Art Jacoby's Monthly Newsletters
Newsletter Library - May 2007
T-Bone
Hired to teach mathematics at Temple University some years ago, Myra Gorman was discouraged by the fact that she couldn’t get through to her students. She tried pleading, she tried demanding, but they just wouldn’t pay attention.
Thinking that perhaps teaching was not going to be her calling, she discussed her plight with her father. “Dad, I just can’t get through to these students. They simply won’t listen.” Her father, a minister with a lot of experience engaging an audience, advised Myra to find a leader in the classroom and build upon that relationship.
Myra quickly identified a football player nick-named “T-Bone” and asked him to help her communicate with his classmates. He agreed and he worked with her to develop stories and examples that would appeal to the class.
The transformation was dramatic. When T-Bone told his classmates what he was doing, their interest in the subject matter suddenly increased. The classroom came to life, and Myra’s teaching career blossomed.
T-Bone was an opinion leader – an individual that influences the behavior of others. Building a good relationship with an opinion leader opens doors by creating the opportunity to connect with those in their network.
What happened to Myra? She’s now CEO of Community Analytics (www.comlytics.com), a business that helps companies penetrate their markets by uncovering and building relationships with opinion leaders.
JACOBY drives profitable growth in niche leading companies.
BUSINESS ASSESSMENTS
Schedule Your Company's Business Assessment with Jacoby Today!