As managers go, perhaps the worst experiences are the hostile, resentful interactions we suffer through with people who are so burnt out they genuinely hate what they do. There's also the ego maniac who relishes their power and uses it to intimidate their minions on a daily basis. Less offensive but no more inspiring are the apathetic, I'm-here-but-don't-care managers who are so passionless they diminish our own passion as they lead by example.
This is an entrepreneurial book unlike any I've ever read before. If you're a business owner it's a refreshing approach to increasing your sales by captivating your customers. As I read an early release copy of Enchantment, it resonated so deeply I could feel it in the soles of my feet.
At its core Enchantment embraces a fairly straightforward concept: Be likable and people will support your idea.
While the premise to be likable is straightforward, It's not a simple formula to achieve likability. Enchantment asks us to:
- Have faith in others
- Understand how ethics create trustworthiness
- Think about the way we present ourselves to the world (both physically and through technology)
- Give consideration to the way we interact with others
- Let go or our egos because equal is more effective than holding oneself above
- Practice altruism, paying it forward
- Understand how reciprocation plays a vital role in how others respond to us
- Prepare to fail by using a pre-mortem to define areas of vulnerability
The book is a common sense, entrepreneurial guide that shows how being likable and treating people with respect and appreciation can make you irresistibly enchanting to those whose paths you cross. It will make people want to champion your product, company or cause. They will want to become your client, employee or friend. When you're enchanting, their initial rush of interest will grow, deepen and endure over time. And all of this is accomplished not through money, manipulation or deception, but by being authentic, helpful, trusting and kind.
Wow. What a concept.
Fortunately, for me, most of the principles Guy talks about are exactly how I've interacted with my clients and colleagues over the years. In fact reading Enchantment was a little creepy at times. It kind of felt like Guy had been following me around for the past decade or so, taking notes about my day to day life without my knowledge. LOL!
How did I learn how to be enchanting? First, from my parents who taught me to think about how my actions effect the people around me. I also spent almost 7 years working for one of the most enchanting companies of all time: Nordstrom.
While working at Nordstrom I learned just how much customer service matters. It isn't that the customer is always right, but rather that Nordstrom wanted their customers to always be happy and allowed us (their employees) the latitude to ensure it was possible to create that happiness using our best judgement. Where most companies had policies, Nordstrom focused on their goal to offer the best customer service, at all times. To me, the fact that Nordstrom was for decades the only retail chain whose name was synonymous with something as intangible as customer service illustrates how successful they were at being enchanting. Working there was an exceptional experience I didn't fully appreciate, until I became self employed and was able to segue what I learned there to my own company.
Fortunately my natural desire to please fit with Nordstrom's business model perfectly and over time (as I became older and wiser) I realized there was a way, using empathy and communication skills, to make people happy while not allowing myself to be bullied or taken advantage of. For instance, shortly after I offered a less than enchanting client their money back to go away for being too entitled and verbally abusive towards me, we became friends. They apologized, I finished the order and we came to an understanding. It was wonderful. What could have been the end became the beginning of a more authentic relationship. To me, the fact that they didn't walk away, that was achieving enchantment.
Fortunately, for me, most of the principles Guy talks about are exactly how I've interacted with my clients and colleagues over the years. In fact reading Enchantment was a little creepy at times. It kind of felt like Guy had been following me around for the past decade or so, taking notes about my day to day life without my knowledge. LOL!
Companies that have enchanted me: Chipotle, Apple Inc., Dogster, The People of Burning Man, Miette Bakery and Narayanan Krishnan founder of Akshya Trust
How did I learn how to be enchanting? First, from my parents who taught me to think about how my actions effect the people around me. I also spent almost 7 years working for one of the most enchanting companies of all time: Nordstrom.
While working at Nordstrom I learned just how much customer service matters. It isn't that the customer is always right, but rather that Nordstrom wanted their customers to always be happy and allowed us (their employees) the latitude to ensure it was possible to create that happiness using our best judgement. Where most companies had policies, Nordstrom focused on their goal to offer the best customer service, at all times. To me, the fact that Nordstrom was for decades the only retail chain whose name was synonymous with something as intangible as customer service illustrates how successful they were at being enchanting. Working there was an exceptional experience I didn't fully appreciate, until I became self employed and was able to segue what I learned there to my own company.
Fortunately my natural desire to please fit with Nordstrom's business model perfectly and over time (as I became older and wiser) I realized there was a way, using empathy and communication skills, to make people happy while not allowing myself to be bullied or taken advantage of. For instance, shortly after I offered a less than enchanting client their money back to go away for being too entitled and verbally abusive towards me, we became friends. They apologized, I finished the order and we came to an understanding. It was wonderful. What could have been the end became the beginning of a more authentic relationship. To me, the fact that they didn't walk away, that was achieving enchantment.
Beyond business, I think if you allow yourself to be enchanted by life, you'll be enchanting whenever you talk to anyone about anything.
Guy asks: "Want to change the world? Change caterpillars into butterflies? This takes more than run of the mill relationships. You need to convince people to dream the same dream that you do."
This book will show you how to launch an "Enchantment" campaign to help guide others to dream the dream you dream and support you in it while you help them reach their dreams too.
The Flirty Guide is my dream. It's a positive and uplifting experience that embraces and supports creativity, ethics, compassion and diversity. My hope is you'll find The Flirty Guide and Blog so enchanting and irresistible that you'll drop back by again and again to meet the people, places, causes and companies that have enchanted me :)
Want to learn more?
CLICK HERE to Order "Enchantment" the Book
(ETA: My friend let me know that the book is also on iBooks for $12.99)
CLICK HERE to Visit the Enchantment Website
CLICK HERE to Visit Enchantment on Facebook
Or watch this very informative and entertaining, hour long video of Guy, talking to a standing room only audience at Stanford University about public speaking, how he began his career and his new book Enchantment (beginning at 10:45) .
Disclosure: I was lucky enough to qualify for an early release copy of Enchantment, responding to an application I received as a member of the online, blog aggregation website "Alltop," a company in which Guy is a co-founder. The fact that I received the book for free has no bearing on my owning or reviewing Enchantment. Either way, I would have purchased a copy when it was released :)
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