Integrating one's mission

More on Better World Books . . .

Not sure why I followed this particular path, but . . .

I went to the Better World Books blog. Nothing special. So I checked out their archives: "Hmm. The blog hasn't been around long. . . . I wonder what they say in their first post?" So I clicked on the link to July 2006.

First post, at the top of the page (obviously last post for July):

Books for Africa Shipment

A message from David Murphy, our CEO:

Just wanted to share with you all that we shipped three full truckloads of books from our warehouse to the Books for Africa warehouse between July 12th and July 17th. . . . a total of about 58,460 books! We are building another truckload as I write this and we will have additional book inventory going to BFA post-Rush. . . .

Whoa! I thought: "These guys are really serious about their mission. . . ."

Got down a few more posts. It's an interview with John Wood, founder of one of the non-profits Better World Books supports. By this point, I realize, I'm getting about three levels "deep" in integrated mission. (Better World Books (level 1) is blogging John Wood of Room to Read (level 2) and I, John Holzmann (level 3?), am seeing lessons and takeaways and insights (level 4?) from what Wood is saying. . . .)

• First insight: Wood maintains an unshakeable, laser-sharp focus on his goal. The interviewer asks skeptical questions. Wood answers, and yet, in a way . . . he doesn't, really. Does he? But he sure gets his message out! [Note to self: Learn from Wood's example!]:
  
  

  Q: You’re one of several Microsoft entrepreneurs who seem eager to live out some fantasy of saving the world. As the founder of Room to Read, do you really believe you can personally “educate the world’s children,” as the subtitle of your forthcoming book, “Leaving Microsoft to Change the World,” proclaims?

  We’re trying to open libraries and schools, mostly for kids K to 5, in the developing world at a pace that emulates Starbucks’. With 850 million illiterate people in the world, we need the nonprofit sector to scale rapidly.

  But can libraries open as quickly as coffee bars?

  In the past six years, we have established 2,500 libraries and 210 schools in Nepal, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and elsewhere. Our model allows us to build a school with running water and toilets and a library for $12,000 in Nepal. We can do a school in Vietnam for about $15,000.

• From what I can tell, it is Wood who notes, "When Apple Computer was seeking its first outside CEO, Apple's chairman Steve Jobs recruited John Sculley from Pepsi by asking him, 'Do you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life, or do you want to change the world?'" --Wow! Talk about powerful! --Reminds me of our second daughter who, during her last semester at art school, was working for an advertising firm that does the campaigns for one of the major chocolate companies. "I want to do something significant," she said. "I don't want to spend my life selling chocolate. . . ." --So she is working for an ad agency that specializes in serving non-profits.
• It appears to be the Better World Books blogger, Fritz (though, possibly, the New York Times Magazine interviewer who wrote the article from which Fritz quoted), who comments: "Twenty years later John Wood, leaving Microsoft for Room to Read, demonstrates changing the world isn't iPods and Outlook Express, but educating the world's children." --Another strong mission-oriented statement.

"Well," I say to myself. "What I have read of and from Better World Books is all well and good. But it is relatively easy to talk. . . . My question is: What are they really all about? Is this a ploy to work off potential purchasers' emotions? . . . Who are these guys (Better World Books), anyway? --I mean, really."

Ahh! A link at the bottom of the page: About Us. I click . . .

I'm shocked. Another integrated mission statement:

Our story began with the dream of three college friends who formed a social venture, a business with the mission to promote literacy. A single book drive at one university has grown into a nationwide effort with thousands of people involved, all looking to improve the quality of life for people through literacy.

We believe that literacy gives people water to drink, imparts knowledge to eliminate disease, and develops self-esteem that enables people to make their mark on the world.

Our story has taken us to places we had never seen. Our dream is to continue to work for those whom we have never met.

There's actually nothing about the people who work there, the people who started Better World Books. (The page does include a photo of the three guys who started the company, and a caption underneath that lists their names.) But the page is about Better World Books itself. [Note to self: Better check your company's "About Us" webpages! . . . Makes sense, doesn't it: "About Us" should be about the company. . . . But . . . ]

I am becoming more and more impressed: there is such integration among all the pages I have seen. Such focus. Talk about brand identity! . . .

But still. I really would like to learn about the founders. So where do I find out about them? Who are they? What are they all about? Is their commitment real? Or (I'm becoming more and more skeptical of my skepticism) are they poseurs?

Ah! Another link: Our History.

Interesting. (I won't reproduce it here. It really is interesting.) But the "history" concludes:

Today, Better World Books continues to be the leader in converting donated books into funding that supports world literacy efforts. In addition to its college and university textbook drives, Better World Books now works with libraries and other book sources with the goal of promoting literacy. The Better World Books team looks forward to the promise of the future and to continued growth and success with the help of its partners.

Sounds all nice and warm and fuzzy. But . . . wait. Really. Truly. Bottom line: How much do they really donate to the causes for which they speak so proudly?

Ah! Another link: BWB By the Numbers.

Since our inception in 2003 to September 2006, we have:

• Been active in collecting books from over 900 colleges and universities and over 500 libraries in North America
• Saved more than 5 million pounds of books from landfills
• Raised more than $1.3M for approximately 70 non-profits focused on literacy and education; specifically:
  • Raised more than $900,000 for Books For Africa
  • Raised more than $150,000 for Room to Read
  • Raised more than $80,000 for the National Center for Family Literacy
  • Raised more than $50,000 locally for the Robinson Community Learning Center
• Donated more than 450,000 books to Books for Africa and The National Center for Family Literacy
• Contributed more than $475,000 to college and university service clubs and volunteers who have run book drives for BWB.

I'm satisfied. And I'm left wondering: . . . How should we apply this integrated vision and mission to our company? Can we . . . No. How can we integrate our mission and vision more thoroughly into all our company's communication? How can we state so concisely and precisely and consistently what we're all about?

I sense I have a lot of thinking and praying and writing to do. . . .

Unique Ability

People I work with know that, to the extent possible, I try to keep my mind fresh by reading and listening to audio presentations on ground-breaking ideas.

Several weeks ago I was listening to an interview on the concept of "Unique Ability" which says, more or less: every person is able to do something that is uniquely and wonderfully theirs. The speakers suggested that we would all not only be happier, but we would achieve far more and contribute more to the people around us if we would concentrate our efforts as much as possible on our unique abilities rather than exerting ourselves in those areas where we are weak, mediocre, competent, or even "merely" excellent!

"Focus your efforts on those things where you are not only outstandingly excellent, but where you have a passion." --It’s similar to the old idea, I’m sure you’ve heard, that you should "do what you love, and the money will follow."

But I was particularly struck by the source of this "Unique Ability" concept.

Dan Sullivan, founder of a Toronto-based company called Strategic Coach, came up with the idea when he was working with whatever portion of the Canadian government is dedicated to serving handicappers. He said he had begun to notice that some handicappers were bright, cheerful, achievement-oriented people who "even" made lots of money. Others seemed doomed never to rise from the gutter in which they lived. They were depressed, lacking in motivation, unable, it seemed, to do much of anything for themselves much less anyone else. No one would pay them a salary because they had nothing to offer.

What was the difference?

Dan realized that one of the key differences had to do not only with a general mental attitude. It had even more to do with where these two groups of people concentrated their mental, emotional, and physical energies. The one group more or less ignored their limitations; they acquired equipment or hired people to do for them what they could not do for themselves. They focused all their energies on those things they could do. And they became uniquely good at them.

The people who floundered in the gutter, as it were, never had time to think about what they could do because all their energies were spent thinking about and mourning over what they realized they would never be able to do on their own.

Clearly, the situation Dan faced as he worked with these handicappers was somewhat different from what most of us face in our own lives: the handicappers had some things they really and truly, despite all efforts, would absolutely never be able to do. Most of us believe--even if our natural inclinations are in other areas . . . --Most of us believe that, if we would only try harder and spend more time, we really could learn how to play the violin, dance in the ballet, change the oil in our cars without stripping the oil pan plug, etc., etc.

But what Dan and his cohorts have begun to say is this: "If you spend your time really strengthening what you’re not good at, at the end of your life, all you’re going to have is some really strong weaknesses. . . . And what good is that? Why not, rather, devote yourself to those things in which you can become exceptional?"

I will confess that I, myself, have been aware of the "Unique Ability" concept for a little over three years. I have been taking baby steps toward implementing the concept in my own life. I have a long way to go.

I have acquired a copy of a helpful book on the subject: Unique Ability: Creating The Life You Want. It helps you understand what "Unique Ability" is really all about; it helps you discover your personal "Unique Ability"; it helps teach you how to apply your "Unique Ability" to produce extraordinary results; and it seeks to help you use your "Unique Ability" to maximize your impact on the world around you.

It’s a bit expensive, but if you apply what you learn, it can truly revolutionize your life (and the lives of those you know--like your kids and spouse!).

Check it out at https://secure.strategiccoach.com/mymarket/shopping/index.php?product=33.