Hi all,
As you review your experiences this year and focus on the new one ahead, it is my hope that you will infuse your holidays and work with heliotropy. Let me explain by telling you a story.
In the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s, the state of Nordic food was dismal. Unlike French, Spanish, and Italian cuisines, Nordic food did not have its own distinct identity. People ate food because it was fuel for their bodies, it was a means of survival. Much of the food was imported. Claus Meyer, an internationally known TV celebrity chef from Denmark, was dissatisfied with this situation and decided to do something about it. In 2003, together with a colleague, he opened Noma restaurant in Copenhagen, which served local ingredients and aligned itself with Nordic seasons. The year following Noma’s opening, Meyer organized a symposium where he invited CEOs of large agribusinesses together with government officials, chefs, scientists, teachers, farmers, and anyone else who had a stake in Nordic food. Though people would ordinarily be arguing and defending their own interests, Meyer got them all facing the same direction by asking two aspirational questions: “What would it take to become one of the greatest food regions in the world?” and “What would the benefits be down the road?” The symposium acted as a catalyst for change among decision makers and inspired them to donate millions of euros in funding towards this New Nordic Food concept. A social movement was born, which saw a rebirth of local cheeses, meats, and beer, among others. Nordic people are prouder of their food identity and still invest in local food to this day.
Part of what made the symposium so successful was Meyer’s application of heliotropy. Heliotropy is a philosophy that guides people by light, warmth, and positivity. It looks for common interests rather than focusing too much on what divides us. This concept originates in the field of biology, where plants known as heliotropes move towards the sun throughout the day to optimize their harvest of the sun’s energy. It is analogous with regard to human behavior in that humans tend to be more motivated by light, warmth, and positivity than by fear, guilt, or despair. It may be helpful to think of heliotropy as one authentic strategy that could inspire your target audience/priority group to change their behavior, in addition to the rational cost/benefit analyses that they already engage in.
As you settle in for the holidays and ramp up your work next year, I hope that you will feel the positive effects of heliotropy throughout.
All the best to you and yours,
Julie
P.S. If you’d like to read more about heliotropy and/or the New Nordic Food movement, you can access Chapter 4 (page 70) of my PhD dissertation here.
As you review your experiences this year and focus on the new one ahead, it is my hope that you will infuse your holidays and work with heliotropy. Let me explain by telling you a story.
In the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s, the state of Nordic food was dismal. Unlike French, Spanish, and Italian cuisines, Nordic food did not have its own distinct identity. People ate food because it was fuel for their bodies, it was a means of survival. Much of the food was imported. Claus Meyer, an internationally known TV celebrity chef from Denmark, was dissatisfied with this situation and decided to do something about it. In 2003, together with a colleague, he opened Noma restaurant in Copenhagen, which served local ingredients and aligned itself with Nordic seasons. The year following Noma’s opening, Meyer organized a symposium where he invited CEOs of large agribusinesses together with government officials, chefs, scientists, teachers, farmers, and anyone else who had a stake in Nordic food. Though people would ordinarily be arguing and defending their own interests, Meyer got them all facing the same direction by asking two aspirational questions: “What would it take to become one of the greatest food regions in the world?” and “What would the benefits be down the road?” The symposium acted as a catalyst for change among decision makers and inspired them to donate millions of euros in funding towards this New Nordic Food concept. A social movement was born, which saw a rebirth of local cheeses, meats, and beer, among others. Nordic people are prouder of their food identity and still invest in local food to this day.
Part of what made the symposium so successful was Meyer’s application of heliotropy. Heliotropy is a philosophy that guides people by light, warmth, and positivity. It looks for common interests rather than focusing too much on what divides us. This concept originates in the field of biology, where plants known as heliotropes move towards the sun throughout the day to optimize their harvest of the sun’s energy. It is analogous with regard to human behavior in that humans tend to be more motivated by light, warmth, and positivity than by fear, guilt, or despair. It may be helpful to think of heliotropy as one authentic strategy that could inspire your target audience/priority group to change their behavior, in addition to the rational cost/benefit analyses that they already engage in.
As you settle in for the holidays and ramp up your work next year, I hope that you will feel the positive effects of heliotropy throughout.
All the best to you and yours,
Julie
P.S. If you’d like to read more about heliotropy and/or the New Nordic Food movement, you can access Chapter 4 (page 70) of my PhD dissertation here.
