Bob AuBuchon

I came across a lost clipping from Tom Peters that provided timely encouragement and challenge to me. Thanks, Tom…very much.

Here’s what Tom wrote…

Mary Pipher, Writing to Change the World. Epigraph, courtesy James Baldwin: “You write in order to change the world, knowing perfectly well that you probably can’t, but also knowing that literature is indispensable to the world. … The world changes according to the way people see it, and if you alter, even by a millimeter, the way people look at reality, then you can change it.”

Call me hopelessly naive, but I believe there is no excuse for any variety of “business writing” that should be crafted any less carefully or aim any less high than a great novel or great inaugural address. After all, we do aim—day in and day out—to change the world via our human collectivities called enterprises. Right?

I don’t think it’s naïve, nor do I think it’s a challenge only for writers. I think, biblically speaking, that it’s a challenge for all of us who work, “day in and day out—to change the world” …“even by a millimeter.” At the end of each day have people around us changed the way they see the world, life, faith, God because of the quality of our life and work?

So today, whether we write or account or finance or sell or market or design or serve…whatever we do, why not craft our work in a way that aims to move the world that one millimeter?

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men…
—  Colossians 3:23