The Great Divide's Opening Day

The Great Divide

In less than fourteen short months we will be required to elect a new president, and re-elect or replace 435 members of the House and 34 Senators. Business as usual, right? Not really. The faces in the House and Senate will look much the same on the day after the election as they did the day before. But… there will be a new president, and a new agenda, and a new direction. That’s “big stuff” and shouldn’t be taken lightly. 

Though the finish line in Washington is miles away, the races are in full swing. And in my 65 short years, I cannot recall when the philosophical lines of division were so far from each other. But, that’s not the Great Divide to which the title is referring. The driving “Divide” is the mental makeup, involvement, and energy of the voters. And why is it important to understand this? Great businesses all do one thing very well. They know their customers. They know where they live, what they eat, where and when they shop, how often they go to church, and how many dogs they have. 

Politicians suffer under the delusion that their individual messages are so overwhelmingly powerful as to make their brand appealing to virtually everyone. Of course, successful businesses are always looking for new customers, but the first commandment is to keep the customers you have. Repeat business is lifeblood. 

Ok, let’s apply this politically. The Great Divide refers to the two distinct types of individuals that compose the American populace. Understand that there are “degrees” of separation relative to individuals within each class, but for simplicity, let’s start out slowly and look at a very big picture. Later we can address the finer points of segregation and a more pinpoint market approach, but for now let’s paint some very broad strokes.

Disclaimer: Before I begin offending my readers by categorizing you into one of two categories, let me say that I have no disdain for either side. Life is a balance and in this case, one side cannot exist without the other. Both serve an equal purpose in the grand scheme. Also note that in this first “macro” approach, I am not talking about anything other than “mindset”. Wealth and/or success, ethnicity, gender, education, religion, occupation, etc. are all subsets within the two groups and relate to the “pinpoint market” approach. Today, we’re just laying the groundwork for future discussions.

Group 1: Mountain Climbers

These people don’t really like working for someone else, though most do. They are the risk takers. In their hearts they would prefer to run their own show. They are confident in their individual abilities and though most aren’t business owners, they have graduated to positions that largely satisfy their need for personal independence. And for those within this group who are temporarily stalled and haven't obtained a station of independence, their quest to obtain such never ceases. 

The Mountain Climbers are easy to spot. They cautiously embrace change and won’t run from it without a good “look and see”. They value their own opinions (and typically have them), and rarely do they believe that anyone’s opinion is better than their’s. They are comfortable and confident making decisions and abhor being excluded from the process. As a note, any good businessman knows that to retain these people, you have to give them “rope” and an opportunity to reach the status to which they aspire. 

Group 2: Long-Distance Runners

These are  the “Steady Eddies”. They are very good at knowing their limits and do best when allowed to function within very clear boundaries. If something appears to be working reasonably well or has existed for a long period without any major catastrophe, they are not about to fix it. “Change” is out of the question without absolute guarantees. Conformity is also very appealing though they can be led “by example”. They don’t really relish the big-decision process and are comfortable relenting authority to others. 

The Long Distance Runners have a great sense of justice and a utopian desire for tranquility. They limit their scope of involvement to that which is comfortable. They occupy a significant portion of many companies’ workforces as they flourish at much-needed jobs that require consistent repetition. Those businesses that recognize their value do well as long they don’t violate this group’s perception of fair play.

In the above two groups, there is very little crossover. And certainly there has yet to be a politician powerful enough, or smart enough to change the DNA of the public. Yet they all try. In the meantime, they violate the first commandment of business. They loose existing customers.

On election day in 2012, Mitt Romney was unable to garner slightly more that 60 percent of his existing customer base. He lost the election by a couple points when more than a third of his professed team stayed on the bench.

Ford and GMC don’t target the marketing of their trucks to the families who currently own a Volvo SUV with aspirations of buying a Tesla. Yet today’s politician thinks that everyone wants to buy what they’re selling.  It’s a terrible mistake and destined to fail.

Think about it.

More later,

Scott Sangalli