PRAISE FOR Likeonomics is a marketing expert focused on helping to bring more humanity back to business. He advises some of the world’s largest global brands on communications strategy through his role as a member of the Strategy & Planning group at Ogilvy. His thinking has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, the Guardian, Fast Company, NPR, and MarketingChina and his first book, Personality Not Included was translated into nine languages. Outside of his writing and consulting, Rohit is Adjunct Professor of Marketing at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, where he lives with his wife and two sons.
Rohit is a popular “non-boring” keynote speaker who has spoken at TEDx, in Davos, and at hundreds of other events around the world. To inquire about booking Rohit to speak, contact likeonomics@gmail.com
For free online resources, visual chapters, and exclusive content, visit www.likeonomics.com
“Rohit Bhargava’s wise and wonderful book proves that your mother was right, after all: people respond to those who treat them right. Companies and organizations need to heed this lesson and use Likeonomics to steer their thinking on ways to become more open, accessible, and trustworthy in the marketplace—and find success doing it.”
Daniel H. Pink author of Drive and A Whole New Mind
“In Likeonomics, Rohit reinforces the popular notion that culture eats strategy and makes the case that likeability is an indispensable part of success. Rohit encourages us to create person-to-person connections that are authentic, relevant, and accessible. Gone are the days when alpha dogs rule. . . In the era of Likeonomics, personal connection is king.”
Jonathan Becher Chief Marketing Officer, SAP
“Rohit Bhargava gets to the heart of what underlies and sustains relationships—likeability. If you want to be successful in business, don’t leave trust to chance—keep Likeonomics and its online workbook close at your side and you’ll be on the path to success.”
Charlene Li author of Groundswell and Open Leadership founder, Altimeter Group
“ This is a bold, fresh, and—most important—likeable book. Rohit reveals why networking must die, and the gap that should keep you up at night is your ‘likeability gap.’”
Christopher Graves, Global CEO, Ogilvy Public Relations
“Likeonomics is the How to Win Friends and Influence People for a new generation. Rohit shows us how to be more likeable and believable and, as a result, more popular and relevant, which are the keys to success in any endeavor. Highly recommended.”
Michael Port New York Times bestselling author of The Think Big Manifesto
“If you want to be successful, you need to read Likeonomics! Rich in relevant, entertaining stories, and takeaways you can easily and immediately use, Rohit proves why being more likeable is the driving force behind building sustained relationships and exponential success.”
Peter Guber, CEO, Mandalay Entertainment; author of the 1 New York Times bestseller Tell to Win
The future isn’t about the next social media tool or clicking a “Like” button. Instead, people decide which organizations to trust, what advice to follow, and who to forge personal or business relationships with based on the simple metric of likeability This is no longer a “soft” quality and it is not the same thing as just being nice. With today’s “modern believability crisis,” earning the trust of your customers, employees, and colleagues is much harder to do. Likeonomics offers a new vision of a world beyond Facebook, where real relationships and personal values such as unabashed honesty, extreme simplicity, and basic humanity are the keys to success. There is a real ROI to likeability, and exactly how big it is will amaze you.
Likeonomics uncovers five key principles to win trust (or win it back)—and keep it. You’ll learn how to use the TRUST formula (Truth, Relevance, Unselfishness, Simplicity, and Timing) to power every relationship. Being more believable is the real secret to standing out—whether you are trying to grow your business, win an election, or find your next job—and this book will help you get there.
Likeonomics provides real-world stories of brands and people who have used these principles to become wildly successful, including:
• An unknown Portuguese singer who used YouTube to rack up more than 30 million views and launch her professional career
• The leader of a tiny island nation who put his country on the map with an unexpected meeting that got the world talking about global warming
• A regional team of financial advisors that went from being ranked 173rd out of 176 branches to first, and stayed there for thirteen of the next fifteen years
• An independent sports agent who achieved the impossible by landing the number-one player in the NFL draft as a client through the power of relationships
Learn how to stand out in a good way, avoid the hype and strategic traps of social media, and be more successful by being more likeable, believable, and (most of all) trusted.
ROHIT BHARGAVA
JACKET DESIGN: PAUL McCARTHY
Praisefor Likeonomics ‘‘Likeonomics offersaclearpathtoboostingyourbelievability,whichisthesecrettosales andmarketingsuccess.Thepremiseofthebookisscientificallysound:Peoplereciprocate, especiallywhenweelicittheiremotions.Greatstories,cleartipsandastrongpoint-of-view makethisarichread.’’
—TimSanders, authorof TheLikeabilityFactor and formerChiefSolutionsOfficeratYahoo!
‘‘Likeonomics showsusthatyouhavetobelikedtobetrusted.Andtrustme,youaregoing tolike—reallylike—thisbook.’’
—EdKeller, authorof TheFacetoFaceBook and TheInfluentials andCEOoftheKellerFayGroup
‘‘Tosucceedinbusinessyouneedtobemorethannice,youneedtobelikeable—and thosearetwodifferentthings. Likeonomics offersasimplepremisewhichILOVE—that yourabilitytobuildstrongrelationshipsistherealpathtoprosperityandhappiness.’’
—LindaKaplanThaler, CEOoftheKaplanThalerGroup andauthorof ThePowerofNice
‘‘Afascinatinglookattheunexpectedscienceandpoweroflikeabilitytoswayourbeliefs anddecisionmaking.Ilovedtheideabehindthisbook!’’
—OriBrafman, coauthorof SwayandClick
‘‘Wanttobuildabusinessthatcustomerscan’twaittorefertoothersorthatemployees lovetoworkfor?Thisisthebookforyou.’’
—JohnJantsch, smallbusinessmarketingexpertandauthorof DuctTapeMarketing and TheReferralEngine
‘‘It’strue.Likeabilitymatters.RohitBhargavabrilliantlyandsuccinctlyexplainswhy likeabilityandauthenticityarecentraltocreatingatrustworthybrand.Inacynicalworld wherepeoplearelookingforthingsandindividualstheycanbelievein, Likeonomics isa roadmapforgrowingyourbusiness.’’
—KarenKerrigan, President,SmallBusinessand EntrepreneurshipCouncil
‘‘Havingsatthroughhundredsofpitchmeetings,Icantellyouonethingfor sure unlikeableentrepreneursnevergetfunded.Inbusinessandinlife,thepeoplewho enchantusaretheoneswhogetourattention.Ifyouwanttobeamongtherarefewwho managetodoit,readthisbook!’’
—GuyKawasaki, authorof Enchantment
‘‘Thesimplebutpowerfulstoriesinthisbookprovethatvaluesliketruth,relevance,and timingmatterfarmorethanthehardsellandtheseductivelureofdata.Weneedthese preceptstobringhumanitybacktoabusinessworldthathasforgottenit.’’
—JoshBernoff, co-authorof Groundswell:WinninginaWorldTransformed bySocialTechnologies and Empowered:UnleashYourEmployees, EnergizeYourCustomers,andTransformYourBusiness
‘‘Finallyabookthatgetstotheheartofwhylikeabilityissoimportantforbothrelationships andbranding.RohitBhargava’sbook Likeonomics isagreatreadwithwelldefined principles,interestingcasehistoriesandinsightsthatuncoverwhatreallydrivescustomer andrelationshiployalty.’’
—PorterGale, formerVPofMarketingforVirginAmericaand authorof YourNetworkIsYourNetWorth
‘‘Likeabilityisthenewcurrencyforsuccess.Groundedinbothresearchandexperience, Rohitsharespracticalinsightsthatwillstandthetestoftime. Likeonomics isamustreadthat willforeverchangethewaybusinessisconducted.’’
—GautamGulati,MD,MBA,MPH, ChiefMedicalOfficer&SVPProductManagement, PhysiciansInteractiveandAdjunctProfessorofMedicalInnovation andEntrepreneurship,JohnsHopkinsCareyBusinessSchool
‘‘RohitBhargavahasitrightwith Likeonomics!Therearemorecurrenciesthanjustmoney andtime.Buildingrealtrustinvolvescreatingapersonalconnectionwithyouremployees andyourcustomers,andthisbookwillshowyouhow.Payattentionto Likeonomics and profitfrombeingmorebelievablethanyourcompetition.’’
—ChrisBrogan, PresidentofHumanBusinessWorksand NewYorkTimes bestsellingauthorof TrustAgents
‘‘Rohithashitthenailsquarelyontheheadintermsofshowinghowwecanbetterwork withotherstoimproveourchancesofsuccessinallthatwedo.Hedemonstratesthrough real-worldexampleswhybeinglikedissocriticallyimportant.‘Likeability’inthepublic affairscommunity,whethermilitaryorcivilian,iscriticaltoone’ssuccess.Ifyoucan’twork andplaywellwithothers,nomatterwhatyourcredentials,theresultsyouhopetoachieve willoftenbebeyondyourgrasp.’’
—KevinV.Arata, Colonel,U.S.Army*
* Theviewsexpressedaremyownanddonotreflectthe officialpolicyorpositionoftheUnitedStatesArmy, DepartmentofDefense,ortheU.S.Government.
‘‘Likeonomics explainstheimportanceofgreatrelationshipsandbuildinglong-lasting, enduringbrands.’’
—TonyHsieh, NewYorkTimes bestsellingauthorof DeliveringHappiness, andCEOofZappos.com.
‘‘Inthishighlyentertainingbook,RohitBhargavaprovesjusthowimportantbeinglikeable istomakingacompellingargument.Foranyonewhoneedstobepersuasive,deliveragreat presentation,orjustinspireanyoneelse— Likeonomics willhelpyoudoit.’’
—NancyDuarte, CEOofDuarte,andauthorof Slide:ology and Resonate
‘‘Likeonomics isawake-upcalltocompaniesandcustomersthatthecriticalnewbusinesscurrencyisbrandlikeability.Usinginsightfulstoriesandcasestudies,Bhargava explainshowyourbrandusestruthtoearntrust,leveragesrelevancetoinspireloyalty, andfostersmeaningfulrelationshipstocreatethemostpowerfulcompetitiveadvantage today—likeability.’’
—SimonMainwaring, authorof NewYorkTimes bestseller WeFirst
‘‘Everyonceinawhileabookcomesalongandchangeseverything. Likeonomics isthat book.RohitBhargavaisamoderndayDaleCarnegie,inthathehaspinnedanewpersonal developmentclassic.Iwillnowreplacemyannualread HowtoWinFriendsandInfluence People with Likeonomics.’’
—JBGlossinger founderofMorningCoach.com (#1RatedSelf-HelpPodcastoniTunes)
Fortoomanyofus,thereisagapbetweenwhatwedoandwhatwedreamofdoing.It doesn’thavetobethisway.Foranyonewhowantstoclosethisgapofintentandreally achieveyourdreams, Likeonomics canhelpyougetthere!
—MallikaChopra, founderofIntent.com
LikeonomicsfinallyputsintowordssomanyofthethingsIhavedonetobuildmycompany fromthegroundup.ThebookitselfisacasestudyinwhatRohitpreaches;heisbelievable, honest,relevant,andofcourse,likeable!Hisfocusonstorytellinginsteadofjusttheorizing makes Likeonomics oneofthemostreadablebusinessbooksoutthere.
—ScottJordan, CEOandfounderofScotteVest
Ifthereisoneprofessionalfactoflife,itisthathavingstrongtechnicalskillswillonlygetyou sofarinyourcareer.Inordertoboostyourpersonalbrandandmakeanameforyourself, youneedtobelikeable.Ifyouwanttobuildawinningcareerorbusiness,thenyouneed toread Likeonomics.Init,Rohitsharesthetruthabouthowlikeability,unselfishnessand trustaretherealkeystosuccess!
—DanSchawbel, personalbrandingguruand ManagingPartnerofMillennialBranding
Atthefirstskimofthetableofcontents,Iwasintrigued butafterreading Likeonomics,I washooked!Thisbookofferstherarecombinationofahighlypracticalprimerfilledwith realworldideasforhowtosucceedinbuildingyourbusiness,alongwithstepbystepguide tobuildingtrustedrelationshipsinanysituation.
—AnnHandley, ChiefContentOfficer—MarketingProfs andauthorof ContentRules
‘‘Atmultiplepointsthroughoutlife,yourabilitytobuildameaningfulrelationshipwillmake allthedifference.Fromthequietstudentinyourchemistryclass,tothecheerleaderyou admirefromthesidelines,totheco-workeronyourproject,totheidealprospectyouare meetingforlunch,tothebosswhowilldecidewhetherornotyougetaraise—regardless ofyoursituation,youneedtobelikeable.Rohit’smasterfulbook Likeonomics willshow youhowTRUST(truth,relevance,unselfishness,simplicity,andtiming)isthesecretto gettingtheconnectionsyoudesperatelyseek.’’
—JoeyColeman, ChiefExperienceComposeratDesignSymphony andauthorof YourPersonalIPO:TakingYourself PublictotheWorld
Beingtrulylikedasabrandisnotaboutthesizeofanumber.It’saboutbeinghuman–trustworthyandbelievable.Rohitwilldrawyouinwithhisengagingstorytellingstyleand hisprinciplesof Likeonomics willinspireyoutorethinkhowyoulookatmarketing.
—DavidAlston, CMO,SalesforceRadian6
Finally,likeabilityisnolongerablackbox!Bhargavahasunearthedprimeforcesthatwill helpyoumakeanimpactinwhatmattersmosttoyou.
—ScottBelsky, CEOofBehance, authorof MakingIdeasHappen
Wow!Ilovedthisbook!RohitBhargavahaswrittenanengagingmanifestoforourtimes thatshouldberequiredreadingforeveryonewhowantstobeasuccessandmakealasting differenceintheworld.ThisisagreatfollowuptoPersonalityNotIncluded.
—GarrReynolds, authorof PresentationZen and TheNakedPresenter , andProfessorofManagement, KansaiGaidaiUniversity
‘‘Likeonomics picksupwhereDaleCarnegieleftoffbyapplyingimportantprinciplestothe modernhyper-sociallyconnectedera,inwhichrelationshipsnowtranscendonlineandoff withequalimportanceandregularity.’’
—FrankGruber, CEOandco-founderofTechCocktail
‘‘Inaworldexplodingwithinformationandcompetition,thebiggestquestionfacingeach ofusishowdoweknowwhichinformationtotrust?RohitBhargava’s Likeonomics offersa powerfulstrategythateveryprofessionalwomanneedstohear—thatyourabilitytobuild powerfulandlikeablerelationshipswithothersistheultimatekeytoidentifyingthebest choiceofinformation.’’
—MarshaFirestone,PhD FounderandPresident,WomenPresidents’Organization
‘‘Themorepeopletrustyou,themoretheybuyfromyou.’’
–DavidOgilvy
Warning:Unexpected Honesty... ThisBookIs Not abouttheLikeButton! ThisisnotabookaboutFacebook.Itisnotreallyaboutsocialmedia, either.Ifyouarelookingforabookabouteitherofthosetopics, Iwould highlysuggestthatyoudonotbuythisbook.
Notmanybooksstartoffwithadeclarationofwhyyoushouldn’t buythem,butmaybemoreshould.Maybemorebusinessesshould dothesamething.Honestyisn’tsomethingthatcomeseasilytoday. Inoursocietyofconstantmanipulation,everyonefrombusinessesto politicianstothemediawantustobuysomething,believesomething, ordosomething.
Thebiggestcrisisinourworldtodayisoneofbelievability.Itmakes ittoughertobuildasuccessfulbusiness,findandkeepajob,orconvince anyonetodoorbelieveinanything.
Thisisabookabouttrust.Butitisnotanotherobviousdeclaration thattrustmatters.Ithinkyouprobablyalreadyknowthat.Thebig ideabehindLikeonomicsisthatyoucannotbuildtrustwithoutbeing likeable.Inthe1980s,Japanesebusinessmenadoptedtheword dochakuka todescribetheideathatcommunitiesandpeoplecouldthinkglobally butactlocally.
0 Likeonomics isawordto describeasimilaridea.Itisa wayoflookingattheworld simultaneouslyonalargeand
Themostimportantglobalcurrencyisn’tmadeofpaperanymore— it’smadeofrelationships.
smallscale.Whetheryouarelaunchingyourownbusiness,ortryingto landajob,orworkingtowinanelection—theprinciplesarethesame.
Asyou’llseein Likeonomics,theideaoflikeabilitygoesfarbeyond gettingpeopletolikeyouonasuperficiallevel.Itisnotjustaboutbeing nice.Instead,wewilllookathowpeopleandorganizationslosetrust, howtheycangetitback,andwhatitreallytakestobemorebelievable.
Myfirststepinbuildingarelationshipwithyouistomakesure you’rebuyingthisbookbecauseyouknowwhatyou’llgetoutofit.My secondistotryandofferanonobviousandentertainingroadmapfor howtobemorebelievableinanirrationalandinformationoverloaded world.Solet’sgetstarted.
Prologue: HowaLardSalesman, anNFLAgent,anda YouTubeStarExplain Likeonomics Justover10yearsago,IwaspartofapitchthatIknewwewould win.Iwasleadingofoneofthehottestandfastestgrowingdigital productionteamsinAustralia.Wehadbuiltaglowingreputationin ourmarket,wontonsofcreativeawards,andboastedalonglistof top-notchreferences.
Moreimportantly,ourcreativeconceptandstrategyforthepotential clientwewereabouttomeetwasperfect,andweknewit.Wehadsuch anoriginalapproach,infact,thatweknewnoneofourcompetitors wouldevencomeclose.
Bythepitchday,ourteamhadrehearsedfortwodaysstraight andweweresupremelyconfident.Itshowed.Themeetingwent almostperfectly.Everyoneknewtheirpart,andtheclientaskedthe rightquestions.Aswewalkedout,weallowedourselvestoenjoya momentaryfeelingoftriumph.
Wewerereadytotakeavictorycallthenextdayandacceptthe client’sbusiness.Itwasjustamatteroftime.Likeclockwork,wegot thecalltheverynextday,asexpected.Onlytheoutcomewasn’twhat weexpected.Wehadlost.
Intheweeksafterward,ourteamwentbackovereverystep.What didwegetwrong?Howcouldwehavelost?Wesimplycouldn’t understand.Itwasoneofthoseraresituationswhereifwehadthe chancetogoinandpitchagain,wewouldn’thavedoneanything differently.Welongedtoknowtheamazingideathatwelostagainst. Unfortunately,wenevergotagoodanswer.Itwasthefirsttimeinmy careerwhenIlearnedthefrustratinglessonthatsometimesyouloseand neverreallygettoknowwhy.
Ayearlater,Iwasatanindustryconferenceandhappenedtoseethat sameclientwehadpitchedto.Iaskedherhowtheyweredoing,and exchangedsomepoliteconversation.Withnothingtolose,Ithenasked herthequestionreallyonmymind: Whydidn’twewin? Shelooked atmeandtoldmesomethingIhaveneverforgotten:‘‘Youguyshad greatideasandtheydid,too,’’sheadmitted.‘‘Honestly,wechosethem becausewejustlikedtheirteambetter.We wanted toworkwiththem.’’ Itdidn’tseemfair.Itstilldoesn’t—butnowIunderstand.Sincethat time,Ihavehadcountlesspiecesofbusinesswonorlostoverthissingle metricofteamchemistry,butrelativelyfewclientswiththepersonal insightandabilitytounderstandoradmithowcriticalthispiecewasto theirdecision.
Thefactis,thesignificanceofthisgoesfarbeyondjusttheworldof business.
Weallchooseourfriends andteammatesforeverythingfromworktohobbies basedonlikeability.Relationships,notlogic,poweralmostallofourdecisions. Inorder tobemorebelievableandmoretrusted—youneedtobemore likeable. Thatisthesimpleideabehindthisbook.
Peopletrustandchoosetobelieve peopletheylike.
Toseewhythisideamatterssomuch,let’sbeginthejourneyby goingbackwardinhistoryto1912andadustyclassroominHarlem, NewYork,whereoneofthemostenduringphilosophiesofmodern businesswasfirstborn—eventhoughnoonetherethatnightknewit.
TheLardSalesman
Itwas6p.m.inadimlylitclassroomattheYMCAHarlemEvening Schoolinearly1912,andtheinstructorwasnervous.Histopicthat
nightwaspublicspeaking,andeventhoughmorethanhalftheseats wereempty,hisheartstillraced.At24yearsold,hehadalreadydropped outofcollegeandfailedasayoungactor.Hisonlymodestsuccessinhis shortcareersofarhadbeenrisingtobecomethenumberonesalesman of‘‘thehighestqualitytinsoflard’’(yes,lard)inwesternSouthDakota.
Thatnighthehadwalkedtotheclassroomfromhissmall,roachfilledapartmentinapartofNewYorkCitythateasilyliveduptoits nicknameof‘‘Hell’sKitchen.’’Hecertainlydidn’tlooktoowell,ashis biographerswouldlaterwrite:‘‘Youcouldtellhehadcomeuponhard times ... [as]thoughonewarmbowlofsoupmighthavebeenenough torestoreanappearanceofhealth.’’
Standingthereinhisill-fittinggraysuitandwire-rimmedglasses, hewasstruckbyasuddensenseofpanic.
Whatwashedoinghere?
Whywouldanyonewanttolistentohim?
Hismindwentblank.
Byanyaccount,hewasanunlikelycharactertoteachanything, muchlesspublicspeaking.Hisvoicewasoftendescribedaspossessinga slow,ramblingMidwesterntwang.Hewasn’tapolitician,orafamous athlete,orevenaradiopersonality.Hewasthepoorsonofapigfarmer inMissouriwhodesperatelywantedmorethananythingelsetoavoid becomingafarmerlikehisfather.
Ifhewasgoingtobecomefamous,itcertainlywouldn’tbefromhis chosentopicforthatnighteither.Intheearly1900s,publicspeaking wasnotaspopularaprofessionalskillasithasbecometoday.Despite hisambition,theobscurityofhistopicmeantthathehadalready beenturneddownbybothColumbiaandNYUforhislecture.In desperationhehadmadeadealwiththedirectoroftheYMCAto deliverhiscoursebyagreeingtoforegothecustomarynightteacher salaryof$2percourse.Instead,hewouldshareintheprofit—withthe unspokenunderstandingthatthereprobablywouldn’tbeany.Finally, afterallthatwork,hisfirstclasswashappeningandhecouldfeelhisbig chancefadingawaybeforeithadevenbegun.
Inhismomentofpanicthatnight,asuddenburstofinspirationhit him.Heaskedamaninthebackrowoftheclassroomtostandupand talkabouthimselfandhislife.Thenheaskedanotherstudenttodothe same.Andthenanother.Thatsimpleformatgotpeopletalkingbecause theywereeachlisteningtopersonalstoriesthatbroughtthemtogether.
Inthismoment,hewouldlearnanimportantinsightthatwouldshape hiscareerfromthenon.Thereisnothingpeoplecareaboutmorethan beingabletobuildbetterrelationshipswiththeothersaroundthem. Thiswas,infact,askillthattheywouldevenbewillingtopaytolearn.
Therewasaphraseforthisnewskill ... humanrelations. Itstarted tobeusedtodescribetheabilitytogetalongwithandinfluenceother people.Sothatyear,buildingonhisoriginalinsight,heformallynamed hisnewandimprovedcourseonhumanrelationsafterhimself: The DaleCarnegieCourseinPublicSpeakingandHumanRelations.
Hewouldgoontofanaticallyrefineandimprovethecourse forthenext24years.Inoneclasshewoulduseimprovisational actingtechniques;inanotherhewouldhaveparticipantsdoone-ononeexercises.Thecoursespreadtothousandsofstudentsandturned Carnegieintosomethingofabusinesscelebrity.Hewasfillinglarge auditoriumswithwillingstudents,butitwasin1936(almostaquarter ofacenturyafterstartinghiscourse)thathewouldachievehisbiggest claimtofame.
ThatyearapersistenteditoratSimon&Schusterfinallyconvinced Carnegietowriteabookbasedonhiscourse.Thetitlewouldbeeasy: HowtoWinFriendsandInfluencePeople.Thebookwasaninstantbest seller.Overthenextdecade,thebookbecamethesecondbestselling bookofitstime,aftertheBible.
Meanwhile,Carnegie’scoursegrewintoafulltrainingInstitute. In2011,hisInstitutecelebratedtheseventy-fifthanniversaryofthe book’sfirstprinting.Inthattime,thebookhasbeentranslatedintoover 60languagesandsoldmorethan16millioncopiesworldwide.
Today,everyonefrombusinessexecutivestopoliticalleadersfrom aroundtheworldhavestudiedtheprinciplesandareusingthem totransformthewaytheyrelatetootherpeople.Morethan2,700 professionaltrainersofferDaleCarnegie’scoursein80countriesand27 languages.TheInstitutehastrainedover7milliongraduatesacrossthe world.
TheNFLAgent Inlawschool,youdon’tspendtoomuchtimelearninghowtowin friends.ChittaMallik,however,neverwantedtobeanordinarylawyer.
Hisrealpassionwasfootball,butsportslawwasabouttheclosesthe expectedtoget.Aftergraduatinglawschool,heacceptedajobat Latham&Watkins,oneofthelargestandmostrespectedfirmsinthe UnitedStates.
InOctoberof2004,afterrealizingthathehadbilled434hoursthat month(anaverageof14hoursaday,everyday,includingweekends!), hedecideditwastimeforachange.Alifelongsportsfan,heknew thathewantedacareerinsports.Anddespiteworkinginsportslaw, MallikrealizedwhathereallywantedtodowasbecomeanNFLagent. Unfortunately,itwasanalmostimpossiblefieldtobreakinto.
Aroundthesametime,aformerstandoutNFLplayernamedTony PaigehadbeengrowinghisownservicesasahighlysuccessfulNFL Agent.PaigehadbeenastartingfullbackintheNFLfornineseasons, anextraordinarilylongcareerinadangeroussportwheretheaverage careerlastsonlyaboutthreeyears.Hegothisaccidentalstartasanagent shortlyafterheretiredbyagreeingtohelpadesperateformerteammate renegotiatehiscontract.Hedidmoreinaweekthantheplayer’sagent haddoneforhiminyears.AsanyoneinsidetheNFLknows,thereare generallytwotypesofplayers:thosethatgetattentionfromtheiragents andthosethatdon’t.Agentsarenotoriousforfollowingthemoney, focusingtheirtimeandattentionontheirmosthighlypaidclients—and shortchangingtherest.Mostofthemhavelittleideaofwhatittakesto succeedintheNFL.Oftheover600agentsofficiallylicensedbythe NFLPlayer’sAssociationtorepresentplayers,lessthan15areformer playersthemselves.
SoPaigehadanaturaladvantage,buthealsostartedinthebusiness withauniquephilosophy.Whilemostagentscaredabouttheplayer, healsotriedtocareabouttheperson.Thismeanthewouldbecome apartofhisplayer’slives.Hewouldadvisethemoneverythingfrom buyingahousetodonatingtheirtimetocharities.Hewasagenuinely goodguyinajobwherethatwassadlyuncommon.
Inthespringof2008,MallikmetPaigeforthefirsttimethrough apersonalconnection.Within5minutes,itwasclearthatthetwo mensharedthesamebusinessphilosophyandmorals.Paigequickly convincedMalliktojoinforcesandhelphimruntheFootballDivision atPerennialSportsandEntertainment,afull-servicesportsagency.Later thatyear,oneofthefirstplayerstheysignedtogetherwasa6-foot-2, 315-poundoffensivelinemannamedCecilNewtonJr.Newtonhad
playedcollegefootballatTennesseeStateUniversityandenteredthe NFLdraftin2009.Unfortunately,hewasn’tselected,butPaigeand MallikworkedhardtofindhimahomeintheNFL.Theypaidfor histraining,andremindedhimthataslongashewasinthebuilding, hehadachance.Newtonfinallylandedarookiecontractwiththe JacksonvilleJaguars.Thatyear,hemadeitontothefieldandactually played.TheNFLisfullofsmallvictorieslikeNewton’sbutthestory doesn’tendthere.
Twoyearslater,Cecil’syoungerbrotherCameronwasaboutto entertheNFLdraft.Cameron,or‘‘Cam,’’Newtonhadbeenastar quarterbackwhohadwontheHeismanTrophy(thehighestindividual awardofferedtocollegefootballathletes)andledhisAuburnTigers collegeteamtotheBCSNationalChampionship.Forthe2011draft, hewasanticipatedtobeamongthefirst10playerspickedoverall.As aresult,hehadhispickofanNFLagent,and12agencieswereall courtinghim.
ButCecil’sfatherhadpromisedMallikandPaigetheywouldhave achancetomeetwithCam—andhekepthispromise.Theymetwith himinJanuaryof2011,amidst11otheragenciesdesperatelyselling theirownservices.Yet,insteadoftalkingtohimabouthisfutureasa player,theytalkedabouthisfutureasaman.
Theyaskedhimwhathewantedtobeknownfor.Theytalked aboutwhatlifeafterfootballwouldbelike.Andtheytalkedabouthis brother.Attheendofthefirstroundofmeetings,Camandhisfather calledbackPerennialSports.InJanuaryof2011,Newtonannounced thathehadselectedPaigeandMallikalongwithBusCook,another agent.
Itwaslikeareal-lifemomentfromthefilm JerryMaguire wherethe agentwinstheclientbasedonhisprinciples.
Sixmonthslater,CamNewtonwasdraftedbytheCarolinaPanthers withthenumber-oneoverallpickinthe2011NFLdraft,andsignedto afour-year,$22millioncontract.Inhisfirstgameever,hebecamethe firstrookietothrowfor400yardsinhisregularNFL-seasonopening game.Throughtherestofhisfirstseason,hewouldgoontobreak morethanadozenotherrookiequarterbackrecords.
ForPaige,Mallik,andPerennialSports,landingthe#1overallpick intheNFLdraftwasadefiningmoment.Thefollowingyear,theywere
twoofthehottestagentsintheleagueandwentontohavetheirmost successfuldraftclassever.
TheYouTubeStar
ForAnaGomesFerreira,thefirstYouTubevideowasjustforfun. ItwasJanuaryof2007andshewassittingonherbedwithaguitar inherlap.Withafriendholdingthevideocamera,sherecordedher ownversionofSherylCrow’s‘‘StrongEnoughtoBeMyMan’’and uploadeditunderherstagename,‘‘AnaFree.’’Assonggoeson,the camerazoomsinandoutrandomly.Theaudioismuffledandyoucan tellthatsheisn’tentirelycomfortableinfrontofthecamera.
Youwouldnever,atanypointduringthatvideo,havemistaken AnaFreeforanythingmorethanagirljusthavingfun.Itwouldbe anicestoryifshewasdiscoveredbyanenterprisingmusicexecutive, butthat’snothowherfuturewouldgo.Herfirstvideodidn’tgeta millionviews.Shewasnevermeanttobecomeanotherviralone-hit wonder—butthatwasperfectlyfineforAna.
AsachildinPortugal,Anadidn’tgrowupwantingtobeasinger. Shewenttoaninternationalschool,studiedhard,spokefivelanguages, andstudiedinternationaltradeandgametheorywhilemajoringin economicsattheUniversityofKentintheUnitedKingdom.Shehad thesortofbackgroundthatwouldusuallyhaveledasmart,young enterprisingwomantowardacareeratabiginstitutionliketheWorld BankorIMF.
Allofwhichmakeswhatwouldhappenoverthenextfiveyears evenmoreextraordinary.
Everyday,dozensofbuddingmusicianslooktotheInternetasa placetogetdiscoveredandperhapsduplicatethephenomenonofJustin Bieber—bylaunchingthemselvesandtheirmusiccareers.Almostno onesucceeds.
Ana,however,hadoneimportantthinggoingforher—shedidn’t startuploadinghervideosinordertobefamous.Shestartedby performingsongsthatshelovedandthensharingthemhonestlywith heraudience.Andunlikesomanyothermusicians,shedidn’tavoid playingcoversongsorgainingpopularitybyplayingsongsthatpeople recognized.
Despitehavingwrittenhundredsofherownoriginalsongs,every fewweeksshewouldrecordavideoofanewcoversongthatpeople recognized.Eachsongfeaturedhersittingonabedoracouchplaying heracousticguitarandsingingdirectlytothecamera.Shehasagreat voiceandslowlygetsmoreandmorecomfortableinfrontofthe camera.Theaudioimproves.Shebuysatripod.Youcanactuallysee hergettingbetterfromvideotovideo.Yetthethingthatsetseveryone ofhervideosapartisthattheyareallasurprisinglyintimatemusical experience.
Whenshesingsandlooksdirectlyatthecamera,it feels likeshe issingingdirectlytoyou.Shesharesouttakeswhereshebreaksguitar stringsandforgetslyrics.Andheraudiencehasgrownbecausesheisso genuinelypassionateaboutthesongsshesings,evenwhenthosesongs havebeenwrittenbysomeoneelse.Asonemusiccriticwrote,‘‘The thingaboutAnaFreeishervoice ... [it]hasarawnessthatseemsto reachintomychestandpluckonmyheartlikeaguitarstring.Nottoo high,moreofahuskytenor.’’1 Beforelong,eachofhersongsstarted routinelygettingthousandsandthentensofthousandsofviews.
Byearly2012,Anahadpostedover125songsontoherYouTube channel—andalmosteveryonehadmorethan10,000views.More thanadozenhaveover100,000views.Severalofhersongsracked upmorethan2millionviewseach,andherchannelonYouTubehas passed31millionviewsoverallandmorethan80,000subscribers.In Juneof2010,hercoverperformanceofShakira’sWorldCup2010 themesong‘‘WakaWaka’’wassopopularthatitinspiredShakira’s productionteamtoinviteAnaFreetobeanopeningactforaShakira concertinSouthAmerica.
Shehasplayedatinternationalmusicfestivalsaroundtheworld,and in2008,herindependentlyreleaseddebutsingle‘‘InMyPlace’’shotto thenumber-onespotonthePortuguesemusiccharts.Threeyearslater, shereleasedherfirstEP,called Radian,andshewillsoonbereleasing herfirstfull-lengthalbumin2012(thankstoahighlysuccessfulsocial media–ledfundraisingeffortfromengagedfans).
Perhapsthegreatestsymbolofherever-growinginfluencecomes fromlookingbackatYouTubeitself.In2011,agroupoffouryoung femalefansofAnaFreelaunchedtheirveryowngroupwhogoto herconcertsandrecordtheirownvideosasatributetoherinfluence. Their‘‘anafreecrew’’YouTubechannelhasalreadygeneratedmore than25,000views.
TheBigQuestion WhatdoaPortuguesesingerwholaunchedhercareeronYouTube,a reformedlawyerwhobecameasuccessfulsportsagent,andtheauthorof theworld’smostpopularpersonaldevelopmentbookhaveincommon?
AnaFreehadtheabilitytoconnectpersonallywithheraudiencein adeepandmeaningfulwaybyauthenticallysharingherpersonalityand singingsongsthatpeoplealreadyknewandloved.
ChittaMallikachievedthegreatestgoalofaNFLsportsagent (gettingaclientwhogoesnumberoneinthedraft)bybuildinga personalrelationshipwithhisclient’sfamilyandbecomingatrusted expert.
DaleCarnegie’ssuccesswasbasedontherelationshipshewasable tocultivatewithothers,andhisabilitytoteachpeopletolearnthesame skill—whathecalledhumanrelations.
Eachofthesestories,initsownway,isaboutthepowerofrelationships.Humansaresocialcreatures.Wechoosetobuildrelationships anddobusinesswithpeopleweknowandlike.Inaworldofcrowded media,withlotsoforganizations,politicians,andpeoplecompetingfor ourattention,thekeytosuccessisyourabilitytoearntrust.Trusted businessesaremoreprofitable.Trustedpeoplearemoreinfluentialand successful.Trustedideasaremorelikelytoinspirebelief.Andbeing
morebelievableisthetoughestchallengeforanyone today,whichleadstothe questionattheheartof Likeonomics (seebox) ... Therestofthisbookwillbededicatedtoansweringthatquestion.
Howcananyperson,organization, orideabecomemoretrustedand morebelievable?
WhyLikeonomicsMatters Atfirstglance,theideabehindLikeonomicsmightseemlikean oversimplifiedwayoflookingattheworld.Afterall,don’trealtechnical skillsortalentmattermorethanlikeability?Whenitcomestobusiness, can’tlikeabilitybefakedbypeoplewhojustwanttotakeourmoneyand sellusstuff?Andperhapsthemostcommonchallengeagainstlikeability: Isn’tmakingagreatproductorofferingagreatservicemoreimportant thanlikeabilityonanylevel?
In Likeonomics,I’lltackleeachoftheseobjections.Wewilllook atexamplesofeverythingfromgettingmoviesmadeinHollywoodto winningcontractstocleantoilets.Thepeoplefeaturedin Likeonomics comefromaroundtheworldandrangefromsomeoftheworld’smost recognizableCEOstoupandcomingcreators.Whattheyallhavein commonisasharedunderstandingofhowourworldworks.
Itisaworldwherethemosttrustedpeopleandorganizationsalways win.Itdoesn’tmatterifyouarelookingforyournextjob,ortryingto turnyourownbusinessintoasuccess,orjustbuildbetterrelationships inyourlocalcommunity.Thisbookisabouthowtoearnandkeep trust—andbemorebelievable.
Toseehow,let’sstartwithwhatmightbeoneofthemostpowerful andglobalexamplesofthepoweroflikeabilityandhowithelpedto changethefortunesofanentirenation.
Introduction: Likeability,Rogue Economists,andthe LovableFool Ifyoutalktoamaninalanguageheunderstands,thatgoestohis head.Ifyoutalktohiminhislanguage,thatgoestohisheart.
—NelsonMandela
ThefirsttimeIexperiencedthepowerfulinfluenceofNelson Mandelawasfromthefrontseatofataxicabridingdownthe streetsofJo’burg(asthelocalscallJohannesburg).Mandela’spicture wasonbillboardsalongthehighwaytothecityeventhoughhewasno longerpresidentofSouthAfrica,andmydriverwasspeakingabouthis influenceandhowhehadinspiredthenation.Thatstorystartednearly 20yearsago.
In1993,tensofthousandsofAfrikaners(whiteSouthAfricans)were preparingforwar.Threeyearsearlier,amannamedNelsonMandela hadbeenreleasedafter27yearsinprison.Hewasnoherotothisgroup. Theysawhimasthefounderofaterroristorganizationwhothreatened theirwayoflifeandbelongedinjail.Theywerereadytofight.
AsreporterandbiographerJohnCarlinwrote,thatwasthemoment whereMandelabegan‘‘themostunlikelyexerciseinpoliticalseduction everundertaken.’’1 HeinvitedtheAfrikanersleadersoverforteaand listenedtotheirconcerns.Then,hepersuadedthemtoabandontheir gunsandviolence.Thebattleneverhappened.
Introduction:Likeability,RogueEconomists,andtheLovableFool
Ayearlater,hewassworninaspresidentofSouthAfricaandvowed tomakereconcilingtheracialtensionbetweenwhitesandblackshis number-onepriority.Somehowhehadtoovercomedecadesofhate andconvincepeoplereadytodiefortheircausestoseeoneanotheras brothers.
Inoneofhisfirstactsaspresident,MandelainvitedFrancoisPienaar, thecaptainoftheSouthAfricanationalrugbyteam(Springboks),to haveteawithhim.Thatafternoonhestruckanalliance,askingPienaar tohelphimturnrugbyintoaforceforunitingallSouthAfricans.
DuringtheRugbyWorldCupin1995,Pienaarsledthemostly whiteplayersoftheSpringbokteaminsinginganoldsongofblack resistance,whichwasnowthenewnationalanthem,‘‘NkosiSikelele Afrika’’(‘‘GodBlessAfrica’’).Itwasapowerfuldemonstrationthatthe playersbelievedinhavingaunitedSouthAfrica.Inspired,theteam foughttheoddsandmadeittothefinalsagainstAustralia.
OnJune24,1995,minutesbeforethefinalmatchwouldstart, Mandelawentonthefieldinthemiddleofthestadiumwearinghis SpringbokgreenshirttowishPienaarandtheteamgoodluck.The crowd,madeupofmostlywhiteSouthAfricans,wasstunned.Formany years,thatgreenshirthadbeenseenasasymbolofonlywhiteSouth Africa.Forablackmantowearitwasunheardof.
Thecrowderuptedincheersof‘‘Nel-son,Nel-son’’andeveryone acrossSouthAfricacelebrated.Mandelawouldgoontoleadthe racialreconciliationbothduringhispresidency,andthenafterasan ambassadortotheworldforSouthAfrica.In2004,thecountrywas awardedtheworld’slargeststagetohostthe2010FIFAWorldCup.It isnowseenasalikelyfutureOlympicdestination,aswell.
ThisstoryofSouthAfrica’striumphwaschronicledbyCarlinin hisbook PlayingtheEnemy:NelsonMandelaandtheGameThatMadea Nation.Itwassopowerful,italsoinspiredtheAcademyAward–winning film Invictus bydirectorClintEastwood.
WhyPeopleBelieveinLikeability (andWhyTheyDon’t) ThefateofSouthAfricaislinkedtothestoryofoneman’spersonal charmandlikeability.Thismayseemlikeanextremeexample.After all,notmanypeoplehavethegiftthatMandelahas.Yet,hisexperience
Introduction:Likeability,RogueEconomists,andtheLovableFool
doesexplaintheveryfundamentalrolethatlikeabilitycantakein inspiringbeliefandchangingourworldaroundus.Peopledidn’tfollow Mandelabecauseoftheideas;theyfollowedbecauseof him.Whenhe invitedyouoverforteaandlistenedtoyourconcerns,andthenspoke, youcouldn’thelptrustinghisvision.
Butlikeabilityitselfcanbeadifficultideatobelievein,because itfeels soft .Indoingtheresearchandwritingforthisbookoverthe pastyear,Ihavehadhundredsofconversationswithpeopleaboutthe conceptoflikeability.WhenIstartedconductinginterviews,Iassumed thatalmosteveryonewouldbeaskeptic.
WhatIlearnedrapidlywasthatmostpeopleactuallyfallintotwo differentgroups.Bothcanbecriticalabouttheideaoflikeabilityand itsroleinsuccess,butfordifferentreasons.Herearetheirparaphrased arguments:
Reaction#1:‘‘That’ssoobvious.’’
Here’swhat‘‘ObviousGuy’’says:
Everyoneknowsthatlikeabilityandthepowerofnetworking willgetyoueverythingfromyournewjobtothenextcontract. IoncewonanewprojectjustbecauseIplayhockeywith theprocurementmanagerforabigfirmandtheyneededa contractorquickly.WewonthejobwithoutanRFP.Anyone insalesknowsthatnoonewillbuyfromyouiftheydon’t likeyou.
Reaction#2:‘‘That’snottrue—theproduct mattersmore.’’ Here’swhat‘‘FeaturesGuy’’says:
Sure,Ienjoybeingaroundlikeablepeople—butattheendof thedaypeoplewillonlybuysomethingorbelieveanideaif itreallyhasmerit.I’mnotgoingtobuyacrapproductjust becauseIlikeyou,andI’mnotgoingtobelieveanideajust becauseIfindthepersondeliveringittobemorelikeable.
Iunderstandbothoftheseguys.Infact,atvarioustimesinthe writingprocessforthisbook,Ihave been bothoftheseguys.Ina
xxviii Introduction:Likeability,RogueEconomists,andtheLovableFool
sense,itiswhyIspentasignificantpartofmyresearchtimelooking atallthereasonswhylikeabilitywasn’treallythatimportant.Istudied examplesofunlikeableleadersandbrandsthatstillsucceededonsome leveldespitebeingunlikeable.Ireadbooksabouttheimpactofluck andtheimportanceofmakinggreatproductsthatmarketthemselves. Idugbackwardthroughhistory,lookingatwhethertheimportanceof likeabilitywasdifferentduringtheGreatDepressionorthegoldenage ofSweden.
Thisisnotaboutcreating anawfulproductandtrying touselikeabilitytosellit. Itisalsonotabouttrying tofakelikeabilitytosupport somesortofsinisterulterior motive.Iwillspeakabouthowtohandlebothofthesesituationslater inthebook.
WhatIlearnedisthatsuccesshas muchlesstodowith what wecreateandmuchmoretodowith who believesinit.
Instead,myaimistolookattheintersectionoflikeabilityandthe globaleconomyandofferavisionofhowanyoneofuscanbuildthe kindsofrelationshipsthatleadtoallkindsofpersonalsuccess—from launchingabusinesstogettinganewjob.
TheNonboringEconomicsofLikeonomics Theunlikeliestplacetostartadiscussionabouttheimpactoflikeability ontheeconomywouldbeinthefieldofeconomicsitself.Oneofthe firstthingsIdidinmyresearch,infact,wastolookatwhatleading economistsmighthavealreadypublishedaboutthemainideaofthis book.Aneconomist,aswriterLaurenceJ.Peteroncewrote,‘‘isan expertwhowillknowtomorrowwhythethingshepredictedyesterday didn’thappentoday.’’
Luckily,thisisnotreallyaneconomicsbookandLikeonomicsis notaneconomictheoryinastrictsense.Rather,itisanattemptto describetheworldthatweliveintodayandwhatpeopleandbusiness professionalsalikeneedtodoinordertosurviveandthriveinit.Unlike manytraditionaleconomists,Itendtoavoidacademicthinkingand language,preferringinsteadtothinkabouttheworldintermsofhuman interactionsratherthannumbersinaspreadsheet.Itturnsouttheseare nottheopposingfactorsthattheyoncewere,astheworldofeconomics
learnedthedaythesurprisingresultsofthevotingforthewinnersof the2002NobelPrizeforEconomicScienceswereannounced.
ThePsychologyofLikeonomics Dr.DanielKahnemanwasoncedescribedbyHarvardpsychologist DanielGilbertas‘‘themostdistinguishedlivingpsychologistinthe world,barnone.’’AlongwithpartnerAmosTversky,hislifetimeof workinapplyingpsychologicalprinciplesofhowpeoplebehaveto economictheoryessentiallyleddirectlytowhatwetodaycallthe fieldofbehavioraleconomics.WhentheywereawardedtheNobel Prizein2002,theawardingcommitteecreditedKahnemanfor‘‘for havingintegratedinsightsfrompsychologicalresearchintoeconomic science,especiallyconcerninghumanjudgmentanddecision-making underuncertainty.’’
Theideathatpeoplearenotlogicalrobots,butratherthatthey respondtoincentivesandareledbyemotionsisstillarelativelyrecent idea.
Forafieldoncecalledthe‘‘dismalscience’’bytheVictorian historianThomasCarlyleinthenineteenthcentury,oneofitsstrongest mainstreamboostsfortheimportanceofeconomicswouldcomein 2005withthepublicationof Freakonomics,whichalsoinspiredthetitle forthisbook.
Theauthorsof Freakonomics liketousethedescription‘‘rogue economist’’todescribetheirtakeontheworld.Parteconomicsand partsocialpsychology,theymergedtheseworldstogethersuccessfully inagroundbreakingbookthatexplainswhywebehavethewaywe do,whyseeminglyunrelatedphenomenafromacrosstheworldmay belinked,andhowourunderstandingofwhatmotivatesourbehaviors maynotbeassimpleandrationalasweliketothink.
Since Freakonomics,thisthemeoftheirrationalityofbehaviorisone thathasbecomeextremelypopularinmultiplebest-sellingbooks.
Justbecausewerespond toemotionalappealsand tendtoactinhumanways, however,doesn’tnecessarilyprovethatlikeabilityis allthatimportant.Afterall,
Eachbookreachesarelated conclusion—thatpeopleactin emotional,human,andunexpected ways,andrespondtoincentives. Wearenotlogicalrobots.
Introduction:Likeability,RogueEconomists,andtheLovableFool
thereseemtobeplentyofexamplesofleaderswhoaresuccessful despitebeingfrequentlydescribedasunlikeable.LikeSteveJobs,for instance.
TheJobsParadox ThelateSteveJobswasclearlyvisionaryandhadabrilliantmind, butwasalsooftendescribedasegomaniacalandhardtoworkwith. A BostonGlobe reviewofthebiographyofJobsbyveteranjournalist WalterIsaacson,releasedjustafewweeksafterJobs’sdeathbeginswith thispronouncementabouthim:‘‘LifeoftenreducedSteveJobstotears. Butherarelysufferedalone.ThecofounderofApple,Inc.,spread hisunhappinesslikeavirus,abusinghisfriends,neglectinghisfamily, insultingandrevilinghiscolleagues.Andalmosttoaperson,theyloved Jobstotheend.’’2
ThisiswhatwemightcalltheJobs Paradox—thatsomepeoplecan seemtobecompletelyunlikeable, andyetsucceedandinspirethose closetothemregardless.
AndJobswashardlythe onlyunlikeableleaderinSiliconValley,either.
LarryEllison,thefounder ofOracle,hasdevelopeda reputationforbeingan unlikeablecharacter,aswell. HehasmadefunofrivalsonstageattheOracleannualOpenWorld conferenceandattackedformerSunrivalandCEOJonathanSchwartz for‘‘spendingtoomuchtimeonhisblog.’’WhenaskedaboutBill Gates,hefamouslysaid,‘‘ReferringtoGatesasthesmartestmanin Americaisn’tright.Wealthisn’tthesamethingasintelligence.’’
WhenBloombergtelevisiondecidedtodoafeatureonEllison fortheir GameChangers series,Oracleco-founderBruceScottwas interviewedandshared,‘‘Iremember[Ellison]verydistinctlytellingme onetime:Bruce,wecan’tbesuccessfulunlesswelietocustomers.All thethingsthatyouwouldreadinbooksofsomebodybeingaleader, hewasn’t.’’
Whenaskedabouthispersonalphilosophy,Ellisononcesaid: ‘‘Idon’tbelieveinbeingnicetomyenemies.Myenemiesaretryingto deprivemeofthesuccessthatledtomyhappiness.Iwanttobeatmy enemies,andit’shardtobenicetothematthesametime.’’3
Introduction:Likeability,RogueEconomists,andtheLovableFool
Thereareprobablydozensofotherexamplesofthisparadox.So whatdoesitmean?Arethebusinessclich ´ eslike‘‘niceguysfinishlast’’or ‘‘nicegirlsdon’tgetthecorneroffice’’actuallyright?Andiflikeability matterssomuch,howcanweexplainthesuccessofthesetwomen whoseemedtomakearroganceandcompetitiontheirpriorities?The answercomesdowntounderstandingthedifferencebetweenlikeability andbeingnicebecauseofthehumanneedtobeliked.
DoWeNeedtoBeLiked? Peoplewhocaretoomuchaboutbeinglikedareoftendescribedas weakorinsecure.Asaresult,fewpeopleandevenfewerbusinessleaders arereadytoadmitthattheycareaboutitorevenfactorlikeabilityinto anyoftheireverydaydecisions.Soiflikeabilityissuchahardquality toadmittocaringabout,whyistheneedtobelikedsuchapowerful motivationalforce?Ifanyonehastheanswer,itisDr.RogerCorvin, aclinicalpsychologistpracticinginMontrealwhohasspenthiscareer tryingtohelppatientswithavarietyofmentaloremotionalissues.
Hisaverageafternoonmightincludeseeingadepressedteen,an executivewithanxiety,andamotherwithpost-traumaticstressdisorder(PTSD).Despitethevarietyofgenders,lifesituations,ages,and ethnicities,Dr.Corvinstartedtorealizethattherewasacommontrait amongallthepeoplewhocametoseehim:Theyallhadaneedtobe likedbyotherpeople.
Inhisbook, TheNeedtoBeLiked ,hedescribesthisasa fundamental humanneed inpsychologicaltermsbecause:
1.Thebrainandbodyaredesignedtoacquireit.
2.Notfulfillingtheneedhasnegativeeffectsontheperson.
Theprimaryfunctionofthisneed,heargues,isto‘‘ensurethat weformrelationshipswithotherpeople.’’Thereisaclearevolutionary reasonwhythiswouldhavematteredforourancestors:Thosewho wereabletoformrelationshipsandworktogetherweremorelikelyto survive.
SowhataboutthecuriouscasesofJobsandEllison?Werethey simplyimmunetothisneedtobelikedandthereforeabletobehave moreharshly?
xxxii Introduction:Likeability,RogueEconomists,andtheLovableFool
TheanswertotheJobsParadoxliesinDr.Colvin’spointaboutthe manyqualitiesoflikeability.Likeabilityisaboutbeingabletopersonally connectwithpeopleonadifferentlevel.Jobs,despitehiswell-known egoandarrogance,hadatalentfortellingthetruth,whichpeople lovedandrespected.
AfewmonthsbeforeJobspassedaway,NikeCEOMarkParker wasaskedbyanintervieweraboutthebestpieceofadvicehehadever beengiven.HerecalledcallingJobsshortlyafterbecomingCEOand askinghimforanyadvice.‘‘Well,justonething,’’saidJobs.‘‘Nike makessomeofthebestproductsintheworld.Productsthatyoulust after.Butyoualsomakealotofcrap.Justgetridofthecrappystuffand focusonthegoodstuff.’’
Hewasn’tjoking.Itwasthattypeofhonestyandclarityofvision thatattractedpeopletoJobs.Itmadehimlikeable,inhisownway.It alsoillustratesanimportantpointofdifference.
Beinglikeableisnotthesamething asbeingnice. Ellisonalsoseemedto haveadifferentstandardfor howhewouldbehavedependingonwhohewasdealingwith.Inaninterviewfor
Softwar ,Ellisonnotedthat‘‘Beinginsensitive,rudeormeantosomeone closetoyou,oraperfectstrangerforthatmatter,isself-destructiveand self-degradingbehavior.You’llthinklessofyourselffordoingit.’’
Understandingthatlikeabilitydoesn’tmeanthesamethingto everyonemayseemlikeaconfusingcontradiction.Aswewillsoonsee, however,likeabilityisenoughtocompensateforsomeveryrealhuman failings.InJobs’case,itmaybeextremearrogance.Inothercases,as twobehavioranddecisionsciencesprofessorslearned,itmayevenbea lackofcompetence.
TheHiddenAppealoftheLikeableFool In2005,TizianaCasciaro,aHarvardBusinessSchoolprofessor,and MiguelSousaLobo,aprofessorofdecisionsciencesatDukeUniversity, decidedtofindoutjusthowimportantlikeabilitywasinabusinesscontext.Together,theyconductedaseriesofsurveysatfourorganizations: aSiliconValleytechcompany,adivisionofanITcorporation,aU.S.
Introduction:Likeability,RogueEconomists,andtheLovableFool
university,andtheSpanishcountryofficeofagloballuxurygoods corporation.Combiningthiswithresultsfromsurveysfilledoutbya largegroupofMBAstudents,theyultimatelycollectedandstudieddata fromover10,000workrelationships.
Everyonetheyspoketowasplottedagainsttwocharacteristicsbased onhowtheyansweredquestionsandhowtheirpeersratedthem: theirlikeabilityandtheircompetence.Theythenaskedparticipantsto imaginetheyhadajobtodoatwork.Whichoftheircolleagueswould theychoosetoworkwith?Ononelevel,theresultswerecompletely predictable.
Everyonewantedtoworkwiththehighlylikeableandhighly competentindividuals(whothestudydubbedthe‘‘LovableStar’’),and noonewantedtoworkwiththelowcompetenceandlowlikeability individuals(the‘‘IncompetentJerk’’).Theunexpectedresultscame whenlookingattheothertwocategories.
Copyright © 2005 Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved.
Thestudydemonstratedthatwhenfacedwithachoicebetweena morelikeablepersonwhoworkershadastrongerpersonalrelationship with,orsomeonewhohadbetterjobperformance,butwasless likeable—mostpeoplechosetoworkwiththe‘‘LovableFool’’(low competence,highlikeability)ratherthanthe‘‘CompetentJerk’’(high competence,lowlikeability).
Theconclusionofthestudywasclear:‘‘Whenfacedwithachoice betweena‘competentjerk’anda‘lovablefool’asaworkpartner, peopleusuallyoptforlikeabilityoverability.’’Thisisnotanisolated
xxxiv Introduction:Likeability,RogueEconomists,andtheLovableFool
finding,either.Considertheseresultsfromresearchconductedaround theworldoverthepastfewdecades:
•Inacommunicationsstudyfrom2003,researchersattheUniversityof Michiganuncoveredthat‘‘friendlyandpositiveemployeesaremore productive.’’
•A1984studybytheUniversityofCaliforniashowedthatdoctors unconsciouslyspendmoretimeandofferbetterqualitycaretopatients theylike.
•Inhisbook MakingYourCase:TheArtofPersuadingJudges,U.S. SupremeCourtJusticeAntoninScaliawroteoftheimportanceof beinglikeableandhowitleadstotrust.‘‘Somepeople,’’henoted, ‘‘areinherentlylikeable.Ifyou’renot,workonit.’’
•Astudyin2001fromColumbiaUniversityfoundthatthemore popularandlikeableworkerswereseenastrustworthy,motivated, decisive,andhard-working,andassuchwererecommendedfor fast-trackpromotionsandpayraises.
Acrossthebusinessworldandbeyond,likeabilityhasafundamental powertohelpusbuildtrustinourinteractionswithothers.
InsidePartI:TheCrisisandtheSolution Ofcourse,likeabilityonsomelevelhasalwaysmattered,sowhywrite thisbook now —andwhydoesitmattersomuchtounderstandingour world,behavior,andglobaleconomy?
PartIofthebookwilltackletheseimportantquestionsbylooking attheveryrealbelievabilitycrisisthatwearein,howwegothere,and whytheideabehindLikeonomicsoffersavisionforwhereweneedto gonext.
In Chapter1:InsidetheModernBelievabilityCrisis,welook backwardattheriseofpropagandaandhowtrustinbusinessandinstitutionshasreachedanall-timelow.Youwillreadhowanunexpected publicrelationscampaignforanoiltycoonintheearly1900sjumpstartedour‘‘modernbelievabilitycrisis,’’andwhymarketingisoftenthe
Introduction:Likeability,RogueEconomists,andtheLovableFool
sourceofallmanipulation.Movingquicklythroughthepasthundred years,wewillseehowthisgrowthinmanipulationoneverylevelhas createdanunprecedentedchallengeforeachofus(andtheorganizationsweworkwith)toinspireormotivatepeopletodoorbelievein anything.
Movingto Chapter2:NavigatingtheLikeabilityGap,the conceptofthe‘‘likeabilitygap’’willhelptoexplainthenatureofhow wedecideandwhywechoosetoworkwithandhelppeopleand organizationsthatwelike.ThroughthestoryoftheriseofRwanda andtherealreasonwhysomanymillion-dollardealsstartonthegolf course,thischapterwilllookatwhyrelationshipsmattersomuchand howbeingmorelikeableisthekeytobuildingtrust.
Finally,in Chapter3:TheROIofLikeability,wewilllook atwhattherealbusinessandpersonalvalueisbehindtheconcept ofLikeonomics.Thischapterwillmovefromanalyzingdecadesof researchintoeducationreform,tothestoryofwhyROIwasoriginally invented(it’snotwhatyouthink).Ultimately,wewilltackleseveral flawedassumptionsaboutmeasurementandlookatsomenewideasfor howtoreallymeasuresuccessandwhyitis not aboutcreatingabetter spreadsheet.
InsidePartII:ThePrinciples AfterthefocusofPartIondemonstratingallthewaysthatLikeonomics explainstheworldweliveintoday,PartIIwillgodeepertooffer apracticalandusefullookatwhypeopletrustsomeorganizationsor peopleandnotothers—andhowyoucanbemoretrustedandmore believableinanythingyoudo.
Inlookingatalltheresearchabouthowpeopleandorganizations becomemorebelievable,aswellastheimpactthatsocialmediahas hadonhowweinteractwithoneanotherandcompanies,Iwantedto uncoversomekeyprinciplesforwhatreallymatterswhenitcomesto beingmorebelievable.Myaimwastofindtheseprinciplesandthen createsomesortofacronymtodescribethem.Asreadersofmyblog alreadyknow,usingacronymsisamethodIoftenusetomakenew ideasmorememorable.
xxxvi Introduction:Likeability,RogueEconomists,andtheLovableFool
Soonedaymorethanayearago,Igatheredallofmyresearch togetherandstartedtodefinewhatIthoughtwerethemostimportant principles.Thestartingpointwasresearchthathadaddressedasimilar challenge:
1. TheLikeabilityFactor —IlookedatTimSanders’award-winning workin TheLikeabilityFactor ,abouthowtobemorelikeableasa person.Hisfour‘‘elementsoflikeability’’camedowntofriendliness, relevance,empathy,andrealness.Inhismind,thesewerein‘‘green lightorder,’’whichmeantyouhadtobefriendlybeforeyoucould berelevant,andsoon.
2. TheNetherlandsStudy —Twentyyearsago,theAdvertising ResearchFoundationsettheirresearchagendafor1991andproposedthatstudyingtheimpactoflikeabilityonadvertisingresearch shouldbeakeytopic.Thatyear,severalresearchstudiesonthetopic wereconductedandthreeauthorsintheNetherlandsdecidedto launcha10-yearstudyontheeffectsofadvertisinglikeability.Their results,publishedin2006,proposedthattherewerefourcomponentstoadvertisinglikeability:entertainment,relevance,clearness, andpleasantness.
AsIsatdownoneafternooninFebruarytoputsomeoftheresearch downonpaper,fivecoreprinciplesseemedtoleapoutfromallthe workIhaddone.Infact,itwassoclearthatIassumedtheymustbe wrongortoosimple.SincethatafternooninFebruary,Irevisitedmy initialacronymalmosteveryweekformonthswiththeintentionof changingit.
Ididmoreresearch,consumedmorereports,andreadmorebooks. Ispokewithcolleaguesandclientstotryandpokeholesintheidea. IevenpresentedtheacronymduringaspeechinMiamitogetapublic reactionandhaveotherscriticizeit.Itstillworked.
Whatwasevenbetter,theprinciplesIhadlandedonspelleda powerfulacronymthatwouldfitperfectlyintothemainpointIwanted tomakeinthebook:
TRUST = TRUTH + RELEVANCE + UNSELFISHNESS SIMPLICITY + TIMING
Introduction:Likeability,RogueEconomists,andtheLovableFool
SoinPartIIofthebook,wewilldigintoeachofthesefive principlesofLikeonomicstolookatwhytheymatter,andoffera practicalguidebookonhowyoucanusethem.
Principle1:Truth —Thereisnomoreimportantqualitythanthe realtruth,andweliveinatimewherepeoplearemoreabletodemand itthanever.Thisisnot,however,thesamethingashonesty.Inthis chapter,wewilllearnfromthemeteoricriseofthemostfamoustalk showhostinhistory,tothestoryofastrugglingbrandthattookan unheardofriskintellingthetruthaboutwhytheywouldalwaysfailto benumberoneintheirindustry.
Principle2:Relevance —Thechallengetoberelevantrequiresthat youcenteryourselfontheworldthatsomeoneelsealreadycaresabout. UsingglobalstoriesofhowtoshakehandsinKazakhstanandwhy Canada’sfavoritestorytellerbecamesobeloved,thischapterwilldefine exactlywhatmakessomethingorsomeonepowerfullyrelevant,and howyoucandoitforyourselforyourbusiness.
Principle3:Unselfishness —Ifthereisoneprinciplethatseems dramaticallyhardtoconsistentlydo,itisbehavinginanunselfishway. Combiningthestoryofhowasmallyetpowerfulnetworkinggroup istakingtheirregionbystormandwhatoneofthelargestglobal studiesofunselfishcorporatebehaviorhasprovenabouttheroleof idealisminbranding,thissectionwillprovethatbeingunselfishpays offinmanyways,andisanecessityforsuccessinournewglobal economy.
Principle4:Simplicity —Ofalltheprinciples,thisonehasnear universalagreementfromleadingthinkersintheworldaboutits importance.SimplicityistheforcethathaspoweredtheApplebrandto successandalsodrivenpoliticianstowinelectionsandworld-changing socialmovementstobuildafollowing.Inthischapter,wewillnotonly learnhowmuchsimplicitycanhelptoachieve,butalsosomenewand completelydifferentmethodsforsimplifyingeverythingfrommessaging tohowyouspendyourtime.
Principle5:Timing —Someofthegreatestideasinhumanhistory havesucceededorfailedbasedentirelyontiming.Morethanjust suggestingthatgoodtimingmatters,wewilllookattheexamplesof howpeoplearealwaysattheheartoftiming,andunderstandingwhen topushyourideaisthecrucialX-factorthatcanhelpensuresuccess.
InsidePartIII:TheStoryBook (LikeonomicsinAction) Ifyouarethesortofreaderwholikestoskipthetheoryandgostraight tothestoriesandcasestudiesthatbringeachideatolife,youwill appreciatethissection.
InadditiontothedozensofstoriesIsharethroughoutthisbook,this finalsectionspotlightsacollectionofexamplesoftheprinciplesbehind Likeonomicsatwork.Itincludeseverythingfromthelittleknownstory ofwhatmightbethehappiestcountryonEarth,tothewebsitethathas turnedtheworldofeducationupsidedown.
Storiesarewhatinspireeachofus,buttheyalsohavetoberelevant (remember,that’soneoftheprinciples!).Soeachstorywillalsobe indexedbyindustrysoyoucanbrowsethemtoidentifytheonesthat feelclosesttoyourownpersonalsituation.
Inaddition,thisStoryBookwillbealivingpartofLikeonomics online,withnewstoriesgettingconsistentlyaddedtothewebsite. Youcanalwaysvisit www.likeonomics.com/storybook toread additionalstories,andevenaddyourownstoryintheonlinecommunity.
Author’sNote:WhyI Don’tWriteabout SynergyandParadigm Shifts Incaseyouhaven’tread PersonalityNotIncluded (myfirstbook),you haveprobablyalreadynoticedthatIdon’tusean‘‘academic’’style ofwriting.Technically,Iamaprofessor,sinceIteachmarketingat GeorgetownUniversity,butIalsospeakaroundtheworldonthe necessityofbeingapproachableandcreatingmorehumanbusinesses, whichoftenstartswithlanguage.
Inmyprocessofwriting Likeonomics,therewereafewguiding principlesIusedtoremindmeofwhatkindofbookIwantedtowrite. Hereareafewofthem:
1. Writelikeaperson,notaprofessor. Asawriter,Ihave alwaysbeenheavilyinfluencedbyscreenwriting,whichmeansI don’treallyusetoomuchmarketingjargon,optinginsteadfora moreconversationaltone.Thankstoamaster’sdegreeinEnglish LiteratureandaBAinIrishPoetry(yes,seriously)andMarketing, Ihavewrittenandreadplentyofacademicprose.Personally,Ifind thosekindsofbookstoostuffy.I’dratherlearnfromabookthat sharesideasandlessonsmoreconversationally,sothat’sthetypeof bookIaimtowrite.
2. Offerreal,practical,andusefulideas. GiventhatIspendall dayasamarketingconsultant,leadingbrandstrategyforsomeof
xl Author’sNote:WhyIDon’tWriteaboutSynergyandParadigmShifts
thebiggestbrandsintheworld(inmyfull-timejobatOgilvy communicationsagency)—aswellaswriteforoneofthelargest smallbusiness–focusedblogsintheworld(theAmericanExpress OpenForum)—I’mveryfocusedonrealandpracticalideasfor businessesofallsizes.
3. Thereisnooneperfectindustry,country,orbrand. Ihave gonedoortodoorsellingmyownstartup,aswellasledmarketing strategymeetingswithdozensofparticipantsandmillionsofdollarsat stake.Unlikemanyverticallyfocusedandprocess-obsessedmarketing consultants,Iseemanysidesofthebusinessstory.Iknowthatone methoddoesn’tdescribeeveryone.Inthisbook,Ifeaturebigand smallbrands,globalbrands,andstoriesfromoutsideAmericaand dozensofindustries—soIcanguaranteeyouwillfindexamplesthat applytoyoursituation.Ifyoudon’t,e-mailmeatlikeonomics@ gmail.comandIpromisetosendyouonepersonally.
4. Businesstheorycanbeboring;storiesusuallyaren’t. Ihave readhundredsofbusinessbooks(bychoice!).Mosthavegoodideas andarewrittenbyverysmartpeople.Buttheyarenotusually pageturners.Youunderstandthebigidea,butyouhavetowade throughsomeprettyboringstufftogetthere.Myultimateaimwith Likeonomics istobeentertaining and useful.Ioftendescribeitas nonboringandnonobvious.Inmyexperience,thereareveryfew businessbooksthatcandoboththesethings.
Sonowthatyouhaveasenseofmyphilosophy,let’sgetstarted withaslightlyrewordedlinethatauthorshaveusedtobegintheirtales forcenturies:
PARTI TheCrisisand theSolution InsidetheModern BelievabilityCrisis HowRockefeller’sDimes, WarPropaganda,andthe MarlboroManRuined theWorld Wearegoverned,ourmindsmolded,ourtastesformed,ourideas suggested,largelybymenwehaveneverheardof.Thosewhomanipulate thisunseenmechanismofsocietyconstituteaninvisiblegovernment whichisthetruerulingpowerofourcountry.
—EdwardBernays,in Propaganda,1928
Aboutahundredyearsago,oneoftheworld’srichestmenhada publicrelations(PR)problem.HisnamewasJohnD.Rockefeller, andin1914,hewasdealingwithacrisisthatmostofAmericanhistory hassinceforgotten.
AdecadeearlierRockefellerhadpurchasedtheColoradoFuel andIronCorporation(CF&I).Inthespanofthose10years,CF&I hadquicklycometodominatethegrowingcoalminingindustryin
Colorado.With27dirtyandmostlylawlessminingcampsinSouthern Colorado,theyhadavirtualdictatorshipoverthemanyimmigrants whoworkedinthemines.Thankstothefinancialsuccessofmining, thecompanyalsoenjoyedacontrollingpoliticalinfluenceacrossthe stateofColorado.
Unfortunately,thatmoneyneverreallymadeittotheminers’ pockets,andminingwasahardlife.Foryearstheminerssuffered underbrutalanddangerousworkingconditionswithalackofbasic rights.Finally,theminersdecidedtocreatetheirownorganization, UnitedMineWorkers,tonegotiatewiththeircorporatemastersfor betterlivingconditionsand(hopefully)higherpay.In1913,theirearly negotiationsfailed.CF&Ihadnorealinterestinsharingtheprofitswith miners;afterall,mineworkersofthedaywerenotparticularlyskilled andeasilyreplaceable.
Knowingthattheyhadaweakcase,asalastresorttheminers calledforastrike.Inresponse,CF&Icalledintheirownsecurityteam tostrong-armtheminersbacktowork.Inamatterofdays,theyhad alsousedtheirpoliticalinfluencetopressureColoradoGovernorElias M.AmmonstodeclaremartiallawandcallintheColoradoNational Guard.
Itwasadisaster.Afterescalatingviolence,onApril20,1914the NationalGuardopenedfireontheminingcampinLudlow,Colorado. Theysetfiretothetentsanddespiteobjectionsfrommanyoftheir ownsoldiers,theyfollowedtheorderstheyweregiventoputdown theminingstrikeatanycost.
Intheaftermath,theRedCrossreportedfinding26deadbodies. Amongthemweretwowomenand11childrenwhocouldnotescape andwereburnedalivewhilehidingunderacot.Thenextdaythe New YorkTimes carriedthisheadline:‘‘WomenandChildrenRoastedinPits ofTentColonyAsFlamesDestroyIt.’’
Yearslaterinoneoftheonlyhistoricalaccountsofthatday,historian HowardZinnwrotethatit‘‘wastheculminatingactofperhapsthe mostviolentstrugglebetweencorporatepowerandlaboringmenin Americanhistory.’’1 Themediacalledtheentireevent‘‘TheLudlow Massacre,’’andthepublicblamedRockefellerandcorporategreedfor thetragedy.
Insupportoftheminers,peoplepicketedoutsideRockefeller’soffice inNewYork.Forthenextseveralmonthsthereweremorenegotiations, mediations,andtalksofsettlement.Theyallfailed.Finally,thestrike
wasofficiallycalledoffinDecember1914,havingaccomplishedlittle. AsZinnwrote,‘‘TheUnionhadnotwonrecognition.Sixty-sixmen, women,andchildrenhadbeenkilled.Notonemilitiamanormine guardhadbeenindictedforacrime.’’
Despitetheirfailuretowinmorelaborrights,thewholeepisode wasamajorcrisisforRockefellerandhisentirefamily,particularlyhis sonJohnD.RockefellerJr.,whomhehadputinchargeofmanaging CF&I.ItgotworsewhenRockefellerJr.wentbeforetheU.S.Industrial RelationsCommissionin1915anddeclared,‘‘TherewasnoLudlow Massacre.’’Itwasclearthefamily’sreputationwastarnishedandthey wouldneedhelptorestoreit.Luckily,therewasamannamedIvy LedbetterLeewhowasperfectlysuitedforthejob.
TheBirthofModernPR By1915,Leehadalreadyestablishedquiteareputationforhimself. GrowingupinGeorgiaasthesonofaMethodistminister,Leestarted hiscareerasajournalistforthe NewYorkTimes.Realizinghispassionlay elsewhere,in1905hefoundedoneofthenation’sfirstpublicrelations firms,ParkerandLee,whichusedthetagline‘‘Accuracy,Authenticity, andInterest’’astheirmotto.
In1906,whentherewasatrainaccidentinAtlanticCity,New Jersey,Leewastheonewhoadvisedhisclient,PennsylvaniaRailroad, ∗ toissuewhatistodayconsideredthefirstpressreleaseever.Itshareda publicresponseanddiscloseddetailsaboutthetragedyfromthecompany’spointofview.Themovewaswidelyseenasastrokeofgenius, andevenmorewidelycopied.
WritingapressreleasegaveLeeandhisclienttheabilitytoinfluence themediabeforejournalistswereabletogatherfactsfromelsewhere. WithouttheInternetorTwitter,thiseffectivelyallowedthemtocontrol thestory.Soonafter,LeewashiredfulltimebyPennsylvaniaRailroad, makinghimwhathispersonalarchivesdescribedas‘‘thefirstVP-level corporatepublicrelationsperson.’’
OntheheelsoftheLudlowMassacre,Leewasbroughtinbythe Rockefellerstohelp‘‘manage’’thepublicfury.Hisfirstactwastotravel toColoradoandspeakdirectlytothepeopletheretounderstandthe situation.Havingdonethat,LeereportedtoRockefeller,‘‘Thepeople
∗ Yes,thesameonefrom Monopoly!
ofthisstatehavebeenledtobelievebythehostilepressthatyouand yourfriendsareexploitingthestate.Fromfriendlysources,Igatherthis opinionisstillwidelyheld.’’2
ThefighttorestoretheRockefellerreputation,however,didnot startwellforLee.Inlate1915,hedecidedtopublishsomepamphlets,whichhetitled‘‘FactsConcerningtheStruggleinColoradofor IndustrialFreedom.’’Theycontainedmanyfactual‘‘errors’’andwere widelyseenaspropaganda.Theydirectlyledmuckrakingjournalist UptonSinclair(whoachievedfameforhis1906expos ´ eofthemeatpackingindustry,called TheJungle)tobrandLeewiththenickname ‘‘PoisonIvy.’’
Still,Leehadagiftfortheartofinfluence.Despitehismissteps, whathedidnextwasaPRmasterstrokethatisstillremembered nearly100yearslater.HeadvisedRockefellertocarryarounddimesin hispocketandhandthemoutfreelytopeopleonthestreet.Adime (10U.S.cents)adjustedforinflationwasworthapproximately2dollars bytoday’sstandards.ForRockefeller,though,theamountofthemoney wasunimportant.
Thesimpleactofpersonalcharitychangedhowpeoplesawhim, andhowhistoryrememberedhim.Hetransformedhislegacyfroma detachedbillionairetoanengaged,kind,andgrandfatherlybenefactor ofsociety.
In2007,PBSaired TheRockefellers,adocumentaryfilmaboutthe lifeandtimesoftheRockefellerfamily.Despitethefactthatthe Rockefellernamewasdespisedformanyyears,thefilmdescription noted,‘‘TheircontributionstransformedAmerica.Whenhediedatage 86,Junior[Rockefeller’sson]lefthissixchildrenand22grandchildren aninvaluableinheritance:anamewhichstoodnotforcorporategreed, butforthewell-beingofmankind.’’
ThankstoacombinationofsmartPRandalaterdedicationfrom thefamilytomakingcharitabledonations,theRockefellerfamilyname eventuallywasnolongerasymbolofgreed,butratheraleadingfamily incontributingactivelytosociety.
#occupywallstreet
Ofcourse,thatwasnearly100yearsago,andtimeshavechanged. Todaywehavebigandpowerfulunionstoprotectworkers’rights.Our
averagelifeexpectancyhasgoneupbymorethanadecade.Bylawin mostcountries,monopoliesarenotallowed.Thepowertoshapeentire nationsandindustriesnolongerfallsintothehandsofoneindividual.
AlmostexactlyacenturyaftertheLudlowMassacre,inSeptemberof2011, agroupofprotestersorganizedbyaCanadianactivist groupcalledAdbusterssetup ademonstrationinNewYork’sWallStreetfinancialdistrict.Theirgoal wastoprotesttheunequaldistributionofwealth,WallStreetcorruption, andthelinkbetweenpoliticsandmoney.
Eventhoughtodayisdifferent, someoftheproblemshaven’t changedatall.
Usingtherallyingcry‘‘OccupyWallStreet’’andTwitterhashtags of#occupywallstreetand#ows,themovementstartedtospread.On October15th,aglobaldayofsolidaritywasplannedfor951citiesin 82countriesaroundtheworld.
ItisnotexactlythesameastheLudlowMassacre.Thoughthere weremomentsofviolence,veryfewpeoplelosttheirlives.Whatis clearisthatthegulfbetweencorporationsandthepeoplehasremained overthepastcentury.Judgingfromrecentevents,itissafetosaythatit hasgrownintoafullchasm.
Thesetwoevents,separatedbynearly100years,leadtoaninterestingandimportantquestion.Ifthetensionbetweenorganizationsand individualshasalwaysbeenpresent,whyhasn’ttherebeenmoreconflict inthelastcentury?Theanswermaycomefromturningourattention tosomethingthathasbecomeadirtyword:propaganda.
ThePropagandaofRevolutions Fornearlyaslongashumanshaverecordedhistory,therehavebeen examplesofrulersandtheirgovernmentsusingcommunicationsto influenceorinspiretheirpeople.TheancientRomansusedlargepublic gatheringswhereoratorswouldspeakpubliclytothousandsofpeople aboutphilosophy,religion,andthestatusandthenecessityofthe conquestsoftheRomanEmpire.
Sincetheyhadnomicrophone,manyoratorswouldbeginbylearningtechniquescreatedbyamannamedMarcusFabiusQuintilianus
forusingbodygesturestosignifymeaning.Quintillianevenwrotea widelyused12-volumetextbookonrhetoricandpublicorationinAD 95called InstitutioOratoria.
Laterinhistory,thepoweroftheseorationswouldcomefrom storytellersrecordingfamousmomentsofhistorytoretellthem.One exampleisKingHenryV’sfamous‘‘oncemoreuntothebreach’’call toarmsforhisEnglishforces,andcountlessbattlecriesfrommilitary acrosstheworld.
Itisnocoincidencethatmanyofthemostrecordedformsofmass communicationhavecomefromrulersofcountriesorleadersofmilitary campaigns.Untilveryrecently,theonlyrealreasontoinspiremassbelief inanideawastouniteacountryorbandofrevolutionariestowin freedomorconqueranotherculture.Itwasonlyinthelastcenturythat thisstartedtoshift,andtheroleofpropagandashiftedwithit.
Inthe1920s,mainlytoavoidbeing‘‘smotheredinAmericanculture,’’theCanadianRadioBroadcastingCommission(CBC)began creatingpublicbroadcastingcontentspecificallyfortheCanadianmarket.TodaytheCBCemploysnearly10,000Canadiansandproduces originalprogrammingonnewsandcurrentaffairs,artsandentertainment,children’sprogramming,andsports.
In2010,theCBCturnedtothehistoricalsubjectofWorldWar IIandcreatedasix-partseriescalled Love,Hate,andPropaganda with themissionofshowingthecentralrolepropagandaplayedintelling thepeoplewhattobelieve.Theintroductiontotheserieswentonto describethewarinthisway:
Thefirstmodernwarinwhichallcombatantsbombardedtheircitizenswithmessages ... theyemployedtruth,half-truthsandsometimes outrightlies,usedpowerfulsymbolsandpersuasivewordstosway entirepopulations....Everymoviehouse,school,newspaperandradio becameaforumforpersuasionandmanipulation.
Inoneparticularlytellinginterviewpublishedonthewebsitefor thedocumentary,nonfictionauthorAntonyBeeverwasaskedwhy propagandawassoimportant.Heresponded:‘‘Hatredalonewasnot enough.Whatyouhadtohavewasacombinationofhatredandfear. Inawayyoucouldsayhatredwastheexplosiveandfearwasthe
detonator.’’Propagandawasfrequentlyusedinthisway—toturnfear intoactionorinaction.
AfterWorldWarII,therewasanotherformofcommunications thatwasalsoemerging,whichwoulddothesamething—buttoward adifferentobjective.ItsbirthplacewasasinglestreetinNewYork thatwouldsoontakeonalarger-than-liferoleinAmericanculture: MadisonAvenue.
WhenAdvertisingRuledtheWorld In1954,theLeoBurnettAdvertisingAgencyhadachallengebefore themthatonlyadvertisingcouldsolve.Theyhadbeenaskedtocreate anewcampaigntoreinventabrandthatwaslaunched30yearsearlier exclusivelyforwomenwiththeslogan‘‘MildasMay.’’Nowtheparent company,PhilipMorris,wantedtomakeachange.
Theearly1950swereapivotaltimeforcigarettemanufacturers likePhilipMorris.Inresponsetogrowingevidenceofthehealthrisks ofsmoking,theywereintroducingfilteredcigarettesasa‘‘healthier’’alternative.Theproblemwasthatmenconsideredfilteredcigarettesunmasculineandwouldnotbuythem.SowhenPhilipMorris approachedtheteamatLeoBurnett,theyhadaveryspecificchallengein mind—toturnoneoftheirmostpopularbrandsofcigarettesforwomen, calledMarlboro,intoabrandformen.
Whathappenednextwouldbecomepartofadvertisinghistory. LeoBurnettlaunchedtheirnewcampaignbyphotographingmenin masculineprofessionslikeseacaptains,athletes,andcowboyssmoking thecigarettes ... andcalledthemall MarlboroMen.Itwastheimageof thecowboymorethananyotherthatimmediatelystuckinpeople’s minds.Launchinganationwidesearchforanauthenticcowboyactor, theyfoundanactornamedDarrellWinfieldandcasthimasthe MarlboroMan—arolehewouldkeepforthenext20yearsuntilhe retiredinthe1980s.
Theadvertisinglaunchedin1955,andwithintwoyearssalestomen oftheMarlborobrandwereup300percent.Thecampaignbecamea textbookexampleofthepowerofadvertisinginthe1950stoinfluence publicbehaviorandchangethepopcultureenvironment.Thiswas onlythebeginning.
Likeonomics The1960swerethetruegoldenageofadvertising,directlyinspiring thepopulartelevisionshow MadMen.AslegendaryadmanJerryDella Faminawroteintheupdatedintroductiontohis1970cult-classic biography, FromThoseWonderfulFolksWhoGaveYouPearlHarbor : TheoriginalMadMenarealldead.Ironically,theydiedfrom consumingtheproductstheysoldwithsuchgusto.Theirlungswent fromthecigarettestheywereadvertising—andsmokedbythecarton. Theirliversmeltedfromallthescotch,gin,andvodkatheymade famous—andthethreemartinilunchestheyenjoyedintheprocess.
Theupsidewasthatthistimeofexcessdidresultinmanybreakthroughideasandcampaigns.When AdAge magazineadcriticBob Garfieldratedthetop100advertisingcampaignsofalltime,16ofthem camefromthe1960s.Andmanyoftheothercampaignsonthelist changedtheworldaroundthem.PhilDusenberry,formerchairman ofBBDONorthAmerica,workedwithRonaldReaganin1984to helphimgetreelected.California’slegendary‘‘GotMilk?’’campaign inspiredkidsaroundthecountrytostartdrinkingmoremilk.PepsiCola’s‘‘PepsiGeneration’’definedtheattitudesofanentiredecadeof youth.
Indeed,thegoldenageofadvertisinglastedfarlongerthanjustthe 1960s.Thebrandsdominatingthatadvertisinglandscapewerethesame whoarearoundtoday.Andthepeoplecreatingthoseadsthrivedin theircreativeroles.‘‘Advertisingisthemostfunyoucanhavewith yourclotheson,’’DellaFaminafamouslyquipped.Notonlywasitfun, butifyouspenttherightamountandhadtherightmessage,youcould directlyinfluencepublicopiniononamassscale.Then,slowly,over thelate1990sandearly2000s,theInternetcamealong.
TheMassPerceptionPrinciple Forthemostpart,thereusedtobeadirect relationshipbetweenthemoney youspentandtheperceptionshiftyoucouldbuy.Thatmeantifyouspent alotonbuyingadvertising,youcouldprettymuchshapewhatpeople thoughtaboutyourbrand.Ifyoudonatedlargeamountsofmoneytoa charity,peoplewouldassumeyouwereagoodperson.
TheMassPerceptionPrinciple Moremoneyspentoncommunications = betterbrandperception.
Massmediaallowedbrandstoreachlotsofpeople,andtherewere onlytwowaysthatanyonemightknoworhearsomethingdifferent thanwhattheadvertisingtoldthem:
1.Themediapublishedanegativearticleorreport.
2.Someonehadanegativepersonalexperienceorheardsomething negativedirectlyfromsomeoneheorshetrusted.
Inthefirstcase,mediacouldscaletoreachalargegroupofpeople, buttheoddsweregoodthatabrandmightavoidthissortofnegativity becausetherewerestillrelativelyfewmediaoutlets.Inthesecondcase, wordofmouthrequiredpersonalinteraction(oftenfacetoface),soit wasunlikelytotravelfarbeyondthepeopledirectlyaffectedandtheir ownlocalpersonalnetwork.Individualvoicesdidn’tscale.
Today,theworldisdifferentinthreeimportantways:
1. Mediaisnowfragmented. Whatusedtobelessthanadozen authoritativemediaoutletshasnowexplodedintomillionsasthe ‘‘longtail’’ofmediahasbecomethemajorityofwhatpeople consume.AsidefromafewmomentsliketheOlympicsortheSuper Bowl,thereisnomassaudienceanymore.
2. Competitioniseverywhere. Hardlyanyoneownsanindustryor acategoryanymore.Andcompetitioncancomefromanywhere.As wewillseeinChapter2,itisalsoincreasinglyhardertodoanything thatistrulyunique.
3. Thetruthaboutanythingishardertohide. Whileperception wasgenerallyeasytoshapethroughmarketing,nowpeoplehave morewaystosharetheirrealexperienceswithproductsandservices throughonlinereviewsandpublishingcontentonline.Asaresult, anynegativityfromasinglecustomercaninfluencethousandsof othersintheblinkofaneye.
Likeonomics WhiletheInternethasevenedtheplayingfieldforanyonewitha messagetoshare,ithasalsocreatedavastoceanofinformationthat nevergoesaway.
EveniftheInternetmakesithardertostandout,itisthebusiness worldthatoftengetsblamedforthemodernbelievabilitycrisis.As GaryRuskin,executivedirectorofRalphNader’sCommercialAlert organization,oncesaid:businessmaybecausing‘‘anepidemicof marketing-relateddiseases’’fromsmokingandgamblingtoobesityor diabetes.Itisanuglypicture.
WhenSupermantriedtosavetheworld,hewasalwaysfighting againstanidentifiablefoe—LexLuthor.Ifconsumerstodayweresuperheroes,itoftenseemsthatbusinessandcapitalismhasbecometheevil villainstheymustriseupagainst.
MarketingastheBadGuy Everymovieneedsabadguy.Thebadguysignoresocialnorms. Theymistreatthegoodguys.Andtheyalwayshaveulteriormotivesto takeovertheworldormakelotsofmoney.SinceRockefeller’stime, marketinghasbeengoingthroughaPRcrisisofitsown.Formany outsidetheindustry,anydiscussionofmarketinginevitablybringsup discussionsaboutdeception,manipulation,exploitation,andallsortsof otherevil-soundingwords.
Manyconsumersseemarketingastheenemyintheirlives—aforce tryingtointerruptandsellthemsomethingbyplayingontheirfears, insecurities,oraspirations.
Thecorruptiveforceofmarketingisonethatbrandingconsultant MartinLindstromhasspenthiscareerstudyingandwritingabout. Oneofthefewpeoplewhocouldbedescribedsimultaneouslyasa consumeradvocate and abrandingconsultant,hehaspublishedseveral bookswrittenfromtheperspectiveofaninsiderlookingathowbrands manipulatetheircustomers.
Inhispopularnewbook Brandwashed ,hepullsbackthecurtainto lookatthemodernviewofmarketingasasourceofevil:
[Marketers]knowmorethantheyeverhavebeforeaboutwhat inspiresus,scaresus,soothesus,seducesus.Whatalleviates ourguiltormakesusfeellessalone,moreconnectedtothe
scatteredhumantribe.Whatmakesusfeelmoreconfident, morebeloved,moresecure,morenostalgic,morespiritually fulfilled.Andtheyknowfarmoreabouthowtouseallthis informationtoobscurethetruth,manipulateourminds,and persuadeustobuy.3
Andhisisnottheonlybooktoportraymarketersastheenemy, either.Hereisjustashortlistoftitlesthathavecomeoutinthe pastdecade,whichraisesimilarconcernsaboutaworlddominatedby marketingandcommunications:
• ToxicSludgeIsGoodforYou:Lies,DamnLies,andthePublicRelations Industry (JohnStauberandSheldonRampton,2002)
• Consumed—HowMarketsCorruptChildren,InfantilizeAdults,andSwallowCitizensWhole (BenjaminR.Barber,2007)
• ObsessiveBrandingDisorder—TheIllusionofBusinessandtheBusinessof Illusion (LucasConley,2008)
• Buyology—TruthandLiesaboutWhyWeBuy (MartinLindstrom, 2008)
• Scroogenomics—WhyYouShouldn’tBuyPresentsfortheHolidays (Joel Waldfogel,2009)
• TheBuyingBrain—SecretsforSellingtotheSubconsciousMind (A.K. Pradeep,2010)
• DeadlySpin—AnInsuranceCompanyInsiderSpeaksOutonHowCorporatePRIsKillingHealthCareandDeceivingAmericans (WendellPotter, 2010)
• AgeofPersuasion—HowMarketingAteOurCulture (TerryO’Reilly andMikeTennant,2011)
Thelistmorethandoubleswhenyoustarttoincludeallthebooks thathavecomeoutoverthepastfiveyearscastingcapitalismitself astheenemyandarguingagainsteverythingfromaccumulatingtoo manythings(Stuff:CompulsiveHoardingandtheMeaningofThings, Gail Steketee,Ph.D.andRandyFrost,Ph.D.,2010)totheriseofcorporate power(LifeInc:HowCorporatismConqueredtheWorld,andHowWeCan TakeItBack, DouglassRushkoff,2009).
Allofthisnegativitypointstooneundeniableconclusion:Marketing hasplayedacentralroleincreatingaculturewherepeopleareafraid
totrustthemediaaroundthem.Thereisplentyofevidencethatthis growingdistrusthasalreadybecomeafull-blowncrisis.
LivingintheSocietyofDistrust Almosteveryweek,thereisnewresearchpublishedthatdocuments theexpandingtrustgapbetweenpeopleandtheorganizationsthatthey interactwith.Thisisnotonlyastoryaboutpeoplelosingtrustin business,butalsoagrowingdistrustininstitutionsofallsorts,fromthe churchtogovernment.
In2011,the12thannualEdelmanTrustBarometerSurveyshowed thattheUnitedStateswastheonlycountrytoseetrustinallinstitutions(business,government,media,andNGOs)decline—aresult thatmirroredasimilardropfrom2008to2009duringtheglobal financialcrisis.Inresponsetothefundamentalquestion‘‘Howmuch doyoutrustbusinesstodowhatisright?’’forthesecondstraight year lessthanhalf thepeopleintheUnitedStatesratedcompanies positively.
Accordingtoothersurveys,thenewsisevenworse.AGallup surveyofconfidenceininstitutionsconductedinJuneof20114 found thatonly12percentofAmericanshada‘‘greatdeal’’or‘‘quitealot’’of confidenceintheU.S.Congress,only19percentinbigbusiness,and 26percentinbanks.Perhapsmostsurprisingly,only48percent(less thanhalf)ofAmericansevendeclaredhavingeithera‘‘greatdeal’’or even‘‘quitealot’’ofconfidenceinachurchoranorganizedreligion. ThissocietyofdistrustisnotonlylimitedtotheUnitedStates.The 2011Reader’sDigestTrustedEuropeanBrandssurveypresentedeven morestarkresults.Basedontheresponsesofmorethan33,000readers in16Europeancountries,thesurveyshowedthat3outof4people acrossEuropedidnottrusttheirgovernment,andinRomaniaitwasas lowas6percent.Thesamesurveyreportedthatadvertisingtoppedthe listastheleasttrustedinstitution(appearinghigherthangovernment).
EvenAsia,wherehistoricallypeoplehavebeenmuchmorelikelyto trustinbusinessesandgovernment,thiscrisisofbelievabilityisgrowing. InthesametrustsurveyfromEdelman,60percentofrespondentsfrom Asia-Pacificsurveyedsaidtheirtrustinbusinesswaslesstodaythanit was12monthsago.
Best-sellingmarketingguruSethGodin(AllMarketersAreLiars), aswellaslegendaryauthorStevenCovey(7HabitsofHighlyEffective People)bothrecentlyusedtheterm‘‘low-trustworld’’inthetitlesof theirnewbookstounderscorethisfact. Peoplearoundtheworldhavea lowertrustininstitutionsofall formsthaneverbefore.Thisisthe modernbelievabilitycrisis.
Beforewecanstartto discusshowtorebuildthis trust,weneedtounderstand someofthecoreactions thatinspirethisdistrustevery day.
WhatIstheBelievabilityCrisis? Theeasiesttargetstoblameforthemodernbelievabilitycrisisare unscrupulouscommunicationsprofessionals.Afterall,theyareoften hiredassurgeonsofspintoexpertlysliceintoourmindsandplantideas withspecificagendas.Theirexpertiseininfluenceisusedtomodifyour behaviorsandchangeourperceptions.Asecondgroupyoumightpoint thefingertowardisgreedyinvestmentfirms,banks,andcompaniesonly motivatedbycorporateprofits.Theotherclearchoicecouldbepoliticiansmoreconcernedaboutgettingelectedorrepayingtheirsupporters insteadofdoingwhat’srightfortheirrespectivecountries.
Thepointis,choosing who toblameisnotreallythatdifficult;there areplentyofgroupswhorightfullybelongonthatlist.Lookingat why theiractionshaveledustowhereweareisamoreinterestingquestion. Ifwelookmoredeeplyatthatquestion,thereasonsforthemodern believabilitycrisiscomedowntofourbasicthings:
1. RealSpinandActualLies —Foreverynutritionallabelthat declaresaproduct‘‘allnatural’’or‘‘hearthealthy,’’aconsumer’s faithinthetruthdiesjustalittlebit.Thefirstandmostbasicreason fordistrustisbecausetherearesomanycompaniesandpeoplewho choosetolietouseitherbymakingmisleadingclaimsorsimplyby hidingthetruth.Eachtimeoneoftheselieseruptsintoascandal, foracompanyoracelebrityorapolitician,thepubliclosesasmall pieceoftheirtrustintheinstitutionsaroundthem.Byfar,thishas beenthelargestcontributortothemodernbelievabilitycrisis.
2. FacelessnessandCorporateSpeak —Wehavenopersonalconnectiontomessagesthatcomefromlargecorporateentitiesorinstitutions.Asaresultwearelesslikelytobelievethem.Thelanguage theyuseiscorporateandinhuman.Theirpoliciesarebasedon stupidityorgreed.Inmyfirstbook, PersonalityNotIncluded ,Iargued thatorganizationsandpeopleneededtofindtheirhumanityand personalityinordertoregaintrust.Nearlyfouryearslater,thishas becomeevenmoreimportant.Facelessorganizationsandpeopleare nearlyimpossibletolikeorbelievein.
3. Volume —Therearesomanymessagesthatmostconsumersare bombardedwitheachdaythatweareallconditionedtoautomaticallydistrusteverythingasadefensemechanism.Marketingfirm Yankelovichestimatesthatconsumerstodayencounterfrom3,500 to5,000marketingmessagesperday,vs.500to2,000inthe1970s. Whenthevolumeincreasesexponentially,weallhavenochoicebut tostartinadefaultstateofdistrust.Youhaveto earn ourtrustfirst, withnobenefitofthedoubt.Thisisabigfundamentalshiftthathas contributedtoabasiclevelofdistrustinsociety.
4. ConsumerProtection —Therearemanygovernmentagencies andthird-partygroupswhohavededicatedthemselvestosomeform of‘‘consumerprotection.’’Typically,akeypartofthisinvolves educatingconsumerstobemoresavvy.Ironically,thiseducationcan alsoleadconsumerstoautomaticallydistrustorganizationsbecauseit remindsthemofhowmanyofthemessagestheyseearoundthem aredesignedtomanipulatetheminsomeway,andencouragesthem tobesuspiciousofeverything.
Weliveinasocietywheretrustisatapremiumandhardertoearn thaneverbefore.That’swhyitisacrisis.Thegoodnewsisthisdoesn’t havetobeacrisiswithoutasolution.
SolvingtheBelievabilityCrisis Aworldwhereitisharderforanyofustotrusttheorganizationsthat factorintoourlivesisaworldthatisbroken.Forbusinessestosucceed, economiestorebound,andpeopletolivehappierlives,weneedto changethissocietyofdistrust.Weneedtofixthemodernbelievability crisis.
Contrarytohowitmayseem,thisisnotjustacorporateproblem tofix.Itcannotbeusversusthem.DaleCarnegieinfluencedsomany peopletoreshapetheirviewsoftheworldandimprovethemselves becausehisbooksandtrainingcoursesfocusedontheintersectionof businessandlife.
Therehasneverbeen amoreimportanttimeto focusonthisintersection. Ifwecouldcreatemore humancompanies,demand morehumanpoliticiansand rewardthemosthumanideas,wecouldstarttofixthiscrisis.
Whenpeoplechange,governments,companies,andinstitutions changewiththem.
Nomatterifyouareanentrepreneur,employee,leader,neighbor orcommunitymember—therealquestionishowcanyoubuildmore believablerelationshipsinaneraofdistrust?
Weseetheproblemclearly.NowinChapter2,wewillfocuson answeringthisquestion,startingwithhowtonavigatesomethingIcall the‘‘likeabilitygap.’’
CHAPTER1IN60SECONDS #BELIEVABILITYCRISIS#LIKEONOMICS • Forallhistory,rulersandgovernmenthaveusedcommunicationstoinfluence people.
• Inthegoldenageofadvertising,MadisonAvenuemadepropagandamore commonplace.
• The‘‘massperceptionprinciple’’meantthatmoremoney = betterperception.
• Businessandcapitalismwereseenasthebadguystryingtocorruptus.
• Asaresult,trustinallinstitutionshasreachedanall-timelow.
• Themodernbelievabilitycrisismeanspeoplearelesslikelytotrustanyoneor anything.
• Thisdistrustisfueledbyfourfactors:actuallies,facelessness,volume,and consumerprotection.
• Wemustfixthisforbusinessestosucceed,economiestorebound,and peopletolivehappierlives.
• Whenpeoplechange,companiesandgovernmentschangewiththem.
(continued )
18 Likeonomics (continued )
KeyTakeaway:Wearelivinginasocietyofdistrustwherethe modern believabilitycrisis makesithardertoinfluenceanyonetodoanything. Inorderforbusinessestosucceed,economiestorebound,andpeople tobuildmoretrustedrelationships,thisisacrisisthatweneedtosolve immediately.
Timing In1855,aScottishclergymannamedJamesGallhadanideathatshould havechangedeverymapevercreated,butdidn’t.Itwasfouryears beforeCharlesDarwinwouldpublishhis OriginofSpecies,andGallwas presentinghisworld-changingideaataGlasgowmeetingoftheBritish AssociationfortheAdvancementofScience.Theworldhelivedinhad longsinceevolvedfromthepointwherepeoplethoughtEarthwasflat.
Themostcommonlyusedmapofthetimewasknownasthe Mercatormapandwasoriginallydevelopedtohelpsailorstonavigate theoceanandreachtheirdestinations.Ithadbeenusedforhundredsof years.Therewasonlyoneproblem ... itwaswrong.
Intakingasphericalglobeandprojectingitontoaflatpiece ofpaper,thesizesofthelandmassesweredistorted.Greenland,for example,lookedhugewhileAfricaappearedmuchsmaller.Inreality, Africa’slandmasswasnearly13timesthesizeofGreenland.Gall’s theorycorrectedthis‘‘projectionproblem’’andadjustedthesizeofthe landmasses—butitwastooradicalforhistime.Heandhismapwere widelyignored,andwouldbeforgottenoverthenextthirtyyears.
Then,in1885,thefirstinauguralissueof TheScottishGeographical Magazine wassettobepublished.Resolvedtogiveitonemoretry, Gallnamedhistheorythe‘‘GallOrthographicProjection’’andwrote anarticleaboutitforthemagazine(seeFigure8.1).Whenpublished,it unfortunatelymetwiththesamefateasbeforeandwasquicklydismissed. WhatdidareverendfromScotlandknowofcartographyanyway?Time andhistorywouldforgetGallandhismapprojectionagain—thistime fornearly100years,untilsomethinginterestinghappenedin1974.
Likeonomics Figure8.1Gall’sOrthographicProjection
Source:TheScottishGeographicalMagazine (April1885):120.
Thatyear,aGermanhistoriannamedArnoPetersproposedan almostidenticalideathathehaddevelopedindependentlywithout knowingofGall’swork.Hisprojectedmap,though,appearedtobe nearlythesameasGall’s,andwasbasedonsimilarcalculationsoflongitudeandlatitude.Peters’map(which he calledthe‘‘Petersprojection map’’)wasintroducedatamuchdifferenttimeinhistory.
In1974,theworldwasconsumedbythepromiseofracialand politicalequality.Peoplehadlivedthroughtwoworldwars,numerous revolutions,andraceandgenderrightswerehottopics.ThePeters projectionmapwasseentoofferasymbolofhopeandredemptionfor culturesaroundtheworldthathadbeencolonizedbyWesternnations. ItbecameasymboloftheskewedworldviewthatmanyWestern countriesstillheldtowardtherestofthedevelopingworld.Iteven foundsomeadvocatesintheWesternworlditself.
Overthenextdecadeandahalf,controversyandintensedebate followedthemapeverywhere.TheformerChancellorofWestGermany WillyBrandtusedthemapasasymboloftheequalityofnations.The mapwascirculatedamongregionalofficesoftheUnitedNationsand otherglobalorganizationstobedisplayedonthewall.Gall’soriginal mapidea,meanwhile,hadresurfacedthankstohispublishedarticle,
Timing andcartographersstartedreferringtothenewcombinedmapasthe ‘‘Gall-PetersProjectionmap’’—thenameitisknownbytoday. Despitethecontroversyandpoliticalpressurekeepingitfrom widespreadadoption,themaphasneverreallydied.Overthethree decadessinceitwasintroduced,themaphasbeenfeaturedinthe Americanserialdrama TheWestWing andoftenusedbymilitary strategistThomasBarnettonC-SPAN.In1990itevenledagroup ofthemostrespectedgeographicorganizationsintheworldtoissuea recommendationto‘‘stronglyurgebookandmappublishers,themedia andgovernmentagenciestoceaseusingrectangularworldmapsfor generalpurposesorartisticdisplays.’’
Today,whilethePetersprojectionmapisnotconsideredthestandard,ithasbeencreditedbyacademicandcreatorof TheHistoryofCartographyProject J.BrianHartleywithsparkingtheglobaldebatearound thepoliticalimplicationsofmapsandcartography.Gall,meanwhile,is onlyrememberedceremoniouslyinthemergednameofthemap.
Whydidtwomenwithalmostidenticalideashavesuchdiffering levelsofsuccesswhenintroducingtheirrespectiveideastotheworld? ThereasonPeterswasabletosucceedatgettingworldwiderecognition andinspireaninternationaldebatewhileGallwaslargelyforgottenisall abouttheimportanceoftiming,anditexplainsalotmorethanjustthe historyofcartography.
TheMostCreativeLunchinHistory Inthefallof1994,MicrosoftwasmomentsawayfrombuyingPixar. Yes,youreadthatright.Itwasayearbeforethefirst ToyStory movie wasreleased,andPixarwasbleedingmoney. ToyStory wasrunning$6 millionoverbudgetandSteveJobshadalreadyputnearly$50million ofhisownmoneyintoPixar.Itseemedlikealostcause.Desperateto salvageanypartofhisinvestment,Jobshadtoldhisteamtospeakwith anyinterestedbuyers.
NathanMyhrvoldwasinterested.AsMicrosoft’stechnologyevangelist,hisjobwastoseekoutnewandpromisingtechnology.Pixarhad somethingthateasilyfitthebill.Inordertocreatethecomplexgraphics requiredfortheirupcomingfilm,theyhadbuiltanextremelyadvanced 3Dgraphicdesignsoftwarecalled PhotoRealisticRenderMan,or PRMan forshort.
134 Likeonomics PRManwastheperfectsoftwaretohelpWindowsprogramspower higherendgraphics,andMyhrvoldwasreadytosignadeal.AsthePixar teampreparedforthemeeting,theypulledtogetheroneofthefirst completedscenesfromtheyet-to-be-completed ToyStory filmtoshare withMyhrvoldaswell.Thescenewasthemarchofthegreenarmy menandtheirropedropfromthesecondfloor.Theplanwastouse thissneakpeekasachancetotryandgetMyhrvoldinterestedinbuying thestudioarmofPixaraswellasthePRMansoftware.Unfortunately, hedidn’tbite.
Filmmakingwasn’treallyMicrosoft’scorebusiness.Hejustwanted PRMan.ItwasJobs,however,whowouldpullbackfromthenegotiationsabruptlyanddecidenottosellanything.AsPixaremployeePam Kerwinwouldlaterrecall,‘‘Stevekindofjerkedbackbecause,Ithink, therewassomethingvisceralinhimthatsaid,‘Thisisgoingtobereally stupendous.’’’1
ItturnedouthisinstinctswererightandPixarwouldgoonto becomethemostsuccessfulanimatedfilmcompanyinhistory.What Jobsdidn’tknowwasjustafewmonthsearlier,toplanforthefuture, thePixaranimationteamhadwhatmayhavebeenthemostcreative lunchinhistory.
Theiranimatorswereputtingthefinishingtoucheson ToyStory, andasmallgroupincludingdirectorJohnLassiterandothercreative teammembersweregatheringtotalkaboutwhatshouldcomenext. Duringthatlunch,theycameupwithalistofnewmovieconceptsthat wouldeventuallyinspirethreemoreblockbusterPixarfilms: ABug’s Life, MonstersInc.,and WALL-E .Together,thesefilmswouldgross$2.2 billionattheboxofficeandbenominatedfor15AcademyAwards.
ThestoryoftheneardeathandmeteoricriseofPixarisafavorite ofmineforseveralreasons.Itincludeseverythingfromthetriumph ofcreativitytothebirthofanentireindustryofcomputer-generated animationthatwouldleadtosomeofthemostentertainingfilmsofthe pasttwodecades.
Morethananythingelse,though,itisastoryofthepowerofhaving therighttiming.Theinspirationfor10yearsoffilmmakinghappened overalunchmeeting.Thefleetingmomentwhenacriticalpieceof PixarwasalmostsoldtoMicrosoftwasalsoallaboutthepivotaltiming ofdecidingtostaythecourseorsellthecompany.
TimingIsEverything Everythingfromfindingtheloveofyourlifetolaunchingthenext world-changingstartupcomesdowntohavingtherighttiming.When powerfulideasoramazingproductsfail,itisoftenasaresultofhaving thewrongtiming.Timingissoimportant,infact,thattherearea growingnumberofbusinessandacademicexpertswhoarededicating theircareertostudyingitsimportance.
ProfessorStuartAlbertisoneoftheleadingacademicmindsfocused onstudyingtiming,andiscurrentlywritingabookonthetopic.From thetimingofmusictowhytimingmattersforbusiness,heisoneofa handfulofacademicexpertslookingathowandwhytimingmattersso much.DuringavisittotheWaitoManagementSchoolinNewZealand, hesharedaninterestingobservationfromhisresearch,‘‘IfSaddamHusseinhadunderstoodtheimportanceoftimingstrategy,hewouldhave wonthefirstPersianGulfwar.’’
Bylookingatthousandsofexamplesoftimingmistakes,heisbuildingacompellingcasefortheimportanceoftiming.Thebigquestion hisbookwilllikelyfocusonishowpeoplecandoatiminganalysis inrealtime,andfigureoutthebesttimingtodosomethingmore quickly.Someplaceshavefiguredoutthepatternsearly.Theentertainmentindustry,forexample,hasamethodcommonlyknownaspairing totryandmanufacturetherighttimingtolaunchanewshow.
Pairingdescribesthepracticeofplacinganewtelevisionshow directlybeforeorafterahittelevisionshowsothatanetworkcan capitalizeonanexistingaudiencetolaunchthenewshow.When Friends firstdebutedin1994,itwasplacedinthecoveted8p.m. Thursdaytimeslot,rightbefore Seinfeld .Themoveiswidelyseenasthe mainreasonwhytheshowwasabletotakeoffsoquicklyandbecome oneofthemostpopularsitcomsintelevisionhistoryfor10successful seasons.
Itturnsoutthattheentertainmentindustryactuallyoffersaperfect environmentfromwhichtostudytheimportanceoftimingnotonly becausecreatingsuccessfulentertainmentislargelybasedontheright timing,butalsobecausetimingissuchanimportantelementofcomedy thatTVshowshavebeenfakingitfordecades,thankslargelytoaman namedCharleyDouglass.
136 Likeonomics HowSweeteningChangedTelevisionHistory Inanindustryknownforitssecrecywhileaprojectisindevelopment, CharleyDouglasswasparanoidevenbyHollywoodstandards.The factthatveryfewpeopleknewanythingaboutthemysteriousformer CBSsoundstudioengineerwassurprising,consideringheworkedwith almosteverytelevisionproducercreatingshowsbetweenthelate1950s andearly1970s.
Duringhisearlydaysasasoundengineer,Douglasswascalledupon toinsertbitsoflaughterintoprogramsatspotsthatseemedappropriate. Overtime,hebegantocreatehisownlibraryofaudiencelaughterand finallycreatedhisown laffbox designedtoaddasoundtrackoflaughter toprograms.Onhisdevice,hecouldchooselaughsbylength,style, gender,andage,andusedover300laughsrecordedon32tapeloops. Whenworkingwithproducers,hewouldgettheideasonwherelaughs weretobeinserted,andthenworksecretlyonsweeteningtheprogram byaddinginlaughs.
Hisworkwascontroversial,asnoproduceroractorwantedto admittheiraudiencewouldn’tautomaticallyknowwheretolaugh withoutthebenefitofthesweetening,butthenumbersdidn’tlie. Showsthatincludedtheinsertedlaughswerehits,andthosethatchose toskipitfailedquickly.By1976,whentelevisionstartedusingstereo sound,thereweremanyotherplayerscreatinglaughtracksandthe practicewastheretostay.Whywerethemanufacturedlaughsso important?
Theyweretimingcues,andhelpedpeoplewatchingaTVprogram athometoknowwhentheyshouldlaugh.Ifyoutookaprogramthat hadalaughtrackandwatchedittodaywithouttheaddedlaughs,it wouldsoundcompletelyoddandnotfunny.Thelaughtrackshave becomesuchanexpectedpartofthetimingfortheprogramsthatwe arequiteliterallyunabletoenjoycertainshowswithoutit.
Buthowimportantisthisheritageofmanufacturedtiminginanew worldwherewehavemorecontroloverwhenwedocertainactivities thaneverbefore?
OurTime-ShiftedCulture
WhenIwasingradeschool,therewerebasicallytwokindsofstandardizedtests:theoneswhereyouansweredeveryquestioninorder,
Timing andtheoneswhereyoucouldskipahardquestionandcomebacktoit later.Thatwasabouttheclosestyoucouldgetinschooltocontrolling howyouspentyourowntime.
Theadultworldformuchofthepastcenturywasn’tthatdifferent. Youhadyourworkingtime,whichgenerallymeantninetofivefor mostpeople,andthenyourweekendsoff.Therewereexceptions,of course,butmostpeoplefollowedthepattern.
Today,weliveinatime-shiftedculturewhereyoucanmove everythingwhenyoueattoteleworkingfromanywheretochoosing whenyouwatch,read,orskimyourmedia.Considerthefollowing:
•AppslikeReadItLaterandInstapaperletyoufindandsavearticlesfor readingwhenyouarereadytopayattentionandreadthem.
•DVRsletuspause,rewind,andsavelivetelevisiontowatchatour ownconvenience.
•AservicecalledTimetosignoffevenoffersacuratedservicetoprepare anightlye-mailwithallthenewsfromthedayandremindersof thingsthatyoumissed.
•Customerservicehappensonallchannels(includingsocialmediaas wellasphone)andisexpectedtobeavailable24/7.
•Entirejobsarebeingdoneatvarioustimesofthedayandteleworking hasbeenrisinginpopularityforthepastseveralyears.
Withallofthiscontrolthatwenowhaveoverthetimewespend doingalmostanything,theimportanceoftimingisevenmorecritical withregardtowhatwechoosetobelieveandwhatwedon’t.One industrythatthisespeciallymattersisretail.
GiltandLuxurywithanExpiration Allyouhavetodoissaytheword time-share toinspirefeelingsofanger andrevulsionamongsthundredsofthousandsoftravelerswhohave sufferedthroughhigh-pressuresalespresentationsaboutbuyingshares inapropertyinanexoticlocation.Isitanysurprisethatmostofus hatetheexperienceofbeingstuckinanawkwardhigh-pressuresales situationforsomethingthatmostofushavenodesiretobuy?
TheLittleRedBookofSelling isoneofthemostpopularbookson salesever.AuthorJeffreyGitomerhasamantrathatherepeatsoften: Peopledon’tliketobesold,buttheylovetobuy.Sowhatifthat
138 Likeonomics high-pressure,time-drivensalesapproachthatbackfiressooftenfor time-sharesandgymmembershipscouldbetransformedintoapositive experienceinstead?
Ifanyonehascrackedthatcode,itmaybetheteamatGilt.com, oneofthemostpopularecommercesiteslaunchedoverthepastfive years.Giltisaluxuryretailerthatsellshigh-endproductsatdiscounted (butnotridiculousmust-be-fake)rates.Thepressureintheexperience comesfromaninterestingtwist.Onceyouaddanyitemtoyour shoppingcart,youonlyhave10minutestocompleteyourpurchase. Dealsareannounceddailythroughe-mailsthataresenttomembersat noon,exactly,andmanyproductsselloutwithinminutes.Fiftypercent ofGilt’sdealrevenueisgeneratedinthefirsthourafterasalestarts.
Onmobiledevices,theperformanceisevenbetter.Manyconsumers launchthemobileappjustsecondsaftergettinganotificationfromGilt ofanewsale.From2009to2010,Gilt’srevenuerosefrom$170million to$425million,accordingto InternetRetailer magazine.
WhydoesGilt’shigh-pressuresalestacticworkwhereitwould backfireinsomanyotherindustries?Whattheyhaveuncoveredis thatthereisanemotionalthrillthatcomesalongwithfindingthe rightproductimmediately.Theyareoneofthefewretailersthathave managedtocapturethethrillofanimpulsebuywithhigherpricedluxury items.Moreimportantly,thesiteisalivingexampleofhowpowerful amotivatortimingcanbeintherightcontext.
TheRiseofShopperMarketing Whenitcomestotheretailmarket,brandshavebeenstudyingthe roleoftiminginhowpeoplemakebuyingdecisionsforalongtime. Procter&Gamble(P&G)hasbeenoneofthemostaggressive,using extensiveresearchonconsumerbehaviortodriveeverythingfrom productpackagingtoitsplacementonretailshelves.In2005,P&G isolatedaconsumershoppingmoment,whichtheycalledthe‘‘first momentoftruth.’’Itreferredtothethree-toseven-secondwindowof timewhenaconsumernoticesaproductonastoreshelf.
Accordingtotheirresearch,thiswasthemostcrucialmomentof theentirebuyingprocess.Moreinterestingly,itwasnotamomentthat P&G’shugespendsontelevisionadvertisingweredirectlyimpacting. Instead,itwasallaboutthein-storeretailexperience.Encouraged,P&G
Timing wenttotheirpartnersandsharedthisinsighttoaskthemtothinkabout howtobettermarkettothefirstmomentoftruth,orFMOT,asthey calleditforshort.
P&GhiredadirectorofFMOTandcreateda15-persondepartment attheirheadquartersinCincinnati,Ohio,tomanagetheinitiativeacross alltheirbrands.Severaladvertisingagencieshavealsocreatedentire divisionsforin-storemarketinganddevotedexpertstothinkingabout FMOT.Eachyear,thepercentageofadvertisingspendingfrombig brandsthatgoestowardin-storepromotionsor shoppermarketing ,asitis oftencalled,goeshigherandhigher.
ResearchconductedbyArbitronInc.,amediaresearchfirm,notes thatshoppersaremorelikelytorecallanadseeninamallthanoneseen athome.2 Whilepeopleareinfluencedintheactualstore,thetiming ofretailpromotionsalsoplaysaheavypartinthesuccessofretailers. Afterthe2011November/Decemberholidayseason,accordingtoan articleinthe SanFranciscoChronicle,Gap,Target,andKohl’sreported disappointingsame-storesalesaftermistimingpromotionsorrunning outofinventoryduringtheholidayshoppingseason.3
Whenitcomestohowwebuyproductsandservices,thefactis thattimingmaybethemostimportantqualityofall.Whatmakesthis pointevenmoresignificantisthatthisall-importantfirstmomentof truthisn’tjusthappeninginthestoreanymore.Infact,accordingto Google,itmaynot ever happeninthestoreanymore.
GoogleZMOT Ifanycompanywereinapositiontotellusabouthowpeoplemake purchasingdecisions,itwouldbeGoogle.Thecompanypowersthe mostwidelyusedsearchengineontheplanetandhasastatedmission tohelporganizetheworld’sinformation.Theyhaveavestedinterest inlookingatthescienceofhumanbehaviouraswell,consideringover 90%ofthecompany’srevenuecomesthroughtheirsuiteoftoolsfor advertisers.
WhenGoogle’steamlookedattheworkofP&Gandstudied theideaofFMOT,though,somethingdidn’tseemquiteright.Their datasuggestedthatmostconsumersweren’tseeinganadandgoing straightintoaretailstoretoconsiderpurchasingandthenbuytheitem. Therewasanintermediatestep,andthatstephadeverythingtodo
Likeonomics Figure8.2TheZeroMomentofTruth Source: WinningtheZeroMomentofTruth,Google,Inc.,2011.
withthewebandwithGoogleitself.Google’sVicePresidentofSales JimLecinskidescribedthisasa‘‘grabbing-the-laptopmoment’’inan ebookheauthoredonGoogle’sviewoftheimportanceoftimingin retailandsomethingtheycalledthe ZeroMomentofTruth (ZMOT)(see Figure8.2).
ZMOTwastherealfirststeppeopletookanytimetheysawanad orabillboard,orsomeonewalkingdownthestreetwithaproductthey liked. Iwonderwhereshegotthathandbag? ZMOT. IsthisBurgerKing theclosestfastfoodoristhereaTacoBellaroundthecorner? ZMOT. This restaurantmenulooksgood,buthowdoIknowforsure? ZMOT.
Foranydecisionfromlookingforanewhousetobuyingballpoint pens,Lecinskiwroteinhisebook,‘‘Thebuyingdecisionjourneyhas changed.’’Thankstovastamountsofinformationandreviewsonthe web,aswellasbettermobiletechnologythatallowsustogetthatinformationmuchfaster,themomentwhenthebuyingdecisionismadeis fundamentallyshifting.
Theconclusionofthereportwasclear.Foranyonesellingorbuying anything,timingiscritical;becauseifyoudon’treachaconsumerexactly atthatmomentwhentheyneedtheinformationthatwillinfluence theirpurchasingprocess,youwilllosethesale.
WhyTimingIsSoTough ThereareonlyafewexampleslikeGilt.comwherethetimingis perfectandthewholesystemworks.Inmostcases,themainproblems withtimingisthatitisveryhardtogetitrightforfourimportant reasons:
1. Audiencescanrequiredifferenttiming. Sometimeswhenyou aretryingtoinfluencepeopletobelievesomething,thetimingcan varyfrompersontoperson.Thismakesitveryhardtodelivera messageorapointofviewthatwillinfluencemultiplepeopleatthe rightmoment.
2. Timingishardtoestimateinthemoment. Thereisareason whypeoplesayhindsightis20/20,andpartofitisbecauseoftiming. Itisveryhardsometimestounderstandwhetheryouareintheright momenttomakesomethinghappenorifyouneedtowait,because youdon’thavethebenefitofperspectiveortimetoanalyzethe situation.Asaresult,mostofusmakesnapjudgmentsanddothe bestwecanwithwhatwe’vegot.
3. Sometimestimingcanchangeinstantly. Relatedtothelast point,sometimestherightmomentcancomeupquicklyand withoutwarning.Itmeansthatyouneedtobeflexibleenough toactinanunexpectedmoment,beforeanopportunityisquickly lost.
4. Obvioustimingcancreatemorecompetition. Planningforthe rightmomentcanberelativelyobvious,andthereforecreatemore competition.Everypoliticianisgoingtoadvertiseinthe48hours beforeavote.Itdoesn’tmakeitthewrongtiming,butsometimes theidealtimingforyourmessagewillalsobetheidealtimingfor yourcompetition—makingittoughertostandout.
Morethananythingelse,havingtherighttimingcanoftenbea matterofexperienceorinstincttobeabletospottherightmoment tomakesomethinghappen.Thisdoesn’tmeanthatyouneedtoresign yourselftohopingyougetlucky,though.There is awaytothinkabout timingthatcanhelpyoufindtherightmomentsmoreconsistentlythan yourcompetition.
TheThreeElementsofTiming Likeonomics Principle:
Timing Habitual Connection
Necessary Urgency Current Events
WhentheUnitedNationsSummitonClimateChange,whichwas profiledinChapter5,wascomplete,criticswhoweredisappointed withtheresultspointedtoalackofurgencyasacriticalreasonwhythe talkshadstalled.Whenitcomestotiming,havingabuilt-insenseof urgencyiscrucialasthefirstelement,becauseitletspeopleknowthat somethingisimportantinthemomentwhenyouaretryingtoinfluence themtocare.
Necessary
Habitual Current Urgency Connection Events
Thefirstelementin gettingtimingrightis havingabuilt-in senseofurgencysoit isclearthatsomeone needstoactorpay attention inthe moment thatmatters.
Inanyactivity,there isarangeofbehaviors thatpeoplego through.Thebest timingwillconnect yourmessageoridea totherighthabit, whichthepeopleyou aretryingtoinfluence arealreadydoing.
Thereareplentyof externalfactorsthat caninfluencegetting timingright,and linkingsomethingto currenteventsnot onlyhelpswith relevance,butalsois animportantpart ofmakingtiming work.
Timing Ifthefocusofrelevanceisgettingsomeonetocarerightnow,the valueofhavingtherighttimingisthatitcanhelpto makeiturgent HarvardProfessorJohnKotteriswidelyknowninbusinesscirclesas the changeguru.His18booksandcareerofwritingandthinkinghave influencedhowcompaniesofallsizesmanagetheprocessofchange. In1996,hepublishedhismostwell-knownbook, LeadingChange.In it,hefirstdescribedhissignatureeight-stepprocessforimplementing successfultransformations.Steponeinthatprocesswasalwaystocreate asenseofurgency.‘‘Withoutasenseofurgency,’’heshared,‘‘people won’tgivethatextraeffortthatisoftenessential.’’4
Buturgencyaloneisnotenough.Inordertobuildonhavinga senseofurgency,youalsoneedtogetascloseasyoucantoaquality thatmayseemimpossibletoplanfor:luck.Often,whenpeopledescribe havingtherighttimingforrealizinganopportunityorjustbeingin therightplaceattherighttime,theyusetheword luck todescribe theeffect.AsmuchasImightwishforamagicbuttontobeable topredictandcreateluck,theprobabilityofthateveroccurringis unlikely.
Instead,youcanputyourselfinsituationswhereyouare morelikely tohaveluckhappentoyou,whichleadstothesecondelementof timing:creatingahabitualconnection.Habitisapowerfulforcethat explainsmuchofwhatwedoonasubconsciouslevelwithouteven thinkingaboutit.Greattimingmeansconnectingwiththehabitspeople alreadyhave.
Thefinalelementhaseverythingtodowiththeworldaroundyou, andthecurrenteventsinit.ItisacommonlensthatPRpeopleuse whentheyconsiderhowtopitchastorytoareporter.In2011,PR guruDavidMeermanScottcoinedtheterm newsjacking todescribea methodofPRwhereyoupayattentiontothelargeststoriesinthenews mediaandthenfindawaytohijackthatstorybyaddinganotherontop ofit.
Whileitmayseemopportunistic—thisisultimatelythepoint. Sometimeshavingtherighttimingmeanstakingthechancewhenit comes.Ultimately,though,timingissoimportanttowhetheryou areabletobebelievableornotthatitcaneasilymeanthedifference betweensuccessandfailure.
CHAPTERSUMMARY THREETHINGSTOREMEMBERABOUTTIMING 1.Thebestideassometimesfailbecauseofbadtiming.Inthisway,timingcan bethesecretingredientthatexplainsunexpectedsuccess,orunexpected failure.
2.Whiletimingusedtobeasetvariable(youeitherhaditoryoudidn’t), thishaschangedwithtoday’stime-shiftingculture.Now,peoplecanshift experiencestohavethemattimesmoreconvenienttothem,whichhas madetimingmoreimportantthanever.
3.Abigpartoftiminghastodowithrelatingsomethingtotheworldaroundit. ThisisthesameprincipleattheheartofeffectivePReffortswhenamessage relatestostoriesthatarealreadybeingwrittenonatopic.
