Category: leadership

Two failures

FabrizioLeave a comment

Let me know if I can help.

Of course, this is not really establishing a relationship in which one is going to help the other. It is more of a mantra we repeat to be nice, or because we are in a position in which we are expected to help yet we have absolutely no idea how to do that (nor we want to bother figuring that out by ourselves).

In fact, it is not surprising that when an actual request follows, the person originally offering help often fails to give just that. Not because they are mean, simply because they did not intend to help in the first place. Perhaps they are busy, incompetent, unfit, disorganized, sick, committed (to something or someone else).

Let me know if I can help and the subsequent failure to help on a concrete request are two of the major failures of managers in organisations nowadays.

They are perfect, because they work wonders both in case you are one of those managers who believe it is not your job to serve – I am the boss, I can’t bother, and in case you are one of those modern managers that are all for freedom and flatness – I am very hands off, I am giving your freedom.

Next time try: Here is what I am going to do.

Figuring out what’s to be done is a job for you to complete before showing up in the conversation.

Own the story

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The story you want to tell is under your control.

Of course, people might misinterpret, maliciously distort, simply not understand. And yet, at the end of the day, the story you are trying to spread (about yourself, your work, your product) is something for you to first figure out and then to consistently put out there. No matter your mood, the negative feelings, the bad beats, the facts of life, the injustice of the world, the obtuseness of others, the latest trend.

Sitting at your table hoping that others will eventually get it is fruitless.

Actually, it is most likely that by doing so the misinterpretations, the distortions, the misunderstandings will just keep growing out of proportion, until communication is no longer possible.

Always be deliberate in the way you tell your story, the seeds you plant with your actions, the way it translates in how you treat others. It’s the sole way it might eventually get through.

Illuminating

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Often we keep things for ourselves because we believe they are trivial, unimportant, shallow, taken for granted. And so, we only speak when we believe we have the big insight, the great idea, the breakthrough.

This makes our working places fairly quiet.

Of course, we talk a lot with our colleagues, during coffee breaks and in open spaces, waiting for a meeting to start or as we queue at the canteen. But when the spotlight is lit on an issue, a project, a plan we refrain from speaking our mind unless we feel completely comfortable what we are going to say is flawless and smart (spoiler alert: it very rarely is!).

When the chance arises, be brave and voice your concerns. Tell about that thing they have probably thought about already, that check they have certainly done already, that scenario they most likely have considered already.

What’s trivial for yourself can be illuminating for others. That’s the nature of humans and their minds.

Responsibilities

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As marketers, we have a responsibility towards our organisation and our customers. We want to establish a relationship that is meaningful and valuable for both sides, possibly one that lasts. And to do so, we often seek our audience in different channels, and eventually double down on the one(s) that proves to be better.

As human beings, though, we also have a responsibility towards our community. We want to contribute positively to it, possibly leaving it in a better state than when we first joined. There are different ways to do that, each one chooses those they are more comfortable with. But more often than not, we choose to participate, as pretending not to care and living on our own would feel quite alienating.

One can juggle the two responsibilities quite easily most of the time, perhaps even trying to build a narrative that makes the two outcomes match.

But it also happens that wanting to establish a meaningful relationship with an audience and positively contributing to the community become forces pulling in opposite directions. Think about pouring money into a channel that harms your community, that covers itself in good intentions, and that continues harming your community while increasing their profits.

When this happen, which of the two responsibilities should prevail?

Will you waste it?

FabrizioLeave a comment

It is fairly easy to step out of anonimity for a moment, particularly in this world in which everybody has unlimited access to tools and channels to reach a wide variety of people.

Of course, sustaining it for longer is as intense as a job. It’s not by chance that nowadays bloggers, youtubers, influencers that have spent time and effort building a dedicated audience get paid to produce more content.

But if you break through even just once, even with no intention to continue on the same track, there’s an important decision you have to take: what will you do with the attention you have gathered? Will you just waste it and move on to trying the next thing, or will you follow up to signal and build something, even small, that can make an impact?

Careful, though, as while you think about it, the needle moves faster and faster towards the former. At some point, it will just be to late to choose otherwise.