History buffs out there know how effective President Roosevelt\u2019s foreign policy approach became. \u201cSpeak softly and carry a big stick, then you will go far\u201d meant that the US was well prepared for battle, but chose the path of diplomacy and a strategy of \u2018hearts & minds;\u2019 resorting to the use of force only once absolutely necessary. This served to turn adversaries into friends and paved the way for years of US global clout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In communicating with your audience, a well-crafted indication of your full capabilities \u2013 rather than an over-the-top showy display \u2013 activates their imagination. Turn this activation into a memory and you create affinity. And affinity is gold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In managing a team, allowing employees to develop, contribute, and shine individually promotes productivity, which reflects well upon their leadership and the company. In this case, any threat (or stick) remains entirely implicit. Failure, redundancy, replacement are realities for which plenty examples exist in the world. No need to hit them over the head with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rather, promote your team members\u2019 best qualities and reap the rewards. Case in point: Deloitte, a company featured by Forbes for its emphasis on developing rather than recruiting talent, was named the best management consulting team in 2019. Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Put in terms of marketing and advertising a product: An entertainment-based rather than fact-based commercial builds affinity and then loyalty. Applied to a sector in which products have few differentiating characteristics \u2013 like shampoo \u2013 the imagination is the key to brand loyalty. This ad from the late 90s illustrated this in selling men and women a shampoo totally devoid of recognizable USPs using only romance and humor. Click here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n