Insights

#10

We loved our community. That part was real. But we were suffering a quiet brand crisis of our own, one that no one outside could see, because from the outside, it looked like success.

#9

Community is what happens when your brand stops being yours alone. And once it forms, it develops its own life, its own culture, its own momentum. You catalyzed it, but make no mistake, you don't own it.

#8

If Champions are drawn to your values, then Critics are the opposite. They're the folks that understand your values and just don't see the world the same way.

#7

When you dance with Skeptics. When you invite them into the problem rather than defending your predetermined solution, you will see something shift. They become partners in creating something better.

#6

I want to introduce the first "company" you keep that may not be a positive experience at first, but if you stay engaged, they help bring you to a much more authentic place. Let me introduce you to the Skeptic.

#5

The practice of purpose creates magnetism. But be warned, the performance of purpose creates cynicism. Setting unachievable purpose goals is quicksand that most orgs cannot climb out of.

#4

These people weren't Champions. They didn't fall in love with our values. They were drawn to our clarity of purpose. They were Allies. They needed to know why we were getting up in the morning.

#3

For most people, Values have become so misused in corporate theatre that people are dismissing them entirely. “Values are Dead” is now the contrarian position. Make no mistake, they're wrong.

#2

They're the people who naturally live your values, share your stories and defend your purpose. But here's what most organizations misunderstand, you don't find them, they find you.

#1

Twenty years of client work, patterns I could see but couldn't name, a methodology that worked but resisted easy explanation. And then suddenly I had it. The Company We Keep