Heroic Moment: It's Nothing Personal, It's Just Business

I've been somewhat frustrated with the "hero business." My frustration has nothing to do with heroism itself, but rather the "business" part of the "hero business."

For more than nine years, my full-time work was in the "fraternity/sorority business." In that time, I saw that it was possible for those groups  to be strong on the "business" side (recruiting members, holding  events and meetings, etc.), even if they were struggling with being values-driven organizations. They may have had lots of members, but were they striving to actualize their missions?

"It's nothing personal, it's just business."

In the "hero business," Heroism, Inc. creates a brand of heroism and claims that other ideas are distracting from "true" heroism, marginalizing those who are not part of Heroism, Inc.

This is a great strategy if your product is a smartphone, but what if your product is a call to change the world or an invitation to live a set of values?

All of us are invited to be heroes, as long as we buy Heroism, Inc.'s brand of heroism. Could you say the same about your organization and its competition?

Are we advancing a call to action and a movement? Or are we advancing the bottom line?

As values-driven organizations, are we supporting a common movement, or only our organization's bottom line?

Most importantly, are we trying to win? Or are we just trying to make somebody else lose?

Whether it is in your community, your organization, or in your personal life, you will have many opportunities to advance yourself at the expense of others.

Will you make a business decision? Or will you make a decision that reflects the person you are and the person you aspire to be?

Will you make a personal decision?

If the choice was easy, it wouldn't be heroic. And if it wasn't personal, it would just be business.

Take it personal.