New Power: How Power Works in Our Hyperconnected World—and How to Make It Work for You

by Jeremy Heimans

With a hat tip to the Heath brothers, we propose that many of the most successful ideas and communications strategies today add ACE to SUCCESS. ACE stands for the three design principles key to making an idea spread in a new power world: Actionable—The idea is designed to make you do something—something more than just admire, remember, and consume. It has a call to action at its heart, beginning with sharing, but often going much further. Connected—The idea promotes a peer connection with people you care about or share values with. Connected ideas bring you closer to other people and make you (feel) part of a like-minded community. This sets off a network effect that spreads the idea further. Extensible—The idea can be easily customized, remixed, and shaped by the participant. It is structured with a common stem that encourages its communities to alter and extend it.