Processed to death

Process.

Methodology.

Streamline.

These are all terms that came about during the industrial age. They mean to find better ways of doing things on a massive scale. Or closely related to that anyway.

The problem is, they don’t scale in the connection economy.

What happens when you process food too much? When you put it through so many steps over a lengthy period of time?

You destroy the essence of it. The nutrients are all but wiped out. The “food” can barely be called food anymore because it’s been factory-made and injected with so many chemicals that you might as well not eat it at all. Nutrition wise, it does little for your body.

Processed foods also have a completely different taste. Most of the time you can tell the difference between them and the original food it started as, if it did in fact start as a real food. The composition of it is just different. The texture is different. It’s no longer the same as it once was.

The problem is that we’ve processed our business to death. We’ve destroyed the essence of it. The nutrients. The real meaning behind why we do it. It’s all gone.

Like processed foods, we have put business through the ringer and turned it into something completely foreign to what it actually started out as. Which is, of course, to serve value to people.

The other problem is that this doesn’t work in the connection economy. We are in a time where people want to build connection with us and want to hear from us personally but we’re doing all we can do “streamline” or “process” our way to be able to serve more people.

The connection economy won’t allow it. We’ve got to get back to the basics of human business and that is going to require removing some processes.

Business has thrived on connections for many years and now that opportunity is resurfacing on a level we’ve never seen before.

Question: What are you doing to truly connect with people? Do they know you care?

8 thoughts on “Processed to death”

    1. Thanks Bernard! It’s important to note that there is a happy medium. Some things do need a process while others, it just dilutes what we’re trying to accomplish.

      Thanks for commenting!

  1. Great example Jared!!! Like we talked about before it’s all about connecting and building relationships with others. When we do that success will follow.

  2. I’m trying to personally connect with people, and meet their needs. I do this by using what I have to offer. If it’s my skill, then I supply it. If it’s another person’s skill, then I refer it. I am a huge believer in sharing resources. When you become aware of a need, you may not be able to personally meet it – but you may know a person/group/organization that does.

    1. Being a connector is awesome. I have a friend that’s very good at that and even charges for her services to connect people to organizations they want to get in with. When you have a huge network, you can do that and use the clout you have to help others. Connecting is awesome.

      Thanks for adding to the conversation!

  3. There are a few very practical things I do to truly connect with others – I make time for them and when I am with them, I disconnect from everything else and focus on being right there. My phone stays on silent and in my pocket and I keep my attention on who I’m with. It helps show that they are important.

    1. That’s awesome. I try to do that as well but have my moments. It irritates me when someone gives their text message priority over me. It can wait. 😀 Thanks for adding to the conversation Jason, and for stopping by!

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