-
The Truth About Noisemakers
July 9, 2013
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. -
The noisemaker has played a key role throughout our history. From the jester who entertained rulers in medieval times, to P.T. Barnum attracting huge crowds as a curator of human curiosities; and even that friend, co-worker, or someone you know who is always great at providing an instant distraction to take us beyond our own boredom.
The noisemaker exists in every environment, in both business and in life, and on every level, whether big or small.
The noisemaker is a master at generating ideas and taking action around gaining attention by using the art of noise to create irrelevant or meaningless moments through a message, or an act, that seems to deliver some desired information or outcome.
However, look closely and you will discover it's all surface-driven and typically lacks a greater depth, because the noisemaker is guided by a mantra made famous by one of its best who declared, "There's a sucker born every minute."
The attraction for so many people and companies is a result of their own inability to truly understand their value for others and not fully knowing how to communicate the purpose for themselves of why they really exist in the first place.
In the absence of real meaning and through a void of having the ability to make an authentic impact, the strategy becomes focused on the old idea that gaining attention is ruled by those who can make the most noise.
The distraction method works very well to occupy the time and fool everyone into believing they are accomplishing something that matters because a short-term win tricks you into thinking a "Let's Make Some Noise" formula is the key to generate something that can deliver long term success.
But, you will never build something meaningful this way because even though bold surprises will always sell; it's hard to be surprising on a consistent enough basis without simply making a lot of noise.
"He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak." -- Michel de Montaigne
Look at the great companies and people who are truly making a difference. The silence is louder than thunder because the signal at the heart of their actions is felt in a way that isn't noise at all.
-
-