This makes the 2nd time in a week that a song–an “old” song, no less–serves as inspiration for my writing. I guess it doesn’t really surprise me, I already knew that lyrics interest me more in music than any instrumental ever could.  Oh, I’m still a big fan of the groove. It’s just that the delivery falls flat without meaningful lyrical messaging.

Music As A Growth Opportunity

Tracy Chapman spoke to me in my often misspent youth, and she continues to be relevant to me today.  Her legendary “Gimme One Reason” is clearly about personal relationships, and while I finally managed to resolve that part of my life 14 years ago (thank you, Scott), the essence of the song is now also something I can relate to as a marketer.

Lyrics | Tracy Chapman lyrics – Give Me One Reason lyrics

What Tracy Chapman Can Teach Consumer Products Companies

“Gimme just one reason why I should stay…”

People need a degree of routine. Of normalcy, of familiarity. Absolutes to count on. Hey, that’s why brand marketers even exist–to exploit leverage subjective (even irrational) associations people inherently make with products they interact with.  Purchase decisions are not made on the club floor, and consumers are not trolling to switch allegiances. But that does not make it okay for a brand to abuse these truths and forget the thousand little ways to say “Thank you for your patronage.”

“You got to make me change my mind.”

Um, maybe covered well enough above.  C’mon, guys.  I have less money to spend today on goods than I did a year ago. I’m concerned about making choices that might have significant effects on my family or situation later.  How can you make me feel more confident, more rational, about taking a risk? Or, how can you validate this decision to buy that long ago stopped being a conscious one?

“You know that I love you. And there ain’t no more to say.”

I’m tired of talking. And maybe even of being talked to.  I want to be engaged. And I want action, passion, momentum. To be involved in something.

Sure, maybe in the end all I’m really talking about is whether to purchase Diet Dr. Pepper or Diet Coke.  But there’s a compelling story to be written here, and a consumer willing to be convinced. Sure-shootin I’m not going to stop buying caffiene. But which brand is showing a little consumer love?

What is the relevancy of a maverick in today’s workplace, one might ask?  There are likely a number of positions and opinions.  These are a few:

• Maverick as a leader – likely to be one who keeps the eye on the needs of his team.  One who maneuvers resources and conventional procedures to elicit the most appropriate and value-add of assignments to individuals on the team.  Sort of like “protect and serve,” the maverick might  back-door situations in order to protect those he considered his charge, for the purpose of serving their interests and needs.
• Maverick as an innovator – Now is tomorrow’s old news.  Good isn’t good enough. 
• Maverick as a change agent – A maverick may not be comfortable with “this is how we do it here” mentality.  Instead, why not examine things to see if by moving Tab A into slot D, things could be great? Others involved might be too close to see beyond the norm, beyond the comfortable.  Where does the company want to be?  Beyond the problem-solving of today, where can they maneuver to excel and succeed? 
• Maverick as an auditor – Mavericks may ask the hard questions, push the boundaries, hold up the mirrors.  People might get uncomfortable and avert eyes.  Process could be challenged.  Are we doing what we said we would do?

By definition, the maverick isn’t part of the IN crowd.  Maybe not even part of any crowd.  Conventional wisedom might suggest that the maverick might not have a place in the culture of a specific company.  Melding harmoniously into the background isn’t something that would make the maverick comfortable – its too crowded and safe there.  Dare one suggest, mediocre.

Companies need leaders, and companies need followers.  Businesses need thinkers, and businesses need doers.  Can the seemingly opposing mindsets cohabitate?  Can two fundamentally disparate mindsets join to achieve real value for an organization?  I think the answer is yes.  But obviously not without some hard conscious decisions and provisions.

So while the maverick (to some) on the surface may seem as an igniter – a volitile carrier capable of changing the structure and form of an organization – the maverick may be something else entirely.  Perhaps a volitile carrier capable of changing everything.

See the difference?