Do it How You Want it Done

I’ve been offering up some challenges recently in the blog.  I hope they have come off as a motivation.

The intent is to inspire you to take action on the concepts I’ve written about but more importantly, the big dreams that you have.  See E-Impact 107 for the importance of working hard towards your visions.

This week, however, I’m taking a different approach.  

This entry is a threat.  Yeah, I said it.  

I’m threatening you for impact!

The Reality

We know that the world has problems.  It’s inevitable that we will run into things as we live.  Please don’t avoid issues.  Run to them.  Understand them and determine if you can be of assistance.  If you can, figure out how.

The reality is that you will not be able to solve every problem.  Don’t believe you can and don’t attempt to.  

With reality in mind, we will be more prepared to do good work.

Tools

I’ve spent the last seven months hosting Twitter Spaces for creators and goal setters alike.  I have pages (and tweets) full of notes.  I can list off all kinds of tools that one can use for productivity.  The number one thing of all is that we can’t do it alone.  I couldn’t host the spaces by myself (effectively), I couldn’t have learned as much by myself, and I couldn’t have built a community by myself.

Your biggest tool is your ability to connect with others.  You might think of each relationship or person as a tool but that takes the humanity away from people.  

Continue to sharpen your most valuable tool by communicating with others.

The Rub

I’ve always cringed a bit at the colloquialism “the rub” but we have one here.  I just mentioned how you can’t do things alone.  

Failing to plan is planning to fail.

I’ll also urge you do things how you want them to be done.  

In operating under the assumption that you’ve put in the work, your way is at least effective, if not the best way to operate.

Apply this in the context of your impact project or organization.  It’s up to you as the impactmaker and leader to teach and train people how it is to be done - whatever it is.

Connect with others and maintain your processes.

The Threat

You have to believe that you can make a difference.  What’s special about The Impactmaker Movement is that we have that belief.  

Some people try to avoid problems.  Many can identify them.  In fact, there is a lot of that - check out the news and your social feed.  But, few do something about it.

We take it to the next step.  Sheer math would tell you that you have to take action.

If you don’t take it upon yourself to do something, nothing will get done.

You might claim there’s someone else out there that will tackle the problem.  I would say this:

We are all unbelievably unique.  You have a special way of understanding said problem.

Please don’t let your unique ability and understanding go to waste.

If You’re Still Reading…

I’ve made the official threat now.  Let’s move on to application.

I’ve had the pleasure of organizing some events in my life.  I use the word pleasure because the over all experience is great.  It has something to do with the community aspect.  I mentioned above the importance of connecting with others.  I love it.

Unfortunately though, organizing events isn’t always easy.  Once you get to about fifteen people, you need help setting things up at a venue (not to mention everything needed before and after the actual event happens).  

Many of the people that helped me put on events have been volunteers.  I am forever grateful for their willingness to support me and the events.  Yet, you can’t always rely on volunteers to be fully informed.  They are often trying to use their best judgement to help out.  

I’ve learned sometimes you just have to do things yourself.

The best example of this I can think of is setting up tables and chairs.  I remember multiple events where seating and table charts (whether we had official ones or not) weren’t appropriate.  It’s not because the volunteers purposely tried to mess up the event.  It’s because they weren’t fully aware of the situation.

I spent many a “last minute” resetting rooms how I wanted them.

It’s Not Them

The great thing about being unique is that you can’t be duplicated.  The trouble is that no one thinks exactly like you (sorry twins) - or maybe that isn’t such a bad thing.

As strong as my threat may have been, you can’t use your strong, unique, beliefs and dreams against others.

The threat is not against other people.  I realize I say this as an impactmaker to other impactmakers and I am comfortable with your reaction (seriously, let me see it).

You can do nothing but praise well-intentioned people.  They’re most likely taking plenty of criticism already.  Show nothing but appreciation as they attempt to support a good cause. 

Clarity

We all want clarity.  The unknown is scary and life is much easier when we can anticipate something.

This is why the dentist tells you what they are about to do before sticking their hands in your mouth.  It’s why my Mom used to tell me what she was going to do before ripping off a bandaid.  It doesn’t necessarily make something easier but it avoids the shock of something unexpected.

Financial professionals seek to give their clients financial clarity.  Psychology professions seek to give their clients mental clarity.  The ability to understand something is highly undervalued in our society.  

What if you could prepare everyone for every event of your life?

In reality (back to reality), that is impossible and life probably wouldn’t be very stimulating.  But, there are certain things that you can make clear with limited fault.

The Expected Impact

Perfect practice makes perfect.  See one of my Vince Lombardi commentaries in the September 29, 2019 edition of E-Impact.

I love speed but the impact space often requires patience.  Read E-Impact 56 to learn about delayed gratification.  

Part of your responsibility of an impactmaker is to do the proper planning for your efforts.  “Diving right in” is not usually the correct approach.  Take the proper steps to understand an issue and the people that it effects.  This second step often goes overlooked by those highly motivated to accomplish something.  Channel that motivation toward connecting with the people (or things) in need.

You will have a better understanding of how to help someone when you understand them.  Perhaps even more valuable though is the ability to understand the result of your work.

I’ve had the pleasure of traveling to different countries with Habitat for Humanity.  In fact, one of the chapters of my book, Personal Finance in a Public World, is dedicated to a related story.  On those trips, we have built homes for families.  That’s the “how” and I’m proud of that work.  But, the result is so much more meaningful than how we helped them.

Do your volunteers know the impact they’re making?

The beneficiaries of these homes get way more than a building.  They get their own sense of pride, mental clarity, safety, sanitation, and a gathering place.

I had no idea all of what a family would receive before leaving for my first trip.  I was a volunteer and didn’t really need to know.  Yet, Habitat knew the importance of this and dedicated a couple hours of orientation to helping explain this.

I quickly found clarity with the expected impact.

If you are one of the first people to tackle a specific problem, you’ll need to do some homework before starting.  It’s not likely that you’ll understand everything beforehand but you’ll be better prepared.  You’ll have at least some clarity.

Once you have your own clarity and expected impact, you can share it with others.  Now, you’re starting to do things how you want them done.

Execution

The threat of this entry is really about preparation more than anything.  It’s important to create the best environment you can for your beneficiaries, your fellow impactmakers and volunteers, and yourself.

Execution is much easier when everyone involved understands the goal and the processes.  The best way to reach this point is to prepare.

Interestingly, you’re preparation is more important to the execution of others than your execution.  Here’s a false truth:

People will do as you do.  They will not.

There’s a reason why there is so much digital content about how people have built their social media following.  It’s because everyone wants it but will not do it.  Only a select few will see something and figure out how to replicate it themselves.  In fact, I would say those people are bound to be successful because of their determination and not what they’ve seen.

When I started rearranging chairs, no one jumped in.  They didn’t understand what I was doing.  It was my fault for not explaining what the room needed to accomplish.  My chart was not sufficient.  The moment there was some confusion, there were ten different views and ideas of what to do.  Better preparation and communication would have been the way to avoid that scenario.

Lombardi was known for being a tough coach.  He didn’t take failure well.  And with that mindset, he prepared hard.  He challenged (or threatened) his players but always gave them clarity.  They knew the game plan.

Make sure you prepare your people for something great.  Give them more than direction.  Give them explanation, reason, and ultimately, they’ll have great motivation.

Do it how you want it done.