What Won the Elections for Donald Trump?
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With the American presidential race hotting up again as we head to the elections in November, it’s a good time to take a look back at what led Donald Trump to the White House in 2016.
I have now come to the realisation, Donald Trump had the upper hand throughout the race up to election day four years ago - and the best way to explain this is via the Iceberg Model. What is visible above the water is only 5%; the 95% of the iceberg below the water is the critical component. This is what caused the Titanic to go down - no one understood what was really below the water - and this is what won the election for Donald Trump.
While Hilary Clinton and the other candidates' were focusing on what was above the water, Donald Trump's strategy was to focus on what was below the water. He identified what was not being said by majority of Americans and used this information to his advantage, and built his campaign around this - what he saidresonated with the unspoken lot:
He effectively and consistently tapped into their values, beliefs, attitudes, emotion, fear, etc.
He tapped into their emotions and empathised with them. He was good at painting a picture for them as to how things could be different. He used emotive language to draw in the people.
He knew that there was an underlying fear around immigration and job losses, etc. and what has been happening around the world. He played this to his advantage.
He looked at what the shared purpose would be that would bring people together.
Within minority groups itself, he used the divide and conquer tactic. Everyone remembers his speeches about Mexicans, women, Muslims, the race card, etc. He had representatives from these groups within his party and made sure that they were visible and was being interviewed by the media - it says a lot.
Depending on your viewpoint, whether you like Donald Trump or not; the question is, what do we as businesses learn from his strategy:
Businesses tend to focus on what is represented at the tip of the iceberg. We need to learn to focus on the mass below the water.
While market share and falling profits are contributing factors as to why businesses fail (the tip of the iceberg), by disregarding culture and morale (the bottom of the iceberg) as an unlikely threat, is a critical mistake.
People determine the efficiency as to how your business run and even though we know that a happy workforce is a productive workforce, we ignore this.
What can we do to ensure our business wins the race against other businesses:
Acknowledge the warning signs. Address them as soon as they arise. If you pick up morale amongst your employees have changed, understand why and address it immediately.
If you are bringing in change, have a strategy in place that addresses people's emotions, fears, attitudes, etc.
Be consistent in your communication strategy and ensure you take them along with you on the journey. Let them know what that new change looks like and how it would benefit them.
Understand what brings them together as employees and identify who they respect and look up to who could help you influence them.
Show them you have their interest at heart - put your employees first and the numbers, second. Needless to say, the profits will follow as your employees, knowing you put their interest first, is going to want you to succeed. If you succeed, they succeed.
Be seen. Be there to answer questions directly and not via your managers. Understand and empathise with their emotions. Show them you are willing to address their issues by actioning that what you can. What you can't action, explain to them why.
You and your business will only win, if your have your employees behind you.
If you require further guidance on the above, then call me on 02032879728 to arrange a discussion.
Visit my website at www.constantiaconsulting.com to complete an Assessment Questionnaire and get a free detailed feedback report on your HR function
