Tag: team work

Outbursts

FabrizioLeave a comment

If you can delay your actions for just a few minutes, hold off your come back until the next break, take a couple of deep breaths, put the computer aside late in the afternoon and sleep on the issue.

Then you will find yourself focusing on the content rather than the emotion.

And when you do that, you will realize that people respond to content remarks much better than to emotional outbursts.

Someone has modified your work without letting you know. Emotional outburst: that is unacceptable. Content remark: I like this and that, I preferred the previous version here and there.

A colleague has sent you a demanding email that overwhelms you with requests. Emotional outburst: I am busy, I cannot do any of this. Content remark: I am working on a project, and I can help with this and that.

Your manager has mentioned your role is going to change focus in the coming months. Emotional outburst: here we go again, it seems every time I get good at something you raise the bar for me. Content remark: I see why this happens, and I am confident I can do this and that, while perhaps we might want to hire somebody to take care of the other aspect.

Emotions are important. They tell us what we care about, what triggers us, what makes us uncomfortable, what we can and cannot accept. Where we draw the line.

Yet, when we act out of emotions, we lose opportunities to make the change we want to see.

Focusing on content is something we can all get better at.

Squeezed or integrated

FabrizioLeave a comment

There are two ways to do product marketing.

Reactive product marketing is when product marketing is squeezed between departments. Product marketing managers react to the needs of the other parts of the organization. When product releases a feature, product marketing has to find a way to communicate that feature. When sales targets a new type of customers, product marketing has to come up with a custom presentation. When marketing is running a specific campaign, product marketing has to come up with some content for mid and bottom of the funnel.

Proactive product marketing is when product marketing is integrated across departments. Product marketing managers engage other parts of the organization to coordinate the whole flow of information: from customers to product, moving through marketing, customer success, customer support, sales. And the other way around. In this scenario, when product releases a new feature, how to communicate it is already known, because the feature was actually developed following to research promoted by product marketing. When sales targets a new type of customers, custom presentation are already in place, because the new strategy was recommended by research promoted by product marketing. When marketing runs a specific campaign, product marketing is actively involved in planning what content is needed, as well as who to distribute it to and where.

I understand most product marketing organizations are probably somewhere in the middle. Just always be aware of what type of product marketing you aim to be.

One is execution, the other is the cornerstore of go-to-market.

Which one are you?

My door is always open

Fabrizio2 Comments

If your door is always open, you should go out in the world and see what’s going on.

Way to often the open door is a lazy excuse. Sure, come to me with your questions, doubts, concerns, just don’t expect me to ask first. Because, well, you do not care.

We keep reading of how change is difficult, of how important it is to communicate, of how keeping people involved is critical to its success.

Is then my door is always open the best we can resort to?

If you care, actively ask, seek input, practice empathy, pretend candour.

If you have it all figured out instead, keep leaving your door open. No one will bother your certainty.

Fan

Fabrizio2 Comments

If you want people around you to be motivated, be their fan.

Cheer for them, clap for them, believe in them. Tell them they will be successful. Find what they are good at and nudge them. Promote them, advocate for their cause, put their work forward, write them references, and be their marketing department.

Particularly when things are not going the way they were expecting.

We are very good at being fan of political parties, sport clubs, divisive issues, social groups. And for some reasons, we are very bad at being fans of colleagues, team members, managers, partners, friends, peers.

Start being a fan of the people that are important to you. Your world will change.

What question

Fabrizio4 Comments

What are the next steps? Do I get to be involved?

These are two questions, or is it actually one? We could ask what is our real intention.

If we are genuinely curious about the next steps, then we should just stop at the first question.
If we want to know if we need to allocate time because of our involvement, then we should just go with the second one.
If we want to be involved, then we should just say it and avoid the question.

Can I ask if you have made the decision already?

This is one question, but it turns out we are asking two. Out of excessive politeness, most definitely.

If we want to know if the person is free to answer, then we should just stop at the first question.
If we want to know whether a decision has been made, then we should just go with the second one.
If we want to know the decision that was made, then we should just go ahead and ask directly.

Communication is complex, so much so that it often fails. Why add complexity?

Ask yourself what you want to know, then make the question that can get you the answer.