Growth Accelerator
post-traumatic stress. As a para-glider
pilot and para-motorist, I was keen to
share the joy and excitement of “seat
of your pants” flying with soldiers who
had disabilities. We would all learn to fly
specially adapted two seat para-trikes
and participate in a 1000 km flying
journey up the African Rift Valley. It was
an extraordinary experience for all of us
and on reflection I can see a strong link
to Stengel’s theory of business growth
with those of personal growth.
Maximum growth and high ideals are not incompatible. They
are inseparable. So says Jim Stengel in his book “Grow”. He
is referring to his 10-year study of some of the world’s most
successful companies and his discovery that those who put
improving the lives of others as their ultimate ideal or reason
for being, turn out to be the most successful. In other words
creating a brand ideal that helps others is the only sustainable
way to recruit, unite and inspire all the people a business comes
in contact with – employees, customers and other stakeholders.
Stengel goes on to say there are five
fundamental methods in which the most
successful businesses deliver this brand
ideal of improving people’s lives:
1. Eliciting Joy: By activating
experiences of happiness, wonder and
limitless possibility
Examples of companies eliciting joy
are Coca-Cola, Emirates and Moët &
Chandon
2. Enabling Connection: By enhancing
the ability of people to connect with
one another and the rest of the world
Examples of companies enabling
connection are Airtel, FedEx and
Starbucks
3. Inspiring Exploration: By helping
people explore new horizons and new
experiences
Examples of companies inspiring
exploration are Apple, Google and RedBull
96
4. Evoking Pride: By giving people
increased confidence, strength,
security and vitality
Examples of companies evoking
pride are Hermes, Jack Daniel’s and
Mercedes-Benz
5. Impacting Society: By affecting
society broadly, including challenging
the status quo and redefining
categories
Examples of companies impacting
society are Accenture, Innocent and
IBM
Stengel’s theory left me thinking…what
if we as individuals could align ourselves
towards some or even all of the five ideals
above - to help improve people’s lives?
In 2014 I organised and led an expedition
to Kenya. It was for the benefit of
wounded, injured and sick serving and
veteran soldiers. Some had lost limbs in
Afghanistan and others were suffering
We activated experiences of sheer
happiness, wonder and limitless
possibility whilst soaring gracefully over
the African Plains occasionally scattering
herds of elephant, buffalo and Rhino as
we passed overhead. I heard frequ ent
whoops of joy above the noise of the
engine.
We enhanced the ability of people to
connect with one another and the world
in meaningful ways by not only forming a
team of disabled with able bodied but also
between nations and cultures. I shall never
forget the smile on the face of the Maasai
warrior immediately after his first flight in
the clouds. We could not communicate in
the traditional way but there was a strong
connection between us.
We helped 30 people explore new
horizons and new experiences by
spending three weeks travelling through
one of the most beautiful, remote and
potentially dangerous parts of the world.
It was an adventure of exploration in the
mind, body and soul.
We gave the soldiers increased
confidence, strength, security and vitality
by demonstrating that they can still
achieve extraordinary things in their lives
with or without having a pair of legs. We
evoked an inner sense of pride as they
flew majestically into the last checkpoint
near Mt Kenya.
We affected society broadly, including
challenging the status quo and redefining
categories by taking on conventional
wisdom that wounded, injured and sick
soldiers should be confined to barracks
or a hospital ward. A part of their recovery
plan should include joy, connection,
exploration, pride and impact.
B
y Neil Laughton
laughton.co