Stage 4: Noble Cause

In the previous post we discussed the first step, the epiphany, in entering stage 4.  Today we will dissect the next piece of the stage 4 puzzle: A noble cause.  


The noble cause is a destination.  It is the direction that everyone is pulling in, a pronouncement about a future state of the brand/tribe.  In a medical lab this may look like a cure for a type of disease.  In a political machine it might look like a removal of social injustice.  What all of these have in common is a huge dream that can only be tackled by a group all moving in the same direction.  


The first real instance that we see of this type coalescence was in the early American colonies.  In our early history we basically had a ragtag bunch of colonies that were under the boot of the King of England.  England was exploiting our lack of organization through unfair taxes.  Enter George Washington.


Washington wasn't necessarily the only guy that was railing against the King, but he was the one that brought everyone under the same vision: Unanimity.  He didn't really come up with the idea, but he was the one that everyone rallied around because of his political and military prowess.  But his real asset was his ability to get people with various agendas pulling in the same direction.  He did this by asking what all tribal leaders eventually ask: "...in service of what?"  What are we accomplishing?  What direction are we heading in?  In his case, there were many smaller "tribes" (colonies), that all had their own petty views in what our nation should be doing.  But he got all of them to agree that it was in their best interest to join together in unity to defy their English oppressors.  And the rest is history.  


In service of what?
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  Could there be a more noble cause than that!  This is what the United States of America would be in service of.  This is what we banded together for.  When we look at other organizations and industries that are in the stage four of cultural development, we can usually plainly see what their noble cause is:

• Apple: redesign the retail industry through design.
• Disney: make people laugh
• Zappos: delivering happiness.
• Southwest:  happy employees=happy customers
• Amgen: we renew life

All of these companies were successful because they didn't just have a noble cause, they lived it.  

The Big Four Questions
"What's working well? What's not working well?  What can we do to make the things that aren't working, work?  Is there anything else?"  These are the other questions that one must ask in order to determine the noble cause.  And the goal isn't to get agreement, it is go get alignment for the group.  If you want the tribe/brand to be monumentally successful, you must get alignment.  You must get everyone involved and determine the highest aspiration for that group.  If not, you will run the risk of competing visions and egos getting in the way and the group will stay at stage 3.  By going through these questions, you will determine what you noble cause is, or will be.