A need to update business principles:
A lot of the business principles that have been studied and taught come from the Industrial Era, not the Meaning Era. They are conventional tools that are aimed to share products that were products, such as features and benefits, they are focused on “machinery” for mass production and products with specifications.
They aren’t focused on value-based structures, the “why” or depth into which the product was created. They don’t express the feeling or captivate the spirit in which the organization, program or service were created, because that is not what they were formed to be.
A need for meaning by employees and customers:
Industrial Era business principles are focused on the “form” and not the “formless” aspects of business. These has tremendous implications both for the people that live and work in the organization.
There is a meaning crisis both inside the organization, in the communication aspect of the organization as well as the way the products are branded and shared. Customers are becoming more educated, and while in the past a client may be only looking for a product, now a customer is also looking to see why that product exists. Customers are valuing more authenticity vs. uniformity; they have many ways to see the consistency of the company or the people who work in it, and they are searching for companies that are in alignment with their values. They crave the meaning they are seeking.
A need for focus in the midst of distraction:
The trainings for management and executive positions, as well as entrepreneurship in business, are focused and aimed at the outer part of business management such as: goals, functions, or competitive landscape. Few are taking into account the inner landscape of the company as the foundational principle for what it creates and brings into the world. The companies and entrepreneurs bringing products into the world constantly lose authenticity and consistency, because they lack a clear direction and focus. When the “eye” is focused on the outer, the amount of distractibility of vision can cause severe changes for the company’s original structures and “whys.” The bigger the company gets and the greater its complexity, the wider the communication gap around the why of the company. Slowly, the company losses its original identity. Without a clear identity for the company, customers aren’t clear about its values, and their loyalty shifts.
Communication as a way to create meaning and to contribute:
In the Production Era, the business structure was seen as a production line or a “factory” model; each person had specific aspects and duties to perform. In the Meaning Era, people are interested in bringing their whole-self to the world. They are expecting meaning to be part of their lives, as well as part of their purchasing experiences. The advertisements that focus on features and benefits are outdated, and are missing the opportunity for social responsibility, as well as the chance to make a bigger impact and contribution to society.
Sell, sell, sell…promotion & the formula models
I personally do not resonate with force-based strategies; they are “forced” like Cinderella’s stepsisters trying to fit into her shoe. They simply don’t fit, and they either have the person totally submit their power to do all these things and wind up resenting the company’s business, or they miss an important aspect of the person. Understanding the person and creative flow is of supreme importance to results.
To help businesses avoid this negative model, I created a new model called The WAVE™. It studies the fundamental principle of flow, moving from within to the outer world. We gain a better understanding of the inner foundational principles before sending the product and program outline.
Fear-based communication vs. Love and empowerment communication
A lot of what we see in marketing these days is fear-based communication, based on the aspect of “lack” or not enough. When we realize that we live in an abundant world and there are so many unique gifts that a visionary with a higher purpose brings into the world, putting more energy into communicating this message is of higher service, since it maintains the vibrational alignment of the communication strategy.