Liz Zurek Beaudry 8/8/17 Liz Zurek Beaudry 8/8/17

DLF/CVS Celebrity: Jessica Pearson (Suits)

I think when the writers created Jessica’s character, they took a stereo-typically male Motivational Value System and put it into a minority female package. If Jessica was a man, she would be dismissed as another cookie-cutter character. Again, this makes the show interesting.

DLF (Dominion Leadership & Freedom)

The DLF has the potential to be an institutional authority and empire builder. They can be as tough as nails when it comes to leadership and power. Jessica admits all the time that she is always focused on power–especially as a minority.

Where Jessica’s character gets a little one dimensional is the DLF’s intrinsic motivation for loyalty. She is absolutely loyal and demands absolute loyalty as well. In one example, she could have disciplined an employee with termination, but chose not to because the infraction was done out of loyalty. Another facet of this the DLF, due to their demand for loyalty, is often betrayed, or at least feels like everything is a betrayal. This is a common theme in Jessica’s character arc.

“I know they said I couldn’t control you. You’re going to learn that I can.”

As a typical DLF, Jessica is also completely consumed with her professional goals. This leave very little room for romantic relationships. She gets a boost in this area through her secondary MDNA gift.

CVS (Compelling Value & Stewardship)

Just like Harvey, Jessica is private and independent. Money is not the main motivation, but it is a great way to keep score. She also has no problems blurring the lines to solve a problem with a creative solution. As a CVS, this is what it means to be relentlessly resourceful.

The show really has not pushed the envelope with Jessica’s character yet, compared to Harvey, Mike or Louis. But she plays a vital role of leadership and establishing the culture of her law firm. She commands the respect of her peers. She is strong. Female leaders should not shy away from embracing the DLF gift in this manner.

We’ll end this week with our two supporting characters Donna and Rachel.

Fictional characters also can have MDNA profiles. Typically every great character is based upon somebody in real life, except the persona and core traits are amplified. This makes learning the principles of their MDNA profile much easier and a valuable exercise. Not to mention it can be fun and entertaining.

Please note that these are unofficial profiles only and have not been verified. Description is only based upon public information and may represent either primary or secondary MDNA profiles. This profile is intended for educational purposes only to demonstrate the possibilities of MDNA for those that have been personally assessed.

Liz Zurek Beaudry 8/8/17 Liz Zurek Beaudry 8/8/17

CVS Celebrity: Muhammad Yunus (Nobel Peace Prize Winner)

Muhammad Yunus is a Bangladeshi banker, economist and founder of the Grameen Bank. In 2006 Yunus and Grameen Bank received the Nobel Peace Prize “for their efforts through microcredit to create economic and social development from below”. Yunus has received several other national and international honours including the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal in 2010. He is author of the books Banker to the Poor and Creating a World without Poverty.

The idea for the Grameen Bank started with a mere $27 loan to 42 people. During the famine of 1974, Yunus was the head of the economics department at Chittagong University. He felt silly teaching elegant economic theories while people were dying around him. He discovered that local villagers were in a vicious cycle of poverty because of loan sharks. So Yunus decided to do something about it personally. That first loan would be the spark for an inspiring movement that has spread around the world.

We have profiled Muhammad Yunus as a CVS for his revolutionary approach and vision to eliminate poverty worldwide. The most common core competence of the CVS is to provide valued access. This is precisely what Yunus has done through compelling value and stewardship.

The CVS is also extremely versatile and competent in startup situations. As much as Yunus used microcredit as a tool, he also saw that the poor lacked access to so many other valued services that we take for granted. His solution is to start social businesses. There are many examples of this valued access that Yunus has initiated.

First, there is Grameen Kalyan, or Grameen Health Care, which has over 50 clinics in rural Bangladesh and provides insurance for a family of seven for $1 a month. Grameen Green Children Eye-Care Hospitals, provides cataract surgery and general eye care. Grameen Danone sells fortified yogurt in the hopes that kids will get two units a week in order to get the basic intake of vitamins and minerals that are missing in their diets. Other ventures include a fishery and livestock company. The fisheries have greatly improved the yields of their ponds. And they have a seed company and encourage people to plant and eat a variety of fruits and vegetables to have a balanced diet.

Today, Yunus is working on providing everybody valued access to quality education. In 2012, he joined the Africa Progress Panel to develop strategies for equitable and sustainable development through the Global Partnership for Education. (This, along with his past as an educator, indicates KWR [Knowledgeable Wisdom & Responsibility] as his very possible secondary MDNA Profile.)

It may surprise many that in all of Yunus’ endeavors, he doesn’t own a share of his companies. But as a CVS, that is not surprising at all. The CVS tends to be generous without requiring recognition while being highly focused upon sustainable legacy. In this way, Yunus is doing his work for the benefit of the community and not for personal gain.

Liz Zurek Beaudry 8/8/17 Liz Zurek Beaudry 8/8/17

CVS Celebrity: Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett is considered arguably the greatest investor in American history. Just $10,000 invested in Berkshire Hathaway when Buffet took control in 1965, would be worth more than $50 million today. Even though he is one of the richest men in the world, Buffett still lives in the same house he bought three decades ago for $31,500, drives an older Lincoln Towncar, and some say downs countless cans of Coca-Cola every day.

On top of this all, Warren Buffett has pledged to give away 99% of his wealth before he passes away. He’s inspired other billionaires such as Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg to sign a “Giving Pledge” promising to give half of their wealth away in their lifetimes.

How does this frugal billionaire achieve such a level of success and fulfillment? Warren Buffet is a CVS. This became apparent right from childhood.

When Buffett was six, he bought a 6-pack of Coca-Cola for a quarter then resold each bottle for a nickel. He pocketed his first 20% profit. Even as a child, while other children were outside playing, Buffett was making money. Then at age eleven, he bought three shares of the company Cities Service Preferred at $38 per share. After watching the stock drop to $27, he held on until they rebounded which he quickly sold at $40. Buffet learned his first major lesson on investing as the shares would eventually reach up to $200 per share. He learned the virtue of patience.

The CVS has a knack of attracting, recognizing and exploiting financial opportunity. They are very resourceful and flexible when it comes to creating opportunity. During high school, Buffett made $5,000 delivering newspapers (equal to over $42,000 today).

Buffett is called the “Wizard of Omaha”, “Oracle of Omaha”, or the “Sage of Omaha” and is renowned for his value investing philosophy and for his personal frugality despite his immense wealth. These also are core CVS traits.

What is most compelling about Warren Buffett however, is his commitment to philanthropy. But to him, it isn’t about just giving money away. It’s about creating a legacy of value and impact. To the CVS, combining value and legacy is as motivational and fulfilling as it gets. We often refer to the CVS as the “gift that keeps on giving.” Warren Buffett is the epitome of this.

This quote from 1988 highlights Warren Buffett’s thoughts and whyhe is one of the most respected and famous CVS in the world:

“I don’t have a problem with guilt about money. The way I see it is that my money represents an enormous number of claim checks on society. It’s like I have these little pieces of paper that I can turn into consumption. If I wanted to, I could hire 10,000 people to do nothing but paint my picture every day for the rest of my life. And the GDP would go up. But the utility of the product would be zilch, and I would be keeping those 10,000 people from doing AIDS research, or teaching, or nursing. I don’t do that though. I don’t use very many of those claim checks. There’s nothing material I want very much. And I’m going to give virtually all of those claim checks to charity when my wife and I die.”

Liz Zurek Beaudry 8/8/17 Liz Zurek Beaudry 8/8/17

CVS Celebrity: Gene Simmons

Gene Simmons is a musician, singer-songwriter, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur, most famous for being co-founder of the one of the most successful rock bands of all time, Kiss. Kiss has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide. Simmons also starred in the reality television series Gene Simmons Family Jewels for seven seasons.

Gene Simmons is an interesting celebrity to profile. His MDNA may surprise you. Like most celebrity musicians, it would be easy to assume that he is an EIA (Empowering Inspiration and Attraction) with nicknames such as “The Demon” on stage and “Dr. Love.” Absolutely with no doubt, Gene Simmons understands the social spotlight and how to entertain the masses like many EIAs in popular media do.

Upon closer examination however, Simmons’ and Kiss’ success does not stem from being EIA. Gene Simmons is a CVS through and through.

Simmons does not consider Kiss a rock band, but rather a rock brand. He understands business—especially the aspect of brand licensing. Kiss is one of the most licensed brands in the world. Some reports say there are over 3,000 licensed products with the Kiss brand available. When it comes to business, the core competency of the CVS is “Valued Accessibility.” Whether you appreciate the music or not, Simmons has done a masterful job of creating access to Kiss while generating substantial value and ROI.

Another quality of the CVS profile is the ability, flexibility and adaptability to start a diversity of new ventures. Many CVS are serial entrepreneurs and love funding new businesses. Simmons is no different. The rock star has a multitude of side projects from car dealerships, clothing lines, publishing, restaurants, financial services and of course, record labels, associated with his name. His latest venture is the L.A. Kiss arena football team. Simmons is a capitalist and is completely unashamed of it.

An interesting fact about Simmons is that he is adamantly against drugs or alcohol use, which may be surprising considering his career. The CVS typically is very careful about being a steward of his or her body, seeing physical health as a valuable resource. Second, if you listen to many of Simmons’ interviews, you will see that he has no problem with ideological tension, from religion to the institution of marriage. The CVS prefers not to see the world in absolutes, and neither does Simmons. Finally, the CVS has no problem pointing out the deficiencies in others without wanting to be confronted with their own past issues. Again, there is an interesting pattern of this in all of Simmons’ interviews.

What is fascinating is that, even as one of the best-selling bands of all times for over 40 years, Kiss has never been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. One theory is simply because Simmons sees Kiss as a business first, rock band second. He has no illusions of where the value is.

How many other would-be-successful performing artists could benefit from the same CVS approach?

As a final side note, an equal contributor to Kiss’ success is co-founder Paul Stanley (aka “Starchild”). After reading additional articles about the relationship between the two, our initial theory is that Stanley is a UCD (Unyielding Conviction & Design). The CVS and UCD are a very potent combination in business as demonstrated by pairs such as Bill Gates (CVS) and Paul Allen (UCD) of Microsoft, and Warren Buffet (CVS) and Charlie Munger (UCD) of Berkshire Hathaway.

Liz Zurek Beaudry 8/8/17 Liz Zurek Beaudry 8/8/17

CVS Celebrity: Chuck Feeney

The book, The Billionaire Who Wasn’t: How Chuck Feeney Made and Gave Away a Fortune Without Anyone Knowing, by Conor O’Clery is a fascinating example of the MDNA gift of Compelling Value & Stewardship.

Feeney collaborated with the biography which shares his incredible story:

In 1988 Forbes Magazine hailed Chuck Feeney as the twenty-third richest American alive. Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey to a blue-collar Irish-American family during the Depression, a veteran of the Korean War, he had made a fortune as co-founder of Duty Free Shoppers, the world’s largest duty-free retail chain. But secretly, Feeney had already transferred all his wealth to his foundation, Atlantic Philanthropies. Only in 1997, when he sold his duty free interests, was he “outed” as one of the greatest and most mysterious American philanthropists in modern times. A frugal man who travels economy class and does not own a house or a car, Feeney then went “underground” again, until he decided in 2005 to cooperate in a biography to promote giving-while-living. Now in his mid-seventies, he is determined his foundation should spend the remaining $4 billion in his lifetime.

In 1997, Time Magazine said: “Feeney’s beneficence already ranks among the grandest of any living American.”

The classic attributes of the CVS start with the intrinsic motivation to stewards of all resources, whether they be financial, intellectual or human capital. The CVS has the innate ability to attract and capitalize on opportunities–especially in the financial sense. Those with this Motivational Value System are very private, independent, resourceful and frugal (frugality often to the point of frustration of others). And when the CVS gives, they prefer to do it anonymously. In fact, Feeney was so secretive in his generosity that he threatened legal action against any beneficiary that tried to recognize him. And he would have stayed a secret if not forced to reveal his charitable activities.

Chuck Feeney embodied all of these and other attributes of this MDNA gift to the benefit of all society.

“I had one idea that never changed in my mind—that you should use your wealth to help people. I try to live a normal life, the way I grew up.” ~ Chuck Feeney

In February 2011, Feeney joined The Giving Pledge, which is a campaign to encourage the wealthiest people in the world to make a commitment to give most of their wealth to philanthropic causes. In his letter to Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, the founders of The Giving Pledge, Feeney wrote,

“I cannot think of a more personally rewarding and appropriate use of wealth than to give while one is living—to personally devote oneself to meaningful efforts to improve the human condition. More importantly, today’s needs are so great and varied that intelligent philanthropic support and positive interventions can have greater value and impact today than if they are delayed when the needs are greater.”

It’s not surprising that Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, in the context of MDNA, are also gifted CVS. This is why the CVS is often described as, “the gift that keeps on giving.”

Please note that these are unofficial profiles only and have not been verified. Description is only based upon public information and may represent either primary or secondary MDNA gifts. This profile is intended for educational purposes only to demonstrate the possibilities of MDNA for those that have been personally assessed.

Liz Zurek Beaudry 8/8/17 Liz Zurek Beaudry 8/8/17

CVS Celebrity: James Bond

James Bond’s psychological profile (even though he is a fictional character) has been greatly analyzed and debated over the years. The truth is, though he is an action hero and suave with the ladies, he isn’t a very nice person. He’s basically an anti-hero. To some he is cool and sexy. To others he is a sociopath, misogynist and emotionally broken.

Yet if you analyze the common intrinsic motivations of the character through the movies, you will see the CVS (Compelling Value & Stewardship) MDNA. This is a great example of where the CVS is not just about financial resources. To the pure CVS, everything is a resource, external and internal, to be accessed and managed for some form of ROI.

“Relentlessly Resourceful”

When describing the CVS, we know they are very private, independent and the most diverse of all the MDNA gifts. We like to use the term “relentlessly resourceful.” James Bond is all of the above. He shares very little about his personal life, always works alone (except for the Bond girl), and must think on his feet using every tool available to be the hero. He is not interested in building an empire for himself like the DLF. He also loathes having to depend on others because someone will always double-cross you. This is why you can never con a CVS because he is always expecting the other shoe to drop.

In fact, all lone wolf and mysterious anti-heroes in entertainment and fiction are versions of CVS–just with different secondary gifts to make them different. Think Wolverine of the X-Men, Jason Bourne from The Bourne Identity, and Daryl Dixon from The Walking Dead.

The other amplified CVS trait of Bond is that there is no black and white. Everything is a shade of grey meaning they have no problem with ideological differences. They are free to comply or rebel simply because they can and want to. This is why James Bond has no problem using questionable methods to get the job done. In the same vein, a CVS always chooses to solve problems in a creative fashion versus bashing down the front door.

Is James Bond a severely “damaged” character?

Of course. Isn’t that why we enjoy watching him so much? The lesson here is not to confuse someone’s mental health with their motivational value system. Your intrinsic motivations drive you regardless of your dysfunctions.

An interesting experiment would be how each MDNA gift would use a license to kill differently. If you are familiar with MDNA, you probably already can see the differences. But, thankfully, this is one R&D question we never could (and should) really test. But I do confess, I would be curious. Hmmm…

Liz Zurek Beaudry 8/8/17 Liz Zurek Beaudry 8/8/17

CVS/DLF Celebrity: Jeff Bezos (Amazon Brand Culture)

Bezos is a DLF through and through. In 2013, a book entitled The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon by Brad Stone revealed what his employees have known for years. On one hand, Bezos is compassionate, charming and a humorous person in public. On the other, he is an abrasive leader that dominates with fear and demand respect. He is known to be driven, bold, and caring nothing for consensus and civility. He can explode into what some employees call “nutters.” His standards are exacting and his rebukes devastating. And the way Bezos makes deals or acquires other companies is nothing short of complete domination with absolute refusal to lose in any way.

We’re not here to bash anybody’s character. Nobody can argue the success of Amazon. These are just the facts and reveal the positive and negative traits of the DLF gift. For every strength that comes from this type of Motivational Value System, there can be a weakness.

The DLF has no issues wielding institutional authority. Here are some choice Bezos quotes as reported by the author Brad Stone:

“Are you lazy or just incompetent?”
“I’m sorry, did I take my stupid pills today?”
“Do I need to go down and get the certificate that says I’m CEO of the company to get you to stop challenging me on this?”

As a DLF, Bezos imprints his intrinsic motivations and social DNA into the work culture. Amazon is renowned for being a confrontational and competitive place to work. In fact Amazon’s 14 leadership principles demand it. Here is an excerpt:

“Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit: Leaders are obligated to respectfully challenge decisions when they disagree, even when doing so is uncomfortable or exhausting. Leaders have conviction and are tenacious. They do not compromise for the sake of social cohesion. Once a decision is determined, they commit wholly.”

Some thrive working at Amazon. Other former employees would never go back. Whether you agree or disagree with his approach, the truth is, in order to manage a $300 billion plus organization with over 150,000 employees, a DLF approach is essential. This brings us to Amazon the company itself.

Amazon Brand Culture: Scalable Systems through Valued Access

When a DLF like Bezos founds a company, it is imprinted with the Brand Culture of “Scalable Systems.” This is the “promise” of the brand and basically means the company wants to be bigger and better using systems to grow. Everything in Amazon, from marketing to warehousing and now delivery by drones, is about systems to help the brand scale. While Amazon started with books, many don’t see the full scale of its enterprise. For example, Amazon Web Services handles the computer infrastructure of thousands of technology companies, universities, and government agencies. There’s also TV and tablets just to name a few more.

Amazon also has the secondary Brand Culture of “Valued Access.” This is the “personality” of the brand that makes value as accessible as possible to all customers. The Valued Access Brand Culture is imprinted by a CVS (Compelling Value & Stewardship). If it is the secondary of the company, then it is typically also the founder’s secondary. But all secondary Brand Cultures can be changed over time by new leadership and market dynamics. In this case, we do believe that Jeff Bezos is a DLF/CVS.

To summarize, Jeff Bezos, as a DLF/CVS, imprinted the Brand Culture of Scalable Systems through Valued Access. Case in point, here is Amazon’s vision statement which is evidence of the Brand Culture:

Our vision is to be earth’s most customer-centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online.

That’s the official vision that has shaped Amazon into becoming the Everything Store. But in simpler terms, according to Bezos, “You won’t find a cheaper, friendlier place to get everything you need than Amazon.” There is your DLF/CVS in a nutter nutshell. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)

In the end, there is a lot every DLF and CVS that wants to build a successful company can learn from Jeff Bezos and Amazon’s Brand Culture. You don’t have to be an online retailer either. Who knows, maybe someone armed with this MDNA will provide some stiff competition.

Read the full article on Jeff Bezos and the book here (it’s a great read) >

Liz Zurek Beaudry 8/8/17 Liz Zurek Beaudry 8/8/17

CVS Celebrity: George Lucas (Star Wars)

There is a really unique history here, especially a financial one. Star Wars would not be the iconic franchise it is today if it wasn’t for Lucas’ financial foresight and maneuvers. This goes back to his early days at film school.

The CVS is a master in the startup situation because of his resourcefulness, flexibility and ability to start an initiative in creative ways others might have not considered. They are very opportunistic. Lucas, during film school, noticed how everybody else would talk about making movies but it was just hopeful rhetoric. So he decided to always be doing something about it. During a technical exercise where the class was simply learning how to use a camera for a minute of footage, he decided to jump on the opportunity and make a movie with his time. That short movie, made during class instruction, went on to win short film awards. A sign of things to come.

The CVS is relentlessly resourceful and diverse in his approach. Reading how he made his first recognizable hit American Graffiti you will see the CVS gift in its glory. Lucas never wanted to write, but the situation called for it. If you listen to the way he described his account of those days, you will notice he was very keen on the finances. He understood how to manage his resources for maximum return to achieve his vision. But nothing would come close to his ability to drive compelling value from his story about Jedi knights and a young hero named Luke Skywalker.

The Steward of Star Wars

To a CVS, independence is a very important intrinsic motivator. Lucas is no different and he states his independence is one of the most important factors for him in many of his interviews. The CVS is also very private. Again, Lucas is the same. When Star Wars became a major hit, he needed time to adjust to the sudden interest into who he was as a person. He just wanted to make movies.

After Star Wars was a hit, Lucas decided to self-finance Empire Strikes Back. He also bought the merchandising. Lucas would be in complete control of how his franchise and its value. This is stewardship in action. A CVS is willing to reinvest with calculated risk. Star Wars was a resource. One that he has exploited to massive profit over the years. But for him, it wasn’t about the money. It was about the ability to be in control and have the independence to make sequels. Money, among other things, is simply a resource and a way to keep score. Lucas didn’t even know if his investment would be successful. He was simply willing to put his money where his mouth was and exercise his independence. Of course it paid off.

It is no secret that Lucas isn’t the greatest film maker in the world. His next three sequels, episodes I, II and III were considered disappointments. Yet they made money in all forms of revenue from action figures, comics, conventions and animated television spin-offs. Lucas truly was a master steward of Star Wars.

Disney Awakens the Force

Lucas sold the Star Wars assets to Disney for just over $4 billion. To him, it was simply cashing in an asset. This doesn’t imply he didn’t care about his creation. He did and still does. But it was time. It was the right financial and professional move to make. Lucas describes the sale like an amicable breakup. Some may consider him an sell-out with no artistic integrity, but it’s a move the CVS knows how to make.

What’s fascinating is, had Lucas not approached Star Wars as a steward and secured it’s value, the franchise wouldn’t have even been his to sell. Like many in entertainment and other industries, to make a dream reality, rights are sold ahead of time so that the parties with the deepest pockets prevail long-term. But Lucas understood his value and was willing to invest in it by foregoing short-term financial relief.

(There was another CVS that did the same move. His name is Bill Gates. Gates kept the copyright to PC DOS, Microsoft’s first operating system. Financially speaking, that turned out better than Star Wars did.)

The Disney empire will go on to print money on Star Wars many times over the purchase price. And most likely, all the future iterations of stormtroopers and lightsabers will be an improvement beyond anything Lucas could have ever produced. The franchise might have gone to the dark side according to some, but I for one have a different admiration and respect for George Lucas and his true CVS powers.

May the force be with you George, always. (Sorry I had to!)

Liz Zurek Beaudry 8/8/17 Liz Zurek Beaudry 8/8/17

UCD/CVS Celebrity: Harvey Specter (Suits)

Harvey is driven by black and white ideologies. Growing up, his greatest trauma came from his mother having an affair. This has driven his unyielding convictions to present day. He is a problem solver–a very strategic one. When a deal is broken, he is called in. When all hope seems lost and chaos has erupted, he figures it out. He is blunt and has no problems standing completely alone for his beliefs. But again, and most importantly, it’s his black and white ideologies that make him a UCD over any other MDNA gift.

Here are some choice quotes that scream UCD:

“The only time ‘success’ comes before the ‘work’ is in the dictionary.”
“Winners don’t make excuses when the other side plays the game.”
“What are your choices when someone holds a gun to your head? You do what they say or they shoot you, right? Wrong! You take the gun. You pull out a bigger gun or you call their bluff or you do one of another 146 other things.”

Another trait of the UCD is the ability to front-load the investment for professional success and personal fulfillment.

“Now when I got here, I dominated. They thought I worked 100 hours a day. Now, no matter what time I get in, nobody questions my ability to get the job done. Get it through your head. First impressions last. You start behind the eight ball, you’ll never get in front.”

In the most recent episodes, Harvey was willing to completely resign from his position as managing partner for his convictions. One of his major ideologies is loyalty. He also is willing to give people opportunities for redemption and to live out their designs. That’s why he hired Mike, who was a small-time drug dealer at the time, and gave him a chance to become a (fake) lawyer. This is something a CVS would not typically do.

CVS (Compelling Value & Stewardship)

Harvey takes on the lone wolf James Bond anti-hero persona as part of his dysfunctional coping mechanisms. In recent episodes, he is seen working with a therapist who sees this and cracks through the veneer.

The CVS is relentlessly resourceful and, private, independent and a master at solving problems involving financial resources. This is all Harvey. Watch how he plays poker and you will a cool and calm CVS. However, to highlight this difference again, the CVS has no problems with shades of grey when it comes to issues and can easily work with ideological tension. Not Harvey. As a UCD, he would rather fracture a relationship than accept a different ideology.

All in all, Harvey is one cool dude. And he knows it.

“Sorry, I can’t hear you over the sound of how awesome I am.”