Build A Better Box

Like my box metaphor that I use frequently, there's another common phrase that I like to play with: the "square peg in a round hole" analogy. It suggests all sorts of ideas and is relevant in many situations, from an ill-fitting solution to a given problem, to two incompatible processes, to the wrong employee for a company position, to a myriad other things. But unlike the (yet another metaphor) "immovable object versus the irresistible force" conundrum where there is no foreseeable resolve, the peg/hole analogy suggests a way out: simply that one of the two pieces of the puzzle has to go, and be replaced with something else, and all will be well. Pretty black and white, if you ask me.

But when looking at a problem or situation that involves two outwardly incompatible counterparts, I often like to take a more flexible route: if we are forced to work with both the existing peg and hole, and there are no substitutes for either available, why not add a little flexibility and whittle down the edges of the peg, or perhaps change the shape of the hole? Looking at any issue at hand should involve some creative thinking, and there's nothing wrong with adaptive strategy to finding a way to reach harmony.

I'll probably get some flack from saying this, but there is a common school of thought that one should not waver from conviction to one's vision. Stay true, keep it squarely in sight, and modify your course to better reach it. But I say there are times when making corrections to the destination might be perfectly acceptable. In the really big picture, this analogy might refer to a company who re-evaluates and redefines their vision in response to a changed marketplace, in an effort to remain viable and relevant. In many cases, it can be acceptable to consider refining an intended outcome to better suit the practicalities of a situation. It's really about making two ends meet, and being a great opportunist often involves making the absolute most with what's available, doing the best that can be done, and as efficiently and tactically sound as possible. And if you live passionately, doing what you love and loving what you do, success is just a matter of course. So don't be afraid to tweak the hole if it better suits the peg.

OK, I admit it; I listen to Pantera. Nothing like a shot of hard core metal to charge up a drive to the office.

But I also listen to Vince Gill and Mozart, and the last two CDs in my car were by Neil Young and Johnny Cash. And while I've been a rock drummer for 30 years, I confess to having purchased a banjo and an accordion at area antique stores. On my XM radio, the first two channel presets are for speed metal and 40s music. What can I say? Must be the Gemini in my blood.

When it comes to music, I'm certainly interested in extremes, in many directions. No middle-of-the-road for me. I don't much notice or listen to mainstream music because it typically doesn't inspire me.

For the most part - and for most people - this notion is generally true in all forms of art, including the art of communications: the stuff that stands out is the stuff that sticks. Whether telling your story or your client's, is the message unique? Is it presented in a way that grabs the attention from an otherwise ambivalent audience? Does the approach stand up and say, "Hey! Look at me!"?

If you have something to say, consider taking a DARE:

D = Different. Is the message fresh and does the approach get noticed?
A = Authentic. Is the story a true original, served up with passion?
R = Resonating. Does it capture your audience's imagination and hit home?
E = Enlightening. Inspire, educate, and motivate your audience to take action.

And to every kid who felt compelled to wear plaid pants in a world of denim, I say dare to be different.

On a recent trip to an area business expo - booth after booth with all sorts of occupants ranging from colleges and financial products brokers to limousine services and caterers - I noticed an interesting aspect to most of their marketing efforts. Their oft-used approach is also identical to what I saw on a recent purusal of our leading area business trade newspaper. What do they tend to have in common? They all sell "stuff". No matter the vertical market, and no matter the product or service, most of the companies who advertise themselves treat their offerings as commodities; laundry lists of bullet points.

Three or four computer networking firms might all promote the same things: "24/7 support, 100% customer satisfaction, low rates, quality service" and so forth. So what makes them unique from one another? If they all offer the same type of commodity (and indeed, they have generally reduced themselves to such a level) and they all claim to be "the best in the business", how do any among them rise above the crowd and stand out to the buying audience?

When a company says, "We provide an excellent product at a reasonable price with expert-level service", they are talking about things that should almost go without saying. Would we buy from anyone who didn't offer these things? And who among those companies would ever claim otherwise? "At ABC Company, we make the worst products on the market. Our service blows, and our prices will kill your bottom line." How long would these companies stay in business? Promoting things that should be a given - such as good service and products - is a waste of breath.

Of course, all companies have something to offer, even if only at a commodity level. But when you reduce yourself to a commodity, you are setting yourself up for a potentially bumpy road in the market. Someone else will always come along and offer the same commodity - along with the same great service, support, and satisfaction - for less money. And when a company can't afford to compete on price without cutting corners, they lose the fight to the competition. What's the alternative to commodity-based pricing? Value-based pricing. Value is measured by the equity of the intangibles behind the commodity. The relationship between the company and its audience, and between the products and services and the consumers. The brand and how it resonates. The story.

If you were operating a bakery, would you run an ad promoting the list of ingredients to your cakes? Or would you promote the cakes? As you market yourself to the world, consider telling your story and promoting your brand essence. In a world where everyone competes with the same menu of "stuff", it is your story and brand that will set you apart from the competition, and ultimately give you stability and longevity in the marketplace. As the laundry listing, commodity-based competition comes and goes, awash in a sea of relative obscurity and anonymity, your company will be known for who you are - not merely what you are.

For those of us who enjoy a little combat on the local greens, "keep your head down" is a bit of a mantra. Although there are many metaphoric parallels between business and sports, it is perhaps particularly the case when it comes to golf.

One obvious analogy is in the setup and swing going into a shot: assess the lay of the land, zero in on a target, line up the approach, commit to the swing, follow through, and nail it! If everything is executed swiftly and efficiently, with good timing and technique, you reached your goal and either sunk the ball in the cup or set yourself up strategically for the next shot.

What happens if you twist your wrist, stiffen up, drop your head, or bend your arms all over the place? What will happen to your swing? What will happen to your chances of hitting your target - your goal?

While all that makes a great metaphor for good business sense, where it falls apart a bit is with the classic advice to "keep your head down." In golf, you want to keep your eye on the ball as it sits on the tee, and not lift your head in anticipation of watching it fly through the air during the upstroke of the swing. You commit to the swing and follow through, but you inherently need to trust that the ball will take the path planned.

But in business, this only works to a point. In business, you need to keep your eye on the ball the entire way home. You need to see that it stays on course and reaches the destination in the manner you intended. Still, some people might argue that, "Hey, even as long as you get to where you wanted, who cares how you did it?" But this does not speak to an efficient, intelligent approach. It means you might have reached your goal by more than just a bit of irony and luck, in the possible face of lack of good tactics and oversight.

Keeping your eye on the ball - in business - doesn't always mean keeping your head down. And ideally, you need one eye on the ball and one on your swing. (What, your eyes don't work that way? Time to start practicing...)

Not long ago, someone in our team suggested we breach the time-space continuum.

So we did. So to speak.

It really wasn't so much a change in the stuff we were doing, but rather a shift in perspective on what we were already doing. This was another in a series of small tipping points (thank you, Malcolm Gladwell) we've witnessed in our continual exploration and expansion within our company. But if the shift did nothing else, it provided a bit of peace of mind that the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel isn't always "way down there." Metaphorically speaking (is there any other way?) it made me realize that as we continue to head for the light, so - too - is the light already reaching us. And once we've started to see it, it's the illumination itself that guides us and inspires us to want to receive even greater light.

If a young art student sets out to become a well known and respected artist, she may well accomplish it without even realizing so. And as it's human nature to continually seek new enlightenment, so, too, will the artist always seek new skills, inspration, and broadened vision. We all probably have known a few people in our lives who have a great gift or talent and is doing incredible things, but who may simply brush it off and say, "Ah, I'm not there yet; there's always more to learn." And while they are right - we are always pupils - we must also remember that no one stays in first grade forever (except maybe for that one weird kid in the fourth row who always smelled like cheese and still had a name tag sewn on all his clothes.) We learn more, and we do reach our goals - even while focusing a bit too intently on the seemingly continual future - always unreachable.

The point with all this is to not automatically view our goals - our visions - as merely external points of destination, reachable "some day" or "next quarter" or "down the road." Stop and consider that perhaps you've actually arrived, even if only a small bit so far. You may well already be the thing you want to become. When you say, "We should work to develop into this..." or, "Let's evolve into that..." you might consider that perhaps you are already "this" or "that." Think about it: the future doesn't remain the future forever; it eventually becomes the present. And with enough conviction to our intentions, it catches up with us. And it can happen without warning, right under our noses.

So stop for a moment to look around, and consider that maybe, just maybe... you are already there, now.

Everywhere you look these days, you see people encouraging you that life would be so much better “outside the box.” Whether you need to step outside, look outside, think outside, or get outside, the world is a much brighter and profitable place outside the box. After all, remaining “inside” connotes the same-old-same-old. Business-as-usual. Status quo. It’s safe and predictable. Heck, it’s downright scary outside the security of the box.

We are continually told that – in order to stand out from the crowd, in order to be seen as a trendsetter or pioneer, in order to be the hip, cool new thing – we simply can’t remain in the box.

But, the grass is always greener outside the box. Like stray sheep venturing beyond the confines of their fences – only to be stranded and bewildered on the other side of the road – once many of us actually do get outside the box, we wonder why we left in the first place. We aren’t always certain what to do, or what we were thinking in leaving. Why did I leave?

+ + + +

This blog is dedicated to all the thoughts, metaphors, analogies, aphorisms, and odds & ends that roam around my head and wind up on this little slice of Web server space.

Thanks for reading.

-Steve