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| Volume 8, Issue 5 - May, 2009 • The Three Levels of
Existence Life is a continuum. Our Future will be influenced by our Past and our Present. As Human Beings, we too operate on a continuum. Just as Abraham Maslow pointed out in his theory of motivation, man is motivated by a hierarchy of needs. At our lowest, most basic level are our Biological and Physiological needs, followed shortly by our need for security. There can be no movement to a higher level until the needs of the lowest level are satisfied. As human beings, our needs make us consumers and at the lowest level our only issue is availability If we accept that organizations and businesses in particular are groups of human beings striving to meet their individual needs by satisfying the needs of others, then we can begin to see that organizations and businesses operate on a continuum as well. At the lowest levels, organizations need bodies to do the physical work. If a group of people are brought together to do physical work, then the lowest form of leadership is command and control. Level 1 is about survival and the body. Once our basic needs are met, we move to level 2 where socialization becomes more important. We have choices and are guided by status and achievement. Organizations now involve us and want us for our minds as well as our bodies. We are involved in teams and discussions about future actions, usually within our functional areas of responsibility. Organizations now encourage us to change with our environment. As consumers we are inundated with advertising messages designed to influence our purchases. Our choices are frequently made based on how that purchase will be perceived by others or how we think they will be perceived by others. Level 2 is about being a part of society and using our minds. Satisfying level 1 needs allows us to move to level 2. Satisfaction at level 2 allows us to move to level 3. This is the level where each of us hope to achieve our highest and best potential. We find and master our true calling. At this point we become fully self-motivated and self-directed. We are able to see potentialities and take whatever steps are necessary to make them a reality. We are fully engaged at the body, mind and spirit levels. As consumers, we seek out custom solutions to our unique problems.
Marketers wishing to supply our needs will move from outbound mass
marketing to inbound, one-to-one conversations. Level 3 is about reaching our maximum potential as individuals.
The three levels of existence have significance for me as an individual, as a member of an organization, as a marketer and as a leader. How will you use the three levels?
While attending the Hand Tools Institute meeting in Phoenix, I had the opportunity to visit the NSA offices and learned that I had successfully completed the requirements for professional membership. Since starting my business, I have presented to various groups over 60 times. In addition, I have made over 50 Toastmaster presentations. If you need a speaker, facilitator or trainer for an upcoming event or know of someone who does, give me a call at (866) 598-8450. Have a subject you would like to see covered in future issues of “Taking Aim”? Please send me an email at aim@CannonAdvantage.com.
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Robert E. Cannon "Best
Practice" Sales
Force Development Change
Management Customer Service Assessment for ISO Requirements • Words of Wisdom
~ Dale Carnegie "Things don't go wrong and break your heart so you can become bitter and give up. They happen to break you down and build you up so you can be all that you were intended to be." ~ Charles "Tremendous" Jones “The secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending; and to have the two as close together as possible.” ~ George Burns “Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.” ~ Alex Levine Taking Aim © 2008 Bob Cannon, The Cannon Advantage Newsletter. All Rights Reserved. The Cannon Advantage visual branding by Zarney Creative. For contact information, click “Resources.” |
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The National Speakers Association has approximately 3500
professional members. Professional membership in the NSA requires
certain performance criterium. 
