Time Magazine announced their annual Person of the Year this week. The honor went to 3 people on behalf of their work with the world’s poor. Bill and Melinda Gates and Bono were named Persons of the Year for 2005. I know that I talk an awful lot about Bono here but I wanted to call attention to his determination and his strategy for speading the word about helping the poorest of the poor.
As I read the article on Bono I couldn’t help but think about the apostle Paul. Paul tells us in Corinthians that he became all things to all men in order that the Gospel might be heard and accepted. Here is what the Time article tells us about Bono’s strategy to bring his message of debt eradication and developmental aid to the men and women of the US:
When he lunches with President Bush, as he did in October, Bono quotes scripture and talks about small projects in Africa that have specific metrics for success. Then he asks for more money to fund them. In the office of Sen. Dic Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, he speaks of multilateralism and how developmental aid reminds the rest of the world of America;s greatness. Then he asks for more money. In stadiums, he tells people that if they join together, they have a chance to make poverty history. Then U2 plays One.
Bono’s great gift is to take what has made him famous- charm, clarity of voice, an ability to touch people in their secret heart- combine those traits with a keen grasp of the political game and obsessive attention to detail, and channel is all toward getting everyone, from world leaders to music lovers, to engage with something overwhelming in its complexity. Although it is easy to cast his global road show as the vanity project of a pampered celebrity, the fact is that Bono gets results.
Know thy audience! Know thy message! Know how to tell that message to thy audience!
The rest of the article is great and gives you a real backstage glimpse at Bono’s “global road show”- briefings, meetings, days without sleep, concerts, and manilla folders. The article takes you from Live Aid through Live 8 and to today. A must read for U2 fans, ministers and leadership strategists.
Good on ya, Bono!