What Can Trump & Sanders Teach Us About Culture?
By leadership author and keynote speaker Ross Shafer
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Today’s focus is on presidential candidates Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders but this is not a political rant or an endorsement. Leaders need to know WHY they have become national phenomenons…in spite of the fact that Trump insults everybody and Sanders is a socialist. Why does this matter to you? Because you would love for your products and services to become as popular as they have. So the let’s see what we can learn from these two men. I’ll start with Trump. He has insulted, women and Muslims. Trump says the delegate system as rigged. And, he’s been the toughest on his opponents/ Ben Carson is too sleepy. Marco Rubio was so tiny he needed lifts in his boots. Trump said, “Look at my fashion model wife compared to Lying Ted Cruz’s wife.” He doesn’t even like the way John Kasich eats pizza. Trump is so outrageous that his own party mounted a STOP TRUMP MOVEMENT against him. Yet none of Trump’s antics have slowed down his popularity because the voting public likes him…and you know why? Trump is perceived as strong and fearless.
Bernie Sanders is creating the same kind of phenomenon for the Democrats. On paper, his resume doesn’t sound presidential. He’s 74 years old. He is a virtually unknown, socialist senator from Vermont. Who would have thought he’d have any chance against Hillary Clinton. She is a seasoned politician whose experience includes being the first lady for eight years, the secretary of state, and a seven-year senator from the giant state of New York. Yet, people love Bernie because he isn’t intimidated by the Clinton legacy. And once again, he is perceived as fearless. The common theme between Sanders and Trump is that they are candidates who show you their flaws. They may make mistakes but they are convicted. And they aren’t begging for your vote. Both men keep their language simple and are saying what you would say if you didn’t have to worry about losing your job or your friendships. More importantly, they respect the power of public opinion. The public – YOUR CUSTOMERS are making them become phenomenons. Trump and Sanders are an example of what happened to Abraham Lincoln in 1864; when he was elected by a unanimous landslide. In Lincoln’s acceptance speech he said, “With public sentiment nothing can fail. Without it, nothing can succeed.” Now, back to you. If you have a groundbreaking service or product that is getting underappreciated, find a way to get public opinion on your side. Be fearless. Be convicted. Make your message simple and authentic and let the public embrace you on their terms. Authentic is the key word. Your efforts cannot be contrived. You have to be able to tell a story that people care about.
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