The intangible secret that leaves a mark and builds legacy
Our organizations depend on motivated and creative teams to be indispensable to our customers. But even the best team does not guarantee success. It takes something money can't buy: mystique.
I recently saw a movie that highlights a concern that is pertinent to the moment we are going through, especially in our organizations. In it, a very young Lee Lacocca, then Ford's Sales Manager, is tasked with explaining to his impatient boss, Henry Ford II, why sales are falling in 1966. The dilemma of the heir to the, until then, icon of the US automotive industry boils down to one question: “My grandfather invented mass production. We were the best-selling brand in the world; we represented the American dream and today customers no longer come to us: we have to go looking for them. Meanwhile, in Italy, Enzo (Ferrari), with a production process that is leaking at every point, can ask for any price, and they buy it. How and why, Lacocca?” Lacocca, who decades later would become a symbol of his industry, answers him frankly: ”Because Ferraris are everything we like about a car. A Ferrari is a car with mystique.” For those who want to know how this true story ends, the movie is called Le Mans '66 and stars Matt Damon and Christian Bale.
The trajectory of both car manufacturers to date underlines that mystique is not a minor issue, especially at a time like the present. For this reason, it is worth reflecting on this intangible asset and its relevance for the future.
What is mystique?
According to the RAE, it is “the union of man with divinity through ecstasy”. Beyond beliefs, it symbolizes a transcendent force. In organizational terms, mystique is related to how we do what we do over time.
Mystique does not come from the budget, sales or the brand, but from the people who make up the organization. It is not imposed by mandate or by worship of a figure; it arises from a culture of continuous improvement that everyone embraces. For this reason, it highlights both companies and those who make them up.
Good examples are the textile group Patagonia Inc., the Argentine holding company Perez Companc, the aforementioned Ferrari, Real Madrid and the defunct Arthur Andersen.
Real Madrid, for example, is an icon known as the “White House” of football. In contrast, Paris Saint-Germain, despite having stars such as Mbappé, Neymar and Messi, failed to generate the same level of aspiration. The difference is not one of funds or talent, but of mystique.
In the corporate world it is no different. To attract talent, consumers, customers and to become a benchmark, we need something that goes far beyond the brand. In other words, to generate mystique it is not enough to have a brand; we need to know how to leave a mark on history and in the minds of people and our consumers. Apple knew how to do it; Microsoft is still trying.
The two pillars
The mystique is based on organizational behavior sustained over time. This implies maintaining the same attitude to do things equally well in good times and in bad. Its basis is those inalienable characteristics that guide the way it operates: values that are not negotiated, not even in the face of a temporary need. An example of this are companies that place the customer at the center of everything they do. In essence, mystique is built on explicit values that are consistently upheld.
Mystique is reinforced by consistency between what is said and what is done. Patagonia, for example, embodies this principle. The company celebrated its 50th anniversary with the phrase: “A 50-year history of purpose”, a message that sums up its essence and commitment to a business model based on sustainability. Other prominent examples are the Argentinean group Perez Companc and the so-called German “hidden champions”, many of which are family firms. In all cases, what distinguishes these companies is the solid connection between their external impact and the internal culture they cultivate.
Transmitting this coherence will be essential for organizations that want to develop mystique in the future. They will have to demonstrate, through consistent actions, that the world to which they contribute is as solid as the one they are building behind closed doors.
By Alberto Bethke, founding partner of Olivia.
