The need to be real, as you are perceived to be, or yourself is how I understand this level. I think that of all of the needs this one is one I think I get but I have a nagging feeling that perhaps I don't. Therefore, it is with some trepidation that I approach this topic. You may notice that I my comments will be less confident or authoritative. I don't mind being wrong on occasion; I just don't like to do so in public very much.
In today's modern world, authenticity does not seem to be very important to many people. Fashion trends push everything from false eyelashes to false body parts. We can wear clothes that lift, shift, or exaggerate almost anything. We can rent cars, homes, or other material things to put on a show for others to see.
I saw a preview, or a parody, of a forthcoming Dove commercial. This is part of their "Campaign for real beauty." After showing clips and pictures from advertisements, the piece ends with the narrator saying, and words on the screen, that says something like: "Talk to your daughter before the fashion world does." My first thought, since I don't have daughters, was that the ads 
they are speaking against aren't necessarily aimed at little girls. Later, as I thought about it, I realized that it did not matter who they targeted, little girls still saw those messages.
Which level of need are advertisements for cosmetics, fashion, Viagra, and the other function "medications" aimed at...
The items sold in such advertising are not aimed at survival or safety. I suppose one could claim that reproduction is essential to the survival of a family line but there was probably plenty of time for that need to be met before medication was needed in most cases. Attracting a mate, a companion, or even just friends can be part of the need to belong and to be loved. Still, long before there were such materials, people did find companionship, belonging, and love. So, I would say they are not a requirement to fill those needs.Yet, people feel that they are not themselves without these additional artifices. They feel naked without make-up, sunglasses, or a hairpiece (or wig). They feel as if they have betrayed themselves if they wear the wrong thing, eat at the wrong place, or say the wrong phrase.
There is a positive side to this need. People who strive to be authentic, real, and sincere often have to work at it as well. Reading, study, and discipline are often required to be the kind of person you want to be. Integrity, sincerity, and compassion do not happen by habit in most cases. It takes willpower, dedication, and inner strength to be an authentic, honest, and trustworthy person. At least I think it does.
All of this makes this need a perfect target for marketing. By showing how a product can enhance the ability to put forth authenticity (real or not) a person can be convinced that they must have, use, or own your product. Personally, I prefer to appeal to the person seeking sincere authenticity but not everyone agrees with me.
In the workplace I think authenticity is much more difficult to fake. Some people work very hard to hide the true nature of their character, their lifestyle, or their financial status. If you sense this is an issue with one of your staff, it is probably appropriate to help them feel more at ease with who they are. Find out why they feel a need to hide. There are times when no one needs to know private details of our lives but if you work anywhere for a long time many of these things come out. My feeling is this: if it does not affect your ability to work, the image of the company as a whole, or it does not endanger the safety or security of others then I should not let it affect my view, image, or assessment of you as an employee, coworker, or supervisor.
We all have some amount of prejudice. It is human nature to be so inclined and it is often culturally put upon us to learn at an early age to identify those not like us and to dislike them. One measure of personal authenticity is to find those prejudices and work to counter them in your behavior. When we learn to love people because they are fellow humans, then we begin to show more caring, charity, and compassion for people of any color, from any country, and of any belief.
These growth needs are something we need to work on constantly and with determination. I know I strive to move forward but often find myself sliding back easily.
- What areas do you see that need improvement?
- How can marketing be used to foster honest authenticity?
- How can we make our workplace environment better by teaching tolerance?
» Fear of Losing Sales - Pricing 101 Series Post 2 from ModernMagellans
This is the second in a series of posts on the issue of setting prices too low.Undercharging is a mistake that happens for many reasons:· Fear of losing sales· Desire to spread their beneficial product ... [Read More]
Tracked on: November 16, 2007 6:16 PM | Permalink to Trackback