I finished reading Made To Stick last week, which is fantastic and highly recommended for anyone who does anything creative, anything that requires communication, or anything related to sales (so… pretty much everyone). One of the biggest things that’s stuck with me is the bit about the core principle.
Basically, Chip and Dan Heath, the authors, have found that a lot of super successful companies are guided by an overarching, core principle. The principle needs to be simple enough and well defined enough that you can base any decision around it. One of the strongest examples is Southwest Airlines, whose core principle is to be “The Low-Fare Airline”.
It’s perfect: it could not be more simple or clear. If you’re running any department in Southwest, you don’t need to look at a manual or consult a superior to know what the right decision is. Say you’re in charge of on-board catering and you hear that your passengers would like some nicer food options, particularly a nice salad. You don’t need to set up a focus group, or get cost estimates, or run revenue projections. All you have to ask is “Will offering nice salads help us to be The Low-Fare Airline? The answer is no. Decision made.
There’s no reason to limit this to business though. In fact, not only can this be a powerful technique to improve whatever aspect of your personality you’d like, it can serve as a great motivator and procrastination killer. If you have a tendency to get distracted, stop yourself and ask if whatever distraction your engaged in is helping you to be “[Insert Core Principle]”.
- Identify Core Principle.
- Whenever you do something, ask “Is this helping me accomplish my core principle?”
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