Since this month in the Remarkable Leadership Learning System we are talking about Innovation and Creativity and the Sears Tower just changed names; it seems only fitting that I write about Richard Sears the founder of Sears & Roebuck.
Richard Sears is considered an innovative genius by historians studying the period of the Industrial Revolution. Before Sears started the Sears & Roebuck catalog:
- Customers around the nation were dependent on the General Store.
- There were large discrepancies between what the people in the city and the people in the country could buy.
- At the time people were still solely buying what they needed instead of the mass consumption of goods we exhibit today.
All of these points changed with the innovative leadership of Richard Sears.
Sears was quick to realize that he had to address the dependency of the General Store using his leadership communication. He changed this dependency by talking to his consumer, persuading them, and making sure they understood every step of the ordering process. He even had a section in his catalog called Plain Talk to discuss why you should buy from him instead of a local retailor. He also used testimonials throughout his catalog and in a section called People Say using social proof as evidence to buy from him.
Next Sears broke the lines of distance, with his catalog people in the city and the country had the access to the same goods. He allowed every consumer a chance to buy his goods, and provided everyone with multiple options. For instance with ladies mittens he sold silk mittens, fancy wool knit mittens, plain wool knit mittens, lined mittens, fleece lined mittens and more. This in turn led to him changing the last bullet point above.
Since Sears was providing access to all of these goods most Americans hadn’t had access to or even seen before mass consumption began to erupt. A consumer society was being formed because customers now had wants instead of just needs. They would look at the mittens and want multiple pairs instead of just the one they needed.
During the Industrial Revolution, Richard Sears was innovative leadership at his finest. He pushed the boundaries of what had been done before and tried to imulate customer relationships through a catalog. He put himself in the shoes of his customer and figured out what they wanted and needed.
To improve our leadership skills we must always be learning, and Richard Sears is someone who can teach you about innovation and creativity. Use this information as inspiration today to innovate and push the boundaries of your thinking.
Guest post by Kim, Not Your Ordinary Intern
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