Peter Drucker argued that the purpose of a corporation is to serve the customer. It turns out that organizations that focus on this do well.
Milton Friedman argued (mistakenly, in my view) that the corporation doesn’t need to care about customers, unless this helps increase the value of the company to shareholders.
Corporations are a cultural fiction, something we created and permit to exist because it serves the community. In exchange for leverage and insulation, the corporations are expected to be of use and to improve conditions for those they serve–not to be a tool to enrich a few shareholders.
As power becomes more concentrated and money becomes more leveraged, it’s easy to see how attractive it is to sell Friedman’s idea to people seeking a short-term profit.
As we drift away from Drucker’s point, though, we all suffer.
Financial engineering rarely builds value for the long run.
That’s not only good dieting advice.
It works in just about every endeavor we sign up for.
The system would like us to be insatiable on its behalf, but that’s not an invitation we’re required to accept.
It’s possible that you were undermined, endangered, cut off or disrespected.
But if we begin with that, then the relationship gets shaky.
Perhaps the other person simply didn’t understand. It might be that they are focused on their issues, not yours. It could be that they’re dealing with something you don’t see. And most likely, they simply might not know what you’re expecting or hoping for.
When we assume misunderstanding, we open the door to better. We can find empathy and connection by giving people the benefit of the doubt.
Clarity, not grievance, is the solution to misunderstanding.
This works for customers, prospects, colleagues, friends, and family too.
Tic tac toe with a 3 x 3 board is trivial and not much fun.
Tic tac toe tic tac (5 in a row) with a 15 x 15 board is endlessly fascinating.
Simple doesn’t mean dumb. When we add layers and community and options, it can generate all sorts of possibilities.
Connection is always the wildcard, the peer to peer multiplier that makes every system more complex.
Teaching and learning aren’t always aligned.
Sometimes organized teaching is defensive. “Here, take all this down in your notes, it will be on the test.” This gives the teacher deniability, but might not create the conditions for the student to actually learn.
The alternative is to seek the “aha.” This is the autodidact moment, the opportunity to teach ourselves.
Most online courses and videos simply tell you the answer. Easier to get clicks that way. But the best learning is almost always autodidactic.
When the teacher creates the conditions for learning, the student does the work.
This requires trust. Trust in the process and trust in the destination.
And it requires tension. The tension of it might not work and the incentive to put in the work.
Great teachers set it up, and great students find the aha.
[You're getting this note because you subscribed to Seth Godin's blog.]
Don't want to get this email anymore? Click the link below to unsubscribe.