Would you rename your child at five years old? Of course you wouldn’t. Me either.
Do you know your child better at five years old than you did at five days old? Of course you do.
When you talk about your five-year-old, you probably describe personality traits, interests, talents. Maybe he’s a future Broadway performer, or she’s a budding lawyer with wicked negotiation skills.
And with pride and wonder as a parent watching this human grow into more of who they are, you want the world to know the special uniqueness of little Johnny or Jane.
The company I started is just over five years old.
Our name hasn’t changed, but how I understand who we are, what we do best, and the value we create has.
We are more who we are today than ever before. Ironically, this is also harder to describe.
Communications firm. PR. Strategy. Leadership.
Yes. Yes. Yes.
But not just those things. And certainly not like other companies in those categories.
The closer we get to the real value of the work, the harder it is to say simply.
I could swim in this ocean of self-definition for days and not come out with a label. I’m looking for a simple, tidy package.
The paradox:
We want to be recognizable and known for our unique point of view. Here’s my working hypothesis on us.
Join me in this bowl of spaghetti.
We are in the business of clarity and energy. Energy is the output of clarity.
When people understand who you are, what you’re here to do, and they believe you, they can join in on the mission.
They bring their energy to it.
Leader and team. Company and client. Partner and industry.
This is exactly the work we do for other companies.
Helping define who they are, why it matters, and how to say it clearly enough that others want to be part of it.
And no, the irony isn’t lost on me.
No matter how good we are at doing this for others, our perspective shifts when we look at ourselves.
It’s the hard work of being relevant, meaningful and specific at the same time.
The same challenge most leaders face. Turns out clarity gets harder before it gets better.
We’re in the clarity and energy business. Heck if I know a better way to describe it. We’re still working on that.
How about you?
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Each week, I share something I’m learning, living, or working out in real time. It’s part storytelling, part reflection. I hope there’s something in it for you too.
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