15 Meanings. Who are You?
The deepest possible way to bond with another human being is through meanings you share and both cherish.
In their book “Making Meaning. How Successful Businesses Deliver Meaningful Customer Experiences” Nathan Shedroff and his co-authors argue that a company with its brand should aspire to resonate with meanings that are dear to their customers.
They base on research that shows that among the different cultures on our planet there are 15 meanings, that universally apply to all of us. Nice, isn’t it?
(c) Lars Diener-Kimmich
In my post “Experience has Economic Value. Bubble Gum.” I’ve argued WHY you should consider moving into generating value through staging customer experiences. Shedroff now gives us a hand when it comes to the HOW.
What primary guiding principles should be applied or considered? What are the design principles for your customers’ experiences?
Meanings are core to understand and shape your brand promise and your experience delivery. This is my field of expertise and passion – … and today, I won’t go into it any further, because something cool came in the way.
My mentee just got promoted and she is figuring out how to start in her new job, find out what is important for her, what’s not.
What to focus on – what not.
It’s a moment in her life to briefly rest, think, consider who she is and what is important to her to set her compass for the challenges ahead of her.
2 years ago my mentee at the time – who shared the passion for Shedroff’s work – helped me compile pictures and a brief description (from the book). He pragmatically produced a set of cards. So, we used the 15 meanings for this.
Yesterday, we did the following – and I invite you to do the same.
1.) Download the 15 cards and print them. 9 slides per sheet gives you a good size. Get scissors and you are set to go.
2.) Order them by importance for you.
– Stack the cards (in random order).
– Read and lay the first card on the table.
– Look at the next card and place it above or below the card in front of you.
(c) Lars Diener-Kimmich
– Read the next one and place it according to your importance in between, above etc. (You get the point). Make a long tail of the 15 meaning cards. At the top you have your most important meaning.
– Move quickly. We think, you don’t gain much, if you re-think, re-think, re-think.
3.) Group them 3 x 5 cards (No. 1 to 3 in the first row, then 4 to 6, etc.)
(c) Lars Diener-Kimmich
4.) Take a picture with your mobile phone.
5.) Look and reflect what you’re seeing.
Is this you?
What is really, fundamentally important to you?
How does this reflect in your life, your job, your relationships, your vacation, your hobbies?
BIG questions, right?
Here’s what I did a couple of days ago for myself (If you wondered whether the above picture is me … it’s not.)
I did the exercise as well and then focused on the meanings where I am not willing to compromise (as this is really important to me).
Then I used the brief descriptions on the cards to write the following 2 paragraphs about me:
“I want to make lasting contributions, leave my traces. I venture into new territories to seek clear understanding through logic or inspiration, and I have highest commitment to honesty and integrity. I am driven by wanting to achieve goals and making something out of myself. For that I am eager to apply myself to a responsibility in order to be recognized as a valued individual worthy of respect.
I have a high sense of unity with other human beings but need to constantly optimize to live without unwanted restraints or strained relationships. Overall I am in pursuit of balanced and pleasing relationships of parts to a whole (in nature, in society, in an organization, in an individual), and I seek to reduce my worries about loss.”
And, that’s about all I am going to give away about me for today. More to come, I am sure.
But for now, I’ll take off my bandana and scarf, put all my silver finger rings back in the velours coated box, clean off that mascara line, hang my batik chemise in the cupboard and put my shoes back on while I blow out the scent candles on my way out to go mountain bike …
And yes, we’ll have to revisit Shedroff again, in another post on Experience Design. It’s so valuable stuff!
