I think sometimes we need to try and do things differently. I mean beyond things like using new technology or changing eating habits. I mean we need to look at changing the way we have done things because “we have always done it that way”. I think we need to step back and look at our sponsorship programs and our roles in our workplaces and society and ask ourselves “is this really the best way to do this?” Or when that Gen Z person comes along and wants to do it differently… don’t diss or “pooh pooh” it and recite “we don’t do it that way around here” or “we would never do that here”. Think differently… from how we prospect to how we get meetings with partners or what our goals and objectives are in those meetings. We need to look at proposals differently and how we determine “value” and ROI.
I recently heard a story that made me think about this. It was instrumental in me trying to shift my thinking to actually thinking differently. Let me tell you the story I was told.
In South Africa there exists a tribe called the Bebemba. In this society, when a person acts unjustly or commits an offense or does something wrong, the entire village gathers. The people of the village form a large circle where the accused person stands unfettered in the middle. Up to this point it coincides with our justice system (the accused stands in front of a judge and jury of their peers to be tried and punished) or even a less formal; a call to the principal’s office for a berating and punishment or at the dinner table in front of your siblings, singled out for what you have done wrong and thus made an example of.
But for the Bebemba tribe it is different. Once all gathered, each person of the tribe shares with the accused, one at a time, the good things that person has done. They bombard the accused person with their good deeds, kind words, and compassionate actions. They praise the accused’s strengths, good attributes, and kindnesses. This can go on for days until everyone in the village has had a chance to offer a word. At the end, the circle is broken, and the accused person is welcomed back into the community, and they celebrate.
Imagine how different our workplaces or peer groups or partnerships would be if we practiced circles of caring rather than laying of blame. We don’t need to change the whole world; we just need to make small changes in the way we individually do things each and every day. Perhaps it is a mini version of the circle of caring with a colleague or perhaps it is opening the door to that Gen Z person’s idea or meeting with your partner to present an approach to ROI measurement that has not been tried before. Think differently.
If you are interested in how to think differently and creatively in the world of sponsorship, register for Canada’s #1 sponsorship marketing conference, the Western Sponsorship Congress® – Alberta Forum. Register today for savings of as much as up to 50% off!
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