Seth Godin is one of my marketing heroes. Watch this remarkable forty five minute speech he gave at a marketing conference called INBOUND. It isn’t as much about marketing as it it about being human, connecting with people and being your genuine self. He inspires me every time I see him speak or read his work.
When you ask Seth what he does, he will tell you that he notices things.
Seth, Ella and the Wizard of Oz
Only Seth can weave together Ella Fitzgerald and The Wizard of Oz into a coherent theme about the opportunities that are in front of us to make a difference in the world.
Ella Fitzgerald knew in the early 1950’s that bringing an integrated group of musicians to Houston was exactly the tension required for that city. With her extraordinary voice, she followed her heart to show what the world could look like without regard to her personal well being. She was arrested in her dressing room for playing dice. The police to her to jail to impose their authority and humiliate her and the other musicians. They didn’t like change. Ella, was bailed out in time for the second set. She showed up to make an important difference in the world. How are you showing up each day?
Dorothy is that rarest of cinematic heroines. A teenage girl who leads the way to discover that everything she needs is within her already. When confronted by the Wizard to help her IF she brings him the broomstick of the wicked witch, she learns over time that he didn’t need that broomstick. He was trying to tell her no, I won’t help you. But Dorothy knows inside, that she doesn’t need the Wizard’s permission to return home. What is already inside of you that can make a difference today if you just take a chance?
“I don’t know what the question is, but the answer is YES!” Leonard Bernstein
Learn about Lucy, the millionaire Kenyan farmer who is always trying something new. She is always taking a chance and trying the latest seed technology. Unlike her neighbors, Lucy knows that no one else will tell her how to grow more corn. She is changing the culture by leading her neighbors through change. In listening to Seth, he makes me want to be like Lucy too.
Seth references the lizard brain a lot in this talk. It is the subject of one of his books and you can read about it here. In essence, it is that part of your brain that holds you back and creates resistance to change or forward motion. It is an interesting concept, especially as it relates to the modern workplace.
Businesses, entrepreneurs and marketing professionals have choices. They can take learn lessons about marketing from one of the world’s key thought leaders about marketing. I think you’ll really enjoy this presentation. Thanks to Mitch Joel for passing this along.
There is no place like home, especially if Ella is singing.
Can you hold two ideas in your mind at the same time? It might work, it might not work. Let’s discuss your challenge.
