What exactly is a brand?

Let’s begin with the absolutely not so obvious to many. A brand is not a logo, a jingle, an ad or a slogan. It is also not the product, a symbol or a name. This is a common misconception to young entrepreneurs and first time small business owners who are “building a brand”.

So, then what is a brand?

The short and simply version is this: A brand is a promise made and kept.

Let’s break that down.

You can tell your customers’ all day long who you are, what you are and what you do, but the reality is, your brand is based on their perception, i.e, your reputation. Your reputation is based on “promise made, promise kept.” Do you deliver on what you say you will? If you don’t you have an anemic brand.

All the other elements such as logo etc, fall under the category of “brand identity.” These are the visible elements of a brand, such as color, design, and logo, that identify and distinguish the brand in consumers' minds. They help customers identify you. These elements are not the brand itself.

There are two brand catagories.

1. PERSONAL BRAND: this first one is rarely thought of. YOU in your every day life are a brand. You are perceived a certain way and you have a reputation that determines if people like or trust you. And we interact (or do business) with people we know, like, trust and relate to.

   The easiest and most impactful personal brand you can build is one that is authentic; a true and sincere reflection of your core values and your character. Not fake values that you contrived to look and sound good on paper, but honest, sincere values that you embody and live by in all aspects of your being and your business: your behaviors, your words, your actions, your habits and your patterns. Be aware that over time, your true brand or character will eventually be exposed. This is what you will be judged and perceived on… it’s your promise.

   These same principals apply to the business world. The essence of your character/values (personal brand) will bleed into any form of business you undertake.

   Read the blog: BUILDING A STRONG PERSONAL BRAND

   Read the blog: 3 TIPS TO BUILDING A STRONG BUSINESS BRAND

2. BUSINESS BRAND… read the business brand blog.

The Empathic Leader Advantage

Empathy gives leaders a one-up. It is the highest level of emotional intelligence, with EQ being one of the most valuable soft skills needed in modern business.

Modern leaders should have a high emotional intelligence quotient (EQ). In laymen’s terms, they should have great awareness and a healthy dose of empathy. The modern leader needs to take time to know and understand their team members and the pulse of the culture, beyond what vision and mission statement claim. The ability to adapt leadership behaviors and strategies based on each individual promotes employee engagement. EQ empowers any leader to leverage their knowledge of said employees before making any type of decisions. Why?

Let’s look at the following scenarios:

SCENARIO 1: You recently noticed one of your colleagues has been falling asleep in the break room. They are not completing tasks as a result. It’s costing you concern and frustration and the company a lot of money. They’ve also been late clocking in during the past ten days. Other colleagues have been covering their co-worker’s responsibilities, but they are complaining. As their boss, what do you do?

A.       Ignore them because it’s a tough conversation to have?

B.        Fire them because it’s negatively impacting productivity and putting you in a bad position?

C.       Have that tough conversation with them to let them know they need to shape up or else… ?

SCENARIO 2: The exact same situation happens as in Scenario 1, however, you find out that she/he/they have been taking care of an ill and elderly parent for the past few months. Will the way you handle this situation be different now that you know more about their private situation?

Be very honest with your answer.

I would, however, imagine that any reasonable level of empathy on your part might inspire you to be more lenient and forgiving of the loss in productivity and focus from that person. Going one step further, I believe a great leader would ask if and how they can help. The options are endless, ranging from adapting their schedule, to working remotely, to offering time off, even paid leave.

I recently heard of a situation where a friend’s boss, who is the business owner, gave an employee a month of paid leave to handle the illness of a loved one. It touched me, making me think that I’d love to have had a leader like that. I’m pretty sure, that employee will be infinitely grateful and probably very loyal because of their boss’ empathetic approach to leadership.

It’s more about the human element than merely numbers.

Vital Germaine

PRESIDENT, ENGAGE Teams 360

A Common Overlooked Organizational Growth Opportunity with Employees

What drives, inspires and motivates team members to reach higher and hit the target?

No, I mean really, what is their deepest, most defining/preserving emotional and psychological need?

It is something organizations often ignore or forget to invest in.

I’ve spent the best part of the last ten years delivering employee trainings for such companies as United Airlines and BMW. The focus has been on elevating KPIs (Key Performance Indexes) or OKR’s (Objective Key Results), culture, competencies, customer service, efficiency and productivity (which are great), and reinforcing company core values. The ultimate short-term goals are”always” elevating profits and brand strength.

Let’s take a quick look into standard anatomy of the OKR framework. See image below.

ANATOMY OF THE OKR FRAMEWORK

OBJECTIVES: goals that inspire and set direction (where do I need to go?)

KEY RESULTS: steps that measure progress toward a goal (how do I know I’m getting there?)

INITIATIVES: tasks required to drive progress of key results (what will I do to get there?)

These types of organizational frameworks/trainings bring incredible value. HOWEVER…

Applying this same framework to individual and personalized growth is the long-term differentiator. See image below, in particular the STAR - add personal objectives .

Investing in an employees’ personal development/objectives makes them better human beings. Good human beings are good employees. By identifying, recognizing and investing in individuality (personal aspirations/needs/expectations), and helping team members understand the essence of who they are as individuals is a long-term win-win investment.

The best leaders not only train for growth, they inspire growth!

One of the best ways to inspire any human is to SEE them. Actually “seeing” somebody is potentially the highest form of respect we can give. This elevates and empowers people to reach higher.

Give them the tools to not only learn and understand company core values, but also identify and understand their own core values. Help them see who they are themselves and how as individuals they can best fit and contribute to the company vision and mission. Help the become the best version of themselves not just the best employee. Who are THEY? What do they really WANT? What do they NEED?

Employees are rarely driven by money alone. It’s deeper than that. Money is only a conduit to attain what is truly desired and needed.

Help team members have the confidence to discover themselves and know themselves. It's scary to look thyself in the eyes until you see your own soul for all its glories and fears. Down there, deeply hidden in the foundations of their character lies the answer to who they really are and who/what they really want to be. Help them get there and they will reach higher.

It might take them and the organization a minute to truly SEE themselves! It might take years for them to discover the true self, but the journey is worth it. The investment in personal development in the workplace pays high dividends.

The reflection they will see, the self awareness they will develop, will connect them to a strong sense of purpose. Think Simon Sinek’s “Start With Why.” If that purpose aligns with your core values, vision and mission, then you have a star employee whose productivity and efficiency will soar. That mindset is contagious. It INSPIRES.

The better we know ourselves, the better we can optimize our lives. The better we can optimize our own lives, the more value we can bring to the lives of others.

In Chapter 20 of my book, THINK LIKE AN ARTIST, I share a very impactful self-discovery activity to truly give the individual a starting point to dig deeper into who they are and what drives them.

Who are you really?

My other creativity book titled, INNOVATION MINDSET is the business/leadership equivalent of THINK LIKE AN ARTIST. Request more information about my signature creativity workshop/keynote. At ENGAGE Teams 360, we love to inspire and empower through our highly interactive, fun, informative and transformational content.

Vital Germaine,

President ENGAGE Teams 360

The Basics of Great Leadership

Vital Germaine Keynote - Standing Ovation for Office Dynamics Conference

Regardless of your position or title, we are all leaders. We all influence and impact our company’s culture simply in the way we behave and show up. Great leaders learn from others and are inspired by other leaders, however, don’t rely on others to drive your behavior and decisions. Be a leader by example at all times, regardless of pay or position.

Here ar e a few basic tools to help you become a great leader.

1. Emotional Intelligence:

   Be aware of your behavior and choices and how they create ripple affects among your team and culture. Through awareness it becomes easier to adapt and fine-tune our behavior, leading to growth and improvement. Be particularly aware of how you make others feel. Video

2. Caring:

   Any leader that clearly communicates that they care for the well-being of their colleagues and/or team becomes a high-value person (read my book, Pink Is The Color of Empathy)

3. Listening:

   Listening with an open, caring and understanding ear or heart is one of the most empowering things a leader can do as a leader.

   “To be an effective leader, you have to be a really good listener and not to what's being said, but to what's not being said. You have to be really observant.” - Kobi Bryant

4. Adaptability

   The ability to pivot and change course when needed is key to human survival, let alone leadership. How flexible are you? Do you have an innovation mindset that can navigate challenges with poise and confidence. Read the book, Innovation Mindset.

5. Inspiration

   “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” - John Quincy Adams (6th President of the United States)

6. Collaboration:

   Short video

7. Communication:

   To begin your journey into becoming a great leader, know that communication skills are crucial. Let’s begin with the acronym H.A.I.L from Julien Treasure (Ted Talk). Implement these four pillars of effective and confident communication and so much will improve.

   - Honesty

   - Authenticity

   - Integrity

   - Love (respect/caring)

1. Bring it all together

Vital Germaine is Las Vegas’ most dynamic and memorable keynote speaker. Watch his sizzle reel:

“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary, is that little extra.”

— Jimmy Johnson

Vital Germaine, President of ENGAGE Teams 360

5 Reasons to be Kind

Kindness is a highly valuable human quality that requires zero skill and zero effort. It offers endless benefits for the self and for others on a personal and business level. It’s about treating people with respect while honoring your value system. Sometimes it means being tough. Kindness is definitely not a weakness.

On a personal level, it establishes much stronger relationships with those we love and care for. Our kindness elevates others, letting them feel secure, confident, valued and honored.

In regards to business and culture, kindness will optimize employee performance. As a result, your customers/clients will experience the best of your brand. It might even inspire them to come back again and again and become loyal. A little kindness is all it takes.It stems from empathy, arguably the foundation of Emotional Intelligence. Kindness encompasses many other impactful behavioral traits. 

Connecting kindness to culture will heavily impact every aspect of the customer experience and your bottom line. It’s a very simple and effective strategy to implement and encourage. The effort is minimal and the outcome is massive.

It manifests in many forms: respect, appreciation, caring, open-mindedness, compassion, and inclusiveness.  It's simply the right thing to be and do.

kind·ness

ˈkīn(d)nəs/Submit

noun

the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.

5 REASONS TO BE KIND…

Read the full blog

Vital Germaine

Top-Selling Author: BUY THE BOOKS

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Workplace design and employee engagement

Here are 3 tips to help you maximize workspaces to elevate engagement, because the employee experience is crucial to the success of your business or organization. It pays to be employee-centric.

1. WORK AREAS: Design environments that inspire creativity and happiness.

It can be done very cost effectively and with a great ROI if you get creative. Location, location, location. Cirque du Soleil adopted and transformed an abandoned fire station in Montreal, affectionately named Angus, to become their “factory”. There was no avant-garde interior design on display. There were no Oompa Loompas meandering the premises doing strange dances. I didn’t witness any magnificent sculptures or art, nor bright colored walls to inspire or promote creativity. All these elements would have helped. Nonetheless, the fact they had chosen an abandoned fire station sent a subliminal message that they were cool, fun, eccentric, and defying context of their market place — All with the purpose to be innovative and deliver entertainment excellence. It’s one of the key factors that sets them apart.

2. MEETING LOCATIONS: The environment in which you hold meetings will heavily influence the level of inspiration and collaboration.

Do something different, new and unexpected (crazy) to disrupt. Pleasantly shock your team to life. In the book, Everybody Always, author Bob Goff shares the story of how as an adjunct law professor at Pepperdine Law School, he was required to have office hours. He saw beyond the limitations of regulations. Nowhere did it stipulate where his office had to be. He established a very unique office. He told his students they could find him in his ‘office’ at Tom Sawyer Island in Disneyland to meet. There is no admission fee and there are no lines. Walt Disney is the consummate businessman driven by imagination and the freedom, which is provides. Even important people enjoy being a big kid at heart.

Bob apparently always had more than ten students show up at meeting times. 

Adding to the story in regards to being creative to establish something different and memorable, The Supreme Court Judge of Uganda once visited the U.S and wanted to see Bob’s ‘office’. Bob picked him up at the airport with custom Mickey ears made for the visitor and took him straight to his ‘office’ at Disney Land. They apparently had a great meeting! Location, location, location. 

3. EVALUATE AND ADAPT: Take the time to evaluate your workspace environment and act accordingly. Change your perspective physically, emotionally and intellectually.

Look in the mirror to better understand what your brand is about and what you’re doing to inspire your employees to reach that objective.

A simple design shift could be the change your company is looking for and needs to reenergize your workforce. Build an environment that is visually pleasing and stimulating… also, emotionally and intellectually safe. Employees must feel confident and supported to step out of the comfort zone, risk and fall. Setting the right tone and mindset is crucial to your company’s growth.

You client base will love you even more for getting creative with your workspace environments without knowing why. We know why… because your workforce will be inspired and engaged.

Learn more about our INNOVATION MINDSET virtual learning opportunity.

The insight from Cirque du Soleil’s highly effective business and culture process in this blog is taken from Chapter 4 (The How of Cirque Innovation) from the book, INNOVATION MINDSET. The full chapter does a deeper dive into solving this easy to fix challenge.

Vital Germaine

President of ENGAGEteams360

Vital is Las Vegas' most dynamic keynotes speaker and corporate trainer. His executive leadership experiences are designed to inspire extraordinary performance. BOOK VITAL TODAY for:

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The impact of employee-centric cultures

Leadership and team members deliver the brand promise. Choose them well. Train them even better. Design an employee-centric culture and you are destined for success.

Not all brands, leaders and cultures are created equal. Some fail while others thrive. And the reasons are not rocket science.

Prior to becoming a international keynote speaker and corporate trainer, I had the honor of performing in Cirque du Soleil. I did it for over 5 years as team captain and original cast member of the ground-breaking Mystere, (and on tour with Quidam).

Here are some very simple and impactful insights I gained in regards to how Cirque was able to define and differentiate itself as a brand and dominated an industry.

1. CULTURE:

Cirque’s culture was evident from the moment I walked through the door of their massive training facility in Montreal. Though culture is intangible, it should be apparent at a glance. Cleverly chosen words do not define a culture. Furthermore, giving culture a description on paper doesn't mean that's what it is.

The behaviors and habits of everybody that works for your business, company or organization must not only "know" those cleverly chosen words, they must become those words. Executives, in particular, must embody them through their daily habits and the way they treat their employees.

For example (let's state the obvious)

• If you work in a fashion or lifestyle sensitive/aware industry, your CEO had better be trendy!

• If innovation is a part of your brand or culture, then executives had better have an innovation mindset: diversity, open-mindedness, the encouragement of idea sharing, exploration, risk and failure as a footprint.

• If you work in a health and wellness inspired industry, then people working in your stores should look healthy and athletic. And to be politically incorrect, you might not want your "overweight executives" to be on a first name basis with the local McDonald's cashiers. 

If the brand promise and employee actions are not congruent, starting at the executive levels through upper and mid management, then the core values risk becoming diluted. As a result, your frontline workers will be left confused, handcuffed and isolated without a compass or warmth. This will turn your brand anemic.

Execs, be honest with yourselves, do you personify the company core values, vision and mission?

2. INNOVATION IDENTITY:

Cirque had a clear innovation identity. It was immediately announced through their choice of facility. They established an environment designed to bring to life their vision and mission of innovation, uniqueness and excellence. They adopted and transformed an abandoned fire station in Montreal, affectionately named Angus, to become their “factory”.

Strangely enough, there was no avant-garde interior design on display. There were no Oompa Loompas meandering the premises doing strange dances. I didn’t witness any magnificent sculptures or art, nor bright colored walls to inspire or promote creativity. All these elements would have helped... they came years later in a new state-of-the-art facility. Nonetheless, the fact they had chosen an abandoned fire station sent a subliminal message that they were cool, fun, eccentric, and willing to defy context of their market place. All with the purpose to be innovative and deliver entertainment excellence.

3. VALUES:

Every person I met that first day within the confines of Angus’ walls, appeared different and aligned with the little I knew about the company... the core values. Nobody was here by coincidence — all by design and careful selection. Even those who appeared to have “mundane” jobs belonged in this “factory” where the zaniest creations were conceived and built. Even the air inside reeked of dedication, focus, advancement, passion, and a commitment to excellence. “Be Extraordinary,” echoed from each nook, cranny and crevice. That's how everybody behaved. 

4. PURPOSE:

This can be broken down or defined in different ways inclusive of the vision and mission statements. Cirque's purpose has inevitably changed since they were officially founded back in July of 1984 in Baie-Saint-Paul, Canada. The essence remains the same. In 2012, the mission statement read, “To invoke the imagination, provoke the senses and evoke the emotions of people around the world.” Many additional statements relating to their mission have been cited, including this one, which is a better summary of who they are, and what they represent: “For Cirque du Soleil, dreaming is an integral part of our philosophy: To take the adventure further, push our dreams further, and, above all, believe that our people are the engine of our enterprise. At Cirque du Soleil, we offer our artists and creators the freedom they need to imagine their most incredible dreams and bring them to life.”

I'd argue they embodied this purpose driven philosophy. Their "words" danced, flipped and contorted. The purpose ran through the arteries of their product, processes, place and people. Let's be honest, it wasn't all poetic purpose. There was and is plenty of company BS and things to complain about. And at one point they experienced massive losses before Guy Laliberté sold. Why? In part because they stopped being authentic Cirque du Soleil: less innovation, less excellence and a copy past repeat process designed for quick profits and expansion. But complaining about Cirques company BS is not the issue at hand.

5. LEADERSHIP:

Leadership and team members deliver your brand promise. If you desire to win a championship, choose your team well. Start by hiring good leaders and managers, train them, define expectations and hold them accountable for behavior and results. .

Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don't want to. - Sir Richard Branson.

Take time to attract and find the right talent... then train them even better. Yes, you risk investing all that time, money and resources for them to leave and give value to another company. Train them anyway.

Has your company clearly defined and communicated the vision and mission? Is your culture evident? Is leadership authentic and walking the walk? If it's not, consider investing in that area. It will make all the difference regarding your brand strength, employee retention, market share, customer loyalty and your bottom line.

Thank you

Vital Germaine

PRESIDENT of ENGAGEteams360

Watch Vital’s keynote sizzle reel below.

Learn more about the Innovation Mindset, Leadership and Culture in the revised edition of: INNOVATION MINDSET, shaping the mindset of innovation and transformation for leaders and cultures.

Learn more about ENGAGEteams360's leadership and culture development strategies and solutions. We are different and definitely inspire transformation.

Do you care to elevate Customer Experiences?

During a recent corporate training, an executive raised the question, “Can you teach somebody to care?” The general consensus was surprising.

How much we care on any given day at work is relative or dependent on our emotional state at that time. In other words, our levels of care fluctuate. What is not relative is the correlation between caring and Customer Experience Index scores. CSI scores will influence your company's reputation and determine customer loyalty. When customers feel disrespected or insignificant, they simply don't return... furthermore, their reviews will effect your profits and brand strength.

The majority of executives in attendance agreed that the art of caring could not be taught. People either care or they don’t. How disappointing.

So how do you fix the problem of non-caring employees other than firing them, because on-boarding new hires costs time and money. There is a more effective solution. It consists of not only hiring the right people, but also providing great training. Teach them these 5 simple behavioral tools and they will act as if they truly care.

Leadership must first establish a culture of caring and happiness as the barometer. Then, provide those non-caring employees with actionable behavioral tools to reinforce the culture. Tools that when implemented, give the appearance of a person that does care. Read about the five tools that will make your employees deliver extraordinary experiences.

Vital Germaine

President ENGAGE

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Can't remember names?

Anybody who is familiar with, and has studied Dale Carnegie will know the value of remembering and using the names of your prospects and clients. It is a very powerful tool of persuasion and turning leads into paying customers. 

CASE STUDY:

3 experiments done by The Journal of Consumer Research demonstrated that remembering someone’s name facilitates their compliance with a purchase request made by the rememberer. 

Experiment 1 showed that name remembrance increased request compliance. Name forgetting, however, does not cause a decrease in compliance.

Experiments 2 and 3 showed that name remembrance was perceived as a compliment by the person remembered, which mediates compliance with the purchase request. Experimental manipulations of the likelihood of name remembrance (experiment 2) and need for self-enhancement (experiment 3) provided results consistent with a complimentary explanation for the findings.

 

The 3 simple strategies:

STRATEGY 1. Repeat their name 3 times within 60 seconds

Immediately after the introduction and when receiving somebody's name, you repeat their name and give it back. If the name is unique and not easy to pronounce, when you repeat it, make sure to ask if you pronounced it correctly. People can get offended if you pronounce their name wrong. Example.

"Hi, my name is Vital. And you are?"

"I'm Erin."

"Nice to meet you Erin. Erin as in E-R-I-N."

"Oh, you're from Chicago. I love Chicago. Where abouts in Chicago Erin?"

STRATEGY 2. Use word association.

Do they have the same name as a friend? If so, connect their name to your friend. By thinking of that friend you will remember their name.

Does their name sound like another word? Example. This is a true incident that recently happened. The lady's name I met was Samela. I said her name 3 times during the first 6- seconds but felt I wouldn't remember it. I said, "Great name, very unique. How do people remember that?" She said, "Pamela but with an S." I will probably never forget her name though powerful word association.

Don't be afraid to ask people for tips on how to remember their name. They will gladly help you. 

STRATEGY 3: Visualization.

Depending on what works best for you, there are several options regarding visualizing their name. I tend to imagine seeing and reading their name printed on their forehead. 

You can visualize their name as an oversize art installation, on your computer screen, filling up the wall in your living room. Use what ever methods works best for you, but use a strategy that will help you achieve the goal of remembering names. It pays high dividends.

If they have the name of a celebrity I imagine talking to the celebrity for a moment. Example: If their name is Henry, I'll imagine them dressed as Henry VIII. If there name is Bill, then I'll imagine them using their thumb to highlight a point.

Once you have remembered their name, remember several meaningful facts about that person that you have discovered are important to them during this initial conversation: where are they from, do they have children or pets... this will provide you a platform to find common ground, making you more relatable. In addition it will help you customize the experience to their needs and personality.

Now that you have their name memorized, use if often throughout any interaction with them. BUT! Make sure to not OVER-use it. That will defeat the purpose of making them feel important and valued. 

Thank you - Vital Germaine

If this blog was of value, please feel welcome to borrow, steal, borrow, and/or share.

Optimize your team performance with these 7 steps.

It's never easy to keep your team focused, motivated and performing at optimum capacity. Flat-lining at some point seems to be inevitable. How can you prevent this ailment that costs the US economy up to $550 BILLION annually in lost productivity? More simply than you think. 

Humans tend to flat-line when they become board and uninspired, be it at work or life in general. The sense of excitement and passion withers away through repetition and monotony. Corporate bureaucracy, leadership and culture are the guilty parties. Rigid corporate strategies, rules and tradition tend to stifle passion and motivation by slowing down the process of inviting and embracing the new, the different. 

Here are the 7 steps to revitalize your workforce

1. DISRUPTIVE LEADERSHIP: The number 1 killer of innovation and employee engagement are controlling managers, rigid SOP's, un-defined cultures, and outdated strategies... "It's how we've always done it". By continually repeating yesterday's success formula, we plant the seeds of stagnation. Everybody within that static culture will disconnect from their original "why" and lose the growth mindset that keeps successful companies relevant and competitive. You risk inviting them to perform on auto-pilot. Keep them on their toes by consistently challenging them. Leadership must invite and inspire change.

Without being challenged we stagnate, GET BORED, become complacent.

The challenge is not in the form of peer rivalry and comparison, but rather healthy competition whereby they  mutually encourage and elevate each other's game.

Challenge your team by inviting them to find a solution to a problem - allow them to flex their creativity and decision-making muscles. Empower them with added responsibility. Empower them by encouraging them to express themselves and in turn listening to their ideas, suggestions and solutions.

Once you've inspired and empowered your team, get out of their way, relax and enjoy their success.

2. PERSONAL DREAMS: Also, connect their personal aspirations/dreams to the workplace so they evolve as individuals within your company - yes, you risk losing them as they pursue their own goals - but on the flip-side, do you really want their unmotivated and disengaged persona to stay and contaminate your culture, your brand and your customer base? 

3. AUTONOMY and INCLUSION: When you relinquish the reins and trust them with a project or the added responsibility, that project will feel like they own it. Ownership is powerful. They will carry that responsibility with pride because it belongs to them. They will nurture it like their own baby, filled with love, understanding, purpose, joy, commitment, passion, and fulfillment. 

4. COMFORT ZONE: Make sure that the challenge is not overwhelming, intimidating or simply beyond their ability - it will trigger a fight, flight or freeze response. However, definitely push them beyond their comfort zones. Give them the gift of control. Get management out of their flight path - take away the roadmap. Let them figure out what the destination is and how to get there. Offer support and resources when necessary. Sit back, watch them grow and fly without a net.

5. OBLITERATE THE BOX: As a former Cirque du Soleil performer, team captain and recently as a consultant and facilitator for their newly created corporate training platform called CIRQUE SPARK sessions, I learned many invaluable lessons from Cirque's philosophy. They constantly push themselves and their team members - they encouraged us to extend our vision beyond the existing horizon and ignore the limitations of the proverbial box.

6. RISK | EXPLORATION | FAILURE: The side effect is the exploration and discovery of so many more options and possibilities.  The freedom with which Cirque gifted its performers, allowed us to spread our wings, thrive and FLY WITHOUT A NET. They encouraged creativity: expression, exploration, risk-taking, and failure as an option. But without providing us the appropriate leadership, environment, tools and liberty (void  of anarchy and chaos), we would flatline, become disconnected, and lose our passion, drive and commitment to excellence.

This philosophy of empowerment inspired us to explore, learn, grow in confidence, and remain focused and committed to maintaining and enhancing the expected Customer Experience that is synonymous with the Cirque du Soleil brand. 

7. FUN: Bring it all together in an environment and culture that is fun. We learn more when having fun and are more receptive to change, growth and responsibility. Companies with fun, happy cultures experience on average 20% higher profits with elevated retention numbers.

Thank you for reading. Subscribe to my YouTube Channel

If this blog was of value, please feel welcome to comment, steal, borrow and share.

VITAL GERMAINE