Listen for the stories.
Believe the actions
A lot of companies tell great stories. Listen to them. They may include great folklore and mythology. However, pay special attention to what companies actually do. What they do is who they ARE.
This is another way of saying – Actions Speak Louder than Words
Some companies get so caught up in the folklore and pageantry of their stories that they forget to seek or create new stories.
This is true with OUR stories too. What we do is what defines us.
The corollary is also true.
When we become complacent we tend to miss things. Or we might resist taking on that next challenge.
If you find yourself relying on too many old stories to define yourself, it’s time to reevaluate. It’s time to see if your actions align with what you want to be known for.
You may have new scenarios and experiences upon which to build new stories. However, if you have not taken the time, carefully comb through them and craft your defining story. Take that time now. Focus on the points that align with the actions for which you want to be associated.
If you don’t have the goods to build new stories then now is the time to seek new experiences.
Experiences happen everywhere … whether you volunteer, mentor or just do your day to day role.
The reason to seek new experiences is so that you will have a new set of material to work with and build upon.
The point is …
Don’t rest on your laurels. Your last story about your latest victory may be fantastic and worthy of retelling. However, it is just that…Your LAST story.
Always be seeking new stories…which really means new experiences. It’s the only way we can continue to innovate and improve and to seek the actions for which we want to be known.
Author:
Jeff is a veteran in the Enterprise Content Management industry. Over the past 20 years he has worked with customers and partners to design, develop and deploy solutions around the world. Jeff is currently the Director of Strategic Alliances at Winshuttle. He has worked for Microsoft, FileNet (IBM), K2, Captaris, Open Text, Kofax and Kodak. He speaks and blogs about ECM and the Intersection between Social, Mobile and Cloud Computing.
