Comments on: Movements have inspirational leadership.

By: tito mambo

tito mambo — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:44:25 +0000

Robbin,

After my response to your post, I realized I had forgotten to add a point (I am getting older and more forgetful).

I am on my second reading of “The Soul of the Corporation”. It is a recent book on the importance of company identity as a strategic tool. I believe it is a very useful work, and if you haven’t seen it already, you may want to give it a look.

Tito

By: BIG Kahuna

BIG Kahuna — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 22:18:38 +0000

I agree, he’s a much better marketer than McCain. Question is will he be a much better President?

By: Robbin

Robbin — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:48:12 +0000

Ah. Maybe there is another lesson learned. How can companies tap into on the energy, time, and idealism of “younger minded” customers and potential customers? Does it take a young motivational leader? Or a young minded point of view? Younger people start out with a change the world mentality. So do a lot of young, energetic companies. Helping companies find themselves AGAIN, getting them to revisit why they started out in the first place is powerful tool for growth. I have seen that at work. So, perhaps is not age exactly, but a mindset. I have seen many an anti-war advocate over 40 passionately spreading the word of peace to the world. I am rambling a bit, but I am excited about your point.

To your second point. I hear you — “what will Obama change American to” is on the minds of a lot of bright people. Honestly — while I am really still on the fence about him, I think Obama is demonstrating change — in how he talks to Americans, how he raises money — for goodness sake his wife is getting into the “change game” with her style of clothing.

I don’t claim political expertise. AT all. But I do think that the way Obama has embraced connecting with Americans is worth study on many, many levels.

By: tito mambo

tito mambo — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 02:24:55 +0000

While I think your conclusion is correct, I don’t think its a lesson that is demonstrated by Barack Obama. The “movement” that surrounds Obama is like many similar movements of the past: for example, the anti-war movement of the 60s and the civil rights movement. They depend greatly on the energy, time, and idealism of younger participants. Politics become movements when a young leader captures the attention of younger participants. Obama like King, RFK, and Eugene McCarthy were all 50 or younger when they lead their movements.
Worse yet, Obama has picked up the often used mantle of change, but has made no attempt to define what he proposes that America change to. Change means he is against something, not that he is for something (other than his own presidency).
I do agree that an important element of marketing success is a clarity of purpose that your customers care about. I just don’t think Obama gets us to that conclusion.

By: BIG Kahuna

BIG Kahuna — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 20:31:03 +0000

Good points, but just claiming an identity doesn’t make it so. Ask 10 people who they are voting for. If Obama is the favorite ask them why…they’ll say change right? But then ask them what he’s changing…

ah, er dunno. No war I guess? Obama has done a masterful job at promoting the “change” identity, problem is no one really knows what he means. And what he’s really going to change.

Now, I must disclose that I am and will always be a Republican. That said I’m happy to see Obama there, he’s likeable. If he wins we’ll see just how much he “changes”.

By: Movements have inspirational leadership. « my thoughts, exactly.

Movements have inspirational leadership. « my thoughts, exactly. — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:58:31 +0000

[...] Movements have inspirational leadership. Movements have inspirational leadership. [...]

By: Rusty

Rusty — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:55:15 +0000

Agreed. Absolutely. It’s what makes life, life. It changes work to passion.