One of my 2019 projects involves solving a complex challenge for a client. I knew that I could come up with a lot of exciting options, but I wanted to ensure that I had a ‘devil’s advocate’ on the review team who would keep challenging my approach, my idea and my thought process. This effort is like a startup because it involves building a new brand from scratch without the limitations of the organizational structure.
Simply put, a devil’s advocate has a role defined before revealing the concept and is always constructively challenging you so that you aren’t blindsided by a flawed idea.
Four Rules for Successful Devil’s Advocacy
- Create a process and define their role. Don’t leave things to chance. Bring someone on the team and let them know that their position is to challenge every step of the way. But they need to be part of the effort from the start and not an afterthought.
- Risk Reduction. A well-structured devil’s advocate’s role helps you minimize risk by pushing you to gain quick learning even if the research shows a fatal flaw in the approach. It gives legitimacy to the data collected and prevents a strong-willed leader from getting her way in the face of countervailing evidence.
- Start to Finish. Don’t have someone as a devil’s advocate drop into a meeting when you are about to launch your new product. Let them participate and be a team member from the beginning. Their role through the process is to keep chipping away at weaknesses or areas where the data is thin. They can’t drop in and drop out – they need to be included from the beginning until you conclude the effort.
- High EQ people make good DA. You need an emotionally mature person in the role of devil’s advocate on a team. They are sensitive to challenging ideas, and they can present compelling counterbalance to an argument. You want someone who can disagree without being disagreeable. A successful devil’s advocate knows their role is to make the best decision, not to be a rubber stamp. And, they are willing to stand up for their beliefs.
Better Teams with a DA
When I can, I like to have someone challenging me as a devil’s advocate because they force me to question my assumptions and beliefs. I don’t take it personally, but consider it a learning opportunity. Some of the most successful projects I worked on included having a devil’s advocate on the team to challenge the ‘group think.’ When civil and collaborative, a devil advocate can make the team more successful.
The details are in the devil and his advocate.
You can set up a time to chat with me about your marketing challenges using my calendar. Email me jeffslater@themarketingsage.com Call me. 919 720 0995. The conversation is free, and we can explore if working together makes sense. Try my new chat feature on my site if you have a quick question.
Photo by Annette Batista Day on Unsplash
