Others First, pt. 5: Make a Commitment and Be the Change

This is the latest post in a series titled Others First, as I process some things Iâ€™ve been thinking about lately. The series is based on the concept of â€œothers firstâ€, which parallels some personal challenges we are embarking on with our church. While many of these ideas are based on what we are hearing in church, they apply to all of us (as individuals and businesses) regardless of our religious or political leanings. Again, my intent is not to be preachy, but to think out loud, and have you think along with me, as I envision a new way of living life and conducting business.

While this isn’t expressly about Social Media, I believe that by utilizing Social Media, we are turning the marketing paradigm on its head, and are being forced to put “others first.” In contemporary terms, it’s a different way of doing business.

There are two ways to approach business.

The first is to create your product, and then develop a market for it, perhaps by convincing people that they need what you are offering.

The second is to find the need first, and then create a product or service that meets that need.

The difference? The first is all about you, while the second focuses on the consumer. It may just be a matter of perspective, but all too often I feel like more businesses are operating from the first approach, when they should be operating from the second.

Social Media forces us to consider the customer at all times. This is part of what I mean by the phrase “others first.” If we put our customers first, ahead of the almighty dollar and our own profits, we will have better businesses operated by better individuals.

This concept is what we’ve been going through with our challenges. But it’s been easy. Too easy.

We went 12 hours without using water, but then it was over. And that was weeks ago. We barely remember what it was like.

Then we walked a mile to fill up a 5-gallon bucket with water, and then walked back home. Again, it’s a distant memory.

And we delivered several bags of groceries to a local food bank. It cost us a few bucks, but really not much of a challenge.

Part of putting others first in our lives and in our businesses is to get beyond doing the little things and making a commitment to put others first in all that we do. Not just our customers, but those in need. We can do this by not just raising awareness about needs, but by meeting those needs on a regular basis.

I believe that all of us, individuals and businesses alike, should find both local and global causes that we can support. Plus, we should always be ready to meet more immediate needs that arise as the result of disasters, such as the earthquake in Haiti or Hurricane Katrina.

Here’s our challenge for this week: In order to raise our awareness a bit more, my family, and many of our friends, will be going five days while eating nothing but rice and beans. That’s right: rice and beans. Three meals a day. For five days. This is because for about half the world, a cup or two of rice is all they get each day.

I invite you to join us on this challenge. For many of us, it won’t be easy. But it will open our eyes. And rice and beans are very cheap. The money we save on groceries for this week can be used to help those who are truly in need and would be happy to have rice and beans on their plates.

Again, it’s not much, but it will give us a better appreciation for what we have, and a better understanding of much other people don’t have. And five days will really push us, even though we know we could “cheat” at any time, and there is a clear end in sight.

In a now-famous quote, Mahatma Gandhi said, “You must be the change you want to see in the world.”

Change doesn’t happen on its own. And too often we think that our contribution won’t make a difference. But if we make a long-term commitment to make change, we can see an impact.

And working for change is infectious. If we start, others will follow.

Change can happen. This was brought home to me in a very real way this weekend upon hearing one of my favorite Bruce Hornsby songs, The Way It Is. Listen and enjoy. I’ve included the lyrics below so you can follow along.

And remember: Others First.

Standing in line marking time–
Waiting for the welfare dime
‘Cause they can’t buy a job
The man in the silk suit hurries by
As he catches the poor old ladies’ eyes
Just for fun he says “Get a job”

That’s just the way it is
Some things will never change
That’s just the way it is
But don’t you believe them

They say hey little boy you can’t go
Where the others go
‘Cause you don’t look like they do
Said hey old man how can you stand
To think that way
Did you really think about it
Before you made the rules
He said, Son

That’s just the way it is
Some things will never change
That’s just the way it is
But don’t you believe them

Well they passed a law in ’64
To give those who ain’t got a little more
But it only goes so far
Because the law won’t change another’s mind
When all it sees at the hiring time
Is the line on the color bar

That’s just the way it is
Some things will never change
That’s just the way it is
But don’t you believe them

Tagged as: Marketing, others first, Social Media

Susan

Here's my 2 cents, for what its worth...
I think that what Questioning has done is actually aided in achieving some of the goals of the "challenges". I perceive at least 2 general goals from the challenges - one, to get us thinking; two, to get us talking. I think that, in this day and age, we need to get the discussion started - fortunately or unfortunately. The type of change in thinking/change in focus the "challenges" envisions isn't something that will occur, let alone spread, without discussion. I think, too, that when 'judging' (not meant as harshly as it may come across dryly in black and white) those talking, one has to look at the individual's motivation in starting the discussion. Is it to bring the spotlight on him or herself? Draw attention for "all that [I] am doing", and maybe, by implication, "all that [you] are not"? Is it for martyrdom? ...or is it motivated by a desire to bring attention to the issues, whether that be the "newest fad world problem" such as the disaster in Haiti, or whether it be our own fortune, self-indulgence and the excessive way in which most of us live, the blind way we take for granted all that we have?

As far as the "bemoaning" - maybe some of us are "bemoaning" the experience from time to time, but that to me is part of the "thinking". In other words, the experience has been nothing short of enlightening. How so... Well, first of all, eating rice and beans for breakfast, let alone 3 meals a day, is not fun. It isn't. You are hungry shortly after you eat; I have been energy-less; I've lost some weight (surely to be regained even more quickly than it came off). It is the proverbial "walking a mile in someone else's shoes" - you get a glimpse, just a glimpse, as to how others have it...or don't have it, as the case may be. It makes you realize that, sheesh, if I'm experiencing this after day 1, day 2, day 3, what is it like for the folks who may not get their rice and beans that day, or maybe just once that day? What's it like for the folks who have this, if they're lucky, as their regular diet? What is their health situation? It also makes us realize that our cupboards and pantries are well-stocked...over-stocked, more likely. That that bowl of cereal we're normally tired of eating each morning...well, now, would seem gourmet! That we have supermarkets, some open 24 hrs/day, stocked shelf upon shelf with...choices! We can go in any time of day, or night, just to pick up that one item we crave. You stop. And you think. Its been enlightening. And, yes, its sad that its enlightening. But we are self-centered in thought. Seemingly unaware of our own "every day" blessings...like water just being there when we reach to turn the knob.

What impact will our discussion have? Its hard to say...and its not. Examples: of hard-to-say - I was in my firm's kitchen, microwaving (which, alone, makes my experience different than "others") my rice and beans breakfast when 2 folks already in the kitchen began asking me questions; then 2 more wandered in and joined the discussion; it was a discussion that otherwise would not have occurred, particularly in a workplace - what impact it will have, if any, I do not know. But one never knows where and how they plant seeds, do they? An example of not-so-hard-to-say - in collecting food for the local food banks, I sent an e-mail out to my life group members who were also participating; as an afterthought, I then forwarded the e-mail on to the folks in my office, with some hesitation and trepidation; the result, the impact I know, is that folks from my office brought in 1, 2, 3...more bags of food than we otherwise would have collected to add to our donation. I guess Questioning believes that we shouldn't discuss what we are doing; instead folks should see what we're doing and, by our acts alone, some may choose to join in...or act on their own - again, who knows when and where we plant seeds. With all do respect to Questioning, though (and I mean that sincerely, although I know it all to frequently means the opposite), I think we need to start the discussion, not to bring attention to ourselves and what we may be doing, but to the cause the act is for. That IS how we are living differently today. Maybe the discussion is just "marketing", I'm not sure. But I don't think so. I think we are trying. I think we have made a start - and everyone has to start somewhere... Where will it go? Only time will tell. Keep the discussion going and maybe we'll all find out.

Obviously, kmueller and I attnd the same Church; and I am also going through the challenges. Does that bias me? Maybe. But that's my 2 cents, for what its worth.

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Nean

I would like to point out that just because someone supports one cause , it does not mean that they don't support another cause. Just because I am becoming more globally aware, does not mean that I am not becoming locally aware at the same time. This is a misconception I've run into from several people. We can't ignore the world anymore than we can ignore our community.

It's about being community and sharing your experience with one another to raise awareness and try to rally others to the cause. I don't do it so that I can show off my spirituality or make anyone feel bad for not participating. I do it for me to grow spiritually. And I share my experiences with others who are participating because we are a community and we support one another.

kmueller62

Questioning, thank you for your comment.

I don't really hear a lot of bemoaning. What I'm hearing from others taking this challenge is that they recognize how soft and weak we are. We know that we could stop these challenges at any second, and recognize that we have it so good.

I'd also point out that the whole point of these exercises and challenges IS the call to action. We are doing this not only to raise awareness, but we have all been asked to take action. We are donating time and money to various local and global causes.

And while this challenge is coming from a church, I believe that it goes way beyond coming from any particular faith perspective. I think everyone, regardless of faith, should seek to make change in their communities.

When my friends and I are speaking publicly about this, it's not for the purpose of looking good in the eyes of other. It IS for the awareness factor. We don't seek to be patted on the back. I agree that fasting should be done quietly, but these particular exercises are community efforts, not individual efforts. The challenge was made publicly and we are responding in various ways.

One final point I would make is that you chose to make your comment anonymously. Normally, I might consider removing anonymous comments because I believe that such comments lack credibility. But in this case I've decided to respond, rather than delete.

questioning

I chose this location for my response as Twitter is too short, and this blog seems to be the most prolific to reach so many who are participating... Not as a personal attack on Kmueller. My response is building off of hers, not tearing down...

To all my brethren participating in the #riceandbeans challenge,

First, please be reminded that "it is not what goes into a man that makes him unclean, but what comes out." So many mouths of the #riceandbeans crowd are bemoaning their chosen "plight". The third world eats their rice and eats their rice, and does not have an entire twitter or blog world to stand before and complain, bemoan, or even just cajole.

Mathew 6 should be reviewed.

1"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 16"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Finally, raising awareness in our own lives is ultimately similar to marketing for the third world... At it's most basic level... And every marketer knows that a raised awareness without a call to action is meaningless. As Paul write, "Faith without works is dead."

So other than eating beans or sending money to the newest fad world problem, how are you living differently today, in your own town, with the people who live within 10 miles of your world? Have you visited the sick? Fed the hungry? given water the weary? clothed the naked? And not just by dropping it off so someone else can... As said above by Kmueller, local and global... Make change, start with yourself...

Do not be insulted, but be challenged... To review your own motives and further to review your future actions. Take this challenge... quietly, on your own, and let it change your world... Then, take action beyond to the real challenge that is living out your faith in Christ Jesus.