Searching for Fiero
Mar 15th, 2010 by David Svet
It was a big weekend for college basketball. All of the conference championships were in full swing. Everyone was glued to the T.V. watching their favorite team battling for wins. Time and again we got to see players and fans elated by the thrill of victory — arms raised, grinning, filled with pure joy in the accomplishment. The Italians call it fiero, a moment of unbounded pride and joy. It’s a very powerful motivator.
What if you could generate that kind of excitement in your business? What if fiero was your goal? Imagine how your customers, donors or investors would feel about you. How can you deliver a moment where they are exalted in a moment of victory? What if you could deliver it repeatedly? What would that be worth to your business?
On the basketball court, players cooperate in a competitive game with clear rules performing prescribed moves interpreting a creative plan. Your business uses these same elements, but with less élan. Perhaps it’s time to look at your business through the lens of a player. How can you restructure experiences to create fiero?
- Develop many points of entry. This isn’t the Final Four. You need a lot of players.
- Establish defined paths that lead to victory. Make the effort enjoyable at all levels with rewards for small victories along the way.
- Celebrate the wins and follow up with more challenges that are likely to result in victories.
BJ Fogg, a Stanford researcher on behavioral change and persuasion explains, “You can either give people more ability by training, education, or tools—but none of these is easy. Or you can make the target behavior simpler—the right first step.” So, if you want your customers to feel like a champ and become more engaged, give them a win.
Photo: Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
