One of the ancillary benefits of doing The Power Within speeches in Ottawa and Vancouver back in March was meeting Gary King, who works with Tony Robbins.
An acclaimed speaker in his own right, Gary's motivational take is a unique one. A la Jim Carrey in "Liar Liar" a near-death experience has left him incapable of telling a lie (hmmm...I guess that means that he really DID like my shirt), so Gary has made it his calling to spread the word on The Power Of Truth.
One of the great evenings I spent this year was in the company of Gary and W Mitchell (another unique speaker, believe me), where he told us of his 24-Hour Truth Challenge; "Your life, health and peace of mind will never be the same," he promised.
"But I'm in the wireless business," I protested. "I don't know if I could do 24 minutes of truth!"
Well, I tried it (albeit over a weekend). And--truth be told--it was actually kinda fun. Granted, there's a fine line between saying everything you're thinking and telling the truth, but the result was liberating.
...AND educational as per generating Surprise. This was an additional, unexpected benefit.
In marketing, consumers have become incredibly skeptical after years of dealing with untruths in all shapes and sizes. Their levels of trust have been worn down and their callouses of cynicism have hardened to carbon. They are expecting the lie, and are hunkering down to deal with it. Just about every time.
Just think of the supreme Pow! you can generate just by telling the simple truth. Arguments are suddenly deflated, negativity is flushed away, and the path to dealing with the problem or the situation has been exponentially widened. Imagine how much better your headspace would be, and how you'd be able to make alternative plans, if the airline explained why your flight was delayed...if the taxi driver admitted he was lost...if the waiter confessed he forgot to put in your order...if the blogger said he couldn't think of a fourth example to round out this paragraph.
A lie is something you deal with alone. As Gary says, "There is no such thing as an inconsequential lie." Each one starts a domino effect that ripples wide and long.
The truth is something you deal with with others.
And in the relationship called marketing, you NEED others to deal with.
Gary King...you are indeed one.