Why Every Leader Needs “Aesthetic Intelligence”

Do you have good AI? That’s “aesthetic intelligence” — not artificial intelligence.

Pauline Brown, former chairman of North America for the luxury goods company LVMH, argues that great leaders need to develop “aesthetic intelligence” to stand out among competitors. They need to understand how their products or services can “elicit true delight.”

“When you look at the research, the vast majority of reasons that anyone will buy one product over another is based on how that product or service makes the person feel,” she tells IdeaCast host Alison Beard.

In this episode, you’ll learn from companies—like Starbucks, Airbnb, and, of course, Apple—that successfully use aesthetics to set their products apart. You’ll also learn why it’s important for leaders or founders—not customers—to define and maintain a company’s aesthetic principles. Brown is the author of the book Aesthetic Intelligence: How to Boost It and Use It in Business and Beyond.

Key episode topics include: strategy, creativity, design thinking, Starbucks, Apple, aesthetics, design, customer centricity, consumer research, competition.

HBR On Strategy curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock new ways of doing business. New episodes every week.

• Listen to the full HBR IdeaCast episode: To Truly Delight Customers, You Need Aesthetic Intelligence (2019)
• Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast.
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