We All Need to Belong

Belonging is a core and fundamental human need we all share, and one of the ABCs of the Amare Way. In business, belonging happens when your employees, customers, and other stakeholders see similarities between themselves and your company, and feel a kinship and emotional connection based on those similarities. 

Amare Way companies carefully cultivate belonging. The result is a palpable sense of connection between management, employees, and customers. Employee and customer loyalty is off the charts. People proudly proclaim their affinity for these companies. 

• Do you personally feel a strong sense of belonging with your company?

• Does your organization cultivate belonging with all your stakeholders? 

• Do your employees and customers act as ambassadors for your company?

7 Amare Ways to Create More Belonging

1. Do one thing. Identify one simple thing you can do to create a meaningful sense of belonging with all your stakeholders— employees, customers, investors, partners, suppliers, and the community at large. 

2. Connect emotionally. Invest in knowing and understanding your customers’ hearts—their desires, values, and aspirations. Empower your customer-facing people to take time to connect with customers on a deeper level. 

3. Get a baseline measure. Do the “belonging assessments” in The Amare Wave (CH 9) for you, for employees, and for customers.

4. Celebrate belonging. Invest in, measure, and reward employee and customer loyalty. Track and publicize employee and customer praise that shows a strong sense of identification and kinship. 

5. Provide megaphones. Give employees and customers easy ways to share their stories, proudly proclaim their affinity for you, and invite others to check you out. 

6. Find where you belong. Consider what organizations you identify with most strongly – maybe an online company, a sports team, a grocery store, a nonprofit. Consider their attributes that you can emulate.

7. Say thank you. Genuinely thank customers for choosing to give you their business. Consider every interaction an opportunity to show gratitude.

Today’s Amare Wave Wednesday Quote

“Human beings can’t help it: we need to belong.” 

―Seth Godin, in Tribes

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Thanks everyone for tuning in to Amare Wave Wednesday! Do YOUR one amare thing today to improve your business and grow the wave! 

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With Amare,

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