Authenticity, the New Luxury
“I truly believe that authenticity is the new luxury” says Sharon Tal, creative director for Israel’s high fashion line Maskit (pronounced mah-SKEET). Sharon’s personal passion is embroidery, having designed for Alexander McQueen in London. She explains that embroidery, fabrics or trim that are made by hand will be one-of-a-kind no matter what— and will always come out differently. She notes that people “...yearn for a bit of authenticity, for tradition and humanity. They seek evidence that products have been created by human hands.”
Designers respond to this desire through the elevation of their craft. This kind of handwork takes highly skilled practitioners and it takes more time.
What I’ve discovered is that people feel the same way about business communication. We covet authenticity. We don’t want to read boring legalese, hear overused quotes, or view facts and figures on crowded PowerPoint slides.
We crave that one-of-a-kind response from those who succinctly explain why they personally care about an issue, a project, a situation. We gravitate towards those that make us feel, think or act differently because of what they shared and the fact that they decided to share it. We are drawn to leaders who show vulnerability and their humanity— stories make these leaders relatable and their messages understandable.
Just think about what it could mean to challenge your assumptions around storytelling and influencing in the workplace today. GENIUS Business Storytelling provides a framework for leaders to take their instinct and turn it into craft. The result is a more powerful, meaningful way to connect with colleagues and clients.
Join us this fall to see how to engage and inspire individuals and teams, board members, business partners, investors, media, and boards. Or contact us about private in-house workshops for your entire leadership team.