An engine is not the only useful metaphor for thinking about how to upgrade your company. For example, I’m also a big fan of how my friend Jim Gilmore talks about how work is a form of theater. He is adamant that it’s not a metaphor—that business IS a theater production.
In full disclosure, this one is extra vivid to me because I spent 18 years of my life in non-stop theater productions. I was a lead character in 50+ shows, plus I wrote and directed. Thinking about business as theater highlights that whatever the product or service, what we sell is an experience. See, your customers ask, “How do I feel about myself when I’m with you?” Usually, this is subconscious—and it’s probably even more powerful because it is hidden.
Whether or not you’ve played a part in a show, there is value in thinking about when you’re on stage (customer-facing) versus backstage (technical support for those who are customer-facing). Some parts of the production might be scripted, and others might require improv skills.
Also, I think all businesses would benefit from mapping out the emotional journey of a customer, similar to how a stage show takes the audience on a journey. Disney Theme Parks uses this approach, for example, to the point of calling their employees cast members. We could also discuss elements of your business like your “costumes,” your “curtain call,” and your “climax.”
What kind of show are you putting on?
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