November 10, 2010
“if you want to be more successful, you have to take a leadership position on something that matters”
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So this is my latest #EvilPlan for my client, HNI Insurance.
I drew the cartoon above.
What I’m going to do is recommend to the CEO, Mike Natalizio to get it made up into a stack of signed, limited edition prints. Say, 30 or 50 of them.
Then get them framed.
Then send them off as gifts to the the 30 or 50 most influential people in the trucking business. As a conversation starter.
“Let’s talk about the issues, People.”
The trucking business is full of messy issues [e.g. people dying in road accidents every day, which HNI is in the front line of], so why not address them more openly, more forthrightly?
Like it says in “Tribes”, by Seth Godin, the way to succeed is to be a leader.
HNI hired gapingvoid because they wanted to be more successful.
And I’m saying right back, OK, if you want to be more successful, you have to take a leadership position on something that matters.
Which means having a “smarter conversation”.
And these prints would be their opening salvo.
None of this is rocket science, all that’s required is that a decision be made.
A decision to be a leader. A decision to have a smarter conversation.
Not rocket science.
Easy.
[PS: We’ll see what Mike says. At time of posting this, Mike hasn’t seen the cartoon yet. I’m surprising him! Heh.]
[The Smarter Conversation archive is here.]
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Tags: Evil Plans, HNI Insurence, Nike Natalizio, Seth Godin
Now I wonder where THAT idea came from? (lol)
[…] last minute comment from today’s GapingVoid cartoon, where Hugh nails it with this: “If you want to be more successful, you have to take a […]
And you took something that many originally said couldn’t matter (cartoons on biz cards) — and made it matter for yourself and for others.
When you’re trying desperately to take that step, I wonder how you really are supposed to evaluate this part. Is the real leadership shown in deciding to do the cards your way and then you live with what does or doesn’t fall out from that? Does it make sense to lead somewhere only you may be interested in going?
Congratulations Hugh, using art for business. I wish I had thought of that.
John
[…] are smarter conversations: They focus on something that matters. As Hugh MacLeod has noted, taking a leadership position on something that matters is critical to success. So why waste your time and talk on the […]
So, did the CEO go with your recommendation?
Did it work, did it make impact?
The CEO, Mike loved it, at least, that’s what he told me
Impact? Yes. Though it’s still very early days.…
This is the CEO typing [Mike], I took the bait. Hugh’s idea will absolutely start smarter conversations. Agree?
Would love to hear what happened with this. Did any of those smart conversations turn into revenue, by chance?
Will keep you posted as we haven’t actually launched just yet. Looking forward to the response…