Leadership & Innovating: More Purple Cow Leaders Please!

by Christine Middleton

Recently when flipping through Seth Godin’s 2003 book, “Purple Cow.” I started thinking about its application to leadership. Its premise is traditional marketing concepts (pricing, product, packaging, etc.) are outdated and no longer work. Any organization still doing so was considered a “brown cow,” which consumers ignored. Instead, consumers preferred Purple Cow companies because it represented “anything phenomenal, counterintuitive, exciting and remarkable.”

In today’s uncertain and ever changing environments, employees want Purple Cow leaders. As consumers, these same employees are determining everything from how Nike shoes are produced to changing Best Buy’s business model. Yet, at work we are essentially working the same way we were 40-plus years ago.

In fact, a recent study by National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) finds more women are starting their own businesses versus climbing the corporate ladder to have more schedule flexibility, have greater control over their careers, and actually see their ideas come to light. This exodus is taking place at the same time more is being reported about the positive financial impact of having women in leadership roles and on boards.

Life today requires serious juggling and with it demanding more of us all – men and women. Along with the advent of iPhones, Blackberries, and wireless Internet, the idea of working remotely and flexible schedule is possible. Consultants prove it’s also effective, often are juggling two full time jobs with responsibilities for their firm and clients. But what about everyone else? How are we still equating sitting at a desk with productivity? The last time I checked, most people are given permission to work from home when they need “to get things hammered out.”

Sure collaboration is needed and nothing beats face time, but the point is creating more flexibility and allowing people be in control of their careers in new ways so the best thinkers don’t leave and become competitors. If career tracks were created, new models of team support were explored, and incentives are effectively aligned and were fair and based on productively, employees will show their appreciation by being engaged and bringing their best work forward.

Cost can’t be the reason. McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) recently put out a study, which estimated as much as $1.3 trillion in annual value can be realized by organizations using social media platforms. Even if it’s not possible to capitalize on the full amount in all companies, there are insights and improvements to be made that start creating real efficiencies… and flexibility to increase job satisfaction.

If keeping our best thinkers is important and companies like Google, Facebook, Microsoft and others are resetting standards, why are most of us still operating within old confines? What is the fear of reassessing work schedules, job performance incentives, and infrastructure investments to limit turnover and enable the best talent to rise to the top? It’s too costly not to.

Start asking questions and listening openly to your employees about what this might look like and how it could work. You might just be amazed to discover the type of innovative thinking and potential that exists among your staff, especially your more junior teammates. Do so and follow through and you will inspire your people to work harder and become further invested because following a Purple Cow leader means they are a part of something “phenomenal, counterintuitive, exciting and remarkable.”

About Christine Middleton
I asked Christine Middleton to offer her insight on the all-important subject of cultures, which will support the effort to improve significantly inclusive leadership in business, non-profit, and government organizations. With her extensive experience and her passion to help our Millennial generation, Christine is highly qualified to speak to this subject, especially to help women gain the promotions to key leadership responsibilities, which they deserve and which will so positively impact the energy, alignment, and collaboration of our workforces.

Christine is a highly capable marketing, strategy, communication and consulting professional. She earned her Master’s in Leadership from Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business. She is an active mentor and is a person who is a giver, focusing on how she may help others.