Consumer attitudes and motivations are shifting, traditional notions of employment are evolving and the way we do things in our lives has changed beyond anything our parents generation ever experienced. What can businesses do to stay in touch? Here are five provocations for 21st Century business:
1. Have a purpose
Companies attempting to reposition themselves need to take a position. What is it you do for people, over and above making money? Companies are finding that not only can they do well for themselves but they can do even better if they do well for the world. Having a clear sense of purpose is not just motivating for your employees and customers but it allows you to rehabilitate your whole organisation and bring meaning to the things you do.
2. Be authentic
Language is returning to business and it demands they speak from the heart. People are wired to interpret subtle clues telling us whether someone is all there; if we’re the centre of their attention, if we’re being listened to. The same goes for companies. You need an authentic platform to engage people and clear channel strategies to tell your story with passion and conviction. Don’t fake it. They’ll know. And they’ll let everyone else know too.
3. Be relevant
Customers often know more than companies do about their own products. And they know what they want, how and why. If you don’t deliver they’ll find someone else. Customer loyalty is built on relevance. Take the story of The Little Prince. There’s a drawing that looks like a hat but is in fact, a snake that has eaten an elephant…what if your brand is a hat when customers want an elephant-eating snake? Make sure you know what your customers want, not just what you think they want.
4. Recognise defining moments
Too many companies carry on doing what they do because they are too afraid of the future to change. Time passes them by. In evolutionary terms they become extinct. The trick is to be able to recognise when an opportunity presents itself and then go for it. It could be a result of societal influence, internal changes, market forces or simply the right thing to do. As Kevin Costner said: ‘Define the moment, don’t let the moment define you’.
5. Redefine prosperity
Money. It used to make the world go round. But the old ways just don’t motivate like they used to. There are many more opportunities and ways to reward. Take Wooga for instance or any number of smaller companies thinking radically about holidays, working times and flexibility to name a few. It’s about recognising the way we spend our lives, not just what we spend.
So, there you have it: five ways for businesses to stay in touch and write an obituary for ‘business-as-usual’ thinking.
What are you waiting for?
