By Ted Ritzer. http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ted-ritzer/6/541/381
Background Information
A concept that has had a profound effect on the way people around the world think about motivation, life
and meaning, is Maslow’s needs hierarchy. A consideration of Maslow’s needs hierarchy in the context of
the park experience will help us delivery exceptional experiences. Chip Conley in his book “Peak-How
Great Companies Get Their Mojo From Maslow” spent years considering how to apply Maslow’s
concepts to business. When Conley considered the needs hierarchy and his boutique hotel customers is
illustrated in the following graphic:
Expanding Our Support Base:
Experiences contributes directly to four specific types of well being that should be considered,
particularly in relation to increasing our support base:
•
Individual Well-Being
•
Community Well-Being: nearby communities and their residents, includes ‘pride of place’
•
Environmental Well-Being: includes relevant ‘vested interest’ communities of interest
•
Economic Well-Being: recreation and tourism contributes to the economy.
In the past we focused substantial efforts on the presentation of information that was hoped to move
people from being unsupportive or unaware, to aware, then appreciate, then understand, then value, then
behave, and finally lead. In a sequential manner. But what research is telling us is that the key thing is to
get people experiencing nature directly, and then love of nature will follow, as well as knowledge and
understanding.
So the key focus of our new direction is to focus on the experience, and more people involved in the
offering of that experience!
The provision of one-way information to an audience is not inspiring people.
What are inspiring a love of nature, is frequent direct positive experiences in nature, particularly at a
young age, with an inspiring adult mentor.
Within social media research it has been found that the provision of one-way information as done within
most websites does not create a community of support, it provides information, increasingly upon which
to make a purchase decision. However, to counter an unthinking cheerleader type position, some social
media analysts are suggesting that social media inspired communities still pale in comparison to real
people, real places and direct place-based interactions, that they feel have more direct impact on quality of
life.
The following graphic by Nathan Shedroff helps us understand the above:
The following concept was inspired by social media author Chris Brogan’s post on ‘Audiences or
Communities’:
http://www.chrisbrogan.com/audience-or-community/
Highlights from that post are as follows:
Community happens when people feel they’re among like-minded others and when they feel their
contributions matter.
Communities empower…people with like-minded interests to interact. a community wants to own the
experience every bit as much as they can
A large percentage of people come to the community to absorb the rewards of that community without
contributing back in. Meaning, for every million people reading Wikipedia, there are only 10 or so editing
and adding to it. The same is true with many communities.
So for each stage of experience, are we dealing with the delivery of one-way information to a passive
audience or a potential way to use shared experiences as a way to engage people in ways that increase
support?
In essence current research is telling us that meaningful experiences change people, and that in many case
information or yet more information does not! Therefore, it would seem to make sense to at least add the
provision of meaningful experiences to our offerings.
Acknowledgements:
Anielski, Mark. 2007. The Economics of Happiness: Building Genuine Wealth. New Society Publishers. http://www.amazon.ca/Economics-­‐Of-­‐Happiness-­‐Mark-­‐Anielski/dp/0865715963 Mark is an Edmonton based economist, who put me on to the four major types of well-­‐being, his corporate website is: http://www. anielski.com/ Video at: http://vimeo.com/58568665 Anielski has a decade of research with Albertans that essentially said happiness beyond food, shelter, job, is not linked with money, that is more money beyond basic needs does not mean more happiness. Conley, chip. 2007. Peak-­‐How the Great Companies Get Their Mojo From Maslow. Jossey-­‐Bass Publishers. http://www.amazon.ca/Peak-­‐Companies-­‐non-­‐Franchise-­‐Leadership-­‐
ebook/dp/B0067KS0VS/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-­‐text&ie=UTF8&qid=1367003357&sr=1-­‐
4&keywords=Chip+Conley