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Will Low-Affiliation People Rule the Future?

Reading about Peak Oil this morning - the idea that global oil production will soon forever outstrip demand, and thinking of the implications for the way business will be conducted, if the peak oil predictions come to be.

In a world where travel is prohibitively expensive, business models will have to change. Some people will find it easier than others to adapt.

Take this statement: "Face-to-face meetings are necessary for conducting business."

Roughly 50% of the population would either somewhat or strongly agree with it. The other 50% would somewhat or strongly disagree. Both are correct. Our position on this issue is the need to meet with people in order to do business with them is rooted in our hard-wiring, specifically, how motivated we are by the need for affiliation - the need to connect with people.

If travel suddenly became impossible or impractical, most low affiliation (need) people wouldn't suffer, whereas the high affiliation people might struggle. High affiliation people have a strong need to network, develop chemistry and establish a more personal connection with people. This social motivation makes operating remotely more difficult, as they like to 'look into the whites of a person's eyes' and establish a personal bond. To some people business is all about the relationships, and if you cannot establish them, then there's no point.

The practical implications of a world without travel are that low affiliation people will find it easier to specialize and do business via distance, and high affiliation people will be drawn to more generalist positionings that imply a limited geographic trading area. The classic agency rainmaker profile is the big Rolodex, glad-handing, good fella. For him, the phone is no substitute for lunch. Take his plane away and he will have to limit his operating area to those he can meet face to face.

Some low affiliation people, who are comfortable conducting business without ever discussing personal topics or even meeting their clients, will be relieved by having to travel less.

I hope it never comes to pass that we live in a world without travel, but if it does, low affiliation people will have an advantage in selling consultative services.