Every leader knows – the solution to any business problem lies in uncovering the underlying human truth.
If it’s a problem around employee retention, it’s about understanding how employees truly feel and what drives that emotion.
If it’s a problem about engaging the consumer, it’s about understanding the value systems that bind consumers to a point of view.
The problem is that the human truth isn’t easy to get to. It’s also difficult to articulate, it’s hard to understand and more often than not, it’s not logical.
The human truth isn’t about what people say, but rather about what they don’t. The human truth lies in the implied meanings and in the belief systems that we can’t often articulate but use when making decisions.
Do I buy a hybrid vehicle because I want to save the world or because I want to be perceived as someone who’s progressive, worldly, and other things that I don’t even know how to articulate.
Do I not just trust my physician’s judgment because I’ve had bad past experiences or because I have a high sense of agency and like to be in complete control before making any decisions?
Do I spend a lot of money in beauty treatments because I have bad skin or because I believe that my beauty will help me attain social status in my community?
These are the kinds of human truths that solve business problems and even point us towards unexpected solutions. But as leaders and practitioners in the world of business and communications, we’re not pushing each other enough. We’re taking the easier path, and the more logical one without remembering that we deal with people.
Inherently illogical and driven by emotion.