It would be impossible not to be impacted by recent scenes
of the destruction caused by the hurricane that battered the Bahamas and by the
tragedies of mass shootings at several locations here in the United States.
Yet, it’s also possible to become a bit – for lack of a
better word – calloused by all this coverage, as well. If it’s sunny where you
live – as it was for us in Las Vegas – a weather disaster plays out somewhat
like a scene in an action movie. While our hearts hurt for those who have been
victims of madmen, we can too easily assume a similar fate won’t befall us.
I
know – I used to be exactly that way, myself. Tragedy was something that
happened to someone else, someplace else. Until it wasn’t.
In the past dozen years, I’ve dealt (and am dealing) with
everything from the death of a spouse to the betrayal of trust from a friend
and business associate; from a family member addicted to heroin and the cycle
of rehab, theft, and the associated drama to financial challenges from the
myriad of health care issues in our family.
And, I would wager that your plate has been pretty full,
as well.
I bring all of this up for two important points:
First: it can happen to you, it’s not
always someone else.
True in life – and just as factual in business. I’ve heard a
CEO complain about horrific customer experiences as he did business – even as he
is leading an organization that does not deliver for their own clients. This
“it’s them, not me” attitude is pervasive and destructive.
We each must look in the mirror, as the cliché goes, and
realize that what we may be criticizing in others could be what is wrong in our
place, as well.
That’s not an easy task – however, it is a foundation of
growth.
And, when we realize that it can happen to us, it’s
also the first step towards the preparation that can negate or prevent lasting
damage. If you realize, for example, that colon cancer could happen to you –
and not just others – you get a colonoscopy as a preventative, preparatory
measure. If you realize that a competitor might attract your current customers,
you try harder to innovate and less to wring every cent out of your current
line of products.
Jeff Bezos said that at some point in the future, even Amazon
will be disrupted…and his job is to prevent that from happening for as long as
possible. Wise people – and organizations – realize that challenges can happen
anywhere, anytime…so, they prepare.
Second: how you respond to your challenges reveals
your character.
We’ve all heard the old saw, “It’s not what happens to you;
it’s how you respond to what happens to you.” This has become an oft-repeated
cliché (is there any other kind?) for one simple reason: it is true.
None of us can control what happens to us. All we possess is
the ability to take charge of our response to a given situation. That is
remarkably easy for me to sit here and write – and, as I can tell you from
experience, significantly more difficult to do.
However, what’s the alternative? Days of despair and
despondency? I will pass on that…
Whether we are talking about your business life or your
personal one, understand that challenges can and do happen to people just like
you and me. In fact, they probably will happen at some point in our lives…
When you realize that it can, you can begin to prepare.
And, you can control your response when it happens.
Young Elias failed at many things: school, military service,
entrepreneurship, and more. He was described as painfully shy and insecure.
After a breakdown, he decided, yes, failure had happened to him and that he was
the only one who could control his response. So, he started another company,
trying one more time to be successful.
Elias did pretty well with his next endeavor. Because Elias
was his father’s given name, too, he preferred to go by “Walt.”
Walt Disney.
Perhaps you can follow a similar path to distinction…
We are coming from the right place: we want to improve our
lives and careers. We want to be more successful and attain our potential.
However, with that sincere and honorable aspiration, we often are blinded to a
weakness in our efforts. Some of us are so committed to being successful, we
seek an easy way to get to our destination.
My great friend, Mark Sanborn,
forwarded me a terrific post by Brad Stulberg titled, “The Problem with the
Hack Culture,” that really crystallized my thinking on this. (You can listen to
my podcast on the subject and find a link to the post on ProjectDistinct.com.)
In all candor, I’ve been guilty of this, as well. Whether
you call it a “silver bullet,” problem panacea, waving the magic wand, or
whatever, there is a somewhat natural urge to take the path of least resistance
to getting what we want. However, it’s the combination of our degrees of
gullibility and ethics that will determine the integrity of our path.
When we read about “OPE” — other people’s experience — as a
way to discover precisely how to shorten our learning curve, we should know
that there’s nothing wrong with expanding our thinking through the trials and
tribulations of those who have gone before us.
However, when we think a “seven-figure
summit” will move us to millionaire status, we have transcended the boundaries
of reason. When we believe that a weekend program will teach us how to make our
business TEN TIMES more successful, it displays a naïveté more than motivation.
So, here’s a reminder we ALL need from time to time: there’s
no “hack” to enduring success.
There’s no mystical secret that “they” don’t want you to
know that will make you rich, successful, gorgeous, and famous in short order.
(You can find about ANYTHING on the Internet. Do you really believe they could
keep such powerful information as a “secret”?)
When I’m asked how I built a successful career as a
professional speaker, few like my answer: I gave ONE THOUSAND free speeches
before I was paid for one. From high school assemblies to small “pitch-in”
dinners with farmers, from noontime Rotary Clubs to nighttime events for blue
collar factory workers — you name it, I was the speaker for it…at least one
thousand times.
I’m not saying that YOU have to do
that. But, I’m sure glad that I did. It’s really hard to find someone extremely
successful who did not pay her dues.
Picture this: You’re sadly discovered to have a heart
ailment at age 30. As they wheel you in to surgery, you accidentally learn that
your surgeon “hacked” his way through med school. He didn’t really fulfill his
residency requirements — he went to a “Seven-Figure Surgery” weekend
conference. Right before they administer the IV of anesthesia, he tells you he
only needs to replace one artery — but, for only another $5K, he will give you
a hell of a deal and do them ALL! Don’t you just love a good upsell?
(Especially in a time of need of the prospect?) As your consciousness fades,
you see the surgeon high-fiving the head nurse, because they just closed
another deal….
How do you feel about shortcutting your way to success now?
Stop it with the “hustle,” the “close,” the “hack,” the
“bro” approach. Think long term. (And, thinking “kindness” will help a lot,
too.)
As I stood before the audience that represented a group many
have considered entitled and spoiled, it was impossible not to be impressed
with how seriously they were taking the message being offered to them.
Here I was, before a couple hundred of the “everyone gets a
trophy” generation — high school students between their junior and senior years
— and amazed by how they were writing copious notes and asking insightful and
incisive questions.
For almost two decades, I’ve donated a speech and a couple
of days to the Youth Citizenship Seminar at Pepperdine. Other speakers who have
done the same over the years include celebrities such as Jon Voight, Kathy
Ireland, Tommy Lasorda, and more — and top-notch professional speakers like
Captain Charles Plumb (a former Vietnam POW), Carnegie Hall virtuoso Mike
Rayburn, broadcaster Dennis Prager, author Mark Sanborn and many others.
Something occurred to me over the years giving these
speeches:
Yes, everyone should get a trophy.
Everyone who participates.
In this world where it’s easier than ever before in human
history to tune-out and withdraw to our screens and online universe, it’s hard
to see why we should complain about awarding those who get off their tails and
participate in a worthwhile endeavor.
That’s NOT just about students — it’s about your entire
team where you work! I’m suggesting that everyone who does their job and
serves customers should receive recognition for their efforts.
Yes, everyone should get a trophy.
There was another room that I stood in several years ago
that made quite an impression. Back when I was doing television news in
Louisville, I was invited to do a story at Churchill Downs. In conjunction with
the Kentucky Derby, a special display was opening at the museum at the famous
racetrack that showcased almost all of the world’s most famous trophies.
There I stood…just me…surrounded by the Stanley Cup, the
Lombardi Trophy for the Super Bowl, the Borg-Warner Trophy for the Indy 500,
the World Series trophy, and almost all of the other priceless emblems of
sporting success. I got to pick up the
Stanley Cup…thrust the Lombardi up in the air, just as I had seen my NFL heroes
do…and more.
Yet, it was oddly unmoving to me. I realized later that I
was privileged to hold these incredible awards — but that none had connected
emotionally with me because I had done absolutely nothing to deserve them.
Some trophies should be reserved for the winners.
In other words, everyone who participates should get A
trophy…but, only those who win should receive THE trophy!
Those students this past week at Pepperdine all deserve a
trophy for participating in a conference to grow their leadership — instead of
sitting at home on summer vacation like many of their contemporaries. And, it
should not be missed that they were preparing to win THE trophy for success and
achievement in their adult lives.
I’m convinced that our future is in good hands with the
future these students represent.
And, I left with the thought that all of us could make our
businesses and lives better by following the example they’re displaying of
participating — and preparing to win.
I know I’m part of what evidently must be a tiny fraction of
the United States population. I have never watched a single moment of “Game of
Thrones.”
That’s hard for me to admit. I love watching all of the
“hot” televisions shows – and, as a former movie critic, I spent years seeing
movies well before they were released to the general public. However, for some
reason, “GoT” never captured me.
As fans of the show started posting with vigor on social
media, “NO SPOILERS” until HBO airs the final episode this weekend, it made me
wonder: Does spoiling the ending ruin the story for most people?
Lately, I’ve been doing a lot more work helping
professionals in many fields – especially financial services – in crafting more
compelling narratives that help them connect at a deeper level with their
clients. If a friend refers a prospective customer to your business – and tells
them the story of your business before you’ve had the chance to relate it –
should you go ahead and present your story anyway?
In other words, would
it soil the impact of their story if the ending was spoiled before your
telling?
Interestingly, research from Jonathan Leavitt and Nicholas
Christenfeld of the University of California, San Diego says it does exactly
the opposite.
“Writers use their artistry to make stories interesting, to
engage readers, and to surprise them, but we found that giving away these surprises makes readers like stories better,”
they write. (Emphasis mine.)
One of their interesting conclusions is that the authors of
any story – for example, you in relating a narrative about your products
and services – should try to keep the ending a secret. In this way, people who
are unfamiliar with your story…and those who like surprises…don’t have the
conclusions revealed.
However, you should
not spend your time worrying about whether anyone else is spoiling it as they
re-tell your story.
The UCSD researches state that, “spoilers may allow (the
audience) to organize developments, anticipate the implications of events, and
resolve ambiguities that occur in the course” of reading or hearing the story.
Maybe the producers of HBO shouldn’t care so much about
anyone learning how “Game of Thrones” concludes.
And, there’s no doubt that all of us in business should be happy when people
love our story so much, they want to re-tell it to others – even when it may
spoil our thrilling, successful conclusion.
(By the way – are you telling your story to customers? It’s one of the Four Cornerstones of Distinction found in my books, Create Distinction and Iconic.)
You’ve finally realized that your business is a “show business”…explored how your customers have changed…and accepted the challenge to deliver them with the “Ultimate Customer Experience” that they demand.
Yet, a critical question remains…
How?
How do you connect with your customers and employees during these crazy times?
How do you communicate and establish those critical emotional connections with them?
How do we grab the customer’s attention?
You take the “High Concept” approach.
The High Concept is a short, powerful, attention-grabbing phrase that interests and involves your audience.
“Bomb on a bus.”
“Clown with a red balloon.”
“Kids bring a board game to life.”
“Shark attacks terrorize a small ocean community.”
“Teenager travels back in time and back again using a car.”
“A band of unlikely companions on a quest to destroy a ring.”
“A small group of soldiers must find the lone surviving son of a family and escort him safely home from World War II.
How long did it take you to guess that I was talking about Speed, It, Jumanji, Jaws, Back to the Future, Lord of the Rings, and Saving Private Ryan?
These phrases are proof that the “High Concept” works. They could even be as short as one word. The mere mention of the word “Shark!” evokes the image of the movie, Jaws. Just saying “Genie” makes you think of all the wishes you could make as Aladdin did…while hearing “Iceberg” instantly makes you relive the horror of the Titanic sinking.
There’s power in communication. These short phrases or even single words can make you feel a range of emotions because they make you remember a movie that left a lasting impact on you.
The same concept can be applied to business – in your “show business.”
Domino’s revolutionized the pizza business with their simple High Concept. Thanks to Domino’s, we expect all pizzas to be delivered in “30 minutes or less.” We may even ask the delivery guy from an entirely different pizza chain if our pizza is free when they arrive “late.”
When we say something “keeps going and going and going and going…” – do you expect the Energizer Bunny to suddenly pass by in front of us and interrupt our conversation? Even Gatorade has somehow taken the word “quench” and made it their own, and now we feel that only a brightly-colored sports drink can truly satisfy our thirst. And when you hear someone tell you to “have a break,” do you suddenly want a Kit-Kat?
The High Concepts are more than just taglines, they’re powerful words or phrases that have been ingrained in our minds and taken on a life of their own. In many cases, these brand High Concepts have become more popular than the brands themselves.
The best High Concept statements are incredibly difficult to craft – but powerfully important to have.
Because your High Concept should describe the lifeblood of the unique culture and offerings of your company, it must become something that has deep and lasting roots in your organization.
