The Object of Attachment

The process of creating an environment where champions are inevitable begins with recognizing the power of attachment and, most importantly, the OBJECT of attachment.  What IS the something bigger that the particular team wants to be part of?  Is it the work group?  The company? The family, church group, social organization?  Is it all of these things?

Identifying the object of attachment is not always as easy as it sounds.  Since people are attracted to organizations for different reasons, they do not always respond to what the leader may think is the obvious attachment.  For instance, Ford motor company may assume that because a customer has consistently bought Ford Mustangs, his attachment is to Ford motor company or Ford products generally.  However, it is of course very possible that the customer's attachment is ONLY to Ford Mustangs.  If he wants a truck, he may buy a Toyota.

For marketing gurus in any organization, the riddle of attachment drives their creative efforts.  Alumni organizations, for example, often assume their graduates are deeply attached to the school itself, whereas in fact, they may only be attached to their particular class, athletic team or other extracurricular organization they may have belonged to. 

Often, the directors of development at schools will attempt to centralize fund raising by limiting the ability of these sub groups to raise money.  They hope by this tactic to increase discretionary funds and limit "restricted" contributions.  What may happen, however, is that potential contributing alumni will not feel the kind of attachment to the school as a whole that they felt toward their little slice of school life, and, therefore will no longer contribute to anything involving the school.  It is the mission of the inspirational leader in this or any situation to find the object of attachment, or identify the desired object of attachment and then begin the process of bringing people aboard.