Producing Value versus Being Important

Leaders and Creators need egos to persevere and enlist support for their endeavors. One of the traps of ego is the need for recognition. Receiving positive recognition for your accomplishments is rewarding for most people and in fact motivates many leaders. The trap comes up to bite you when you attempt to be important rather than of value to others.

In America today marketing takes precedence over research. The sizzle gets more attention than the steak. Do you remember the 1984 tagline, "Where's the beef?". It is common knowledge that we are both an impatient and impressionable society. This all feeds the ego into trying to be important rather than being of value. Being of value is a soft sell but a long term winner. Being important is a quick sell -or- a hard sell and typically temporary.

Joe Dominguez, referenced in other blog posts of mine, presented the following model in his workshop on "Transforming Your Relationship With Money"

HAVE-DO-BE versus BE-DO-HAVE

Have is the result whether its money or praise or recognition.

Be is the inherent qualities and attributes.

Do is the activity.

According to Dominguez, true success comes from BE-DO-HAVE. That is; BE honest, hardworking and professional when you DO your work and you will HAVE rewards.

He also says that failure comes when the focus is HAVE-DO-BE. That is; if I HAVE money, fame and resources then I could DO all these things and then I would BE happy or succesful.

Value is delivered in many forms whether it is the support and assistance you provide to those in need or the pleasure you provide to those who listen to your music and observe your art. Within organizations value can be multi-faceted across the various stakeholders.

Providing value to your customers is contexted by the product or service that you deliver but ultimately comes down to the customer receiving benefits that they value far beyond the money they pay you.

In educational organizations, some value comes from a degree or certification but true and deep value comes from the life-long benefits of the application of knowledge, skill and awareness or perspective imparted by the education. Value in education is also delivered through relationships both in the form of peer relationships with fellow seekers and in mentoring relationships with faculty members.

Leaders and creators who focus on providing value rather than being important are more likely to keep both themselves personally and their organizations, grounded and engaged in the work that will create value to society. When you regularly produce societal value then importance is an attribute given to you by others rather than an illusory and ego driven futile quest.