At times I provoke trouble – sort of marketing provocateur. I enjoy being the one saying – hey, can we talk about the elephant in the room?
I’m not talking about getting into trouble, but if I am in a meeting, I like to take a step back and ask, why are we doing things this way? Are we all clear why we are pursuing a specific course of action. I’m often shocked at how little alignment can exist among team members.
I’m curious by nature, so I want to understand why things are as they are – and, in marketing meetings – why are we on a specific strategic path?
Frequently, the room has a stinky elephant and it is ignored. No one wants to mention it because of company politics or fear of retribution. I have a hard time ignoring that big old elephant and believe difficult conversations make business strategy clearer, stronger, and targeted.
To Be or Not To Be.
As a marketer, I want to be the one:
- Disrupting
- Challenging
- Questioning
- Pushing back
- Requesting even more data or proof
- Going deeper
- Curious
- Annoyingly persistent
I don’t want to be the one:
- Accepting status quo because that’s how we do it
- Easily swayed
- Passive
- Saying OK all the time
- Nodding in agreement
- Unwilling to ask tough questions
- Disinterested
- Assume alignment
- A doormat
My nature is to be collaborative and a team player. Ask anyone who has worked with me. (see my LinkedIn recommendations and testimonials for some examples). My assumption is that folks in a meeting are usually NOT on the same page and don’t have the same shared vision on a project.
Internal communications at most companies suck. There, I said it.
By talking about the elephant in the room, other team members will open up and share their concerns, frustrations, or questions. That’s a sign of a healthy culture that wants to continuously improve.
How about you? Are you predisposed to get along or create a little trouble?
Sometimes the best business meetings are the ones with civil disagreement, frank discussions, and fierce conversations. Whether it is the elephant in the room or sacred cows, maybe it is time to make some noise.
Need a fascilitator to help talk about the elephant in the room?
I can help.
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. Watch a short video about working with me.
Photo by Kaffeebart on Unsplash
