Daily Lab: The robo-alien test

As a follow-up to yesterday’s Daily, try this thought experiment:

Imagine a space alien or sophisticated robot observed you working all day.

What would they think you do?

For me, they’d think I stare at books, type on a screen, draw pictures on a chalkboard, and then talk enthusiastically at a piece of glass on my desk.

It’s a silly test, but try it out. What would they think you do?

Because whatever your value is, that’s how you’re making it. That’s what you’re doing to create, deliver, and demonstrate your value.

So, the question I have for you is this:

Is there anything you’re doing that the robot is seeing that’s not helping you create, deliver, or demonstrate value? If it’s not creating, delivering, or demonstrating value... can you stop?

And is there anything you’re doing now that, with a few adjustments, could turn from merely delivering value to helping you demonstrate it?

For example, a few years ago I started capturing my reading, writing, and chalkboard drawing—what I need to do anyway to develop solutions for my clients—and started turning them into newsletters.

So, for instance, if the robot sees you talking at a piece of glass all day, could you share some of your process, your skills, your learnings about how to do that so well?

If the alien sees that you spend a huge portion of your day with devices in your ears while you clack away at your desk, how could you take your clients into that process and demonstrate the value of that work?

The key is to identify what you’re already doing to create and deliver your value, and find simple ways to demonstrate it.

Because the robot or space alien can identify what you do.

But they don’t know why you’re doing it.

But once you do, you can demonstrate it at a distance.