Our new book, Social Excellence: We Dare You, starts out with the following passage. This movement — Social Excellence — that involves individuals, organizations, and our collective impact on society — founded upon meaningful human connection, is about making the world better. As the impending new year stares us in the face, how would you finish this statement?
*From Social Excellence: We Dare You by Matthew Mattson, Jessica Gendron Williams, and Josh Orendi
“The world would be better if…” That statement, when spoken within small groups of thoughtful, action-oriented people, has sparked revolutions, incited rebellions, provoked uprisings, and birthed the movements that have shaped our society. That’s how we’d like to start off our conversation with you.
The world would be better if we were all more social, more excellent, more Socially Excellent.
The world would be better if people engaged with one another more often.
The world would be better if people were more skilled at the art of human connection.
The world would be better if we listened to the passion and enthusiasm others have about the things that areimportant to them.
The world would be better if we shook more hands, smiled at strangers more often, and occasionally surprised passersby with a high-five.
The world would be better if we had more powerful conversations.
The world would be better if more people participated in communities and organizations.
The world would be better if our interactions with one another were more human and less digital.
The world would be better if we were more genuine, more below-the-surface, and more real with each other.
The world would be better if we asked better questions.
The world would be better if we could convince more people that they have the potential to change the world.
The world would be better if more people knew how to involve others in their cause.
The world would be better if we chose to have this conversation more often—and then did something about it.
The world would be better if…
My wife and I are due on February 11th with our first child — a daughter that is showing early signs of becoming a soccer player. This week, we took our first pregnancy preparation class. Our instructor, Tamara, shared a piece of advice that is so relevant to leadership that I had to pass it along. I’ll paraphrase. She said:
So, what does 2012 hold for you?
We often get asked, “Does Phired Up Productions do anything for culturally-based fraternities & sororities (like NPHC, NALFO, NMGC, NAPA, etc.)?”

