Lots of companies have been treating employees and customers well during this pandemic. For some, that’s business as usual, just with more charge to it. I expect companies like USAA and Costco, and my local places like JCO and Soul of Yoga, to be authentically kind and generous. They always are. It’s part of their DNA and “on brand” (in marketing jargon).

For other companies, showing kindness and generosity – being love-centered – is not their MO. It requires stepping up to a different way of being and doing. Which makes us wonder: Is it authentic? Will it last? I hope the answers are a resounding yes. If not, the inauthenticity will ultimately hurt their business.

This is the time for organizations to make “amare” part of their identity and assure that the positive changes induced by the coronavirus become permanent. Taking the long view, one of the principles of the Amare Way, really strengthens the wave!

Seeing Essentials

On a daily podcast I love, Rabbi David Wolpe recently explained this Yiddish phrase: “The food is cooked by the pot, but all the honor goes to the plate.” The truth is both are essential. But, he teaches, we often make judgements about who matters, who gets honored, etc.

And it shifts. Jobs we used to call menial, we now call essential. These essential workers are enabling the rest of us to be safe and fed. We must appreciate and love them. Not just now. Always. For they have worth always. So on this Amare Wave Wednesday, consider, in and outside your organization:

• How has your view of people doing menial jobs changed?
• Are you showing gratitude to them?
• What will you do to hold onto this new perspective?

3 Steps for Putting Love to Work by Growing the Good

1. Notice. First, pay attention to what positive changes you’re experiencing in your organization, or as a customer. Are people treating each other better? Being more authentic? Acting more mindfully and doing better work?
    
2. Assess. Now consider how these behaviors fit with your organization’s usual way of doing things. Imagine if these changes became your “new normal” or the new way of business.
    
3. Commit. Make the commitment to integrate for the long-term the changes you value. Tell your team – even if you don’t yet know how to go about it. Set the expectation that it will happen.

Use Me as a Resource for Putting Love to Work

Does the idea of improving business with the power of love intrigue you? To explore it further, send me an email. We’ll talk. No obligation. Whether I’m advising leaders on growth, culture, positioning, brand strategy, customer experience, etc., it’s all with the uplifting and connecting energy of Amare. That’s my work and I’m here to help.

Laugh and Cry Over Some Good News!

John Krasinski (aka Jim on The Office) hosts a fantastic show on YouTube called Some Good News. Filled with heartwarming acts of kindness, it is so uplifting and connecting – showcasing what I call the energy of love!

Today’s Amare Wave Wednesday Quote

“Man plans. God laughs.“
—Old Yiddish Proverb

Thanks everyone for tuning in to Amare Wave Wednesday! Do YOUR one amare thing today to improve your business and grow the wave!

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