Aspense Fernando Botella is fascinated with people, everything to do with life and the brain. That’s why he read Biology and specialized Animal Physiology and Central Nervous System. has been dedicated transformation of people and he is an expert motivation, leadership, training and development of managers and managers.
founded in 2007 Think and ActHe is CEO and combines his lectures and book publications with his teaching as a collaborative professor at universities and business schools. University of Central Florida, Harvard University, ESADE and ICADE. He returned to his hometown of Aspe to talk about his latest book, “The Force of Illusion”. Invitation enter the world of illusion and commercial illusionism to achieve success and excellenceBoth professional and organizational.
What are the ten magical principles embodied in “The Force of Illusion” to achieve success, professional and organizational excellence?
In the book “The Power of Illusion” we identified ten principles used by magicians, but that actually work in any context. From “never reveal your secret” to keeping the mystery alive to “practice until you’re perfect” because practice and training make perfect. Other magical principles, “reinvent yourself” so as not to repeat yourself; “take care of your people” – customer service today more than ever is a decisive factor for business competitiveness –; “Look for extraordinary effects” – the famous ‘wow’ effect that companies are chasing so much or “believe in your magic” because if you don’t believe in your product, who will?
Really good companies make a profit because they think about people a lot.
And if the goal is not achieved after applying these principles…?
It can be, of course, but the normal thing is that if these recommendations are followed, the results will come. At this point, managing expectations is essential. Because if the goals we set for ourselves are clearly beyond our capacity, with or without magical principles, we will most likely fail. On the other hand, if we set goals that are exciting and challenging but at the same time realistic, our options will increase considerably.
How can companies leave a mark on the mind of the consumer?
There are different ways to get into the mind and heart of the consumer. There are positioning strategies, branding, excellent customer service… I would say that the best strategy is the one that combines all these elements. And above all, the person I mentioned earlier who provides that ‘wow’ effect that goes beyond a quality of service and transcends a product’s set of functionality and attributes. A strategy that transforms an initially purely commercial relationship into a memorable and people-oriented experience.
Are traditional companies willing to enter the world of illusion or prefer to stick to pragmatism?
There’s a little bit of everything. What is clear is that companies that do not start from illusion, not from the important nuance of “illusionism”, that do not generate positive energy among their teams and that do not infect their value advocacy to their collaborators and customers will have bad days for the brand. And this applies to both traditional and new companies.
If the goals we set for ourselves are beyond our capabilities, there are many possibilities that we will collapse.
Are there any entrepreneurs who unknowingly apply the magic formula to succeed?
Certainly. The world of illusion is more about doing than knowing, and there are companies and businessmen who are truly adept at creating illusions and surprising their customers permanently. They do this even if they don’t realize they’re doing it.
Are leaders born or made?
It is undoubtedly done. A leader is formed with hundreds of hours of training and thousands of hours of practice, constantly growing, developing and improving. That doesn’t mean there aren’t people who already have excellent leadership skills. But these innate or potential talents also need to be worked on and polished with lots of training to shine.
According to his book, power comes from illusion… but how can you get power if you don’t have an illusion?
There’s a whiting biting its own tail in this equation. Illusion is everything, without it there is no adventure. It is often said that a person who loses faith in the future loses his strength in the present. Change “belief” to “illusion” and the result is the same. Our future begins to be built in the present. Therefore, waiting to see if the storm subsides and things improve is not a good option. If we push this change now, things will start to improve in the future. How is it obtained? You must have expectations, plans, dreams… A goal that drives us.
There are businessmen who are really good at creating illusions and surprising their customers, and they do it without realizing it.
Is success everything in life?
I can think of two possible answers to this question. If success is all about being on top at all costs, the answer is no! Now, if by victory we understand the ability to know ourselves and relate to others in a healthy way and make the best possible use of the time given to us, then the answer will be: I am about to succeed. !
There is a morbid desire to be first in today’s society: could it be counterproductive?
Completely. There was a “fool” in every town before. Now, with social networks, the idiots are multiplying, merging, and they conclude that because there are so many, maybe the idiots are the others. The attitude of social networks, the morbid desire to show others how “cool” we are, has become a real disease. Is it harmful? It’s pretty dramatic.
In any vital or professional project, what percentage do you give to luck and what percentage to effort?
There is the luck factor, something that cannot be denied or controlled. And luck sometimes blows in your face, sometimes against you. It’s something that’s out there, and there’s very little we can do about it. But what we can do is try to intervene in all that vast space that falls outside the bounds of pure chance. So prepare yourself very well, study, be alert to opportunities and be prepared to take advantage of them as they arise. In this way, we can reduce the burden that luck will carry in our lives. And more importantly, we’ll be in a better position to try to make up for the bad luck.
In times of famine, we must strive more than ever to see the glass half full, not half empty.
How can people get excited in these times of war, energy crisis, inflation, uncertainty…?
With what I call the mind of abundance. And in times of famine, more than ever, we need to make an effort to try to see the glass half full, not half empty. You must remove negative thoughts and replace them with illusion, progress, new projects. There are problems, yes, but let’s not mourn and make it worse. An abundant mind means working hard, studying, getting excited, and continuing to knock on doors even when they have closed our faces. And it requires talking generously to ourselves. We must be demanding of ourselves, but we must also learn to be kind to ourselves in the inner dialogue we all have with ourselves.
A leader is not born, it is obtained with hundreds of hours of training and thousands of hours of practice, it constantly grows, develops and develops.
What advice would you give to pessimists, mischief-makers, doomsayers, and infidels?
Let them leave these positions as they lead nowhere. Alternatively, I would advise you to be an Optimist. And notice that I said “optimistic”, not “optimistic”. The difference between these concepts is that while the optimist stubbornly believes that things will get better, the stars will cooperate to get better cards in the next hand, and does not consider any other option, the optimist adapts to the hand in his hand. playing it and knowing how to get the most out of it. In other words, he analyzes the situation realistically, but worries about improving what he has the power to intervene in, rather than grieving over what he can’t control.
Illusion is everything, without it adventure is not possible, because when one loses faith in the future, it loses its power in the present.
Have you ever doubted your own principles?
Every day! Doubt is necessary to grow. You have to constantly question everything, question the status quo and question yourself. Only then can progress be made.
The attitude of social networks, the morbid desire to appear and show others how “cool” we are, has become a real disease.
You train managers and executives of large companies. Are they aware of the daily life of millions of families struggling to make ends meet, or are their only desire-goals to increase their inner calculus of utility?
I found everything. Managers who only care about interests, and managers who prefer to focus on people, employees and their families, customers. You have to find a certain balance. Just as a person needs oxygen to survive, a company cannot survive without making a profit. But our need for oxygen does not mean that we constantly focus all our attention on the act of breathing. I believe that obtaining benefits is incompatible with thinking about people’s well-being. In fact, really good companies make profits because they think hard about people.
While there are managers who only care about profit, there are also managers who prefer to focus on people, employees, their families and customers.
How was your childhood and youth in Aspe?
Very happy and very loving. A time filled with great memories, learning and discovery. Family, grandparents, music, first love, friends, and a period where I began to shape and see the adult I was and later became. Speaking of illusion, I was filled with large doses of illusion in those early years at Aspe.
If we force the change now, things will start to improve in the future and for this we must have expectations, plans, dreams… A goal that drives us.
What are your next challenges?
I have a lot because we already know that an exciting future needs challenges to begin to take shape in the present. Mine? There is a new book in the works that will be published throughout 2023. We will also continue to update my company, Think&Action, to constantly adapt it to new digital challenges as it arises. In this sense, we will continue to bring new skills and talents into the team and develop new methodologies that are more compatible with new ecosystems. And on a more personal level, I continue to develop and reinvent myself as an incorrigible inquisitive and constant learner. And of course, like any good magician, I intend to continue to surprise. To myself and others.