What is your HSSD ratio?

What is your HSSD ratio?

Just now I was in a call with a prospective client who, among other things wanted to know the process of getting a certain industry certification.

As usual, I asked them why they wanted that 'tag'?

I know, it sounds a little provocative but I put it out just the way it is. I have been around long enough to have seen and heard enough and more stories of duplicity and misleading.

They said it will be 'good for the brand' and that will also attract the right kind of people.

(On a side note, I just want to mention that work life balance of people who are already working there is completely off balance.)

They also wanted to know if I would do a training session on story-telling for their senior leaders.

After explaining to them the demanding process of that certification, I shared with them what I call the Hear-See-Say-Do ratio.

I told them that more than any so called 'certification' what really matters are the stories that are doing the rounds of the grapevine, inside and outside the company; especially in the job market.

Really good people will decide to join the organisation if and only they Hear authentic stories of a trustworthy, caring, purposive organisation.

When they join it, they will also keenly See whether those stories are true and consistently so.

Finally they will be observant of how much you practice what you go around preaching about yourself; whether values are truly practiced in a mutually accountable manner from top to bottom or are they just for lip-service on the website and behind the reception desk.

And that will determine how long they stay with you.

Hence instead of trying to spin and sell yarns and 'tell stories', become the story that attracts the right people in an organic manner.

The brand is a result of all that and not the other way round. You end up becoming a brand because of your Hear-See-Say-Do ratio and not work down from a 'brand'.

Today, people are relatively aware and have more choices.