There are mysteries happening in the world of business these days. We want something else by now. The business of business has to become more than business. We want to be able to identify ourselves with the brands we purchase and we want them to do good things. We want to feel cool because we buy stuff, and we don’t just want a shopping experience – we want an engagement with a company we can relate to.
Let me get back to “feeling cool” – if we want to feel cool, we might get the companies we buy from to support that. That’s why I am on a mission to make companies into rockbands.
Now when I say rockbands – I don’t mean the puke-y, drunky, nasty stuff that some people would highlight is also a part of rockbands. Therefore I have created my own word “rockband’ism”. This word is the definition of a childhood dream version of being in a rockband – the feeling of being more respected and loved and cool, than a cockroach or a suit on the floor of a company.
Rockband’ism
Rockband’ism is what we aspire to, to feel cool and happy.
So basically what I am arguing is that companies should look upon themselves as rockbands. Because the world has changed, so business needs to change as well.
I have listed a couple of things you could do today to become a rockband, as a person or as a company.
1 – Give your support to companies that make a difference to their surroundings – if you are buying electronics look up what the electronic producers are doing of good in the world (check out the Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics).
2 – Implement good karma in your everyday life (and do well by doing good). What you give out you get back at some point in some shape – this can also be implemented for business.
3 – WWRD? – “what would a rockband do”? or if you are into Kenny Rogers – what would he do in any given situation? This will also show yourself where your business or personal integrity lies because you actually act as a person or a rockband you admire.
4 – Start leading instead of managing – If we can measure stuff why should we manage it? Leadership is key here instead of management. When you lead you tell people how to reach the stars, when you manage you keep them on the ground.
5 – Respect and confide in, that people are the best at what they do. If they aren’t, they won’t be around for long. If they are and you keep on buggin’ them, they won’t be around for long either.
6 – Don’t be arrogant – Because audiences can’t stand it – talk to people as a person not as a company.
7 – Focus on your return on involvement – know that you get a return on, what you involve yourself in. No matter if it’s bingo, communities, talks, ornithology or un-conferences.
8 – Find out where you can make a difference and do it. Don’t leave it up to everybody else to save the world.
9 – Find out what you can do to become an authentic, trustworthy and remarkable company. Maybe you could even think about this a lot and make these thoughts into an actionplan.
10 – Last but not least – if you’re not happy – do something else, become another type of rockband, maybe a soloist of a sort, or an orchestra.
No more business as usual
This really isn’t time for more business as usual, our environment (digital, natural, work or any other kind of environment) is changing. You are going to have to change too.
This article actually sprang from a talk I did at the Shift08 conference in Lisbon in October. In addition to this article for 24 ways I have turned the talk into an eBook that you can get on Toothless Tiger Press for free.
May you all have a sustainable and great Christmas full of great moments with your loved ones. December is a month for gratitude, enjoyment and love.
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07/12/2008
I totally agree, companies and even some designers (once myself) try to be to corporate. I changed that with some re branding from AquaWebSolutions to my actual name. Acting like I was a team when it was only me.
The reason I DID it was cause people would look at me and think… Uhh, ye um you? I’ll get an agency, sorry.
Even if my work stood up pretty well against theirs.
But like you said times have changed and so have I ;)
Lovely post
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07/12/2008
I like the 4th point
“Start leading instead of managing – If we can measure stuff why should we manage it? Leadership is key here instead of management. When you lead you tell people how to reach the stars, when you manage you keep them on the ground.”
You rock!
Worth reading
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11/12/2008
Couldn’t agree more!
I’ve been thinking about this a lot, actually wrote a blog post about it a year or so ago (http://jarkkolaine.com/2007/06/09/why-bands-rock-harder-than-teams/).
I find that being in a rock band rather than a standard business would be much more liberating and exciting for the team members too, and not only great for the customers. We are a generation that wants something to believe in (like every other generation before us, I suppose), and we could be the ones to turn business into just that.
We have the power to make business into more than just money making machines. By doing the steps you list, and changing the world one step at the time.
Great post!
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12/12/2008
Rockband’ism – Where to start hey? The term you’ve coined seems to be floating round the Twitterverse, maybe you should look to add it to one of the many online dictionaries ;-)
A number of the points you raised are likely thoughts that have crossed our minds in the past, but everyone’s so busy being busy these days we never get a chance to stop and do these things. Just seeing them on the screen has given me more drive to think WWRD (and WWJD) then to go on and actually action them!
Thank you for the little bit of inspiration,
Steve Daniels
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15/12/2008
Hi guys, thank you for your wonderful comments – Im glad you like my thoughts on rockbandism and companies and I thrill to inspire…
Anyway let’s all strive to make the business of business more than business – I guess that’s my goal for the new year
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16/12/2008
“Implement good karma in your everyday life”… i’m not sure how well rock bands cope with this. But I guess I’d like my business to be like Radiohead.
Might implement this term when i’m trying to stop artists “from looking like (complete) asses online”.
cheers
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16/12/2008
@Ana: True, not all rock bands apply to the “rockbandism status” — at least in my books.
U2 is a wonderful example of what companies as rock bands should be about.
And then there are the ones who just reap the benefits of being in a band but don’t give anything back in return.
Let’s be more like the good guys :)
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16/12/2008
hi there
@Ana I know it might not come through as this, but when I talk about rockbandism it’s more the personal idea of being in a rockband than all the “bads” that comes from it.. I elaborate a lot on that in the ebook – but I can see it hasn’t been throughoutly specified in this blogpost… =)
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22/12/2008
“This really isn’t time for more business as usual, our environment (digital, natural, work or any other kind of environment) is changing. You are going to have to change too.”
This sounds strangely familiar to aspect brought up in “The Cluetrain Manifesto”. I don’t know if you’ve heard or read this book. I highly recommend it, it’s just plain smart.
http://www.cluetrain.com/
-MP
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23/01/2010
I’ve been thinking of this particular topic maybe too much lately.. Should I present myself as “Ask’em Consulting” or “Kemal Delalic”. I guess your blog post here makes things a lot easier =)
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