WHAT BEING NICE MEANS FOR BRANDS AND BUSINESSES

Do you think it is better to be powerful or to be liked?
 
Why does this have to be an either/or proposition? Being liked is power, and one of the quickest ways to gain someone’s trust and get them to like you is to be nice, polite, and to play fairly.
 
Why is being nice trending in today’s society? 
 
In the last few years, our culture has shifted dramatically. With the rise of digital technology, everyone and their uncle’s opinions are available at the touch of a button. While this rise in global interconnectedness seems to have created an amplification of people’s spiteful and negative attitudes, this appears to be winding down. People are becoming more aware of how they speak to each other, and how their actions both online and offline can have a negative impact on how other people feel or perceive them.
 
Also, the recession may have had something to do with this as well. After the market crash in 2008, big business had a PR disaster on their hands. People became more distrustful of companies in general, and their expectations for businesses has changed. Now, people, especially younger consumers, put an emphasis on being able to trust that a brand acts ethically and is honest and transparent in their dealings.
 
Is it true that people are becoming kinder, gentler, and more polite? It remains to be seen. But being nice is definitely trending, and people across all business industries and walks of life are starting to realize that positivity and kindness are beginning to reign supreme.

What does this mean for brands?
 
For brands and businesses to remain relevant, it’s critical that their messaging is aligned with broader society’s values and positive, rising trends. The trending power of being nice should be reflected in the brands that entrepreneurs create and the way they position themselves. This also has many practical implications for what brands can do to improve consumer’s perceptions of their brands. Remember, it’s critical to gaining a customer’s trust that your brand is seen as ethical and honest in their dealings and advertising methods. For instance: 

• Be mindful of what your company’s representatives say and how they conduct themselves on social media.

• Be aware of your customer service reputation.

• Look at your online reviews from third-party sites. Where can you improve?

• Is your messaging aligned with your values and your target customer’s values?

Hopefully, the power of being nice is here to stay. It’s better for society and the business ecosystem if people can get ahead by playing by the rules, being nice, and being polite to customers, business associates, and competitors alike.
 
More importantly, do you think being nice is here to stay? How do you think the concept of being nice can improve your company’s bottom line, and the ability to attract and retain customers?

Will AI Ever Be Capable of Creativity?

The robots are coming. They’re coming for your jobs. But fortunately, not all of your jobs. While it’s true that automation is taking over specific tasks at a terrifying pace, there is a glass ceiling for AI, and no, they can’t break it.

So, what jobs are safe from the massive influx of robot workers?  Creative jobs that require empathy. In fact, it’s safe to say that AI will never be capable of creativity. Creativity requires a soul, which a machine will never have.

Can AI corner the creative market?

No. But, and this is the good news; AI will make creative types more productive. How so? Take a look at programs like Grammarly and Scrivener. These programs have helped millions of writers plan, plot, and edit their work.

Recently, Google’s AI division developed a machine that was programmed to learn from its opponent. The machine could run more possible chess board scenarios than there are atoms in the universe. Pretty impressive. The machine played a best-of-five round of chess against world champion Lee Sedol. Sedol won the first round. But, the machine quickly learned and bested him in the remaining four games.

While a robot can measure ingredients for a cake. A robot cannot create a new recipe that tastes good. A robot cannot build something, paint something, or otherwise create art. Art resonates from the soul. Anything that involves memorization or diagnostics is ripe picking for the robot workforce. But if the task requires empathy to do well and right, it’s out of their purview. For example, a robot could take over a surgeon’s job. It can’t take over a nurse’s. A robot can vacuum your carpet. It can’t pick out and design an interior that’s cozy and pleasing to you.

While AI may be faster than people and can retain and cross-reference facts better than a human, it only operates in binary form. The situation for AI is either win or lose. It is either right or wrong. Black or white. AI cannot discern shades of grey. Human beings, as creative creatures, operate in a constant state of shifting perspectives and emotions. Creative pursuits, which most jobs are, require you to see things through multiple, empathic lenses. It comes down to passion and emotion. And humans engage with each other on an emotional level that AI will never be able to duplicate.

So good luck to us (and them). My money is on us! (But if we're gambling then the robots will likely be able to figure out the mathematical chances of that better. ;)