Paul Bennett is my new business hero. I discovered his post on creativity and the rise of optimism via Diego Rodriguez [metacool] and I'm already a fan.
The title is an expression he used in the post. Paul says something very simple, and very very hard for businesses to understand - people want to contribute. In the command and control world we still live in, people have designated lines to color within.
What can I do? Is probably the most frequently asked question in many situations - career changes, economic woes, but also new jobs, new relationships, a move to another city.
You start the job, for example, or the relationship, filled with desire to make a contribution. Alas "how can we make the pie bigger?" is seldom the most frequent way forward. Look at point #3 in this post - great minds...
Yes, heavens does look a lot like YouTube. Now playing because they make the pie bigger for customers and the community:
1. Zappos.com becoming a customer's best fan by being transparent and fun. In the interview with AdWeek, Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh said: Our belief is a company's culture and brand are two sides of the same coin. The brand may lack the culture but eventually it will catch up. Cultural fit matters tremendously to inspire positive thinking and keep the creative juices flowing towards participation in the customer experience.
2. Trader Joe's offering freshness, delight, and a few surprises every single week - they can introduce up to 15 new products/week. There are rumors that this is the only grocery store I will go to. Their floral displays are as yummy as the cheese counter. It's just so friendly and nice in the store that it almost feels like an adventure - and one that will not break your bank.
3. I wrote about The Ministry of Food (another connection with Paul) a couple of months ago. Jamie Oliver is the ultimate example of making the pie bigger. He uses his talent and creativity to help the community. The causes he has backed are many improving the quality of school lunches, reducing childhood obesity, advancing the cooking skills of the general population, educating the public about factory farming, and offering delinquent kids a second chance through cooking.
Food and clothing. Maybe there are also examples of housing that does right by the community. As Paul said, heavens looks (a lot) like YouTube. What can we do to help each other get the dreams and hopes, and memories seen - and played out? It's amazing what you discover about yourself by broadening your horizons and looking upwards!
[Forget the company brochure. What would your business magazine cover look like?]