Borrowing from Buddha

Strategic Planning is funny. It’s one of those disciplines that are almost impossible to nail down to a simple, shared definition. We’ve all read the LinkedIn bios: champion of culture… professional insight miner… innovation Sherpa… At best, they’re incomplete. At worst, well…they’re professional insight miners. And while some of this flowery language is a deliberate attempt to stand out in the “Sherpa” marketplace, it is not without consequence. The words we use to describe our industry, our work, and even ourselves help determine the type of people that will eventually follow in our footsteps.

If we want to create environments that foster great work, we’ve got to bring the right people to the table. To do this, we’ve got to watch what we say. So with that in mind, I’d like to throw my own definition into the mix:

“It’s kind of like Buddhism…”

Now, I’m no expert in Buddhism. I can probably tell you just as much about Buddhism as the next guy. But that’s part of what makes this definition so wonderful: it assumes no prior knowledge. Because no matter who you are, no matter how much or how little you understand about Buddhism, you know one thing to be true: Buddhists feel for others.

In the words of the Dalai Lama:

“According to Buddhism, compassion is an aspiration, a state of mind, wanting others to be free from suffering. It’s not passive — it’s not empathy alone — but rather an empathetic altruism that actively strives to free others from suffering. Genuine compassion must have both wisdom and lovingkindness. That is to say, one must understand the nature of the suffering from which we wish to free others (this is wisdom), and one must experience deep intimacy and empathy with other sentient beings (this is lovingkindness).”

Now THAT is a job description. You could write a full-length book on the art and science of strategic planning (and many have) and still not come up with a definition that so clearly and succinctly captures the work that we do. Wisdom and lovingkindness. That’s it.

WISDOM:

Consider the Dalai Lama’s take on wisdom, the first step towards practicing genuine compassion: to be wise is to “understand the nature of the suffering from which we wish to free others.” As strategists, our primary objective is to learn as much as we possibly can about our consumers. All of the innovation conferences, the digital trend reports – they’re all fine. But if strategists don’t know their target audience cold, they’re of little use to their agencies.

Of course, this is easier said than done. It’s well documented that people prefer feeling validated to knowing the truth. As we become more aware of our inherent biases, however, we can take steps to overcome them and ultimately ensure that our work is guided by insight and not merely instinct.

LOVINGKINDNESS:

But being wise is only half the battle. To be a great strategist, you’ve got to care. After identifying the pain point, or the “suffering,” in your consumer’s life you have to care enough to make it right. There are plenty of people who make a living playing off of others’ fears and insecurities. They use their wisdom to take advantage of their customers. These people are not strategists, or at least they shouldn’t be because in addition to having souls, strategists understand the value of a customer kept as opposed to a customer earned.

It’s really hard. It’s hard to pass up on a brilliant creative concept when it doesn’t immediately address your consumer’s needs. It’s hard to say no to an idea that’s sure to turn heads in ad land, even when your audience has never and will never visit ad land. It’s hard to prioritize creating experiences that enhance utility over experiences that enhance media impact. But that’s our job. And honestly, that’s what makes it worthwhile. Because making something better for someone feels a whole lot better than making something pretty.

To be fair, there are a number of other skills that help inform a strategist’s work. Strategic planners must have a baseline understanding of how marketing and communications work. They should have a strong feel for both cultural trends in general and media behaviors in particular. But these things can be learned. You can’t teach someone to be curious, just as you can’t teach someone to care. Compassion is what drives our work and it’s time we start talking more about it.

So the next time I’m asked what I do for a living, I’ll start with what matters most. No talk of “bold innovation” or “brand truths.” I’ll begin with Buddhism.

Like what you see here? Want to bring some Buddha into your life? Fond of email correspondence? Contact [email protected] for your very own miniature Buddha figurine! Miniature Buddha figurines available while supplies last. Quick! Email me!

Photo:wiseattention.org