From the Brand Pyramid to the Pyramid of Power Being

Maslow's Pyramid, which represents the scale of human needs and how they must be satisfied to move on to the next level, is a theory by American psychologist Abraham Maslow that we keep very much in mind in Soluble's day-to-day work.

There are two main reasons: the first is that our CEO, Ismael Barros, has relied on it to make strategic decisions throughout Soluble's existence. And the second is that this exercise in reflection led him to define the Pyramid of Brands, a tool that —drawing a parallel with Maslow's pyramid— helps us understand what needs organizations have and how they evolve. Moreover, it offers an interesting path because it allows you to draw a parallel with each person's professional trajectory.

This last extension of the 'theory' is, precisely, what we discuss in this edition of Solublabla.

Conquering one rung to reach the next

Maslow argues that in order to reach one rung of the pyramid, we must have resolved the previous step first. Therefore, without our physiological needs met and without feeling safe, we won't be able to tend to our social and emotional bonds effectively.

Fortunately, in our bubble of Western capitalist society, most of us are on the upper rungs, preoccupied with that recognition and the alluring idea of "be happy", so undefined and so easy to appropriate at the same time.

In a context like this, job changes are often linked to reaching the rung of recognition. We've already gained trust and respect and we're ready to pursue a state of higher consciousness and fulfillment. A complete reformulation of 'professional success' that, in reality, is a destination—the summit—for which certain conditions must be met, giving rise to what we've termed the Power to Be Pyramid.

From base to apex

If we bring Maslow's concepts and the Brand Pyramid into our professional lives, we could find ourselves with this representation of five elements: work, conditions, environment, projection, and Power to Be.

• Work. It's the bare minimum necessary to achieve fulfillment. The equivalent of physiological needs. Without this base of the pyramid, the rest of our desires cannot be satisfied.
• Conditions. Once we have a job, the next rung is having a position that offers certain conditions—salary, schedule, workplace—that align with our life plan.
• Environment. If we're lucky enough to have a job with conditions that satisfy us, a new need will be activated: seeking a good work context, in which there are quality connections with our colleagues and leaders and a good atmosphere.
• Projection. That's when having a job with proper conditions and environment won't be enough. At that moment, we'll seek projection and growth. Focusing on achieving trajectory and impact through a career plan and the recognition we gain. The threshold of the summit.
• Being able to be. The moment of self-realization arrives, the summit. At Soluble we talk about Being able to be. We carry it as our banner because it allows us to know ourselves, accept ourselves, and be congruent with our values and our purpose in a company that gives us all of the above.

At Soluble, we seek to make people happier in their work. That's why we want work reality to contribute to a full life, always pursuing authenticity, Being able to be. In life and in brands. Because it's a tool for living and working better. The climb is not easy, but we count on the powerful engine of the essence of each person and each organization.