If you know much about me on a personal basis, you’re probably aware that just about every positive thing I have ever accomplished in my life can be traced back to my membership and involvement as a youth in the FFA.
Formerly known as the Future Farmers of America, I was fortunate to be a member at the time the organization was expanding because of their embrace of all of the industry of agribusiness, and no longer focused exclusively on production agriculture. Therefore, my work as a teenager as a farm broadcaster at our local radio station became part of the Supervised Agricultural Experience Program all FFA members are required to develop.
(FFA is simply the greatest youth leadership, public speaking, and personal development program I’ve ever encountered. It is no surprise to those familiar with the organization that at least three members of the Professional Speaking Hall of Fame were former national FFA officers.)
While FFA moved from solely farming to all of agriculture, it never strayed from its core. Maybe part of its success — over one-half million members strong today — is that at EVERY meeting 
from a local chapter to the national convention with 50,000+ in attendance, the President asks, “Why are we here?”
That’s a powerful combination: Embrace your core principles while growing within them…and constantly ask yourself and your team to precisely define why we are doing what we’re doing.
I thought of this reading Joel Miller’s powerful post on the book business, “Sanity Check for Publishers.”
**Disclaimer — Joel is also my publisher at Thomas Nelson…good friend…and great guy. Of course, what he posts is going to get my attention. That would not, however, ensure my agreement. In this case, he is rock-solid on target.
And, it’s not just about publishing…it’s about the fever-pitched call for “relentless innovation” that is frequently leading us off track.
As I mentioned in “Collapse of Distinction” when revealing the “Ebert Effect,” there is the predisposition in our current culture, where we are overwhelmed with similarity, to believe that anything new and different must be superior.
Unless we are uncompromisingly discriminating while SIMULTANEOUSLY pursuing relentless innovation, we can stray from our core — to disastrous results.
“Why are we here?” For publishers, as Joel Miller says, it should be “sustained discussions or stories. The delivery mechanism is minimally relevant to what a book is. In whatever format it comes, a book engages the mind and emotions in a rewarding and thoroughly unique way. In all the discussions about digital publishing, enhanced ebooks, and the future of publishing, 
let’s not forget that we publish books. We don’t design games, produce movies, or animate features. We publish books.”
Those in publishing — and every other industry — should take note that the enduring success of FFA is in the fact it never changed the core — an organization for students studying agriculture. Certainly, as that industry changed and expanded with new and highly advanced biotechnology — and urban residents seeking care for their pets and small animals — the organization adapted.
But, FFA understands if the core is weak…it is impossible for the organization to be strong.
“Why are we here?” In your industry…in your specific business…for YOU?
Business wisdom from blue corduroy…
May 14, 2010 · 3 comments
If you know much about me on a personal basis, you’re probably aware that just about every positive thing I have ever accomplished in my life can be traced back to my membership and involvement as a youth in the FFA.
Formerly known as the Future Farmers of America, I was fortunate to be a member at the time the organization was expanding because of their embrace of all of the industry of agribusiness, and no longer focused exclusively on production agriculture. Therefore, my work as a teenager as a farm broadcaster at our local radio station became part of the Supervised Agricultural Experience Program all FFA members are required to develop.
(FFA is simply the greatest youth leadership, public speaking, and personal development program I’ve ever encountered. It is no surprise to those familiar with the organization that at least three members of the Professional Speaking Hall of Fame were former national FFA officers.)
While FFA moved from solely farming to all of agriculture, it never strayed from its core. Maybe part of its success — over one-half million members strong today — is that at EVERY meeting
from a local chapter to the national convention with 50,000+ in attendance, the President asks, “Why are we here?”
I thought of this reading Joel Miller’s powerful post on the book business, “Sanity Check for Publishers.”
**Disclaimer — Joel is also my publisher at Thomas Nelson…good friend…and great guy. Of course, what he posts is going to get my attention. That would not, however, ensure my agreement. In this case, he is rock-solid on target.
As I mentioned in “Collapse of Distinction” when revealing the “Ebert Effect,” there is the predisposition in our current culture, where we are overwhelmed with similarity, to believe that anything new and different must be superior.
“Why are we here?” For publishers, as Joel Miller says, it should be “sustained discussions or stories. The delivery mechanism is minimally relevant to what a book is. In whatever format it comes, a book engages the mind and emotions in a rewarding and thoroughly unique way. In all the discussions about digital publishing, enhanced ebooks, and the future of publishing,
let’s not forget that we publish books. We don’t design games, produce movies, or animate features. We publish books.”
Those in publishing — and every other industry — should take note that the enduring success of FFA is in the fact it never changed the core — an organization for students studying agriculture. Certainly, as that industry changed and expanded with new and highly advanced biotechnology — and urban residents seeking care for their pets and small animals — the organization adapted.
But, FFA understands if the core is weak…it is impossible for the organization to be strong.