Voting is compulsory here in Australia. To make it easier for people polling places now open the weekend before election day. Early voting in our state and local council elections opened last weekend. As we lined up at the entrance to the polling place we were met by representatives of all candidates and parties. Each one tried to thrust a marketing leaflet at us as we passed them, in a last-ditch attempt to get our vote. The only thing to differentiate one candidate from the other was the colour of their shirt or the arrangement of the words ‘people’ and ‘power’ on the brochures.

It’s true that sometimes people don’t decide who to vote for until the last minute. Last minute votes can count. But they don’t build a sustainable advantage or a loyal following over time. Whether we are in politics or business, the real work we do is to show up for the right people consistently, so they know what we stand for, every day—not just on voting day or launch day.

Our goal isn’t to be chosen at random because of the colour of our shirt or a single snappy slogan. It’s to be deliberately sought out again and again for our service, our values and the way we empower and impact the people we serve.

Image by Drew