Much ado is written about the ‘art of the story’ as it relates to your Brand, Market Share and Price/Value. This week, Ty Montague profiled Rob Walker in his HBR blog and seemingly moments later the story line showed up on Inc. Our story matters. It’s what gives a product value and makes one piece of art worth $8,000,000 while another is worth only $100–that’s what Rob Walker illustrates in Ty’s article. Ultimately people want a “richer,” more meaningful life and they are willing to pay for those products they can afford that will give them that life.
To be an effective and successful industry leader, we must always be examining our story. But when leading people, the question needs to shift. We must, as leaders, give the same consideration to the story of those we lead. So let me ask you: “What story does your
The reason some are willing to spend $400 on a toaster that toasts no better than a $20 model is because of the story it tells and the story THEY get to tell with their life as a result of the purchase. What story can your team tell about their life because they work with you? Beyond your product, what story do you tell about your people? Are your people able to value themselves like the $400 toaster? Or are they just a $20 model doing a mundane task? Do they derive their life’s meaning only from the parts of their life outside of their work, or do they experience a more meaningful life because of the work they do through your leadership?
The story was told of a western business guru touring an automobile manufacturing plant in Japan. On the tour he met a Janitor and inquired about this gentleman’s role in the plant only to be shocked by the reply: “I have the most important job in the plant,” said the janitor with great sincerity and humility. “How so?” inquired the westerner, thinking silently that surely the CEO or countless others have a more important role. “Look around,” said the man. “The machines, the assembly… everything here is run by computers. Dust is the enemy of computers. I,” said the man, “remove the dust, which keeps this place running without a glitch.”
It’s not the tasks we do, it’s the story we get to tell that matters to us. We all want to matter in a way that is meaningful to us. And our most important job as leaders is to help our people tell their story. And when we do, they become the most committed, creative, engaged, loyal and productive team imaginable – because they matter. And that raises the value of everything.
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