Seth Cox

Lead in Times of Suffering and in Times of Blessing

As men, we are called to lead. Leadership is not just a good idea, it’s a biblical idea. In fact, it’s a biblical mandate. God created man and woman as equals with very different strengths so that we might work in harmony and give God glory. In His all-knowing wisdom, God designed man to operate best when caring for, or shepherding his flock.

In the words of Mark Driscoll, “Men are like trucks, we drive straighter with a heavy load.” However, biblical leadership is not always easy. For this reason, we are provided a myriad examples in the Bible of men operating in their God-given call to lead. While their are many examples, Joseph (the son of Jacob) provides a uniquely helpful model of biblical leadership.

Why do I believe Joseph’s story is particularly helpful? Joseph exemplifies the thoughts and behavior of a leader in times of both suffering and blessing. Many men hold a great misconception about leadership. This misunderstanding leads them into poor decision-making, and inconsistent fruit. The misconception is this: If God has called me to something, he will pave the path and fruit will appear quickly and with abundance.

It’s not that God cannot, or will not bless your efforts in this way, it’s just that this is an “outlier” condition. While you may be in the .01% of men who enjoy “easy leading”, you are more likely to be in the 99.99% who are called to lead amidst seasons of suffering and blessing, like Joseph. Joseph proved to continue as a faithful leader through out his entire life amidst seasons of suffering as well as seasons of abundance.

Like Joseph, tend to your flock no matter what your circumstances may be. From the ages of 17 to 30, Joseph was a prisoner. During these years, Joseph looked for opportunities to work hard, work well, and work often. This tenacity is what eventually placed the prisoner before the Pharaoh of Egypt - the very person that appointed Joseph Governor over the land. Like Joseph, stay true to the biblical mandate and “do all things as unto the Lord” and your door of opportunity will eventually crack open. When the light begins to emerge from that door, have the courage and tenacity to walk through.

The Heart-Winning Brand

Long before you started your business, you were an entrepreneur. You spent your evenings sharing your ideas with anyone who’d listen. Sleep came only after you sketched out your plans on the napkin from the pocket of your jeans. Soon you employed a team of friends willing to work for Subway sandwiches and a couch to sleep on. Low and behold, you eventually realized your dream - you built a product! On that same couch you now sit wondering why your product isn’t making you money. The problem isn’t your product. What you really need is a brand, the thing that lives in your customer’s mind that makes them all gushy inside. Step one in moving from “product” to “brand” requires infusing your product with qualities that humans actually care about. In short, your product needs a brand, and your brand needs character.

THE BIRTH OF A PRODUCT

1886 had been a less-than-eventful year for John Pemberton, a pharmacist from Atlanta, Georgia who enjoyed experimenting with “liquid tonics” in his 3-legged brass kettle. Tinkering with lime, cinnamon, and seeds of a Brazilian shrub, the doctor eventually settled upon an unusual elixir, and decided he’d attempt to sell his formula at the local pharmacy.

Sadly, Dr. Pemberton’s “brain tonic” wasn’t able to remedy his own declining health or his mounting debt. In a last-resort decision, the doctor sold his young business to a friend for two thousand dollars. The new owner, knowing a thing or two about business, built the brand into what we know today as Coca-Cola, worth 58 billion dollars.

THE BIRTH OF A BRAND

What was different about the new owner that caused Coca-Cola to skyrocket? Or in the famous words of Gregory Bateson, “What is the difference that makes the difference?” Coca-Cola’s new owner, Asa Candler, believed the success of the brand depended on the customer easily understanding, remembering, and relating to his product.

By using human language such as “cool and refreshing with a punch,” the savvy businessman did exactly this. Further, he designed a contoured glass bottle that was unique, easy to hold, and unlike any other. Lastly, he decided the Coca-Cola logo needed one distinct color that would be the ambassador for the brand. He decided upon a brilliant red that would stand out on a crowded shelf.

However, Candler’s genius was not in the beautiful calligraphy of the logo. Nor was Candler’s success attributed to the contoured glass bottle. Surely the red brand color was the defining ploy? Nope. Candler understood that every drink available solved the problem of thirst. Most drinks also solved this problem at a lower price that Coca-Cola.

The industry-changing factor that propelled Coca-Cola into a 50 billion dollar company was their uniqueness - or what we call in human terms, their character. Coca-Cola became synonymous with happiness, friendship, and fun. The world chose Coca-Cola for emotional and psychological reasons - not just because they were looking to quench their thirst.

ENDEARING BRANDS WIN ENDURING CUSTOMERS

At this point you’re thinking, “That’s great Seth, but my widgets are faster, lighter, and cheaper - which is all a good product really needs.” I congratulate you on your wonderful product, but if product features alone are “the difference that makes the difference”, Pepsi would have outsold Coca-Cola long ago. Although Pepsi has tinkered with their taste formula again and again in an effort to win a taste test against Coca-Cola, they continue to sell less than their competitor. The reason? Customers expect more from their beverage than a liquid formula. Your product needs the same thing Coca-Cola has: character.

Imagine if tomorrow you woke up, brushed your teeth, and went in to work only find that your products had grown arms and legs and were carrying on conversations with one another. Perhaps a couple of rebel-products were rolling dice in the corner. You quietly hide behind a desk and observe their culture. Flabbergasted, you realize that your products are far more intelligent, funny, and relatable than you ever realized! Casting a glance over to the loading dock, you notice that your products have actually made friends with pedestrians passing by. For the first time ever, customers are attracted to your products because they have character!

Perhaps this may seem silly, but in some ways this story is more accurate than the story you tell about your brand while on sales calls. Learn how to see your brand as a living, breathing creature with qualities humans can learn to love. If you saw your product as an animated Pixar character, like Buzz Lightyear, you’d speak of it as more than just a toy.

3 STEPS TO INFUSING CHARACTER

1) Write down a list of character traits that describe your brand. Perhaps you sell cupcakes in a quaint corner store. Your brand character may include words like innocent, lovable, and quirky. Maybe your brand sings in the shower, and forgets to match her socks before heading out the door?

2) Position your brand according to those human qualities. Customers react to consistency, so you must go the extra mile to infuse life and character into every corner of your brand experience. This means your Facebook page must use language that is consistent with your menu. Your purchasing experience is consistent with your parking experience. Your product design is consistent with your customer support resources. And on and on it goes. Over 100 years after Coca-Cola was introduced, they are still producing the same formula. We know and love the fact that we can rely on that consistency.

3) Strip your brand of inconsistent products or features. Apple is a great example of a company that provides a wide family of products that play well together. My iPhone snuggles quite nicely with my iPad. They share information, and yet they each play a unique and distinct role for me.

SUMMARY

I’m not claiming that your product doesn’t need to be faster, lighter, and cheaper. That may very well be a requirement for your customers. I’m merely saying that those features alone won’t win your customer’s heart. Like Coca-Cola, learn how to see your brand as something that evokes emotion, feelings, and memories. Create lists of words that will help you articulate those feelings, and don’t forget to position your brand accordingly! Finally, have the courage to remove features or entire products that are inconsistent with your brand character. In the end, you’ll enjoy products and customers that will endure long after your gone.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Seth Cox helps visual media artists develop brands of character, on course, in community. Seth is a Creative Director at Venture Visuals, a visual media agency in Santa Barbara, CA. Seth is also the founder of Cinemob, a community of video production artists committed to connection, inspiration, and education. Seth and his wife Leanna live in Santa Barbara and are active leaders in their local church, Reality.

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