The Magic of Enchantment: A Journey through Guy Kawasaki’s Wisdom

Happy Thursday all,

In a world that often feels dominated by the rush to succeed, Guy Kawasaki’s book Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions offers a refreshing and thought-provoking perspective on how to create lasting impact and influence others. Guy Kawasaki, a renowned author, entrepreneur, and former Apple evangelist, explores the art of enchantment—not just in the traditional sense of magic, but in the way we can make people believe in us, our ideas, and our mission.

What is Enchantment?

At its core, enchantment is about creating positive change. It's about gaining trust, capturing hearts, and inspiring people to take action. Kawasaki’s philosophy goes beyond simply persuading or selling to someone; it’s about building long-lasting relationships and making others genuinely believe in your cause or product.

It’s the kind of magic that happens when you create an experience, a relationship, or an offering so compelling that people are not only willing to follow but also advocate for you.

The Key Principles of Enchantment

1. Achieving Likability: The first principle Kawasaki talks about is the power of likability. You can’t enchant people if they don’t like you. The way you show up, your energy, your attitude, and your willingness to help others are the foundation for creating trust. He emphasizes the importance of being authentic, empathetic, and engaging to build those human connections that foster enchantment.

2. Building Trust: Trust is the cornerstone of any relationship, personal or professional. Kawasaki explains that in order to enchant others, you must first earn their trust. This is done by demonstrating integrity, being transparent, and offering value without expecting immediate returns. When people trust you, they’re more likely to believe in what you’re saying and be open to new ideas.

3. The Power of Giving: One of the most important lessons from Enchantment is the power of giving without expecting anything in return. When you give freely—whether it’s through knowledge, time, or resources—you create an environment where people feel valued and appreciated. It’s a practice that not only enriches others but also enriches you as an individual.

4. Overcoming Resistance: People are naturally resistant to change, and any attempt to influence or persuade them is likely to be met with hesitation or even skepticism. Kawasaki shares insights on how to overcome resistance, encouraging us to be patient, to understand where people are coming from, and to approach objections with empathy rather than defensiveness.

5. Creating a Magical Experience: The most enchanting leaders are the ones who are able to turn ordinary experiences into extraordinary ones. Whether it’s customer service, storytelling, or creating a product that excites and delights, Kawasaki stresses the importance of making every interaction meaningful. Enchantment is about taking someone on a journey, offering them something unexpected, and leaving them with a sense of wonder.

Enchantment in the Workplace and Beyond

Guy Kawasaki’s ideas about enchantment are not just about personal interactions—they also have profound implications in business. Whether you’re leading a team, launching a product, or navigating professional relationships, the principles of enchantment can help you build stronger connections, increase engagement, and inspire others to act. It’s about leading with authenticity, empathy, and passion to inspire a sense of loyalty and excitement.

Practical Takeaways

1. Be Authentic: People connect with genuine emotions. Be yourself, be sincere, and show up with your true self.
2. Add Value: Whether through knowledge, resources, or kindness, always aim to give without expecting anything in return.
3. Use Positive Persuasion: Use your charm and charisma to inspire and influence others to see your vision, not through manipulation, but through positivity and clarity.
4. Tell a Story: People remember stories. Create a narrative that resonates with your audience, whether you’re leading a meeting, promoting a cause, or building a personal brand.
5. Create Magic in Everyday Interactions: Look for ways to make every interaction feel special. Whether it’s a phone call or an email, make people feel valued and appreciated.

Final Thoughts

Guy Kawasaki’s Enchantment is not just a book for entrepreneurs or marketers; it’s a guide to being a more empathetic, engaging, and inspiring person in all aspects of life. The principles he shares help us recognize the power of enchantment in everyday interactions and remind us that it’s not just what we do but how we make others feel that truly matters.

If you’re looking to change hearts, minds, and actions, Enchantment provides a roadmap to do just that—through trust, empathy, and a genuine desire to make the world a better place. So go ahead, get enchanted, and start creating your own magic in the world.

Keep creating magic in everyday interactions, 

-srt

What if you were 1 in 400?

“A player of extraordinary ability renowned for his electrifying style of play. Over 10 seasons hit .311, scored more than 100 runs six times, named to six all-star teams and led Brooklyn to six pennants and its only world series title, in 1955. The 1947 rookie of the year and the 1949 N.L. MVP when he hit a league-best .342 with 37 steals. Led second baseman in double plays four times and stole home 19 times. Displayed tremendous courage and poise in 1947 when he integrated the modern major leagues in the face of intense adversity.”*

It is hard to imagine, but during baseball legend Jackie Robinson’s rookie year there were 399 white players and himself in Major League Baseball (MLB). The movie “42” is his story and it addresses the tremendous challenges Robinson faced as the first African American player during the first years in MLB.

After viewing the movie, I wanted to know more about the man, so I did some research.  I read that Robinson was the first student to letter in four varsity sports at UCLA.  I found it interesting that he pursued professional football before pursuing baseball.  Even more that he served his country in the US Army (1942).  Finally, I was utterly moved after reading his quote, "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." 
I entered the movie "42" only knowing the legendary baseball player, Jackie Robinson.  Now, I know the legendary Jackie Robinson whose drive, tenacity, courage and leadership left an amazing legacy for his generation as well mine. 

They say we learn best when stepping into someone's shoes...this weekend I encourage you to see the movie "42" and step into Jackie Robinson’s cleats to experience what it felt like to be 1 in 400.

*Hall of Fame Plaque honoring Jackie Robinson as found in Cooperstown, New York.

Long Drive to Results

Driving execution is someone else's job....right? Nope! What differentiates extraordinary leaders from everyday managers is that the former demonstrate an active role in executing plans — not just in producing them. And in demonstrating execution, they model “drive for results”.

Drive for results is more complex in fluid or fungible organizations. Understanding and learning to leverage people, process and technology is required, but also enabling connections between the three in order to align them with vision and strategy.

With the goal to realize the vision and strategy, it is disheartening to review current statistics that reveal 70% of companies fail to implement their strategy. Shocking number when you think of the investment—time, money, reputation—that goes into strategy implementation.

Architecture was one of the last classes I took for my Masters degree. One of my favorite learnings from the class? Architects bring clarity to chaos. Another lesson was the importance of not only thinking big, deep thoughts, but having the ability to drive them to execution.

Tying this back to The Extraordinary Leader, Zenger and Folkman identify the following behaviors to demonstrate the activities necessary to drive for results:

• Aggressively pursue all assignments and projects until completion.
• Do everything possible to meet goals and deadlines. Identify actions, assign accountability and align communications, people and processes to deliver results.
• Consistently meet or exceed commitments.
• Follow through on assignments to ensure successful completion – don’t lose interest before a project is completed.
• Build commitment in others for their individual and team objectives.
• Hold others accountable for achieving results.
• Lead or champion efforts to increase productivity and goal accomplishment.

The role of Architecture in the organization affords us the ability to see what could be (vision), translate it into strategy and then oversee the tactical execution.

My advice to each of you is to passionately drive your vision through to reality. Recognize that more times than not, that will mean rolling up your sleeves and investing “sweat equity” to see a strategy all the way through!

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Wrapping it Up...

Here are some ideas that other leaders identified on how to improve effectiveness in the Drives for Results competency.

• Recognize and capitalize on opportunities.
• Set and maintain high performance standards for self and others that support our companies strategic plan and holds self and other team members accountable for achieving results.
• Try new things to reach challenging goals and persists until personal and team goals are achieved and commitments met.
• Work to meet individual and company goals with positive regard, acknowledgment of, and cooperation with the achievement of others' goals.
• Motivate others to translate ideas into actions and results.

As you make Drive for Results a focus continue to share your successes with the team for shared learning. Um, sounds like bullet #5 above in action!!

~ Stacy