Fifteen years ago, we published this from The Hughtrain Manifesto:
“Think less about what your product does, and think more about human potential.”
“What statement about humanity does your product make? The bigger the statement, the bigger the idea, the bigger your brand will become.”
“It’s no longer just enough for people to believe that your product does what it says on the label. They want to believe in you and what you do. And they’ll go elsewhere if they don’t.”
“It’s not enough for the customer to love your product. They have to love your process as well.”
Something similar applies when we’re trying to motivate the people who work for us. Money, benefits, and perks only go so far. What really gets people fired up is Ideas – Narrative – Meaning. Giving people the opportunity to tell, or be part of a great story.
Yes, one has to live in the real world. But a big part of the real world is made up of very abstract ideas.
