeness.

Bitterness.

Downright meanness.

In fact in the ad agency world I once lived in, it was thought of as being part and parcel of the job. Whether the venom came from clients, superiors or peers, I used to hear the old phrase "you need thicker skin, son. Now let me buy you a drink."

Well in case you haven't heard, there's a new world out there in this age of technology. Cruelty in any form has been shown the door.

And it's not just the old self-help gurus touting a kinder, gentler way for the work world.

In the recently published book "Simply Brilliant" by William C. Taylor, the author devotes half his book to detailing the merits of kindness and great organizations. Here's what he writes:

"It's just as important to be kind as to be clever. Organizations that perform at a high level for a long time don't just think differently from everyone else, they care more than everyone else. In an era of big ideas and disruptive technology, simple acts of connection and compassion take on outsized importance."

His proof points come in the form of several organizations including a nonprofit healthcare foundation in Alaska known as Southcentral Foundation. There's an anecdotal story about Panera Bread! Another one about Russian airline Aeroflot. And even a bit of narrative about Jeff Bezos of Amazon who recently addressed Princeton's graduating class ending up his sermon with the simple call to those graduates asking, "Will you be clever at the expense of others, or will you be kind?"

Besides reading the book, here are 4 other ideas to bring kindness into your organization:

1.       Lead by Example: Lead with your heart. You will inspire those around you. Nothing builds co-worker and customer loyalty quicker than a person who reflects kindness and compassion in all they do.

2.       Be Authentic: Make sure you stay true to yourself. Let your co-workers see that even leaders have ebbs and flow of emotions in their day-to-day activities. Vulnerability is not a sign of weakness.

3.       Know Your Team: Take the time to learn about your co-workers and what they care about. Greet them personally and tell them how much you value their collaboration in your organization.

4.       Practice Conscientious Communication: Encourage co-workers to speak openly. Teach them how to communicate with empathy yet still deliver their message. And lead by example demonstrating the powerful skill of listening.

Let's not forget that we are all human. As Taylor reminds us, "In a world being reshaped by technology, what so many of us crave are small gestures of kindness that remind us of what it means to be human."

To get our book, "25 Building Blocks To Create a Conscientious Organization" FREE, go to HCollaborative.com for an instant download.

2 Words about Creating Killer Content

Get emotional.

Or throw your content out the window.

You can’t move people to action if they have not bought in emotionally.

The corporate world knows this (think Nike, Apple and John Hancock). And so do forward-thinking nonprofits (think “One”, Charity: Water and Make-A-Wish campaigns).

“People ‘buy in’ with emotion.

They justify their decision to buy with logic.”

Let’s face it. We humans are emotional creatures. We feel fear, anger, sadness and joy. And that emotion is the most critical part of connecting with any person let alone your base.

The plain and simple fact is that if you don’t connect emotionally, you don’t connect at all. Your efforts are completely wasted.

No matter how brilliant your strategy is.

No matter how clever your headline is.

No matter how attention-getting your design is.

All of which means emotion needs to be the heartbeat of every piece of communication your organization produces — from emails to web content, flyers to videos.

The first step in building that deep connection with your audience is to put yourself in their shoes. Get a deep understanding of them. Survey them. Talk with them. Eavesdrop on their online conversations. What are their concerns? What gets their blood boiling? How do they define joy?

When you understand their heart, you become a better communicator.

Every piece of content needs to start with that empathy. It needs to be part of the title or headline of your posts or mailers. And it needs to be in your opening sentence and paragraph.

Every. Single. Time.

Without that emotion, you’ll not engage. And they will hit the ‘delete’ button or move to another site in a blink of an eye. Remember: the average consumer is exposed to 362 ad exposures and over 5,000 brand exposures daily, according to respected research giant Yankelovich in a 2014 study.

Needless to say, it’s crowded in the content cosmos. You greatly enhance the odds of your organization's message resonating with your audience by getting emotional with them.

To get our book, “25 Building Blocks To Create a Conscientious Organization” FREE, go to HCollaborative.com for an instant download.

Lesson from the Cactus: How to Become More Resilient

Growing up in the Northwest, it’s easy to love the outdoors. Hiking, snowshoeing, camping…drop me off in the ‘woods’ and the trees, the green of the forest gifts me with calm. It’s my favorite “zen” place where I can shut off my busy mind.

Then I visited the deserts of Baja.

The stark and quiet beauty created an awe that defined “mindfulness.” A potent experience of stillness and balance between the mountains and sea. 

And the regal cactus reigns over all.  With lessons about survival and resilience.

There are many legends and stories about the cactus plant–often revered within the desert ecosystem. It is a tree that survives with little water in a dry and hot environment, providing sustenance and shelter to many desert animals and insects.  

Like many of Nature's wonders, which teach us about balance and inter-connected-ness, cacti have adapted and thrived over time. Here are a few fun facts from Science and Kids:

• Cactus thorns are highly modified plant leaves. The sharp spines and the thick tough skin of the stem protect the cactus from animals who would otherwise have easy access to the liquid inside.

• The cactus collects water using a large root system. Small thin roots grow near the surface of the soil and collect rainwater as quickly as possible during the few times it rains. A taproot, which grows much deeper, reaches underground water supplies when the top soil is dry.

• Cacti can gather and hold water in their stems. The water is not pure, clear water but viscous. The fluid is drinkable however, and has saved people’s lives in the desert.

The bottom line: the Cactus is Resilient!

“The ability to recover from or adjust easily to change, misfortune, adversity  or stress.” Merriam/Webster .

Here are a few tips to help us become more resilient as Conscientious Leaders:

-          Don’t take things so personally. It’s not always about “me.” That is the ego.

-          Develop a “thicker skin” like the cactus. Throw off negative challenges with positive energy and action.

-          When challenged by major change, think of the long term bigger picture, not just the short-term impact.

-          Find ways to make lemonade out of lemons.

-          Use your energy to be proactive vs spending time being defensive, trying to maintain the status quo.

-          Find an internal space of strength – that you can tap into with confidence and remember that feeling when confronted – a “bank” of positive feelings and successes that you can draw from when faced with negativity.

-          Create an ecosystem of support among your peers and colleagues that creates a buffer against adversity.

-          Counter stress by giving and kindness—an antidote to anxiety- that ultimately makes you stronger.

-          Take accountability and ownership for the situation and mistakes, and then move on with action.

Little things to remember, to build resilience and opportunities to thrive.

Just like my friend, the cactus.

 To get our book, "25 Building Blocks To Create a Conscientious Organization" FREE, go to HCollaborative.com for an instant download.

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3 Ways To Measure Your Organization's Soul

As the world moves at warp speed and things change in mere seconds, how do you plan for success?

How do you really know if your organization will survive in the 21st century?

Are there clues?

Metrics?

Trends?

Well as any enlightened leader or marketer will tell you, you start by going to the source. Meaning, of course, looking at your customers and prospects.

Because if you understand their values and motivation, you have your road map.

In our leadership and marketing workshops, clients hear our sermon about how things are clearly changing in the marketplace.  Consumers want and expect more from organizations other than just an excellent product or service.

The good news is that many businesses not only have recognized this but have made critical decisions to keep their organizations alive and well for decades to come.

You see, they've become what is called a  Benefit Company, a new and growing business structure allowed now in more than two-thirds of states. They focus their mission on what consumers are not only seeking but demanding to see in a business today.

It's called the "3 P's."

People: The First "P"

Companies with souls have always invested in their people, but today the faces within our workforce look very different and think and act different. They no longer reflect the “traditional” American values of “mom, God and apple pie." These companies believe in a much more inclusive workplace, allowing for more freedom and choice and busting stereotypes.  This is something to celebrate as it means we are developing a more creative society.  Yet, this means investing in people with a whole new understanding, sensitivity and empathy --- different cultures, different generations, different lifestyles and abilities.

Planet: The Second "P"

Another way to measure a company's soul is its impact on the planet. Future generations depend on the ability of businesses to practice sustainability and put into place policies that save our natural resources.  The planet must not be sacrificed solely for profit. Conscientious organizations incorporate this philosophy into their mission, vision and operating principles. And then practice them diligently.

Profit:  The Third "P"

Finally, profit is the last way to measure your organization's soul as we believe that if you follow the first two P’s, profit will be a natural result.

So does your company have a soul? If so, congratulations. If not, do not despair. Our new book coming out in the summer of 2017 goes deeper into the how's of making your company anything but endangered in the 21st century.

 To get our book, "25 Building Blocks To Create a Conscientious Organization" FREE, go to HCollaborative.com for an instant download.

The Curse of Immobilization: How Leaders Break Free

No leader worth her salt likes it.

It renders one feeling frustrated, angry and completely stuck.

As in first gear. As in glued to the ground. As in no movement forward.

I'm talking about being "immobilized."

The problem is that it occurs with a great deal of regularity in all organizations, no matter how good the service, how creative the strategy, how powerful the team.

Funding declines. Employees leave. Negative PR spreads.

Whatever the case, feeling stuck and helpless is in my honest opinion the worst feeling of all. After all, I'm a doer not a dreamer.

And for me there is only one tried-and-true way to get out of that quicksand.

Take action.

Sounds so simple doesn't it?

But it's anything but easy as Amazon attests to. Currently, you will find 2,313 books with "take action" in their title or sub-title. That is a lot of writing about moving past stuck-ness. A lot of advice about battling lack of movement.

I realize though that wasting time feeling that way does not do me or my work any good.

Even as that empty Word page and blinking cursor stare back at me.

Which brings me to some simple advice a kindred spirit offered some time ago:

"Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible

and suddenly you are doing the impossible."

- St. Francis of Assisi

So that's what I do.

In my own case, I force myself to write anything even if it stinks. I make the necessary phone call. I meet with the client as soon as possible.

As soon as I do it, I feel an immediate sense of relief, as I ask myself "why did I wait so long?"

I get a surge in confidence.

I become more of value to both my team and my clients.

And I continue to move in the direction every Conscientious Leader loves.

Onward.

 To get our book, "25 Building Blocks To Create a Conscientious Organization" FREE, go to HCollaborative.com for an instant download.

One of the Simplest Ways to Make a Difference...

It was a rainy evening and there weren’t many people at the shop.  I busied myself, straightening the shelves where we sold our journals, which is one of my favorite places in the store.  The candle’s scent of citrus and vanilla, along with the mellow tunes of  Alina Baraz from our sound system, lulled me into a place of contentment. 

A modestly dressed woman in her sixties walked into the store and began to browse.   Now I love browsers, because I am one.   Often it is more about the experience of shopping than buying -- the creativity and imagination of colors, fashion, function.  

And I’m curious about people – knowing there is often a place for a connection.

I smiled and asked her if she was looking for anything and mentioned today was the last day of our home goods sale with linens, candles, and ceramics 20% off.  She returned my smile, and shared she had just randomly come into the store.  “I thought I would treat myself to something special,” she said. “I just need a little pick-up.”

Of course, my job is to sell, but “poof” that went out the window in a heartbeat, and I stopped to listen.  

We walked through the store together, as she told me about her life, her loneliness, her estrangement with her daughter living across country.  So, we talked about daughters for a while, and before too long we were in deeper discussions about letting go and flirted with topics of spirituality.

I’m a talker, but I listened and listened some more, and a few tears fell from her eyes.  Soon we were at the perfume counter and she asked me which one was my favorite.  I told her – an old-world scent of jasmine and blood oranges, that reminded me of Sicily, and her tears dried as she tested the scent.  Soon we were laughing, talking about silly things and she touched my arm and said, “Thank you,I just needed to talk with someone who would listen. “

I was humbled.

I left her side when another customer asked for my help.  But I watched ‘my friend’ who continued to shop the store.  Soon I saw her at the check-out counter, her hands full and I waved to her as she held up the bottle of my favorite cologne.  Then she stepped aside and walked to me and said, “Every time I wear it, I will feel better, knowing you care.”

Sometimes it’s the little things, of connecting by listening from our hearts when we can make the most difference to someone. It’s what Conscientious Leaders do.

 To get our book, "25 Building Blocks To Create a Conscientious Organization" FREE, go to HCollaborative.com for an instant download.