The Hidden Agenda: A Proven Way to Win Business and Create a Following

Conclusion

I heard many things as a kid, not the least of which was the need to “practice what you preach.” So, I bring our time together, and my story, to a close. Perhaps the most critical point in my career, October 22, 1997, was a day that changed a lot of lives. It could have been much, much different. MasterCard executive Larry Flanagan and his colleagues could have chosen the safe and certain path. Instead, they were brave and followed their instincts, embracing a simple gut feeling that our “Priceless” campaign reflected what was really in the hearts of their audience and believing that my colleagues and I were people who understood their hidden agenda.

Fifteen years later, the results of this fateful decision are staggering. The “Priceless” ...