Your Legacy is Now
Life is not a search for meaning from others, it’s about the creation of meaning for yourself.
For over 30 years Alan Weiss has consulted, coached, and advised everyone from Fortune 500 executives, state governors, non-profit directors, and entrepreneurs to athletes, entertainers, and beauty pageant contestants. That’s quite an assortment of people, and they run into the thousands. Most of them have had what we euphemistically call “means,” and some of them have had a lot more than that. Others have been aspiring and with more ends in sight than means on hand.
Alan Weiss states:
I’ve dealt with esteem (low), narcissism (high), family problems, leadership dysfunctions, insecurities, addictions, and ethical quandaries. And I’ve talked about them through the coronavirus crisis. But don’t get the wrong idea. About 95% of these people have been well-meaning, honest (to the best of their knowledge), and interested in becoming a better person and better professional. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be talking to me.
I found the equivalent of the “runner’s wall” in their journeys, where they must break through the pain and the obstacles and then can keep going with renewed energy and spirit. But runners know how far they must go after the breakthrough, be it another half lap or another five miles. There is a finish line.
I’ve found that people in all positions, even after the “breakthrough,” don’t know where they are in the race, let alone where the finish line is.
They do not know what meaning is for them. They may have money in the bank, good relationships, the admiration of others, and the love of their dogs. But they have no metrics for “What now?” They believe that at the end of life there is a tallying, some metaphysical accountant who totals up their contributions, deducts their bad acts, and creates the (hopefully positive) difference.
That difference, they believe, is their “legacy.”
But the thought that legacy arrives at the end of life is as ridiculous as someone who decides to sell a business and tries to increase its valuation the day prior. Legacy is now. Legacy is daily. Every day we create the next page in our lives, but the question becomes who is writing it and what’s being written. Is someone else creating our legacy? Or are we, ourselves, simply writing the same page repeatedly?
Or do we leave it blank?
Our organic, living legacy is marred and squeezed by huge normative pressures. There is a “threshold” point, at which one’s beliefs and values are overridden by immense peer pressure. Our metrics are forced to change.
In an age of social media, biased press, and bullying, we’ve come to a point where our legacy, ironically, is almost out of our hands.
Yet our “meaning”—our creation of meaning and not a search for some illusive alchemy—creates worth and impact for us and all those with whom we interact.
Duke Merhavy
Even now in the midst of this, there are businesses that a stuck – frozen with fear… here is something I posted on my site and perhaps will help someone who reads it here:
– Creative Solutions for Unprecedented Times –
These are unprecedented times, both in our personal lives and in terms of our businesses. We are all concerned and worried about our own health and that of our loved ones, and we are nervous about the future of our businesses. It is quite natural to be anxious, but we must not become immobilized and debilitated by all that is going on – It is time to be creative, and there also may be a need to reinvent what we’re currently doing.
For the good of the nation and our fellow citizens, and for our businesses to survive and thrive during this COVID-19 pandemic, we must come up with solutions that address the new circumstances, especially because we do not know how long they will last or their impact when all is said and done.
Let’s look at a few examples of what businesses have done already that might inspire you to make some changes to your business and how you market your offerings:
– Re-tool: Car manufacturers like GM, Ford, and Tesla are re-tooling production lines, or are ready to do so, to make ventilators, and Hanes is converting their facilities to make face masks instead of clothing. Distilleries across the country are already producing hand sanitizing gel and bottling it instead of beer or liquor. What can you do with the equipment, skills of your staff, and other resources you have to serve the new and urgent needs of our nation?
– Deliver: With more people staying at and working from home, either by choice or because of government requirements, many businesses are offering to take orders online or by phone, and have stepped up their delivery operations. Can your business do the same?
– Remind customers of something helpful you offer: One of our clients who is a SaaS (Software as a Service) provider sent an email to remind their clients that their software includes private portals and available mobile apps which allow employees to enter information anywhere without having to share the same terminal or office. Furthermore, they encouraged their clients to call them to find out how to turn these options on and be taught how to use them. What could you offer?
– Extend offers beyond face-to-face interactions: One of our clients was exhibiting in a home show last weekend and offered a substantial discount to show attendees. When they were notified that attendance would be considerably lower due to the pandemic fears, they sent out an email informing everyone that the show special would be available by phone or via email too.
– Offer discounted gift cards now for later use: If you are concerned about cash flow now due to slower foot traffic, send a message to your customers and let them know they can purchase a discounted gift card now for later use. For example, if you own a restaurant, offer customers to buy a $50 gift card online now for only $45 so you have that liquidity to use now.
– Utilize video conferencing tools: If your business is of a consultative nature and regularly conducted face-to-face, switch to video conferencing for now, and let your customers know they can continue to benefit from what you have to offer. There are countless video conferencing options to choose from, and many are free. Ubiquitous broadband access on practically any device makes this a very feasible option.
– Offer to reschedule: If customers are cancelling purchases or considering doing so (events, trips, visits, etc.), offer to reschedule instead. You may want to consider sweetening the deal if they reschedule with a free (or discounted) upgrade, if applicable.
– Introduce your offering to home-bound and office-bound people: If your product or service is suitable for when people prefer to stay at home or not leave their office as much as they used to, introduce yourself and let them know how to get a hold of you. This applies to many different categories, including pick-up delivery services, online services, and more.
We are all in this together. We all have to make changes, adjust to the new reality, and communicate these changes effectively to our customers. Right now, is the time to elevate your marketing game – Not just because you need to find a way to produce revenue, but mostly because customers need you!
Alan Weiss
Thanks, Duke!