Art Changes Things

You want to change things? Make art. Art is the human ability to do something for the first time. Something that may not work. Art is the work of a human being doing something real and personal that might change things. Art is about the important stuff. Because… But this world of art is not […]

Where Purpose Lives

The definition and nature of purpose is often misunderstood. It does not reside in a founder’s head. You won’t find it on an organizational chart. What about a nifty slogan? And it’s usually not visible on a vision and values poster. Or in your typical mission statement. Powerful, world-changing purpose lives inside the members of […]

The Purpose Effect

That’s you, tossed hither and yon. Pushed here and there by every wave of change. That’s your tribe Pulled by each misguided would-be, could-be opportunity. Buffeted by every possible concern of every possible constituency. Floating aimlessly from one flavor-of-the-month to another. Jolted by every news cycle. That’s you Susceptible to every wave of expediency. That’s […]

Stories Of IMC On The New Frontier

It’s just a hazy, fading memory now. But when I was a young boy a teacher changed my life. She made me stay after school and learn to read. Actually, I was already a passable reader. Mrs. Hoarsley thought I could be better You see, she believed in me when I didn’t really believe in […]

To The Big Uneasy

You’ve probably been here before. In fact, there’s a really good chance you’re here right now. Feeling uneasy. With that queasy little flutter in your stomach With that voice in your head questioning if what you are doing is worth all the extra time and effort and pain. Wondering if you’ll ever break through. Because […]

Aristotle Leads A Tribe

It was blazing hot. We were lost. We were exhausted. We couldn’t fight our way out. And the harder we tried, the hotter it got, the more frustrated we became and the grumpier we felt. We needed something special. Something cool. That’s when I turned to my friend Aristotle, the master of logic, for a […]

Recognize Me?

I had spent a good part of my life trying to find the secret. I’d searched and searched. Then one day, when I least expected it, she turned to me and said the most insightful and profound thing I had ever heard. You just got to decide for yourself. You got the Saint Louie Blues, […]

Finding The Remarkable

I was in the middle of writing a post about why it’s important for purpose-driven brands to stand out instead of blend in. I’d just battered into submission the point that standing out doesn’t start with telling people things. It starts by making something remarkable. The remarkable is something that is worth sharing. Something people […]

To The Imperfect Journey

At the end of the dock there is a boat. But in the side of the boat there is a hole. That hole is never going to be fixed. And it’s never going away. So, get a new boat, right? You can’t get a new boat. Because this is your boat. All you can do […]

Rise or set?

It was the season of Light, It was the season of Darkness, It was the spring of hope, It was the winter of despair, We had everything before us, We had nothing before us, We were all going direct to heaven, We were all going direct the other way –Charles Dickens Today’s connected world is […]