“the ceramic cup they gave me last year…it was never meant for me at all. It was meant for the position I held. I deserve a Styrofoam cup. [...] And when you leave your role, which eventually you will, they will give the ceramic cup to the person who replaces you. Because you only ever deserved a Styrofoam cup.” Simon Sinek, Leaders Eat Last
The starting quote reminded me of how suits can be an illusion. I’ve talked about Suits [link] before–why we keep those suits in the closet. For me–moving from Texas to California meant downsizing my suit collection from 7 to 2. Especially since I haven’t worn a suit five times in the last five years. I kept suits in my closet “just in case” something would happen–but there’s no way seven of those “just in case” events would happen in a week.
Much of what we hold is an illusion–it’s not the container that matters, but the space it creates.
Sinek takes his story from a former Under Secretary of Defense giving a talk to the same organization a year later after retiring. In the year he held the title–he got the grand treatment. Signified with a ceramic cup for him to drink coffee from while giving his talk. In the subsequent year–when he no longer had the role of Under Secretary–he talks about the magnanimous difference in the experience: no escorts, no chauffeurs, no green room. In the end–he still got the same coffee, but had to get it himself.
Same coffee–different cup.
The Cup is Just a Canvas (photo by “hahatango” via Flickr)
It’s a humbling experience–and a humbling reminder: We lead by both our position and personal capacity. And as leaders–we have to keep humble and separate the fanciness of the ceramic cup (because of our position) from the utility and commonality of the styrofoam cup (because of who we are).
Sweatshirts
When I moved to the Bay Area–I heard a joke about it being impossible to sometimes tell the difference between a homeless person and a tech genius because they often wear the same outfit.
That’s not to denigrate either group–but Cali casual means sweatshirts can work 7 days a week. Especially in San Francisco where the temperature changes 40 degrees on any given day.
But what’s more telling–and inspiring–is the shift back from vanity to utility.
The position can keep the vanity–all that matters is performance.
Steve Jobs idealized this idea–definitely in clothing. He wore the same uniform for over a decade, with only a handful of rare exceptions. He wore it so much–he became uniquely identified by it. Imagine a closet full of Levi’s 501s, black turtlenecks, and New Balances.
It’s like the styrofoam cup–the Under Secretary only remembered getting the ceramic cup because he got the common cup the next year. The cup wasn’t for him, it was for the role and position he held. Living in that difference carries all the potential.
Cups
Sam Adams designed their own drinking glass under the impression it accentuated the scent and experience of their beers. They couldn’t find a glass that matched the craft of their beer–so they made their own. Great marketing.
A Glass of Its Own Design
Being in Wine Country–I get to live every weekend amidst the best wines in the world. Many of these wineries either get their own glasses made–or buy their own Riedel or similarly expensive glasses to serve their wares and accentuate the experience. It’s pretty bougie–and it makes me laugh when I go home to drink the same wine out of a 4oz Imperial Short Beer Glass.
It’s more about the experience than it is the container.
It’s not about the ceramic cup. It’s about the experience–the stories we craft and cultivate through the space within. Some of our best stories come from storied nights with styrofoam cups in our hands.
Maybe it’s time to start clearing out the cabinets.
How do you deliver an experience that’s as powerful in a styrofoam cup as a ceramic cup? How do you provide the safe space for the service to take shape? How much do you waste time on vanity–and get distracted from the utility?