Why Enchant?

"Great products, services, organizations, and ideas are enchanting; crap is not."

So, why enchantment? When does it really count?

Obviously, you can’t enchant with just anything, but when you do possess an idea that will transform business, rock the status quo, or make the world a better place, than the more relevant enchantment becomes.

Guy says that the stakes rise when your idea, product, or service does any of the following:

• Defies conventionality, conformity, and wisdom of the crowd.
• Aspires to lofty, idealistic results.
• Requires making difficult, infrequent decisions to make a switch.
• Requires some risk to proceed when there’s delayed or nonexistent feedback.

Change is hard. Guy suggests using empathy to navigate for the missing link between you and the people you wish to enchant.

For example, during the 1980’s when IBM had dominated the business market, Apple was actually up against the status quo. Guy admits that while Apple deeply believed in the Macintosh’s power to boost productivity and creativity in this sector, Apple’s actual misstep was failing to understand what their potential customers were thinking or feeling at the time.

“…We underestimated the difficulty of altering corporate policies and overcoming the perception that the Macintosh was easy to use but wimpy in terms of raw computational power” (page 3).

You may believe deeply in your idea, but what about those on the receiving end? What are their current circumstances? What does it really take for them to shift from one entrenched habit to something radical and different?

Enchantment Depends On Character

"Step one is achieving likability, because jerks seldom enchant."

Guy argues that before you enchant, your likability must answer some important questions: Are you someone people would listen to? Are you the kind of company someone would prefer and enjoy? To create and co-create with?

He also presents a simple litmus test which can make, or break, your likability:

• Do you think of people in binary?
• Do you believe you’re superior than someone?
• Do you accept people’s similarities as well as their differences?
• Do you cut people a break?

Everyone is better than someone at something. People are more similar than they are different. We all have strengths and weaknesses. And the “bad qualities” people possess could be rooted in a complex past that’s beyond anyone else’s understanding.

Guy suggests handling people’s imperfections with grace. When you accept people for who they are, the people you’re trying to bond with will appreciate it. The journey of enchantment, creation, and co-creation becomes easier.

Trustworthiness also comes into play. Guy notes that even if people like you, it may not be enough for them to trust you. He reveals a wealth of compelling tips to practice, but the one tenet that requires serious ongoing effort is what he calls “menschdom,” with Mensch meaning “human being” in German.

Here are a few important pointers of menschdom:

• Trust others
• Always act with honesty
• Treat people who have wronged you with civility
• Allow people their moment (don’t interrupt or dismiss people’s ideas prematurely)
• Suspend blame when something goes wrong and instead ask, “What can we learn?”
• Hire people who are as smart, or smarter than you, and provide opportunities for growth
• Focus on goodwill and give people the benefit of the doubt.

Menschdom suggests that we must remember the humanity in other people, too.

Likability and trustworthiness are rooted in one’s character. Since enchantment is a process, it becomes harder to fake these aspects over time. Squeeze in any compromises or shortcuts, and Guy argues that you rack up points on the karmic scoreboard, inviting scrutiny and distrust in the eyes of those you’re trying to enchant.

Making Enchantment Endure

"The goal of enchantment is a long-lasting change -- not a onetime sale or transaction."

Ethical enchantment endures.

One element to help make it last is getting others to internalize your idea, vision, or values. This is the stage where they move from shared interests to conviction. From simply identifying with something to finally believing in it. Their inner feelings don’t conflict, and there’s no coercion or moral compromise needed.

Internalization is the deepest and most difficult level of enchantment, and while there are plenty of ways to set the stage for it, one of the most important tenets is building and nurturing an ecosystem. An ecosystem is another word for community, but there’s a difference between building an ecosystem with dynamic chemistry, over one that’s just stagnant and superficial.

In an ecosystem, people help each other and thrive. Everyone’s success is intertwined with one another. The key players in your ecosystem could consist of your advisors, supporters, evangelists, fans, user groups, websites, and blogs.

However, Guy asserts that when many organizations start to build an ecosystem, they have a tendency to dismantle it completely once any negative criticism arises.

“A healthy ecosystem is a long-term relationship, so an organization shouldn’t file for divorce at the first sign of marital discord” (page 107).

Instead, he suggests welcoming healthy discourse and criticism. The whole point of an ecosystem is to both nourish and improve your idea. It also shows that along with your relevance and success, you can also be transparent, human, and open to other ideas, too.

And lastly, have a cause that’s worthy of an ecosystem.

“It’s hard to build an ecosystem around mundane and mediocre crap, no matter how hard you try” (page 106).

Who are the key players in your ecosystem? Is it an environment where everyone is thriving under the banner of your idea? What can you do to improve the flow and energy between your key players?