What Are You Doing It For?

Core Values

A lot of things get done throughout the work day merely because someone was too scared to say STOP or lacked the confidence to ask why they were assigned to do what they were.

From an employee stand point, every task is an opportunity to reaffirm what you’re doing it for. It’s why company culture, company goals, and, most importantly, the company message is so vital to know and understand.

Often times, when one is doing a task one deems unnecessary, they still have a legitimate purpose for doing it when they know why the company is in existence (its core value).

But not every company shares its why. Not every company inspires their employers to be part of their movement. In fact, not every company is moving.

So we must fall back on our own values. We must ask why. We must understand what we are doing this or that for… and appreciate it.

From a manager’s perspective, if employees aren’t asking why, if they’re not seeking out work that matters, then it’s an indicator of a larger company problem.

Do work that matters or be the company culture changer. They need you.

 

Stay Positive & Ask, Know, Care

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What Are They Hungry For?

What Are They Hungry For?

Stay Hungry Stay Foolish

If I asked your friends and followers to give me a few adjectives to describe you, will they all say one or two of the same adjectives?

If so – and those adjectives are what you aim for – then you are marketing yourself well.

Now, let’s flip the situation around. If you were asked to name a few adjectives that describe each of your followers, would one or two of them fit each follower?

Often times we try to build tribes, gain large followings, and generally market to the mass because we have an idea that we want every type of person to be interested in.

The truth is not everyone will be interested in joining your tribe. One person may hop on your idea at the start because they are idea generators, unreal optimists, and creative folk, but as soon as your idea gains momentum, they may fall off. They just don’t share the same adjectives as you and your core tribe.

A quicker way to have adjective consistency with your tribe (and retain membership) is to ask why each member of your tribe joined. Answers will vary and it will take a while to figure out exactly why the majority join.

Once you find out the why, you can change your marketing to appeal to what most people answered with. “To meet people like me,” “to build my résumé,” “because I was restless.” They will practically give you the content for your new marketing plan.

Don’t place a variety of food out and shout to everyone that they can have some. Ask what a few people are hungry for and then provide solely that.

 

Stay Positive & To Build A Tribe, Just Ask People Why They Joined In The First Place

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The Why And How Of It All

Speaking as a journalist and a continuous learner, “why” is the great word in the world. Second up is “how.”

“Why” encompasses research, in-depth reporting and focuses on cognitive and emotional answers. “Why” is philosophical, inquisitive and sometimes life altering.

“How” is a lot less about priorities, lists and steps. It’s more about doing. Doing right away and then ask why what happened happened.

If there’s one thing we oughta know about plans it’s that they will never happen the way we want them to. Time focusing on the details of “how” is time wasted because the details are going to change once you start doing.

“How” might be a question word, but the answer is experience.

 

Stay Positive & You Acquire Experience From Doing Then Asking Why

Art Is War On The Human Brain

making bank

Elusive graffiti artist, Banksy set up a stand in NYC selling his signature work for $60. Normally his work goes for about $40,000, to $200 thousand and up.

This says less about what art is worth and more about what we perceive as art. Reporters are not doing Banksy any justice by not reporting on why he is establishing residency in NYC one day at a time through the movement he dubs “Better Out Than In.”

This has two positive, but counterintuitive results.

Banksy’s spray art has always been to communicate a message. That message is up to each individual to decode and then act on. Since news reporters are failing to report on the messages of the work, it is completely left to the individual who sees it to make their interpretation and the mass are failing at it. This is why Banksy only made $420 from selling his work the other day.

Many would blame Banksy for not creating work that convinces people to analyze it. To that I would ask what art work does do that?

The other result is if the media did begin to analyze his efforts and voice their interpretation of his artwork, that closes the value of those who interpret Banksy’s art different from how the media says to interpret it. Banksy

For example, the media could pawn this piece off as being purely humorous, when, in fact, it could have hundreds of different purposes beyond simply invoking a chuckle.

It does not matter that Banksy sold his work for $60 a piece. What matters is why he did.

All the same, it does not matter that Banksy sprays his art work around NYC. What matters is why he is.

It doesn’t seem like the media is going to give us any answers on that. However, by the end of the month, I imagine Banksy will.

 

Stay Positive & Perhaps It’s Better That The Media Doesn’t(?)

Garth E. Beyer

Tell Me What

I walked around campus earlier today and saw a couple of people (separate instances) giving something away. They had stacks of something and that was it: them and a stack of something. How could I ever be intrigued to know why I should take it if I have no clue what it is.

Show me a sign. Hollar out what you’re giving away. Tell me what it is.

People rarely express any interest or start to care about something if they don’t know what it is. News writing is a perfect example. Before a writer develops the nut graf (the why you should keep reading paragraph), they tell you what has happened, what the focus is, what the story is.

“Free Bible”

“Pocketbooks for students”

“2014 calendars”

What was it that they were handing out? If they had told me, then I would have been curious why they wanted to give me a free bible, why I need a pocketbook, why they were giving me a calendar when I only ever use the one on my phone.

I’ll never ask why if you never tell me what.

 

Stay Positive & Yes, There Can Be Mystery, But At Least Say You’re Giving A Mystery Box Away

Garth E. Beyer