Much of marketing talk lately is about hits, posts, clicks and search optimization. If you focus on these metrics too much, you may lose your audience completely. You should enchant them instead.
Recently, I was fortunate to receive an advance copy of a new book, Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions
You may say, "I know that name." Guy Kawasaki was previously the Chief Evangelist for Apple and this is his 10th book. You may also have been fortunate enough to hear him speak. My boss heard his presentation at a recent conference and was as excited as I am about what Guy has to say.
There are many ideas in this book that employees and job seekers can use to advance their careers.
Enchantment
Someone who is enchanted by you or something you've done will champion your cause. An interviewer wants to feel good about their decision. An enchanted interviewer will. What are you doing to enchant prospective employers?
Likeability
Enchant your boss, colleagues or that interviewer sitting across from you. Help them like you. Guy presents many common sense suggestions for increasing your likeability. It is too bad that these easy to understand and implement ideas get forgotten or ignored from time to time.
As you prepare, conduct a premortem
Instead of waiting until you've failed to figure out why, list the possible reason(s) you may fail before you start. Then you can minimize or eliminate them. The strong and effective candidate will confront their hurdles and weaknesses at the start of their transition and before an interview. You can use Guy's strategy of the premortem in your own transition.
Guy presents his ideas in a easy to follow, interesting, and conversational style. His examples and the stories at the end of each chapter further illustrate his ideas and what he means by enchantment.
If you wish to explore Enchantment further:
- Buy the book. See the other ideas that can help you in your transition or in your organization. Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions
- Photo contest. Five categories: kids, people, travel, vehicles, and pets. The prizes are five Nikon D3100s and one iPad. http://apps.facebook.com/enchantmentcontest/entries
- Web quiz. Online test so that people can determine how enchanting they are--most people score in the low teens. http://great.guykawasaki.com/
- Share what enchants you about your organization, the University or your life by submitting a comment below.
