What exactly is a manifesto?

In contrast, an organization’s mission, purpose, and vision are evergreen statements,

while a manifesto spurs action and emotion in the moment.

It’s an argument for a better way of doing things, a big exciting idea, social or political
stance, or core belief that an entire company can get behind. Manifestos often need an
enemy or something to fight against or an action to take.

The very best manifestos are a kind of North Star. They help staff align and work
together towards a goal or shared future. The very best also become a kind of litmus
test; any new idea or initiative, when measured against it, makes perfect sense. You’ll
know you’ve got a good manifesto when people from all parts of an organization read it
and immediately want to reread it.

One of the most enduring examples is Apple’s “Here's to the crazy ones."
Notice it doesn’t talk about what Apple makes, much less what their products do. It’s
really about the company’s ​raison d’être​ and how the consumers that Apple targets
think about the world.

Note, too, the clear, unstated enemy: regular ways of thinking and the boring computers
“normal” people use. This was, of course, turned into a public-facing TV commercial
featuring some of the greatest visionaries of the twentieth century. It’s basically a way of
saying we build our products for smart creative people, because we’re just like them, so
if you think you’re smart and creative, Apple is the computer for you — but written in a
way that still resonates decades later.

Another great example is the Johnathan Adler manifesto that hung in the company’s
store windows in the early 2000s. It takes the once very popular approach of listing all
the stuff they believe in.

APPLE MANIFESTO
It’s basically a way of saying we build our products for smart creative people, because
we’re just like them, so if you think you’re smart and creative, Apple is the computer for
you — but written in a way that still resonates decades later.

BEFORE PLAYING THE VIDEO

Holstee is Brooklyn-based apparel company . Although the company was founded with
the aim of ​selling​ sustainably sourced consumer goods, the poster of the manifesto ​is
now one of ​Holstee's​ best-​selling​ items. The ​Holstee​ manifesto ​has become their
most iconic product.
Speaker’s notes:
How do you create a manifesto?

First, you have to dig pretty deep. Any declaration has to be well-planned.
Know the reason why you are creating one, for example - the word as a way to guide
decision making.

A manifesto is a public statement about intent.

It also means to "make obvious" which is something every employee is craving. They
want to know where this is all going.

Second, you'll need to be ready to move toward that goal.

That might involve putting some of the pieces in place. A manifesto about owning the
grocery delivery business and stealing it from Amazon will require a budget and some
clever strategy.

When you declare your manifesto, be ready to have a plan on how you will complete
that manifesto.

Third, make sure this is the goal you want. You can't make a public declaration and then
change your mind later.

It's a bold pronouncement. Before you shout it from the rooftops, make sure you have a
road built that gets you from one place to another.

A manifesto isn't just a way to get everyone to agree to your goals for the company.
It's a way to get everyone involved and connected to those goals.
Climb up on a desk and declare your intentions once and for all.