Eric Lind
The C3 Leaders devotion is a peer weekly reflection from business leaders related to their journey with Christ. Each weekly devotion will be written by a different author from among the C3 Leaders community.
As we go through this next year together, we pray that these words and reflections will encourage you in your relationship with Jesus Christ.
I was part of a conversation recently that revolved around suggestions for an effective “Elevator Pitch.” It’s called an elevator pitch based upon the premise that you have successfully maneuvered yourself into an elevator with your prospect, you want to convince her to buy from you, and you have only the 30 seconds you are trapped together to state your case and make the sale, or at least open the door to further discussion. Like most of us, I have been “pitched” many times, and the vast majority of those “Elevator Pitches” are really pretty bad. Based upon the presumption of limited time, they often come across as really desperate.
One of the best “pitches” I’ve ever heard was the pitch Steve Jobs made to then Pepsi executive John Sculley in an effort to convince him to lead Apple. This is what Jobs said: “Do you want to sell sugar water the rest of your life, or do you want to come with me and change the world?” That didn’t even take 30 seconds, and in no way comes across as desperate. And you have to admit, it gets your attention. It gets your attention because it strikes deep in your gut, and think about things like real purpose to your work. It causes you to think about things that really matter.
When I was thinking about joining a market place ministry, I was asked if I wanted to continue doing the things I had always done, or if I wanted to: “Change the way America works by bringing the good news of Jesus Christ to the marketplace?” The pitch took less than 30 seconds, and yes, it really got my attention. It got my attention because it was all about the “Why” of what I was going to do.
Simon Sinek, the author of “Start With Why”, has had a big impact on my thinking in terms of my personal “why.” He also said: “Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress. Working hard for something we love is called passion.”Marketplace ministry, and in particular the ministry of C3, teaches us that chasing dollars will never replace pursuing our passion. It truly is all about why we do the things we do.
~Eric Lind, Principal, OneAccord Partners