To me, magic in business is bringing to life a big idea embedded with emotion. Yes, big ideas are differentiating, relevant, and provocative, but they become magical ideas when they also have a strong human component.

Magical ideas are ideas that connect with people. They move people to see things in a different way. They move people to want to know more.

Magical ideas are ideas that stop you. They pull you in. They set new standards.

So why don’t we see more of them? Two reasons. First, it is very difficult to conjure up a big idea baked with emotion. Second, magical ideas are often dismissed out of fear or nervousness before they ever see the light of day.

Magic makers are only as good as magic enablers. Like any breakthrough work, magic makers need to lead courageously and confidently. But, they also need magic enablers to demonstrate equal amounts of bravery and fortitude. This high-stakes dance is at play everywhere, but especially between marketing executives and CEOs, writers and publishers, and entrepreneurial innovators and investors.

When you have the guts to put a spotlight on a magical idea you can move people, reverse course, and set a new agenda. I will share such examples in another post.