In my most recent consulting project, I’ve been
uncovering what really makes my client's company remarkable while
discerning how their competition positions and sells their story. After 2
months of analysis, we have a strong new direction for the business
internally, and a fresh idea for the story they need to tell in the
marketplace to create differentiation.
Just as we finished this new strategy, I learned of a competitor,
who after review, is touting almost a mirror image of the new
position we’ve set forth. “Interesting”, I thought. “Back to the drawing
board”, thought the client. While this was a seemingly logical first reaction by
them, all is not lost.
The competitors message might be true; but thankfully, positioning
is more than simply a story of intent. While the corporate narrative is
critical, more valuable are the subsequent stories of success that you
acquire from doing business in a more remarkable way.
The competition has communicated a particular mission, but,
they have not shown the fruits of this labor via case studies, testimonials, examples of superior
work, etc... to prove the words they have crafted for their website (the
stock photo’s aren't helping either). All they have done is
manufactured a message (as far as the outside world can tell).
So, the direction remains to follow our new mission, with a
spotlighted emphasis on bringing the exceptional results to life
throughout all the chosen marketing venues. In a short amount of time, our message will "look" much different than the hollow facade presented by the competition.
When you relay your successes in a manner that reflects your brand
personality, it strengthens your positioning, the trust in your story,
and the reason you should be chosen above your competition. Otherwise,
it’s just a bunch of hot air.
Actions really do speak louder than words.
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Have thoughts on this topic? Let me know!
If nothing else, please hit the Facebook Like button at the top of this blog to become a fan. Thanks for your support!
Thanks to Bud Caldwell for sharing this thought provoking video of a Ted talk by Daniel Kahneman – Nobel prize winner and a founder of behavioral economics.
If I have wrapped my head around this correctly, what Daniel found (contrary to popular belief), is that experiences are NOT what make people most happy. It appears our memories of these experiences (which we judge them by) are what ultimately affect our happiness.
Our "experiencing self" and "remembering self" are closely linked, but report vastly different things. The remembering self tends to only remember what happened at the end, not the total experience.
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Considering what this might mean for marketing and business (to say nothing of life in general), I can't help but think I should give more weight to the end of a customer or consumer experience.
While I am a believer in the edict, 'you only get one chance to make a first impression'.....
This talk by Daniel leaves me more concerned than ever with the fact:You only get one chance to leave a LAST impression!
I believe leadership is a tangible quality that you learn over time.
Others feel that leaders are born, and those conceived without the proper DNA are destined to be cogs in the machine.
Whatever school you subscribe to, there are distinct qualities exhibited by leaders which allow us to classify them as such.
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A few years back I read a great HBRarticle about Anne Mulcahy (chair and former CEO of Xerox corporation) which profiled and dissected her turnaround of the company. A summary of leadership qualities followed, which I have been meaning to get out of a notebook and onto the screen for some time.
If you meet 80% of these, you're on your way to legendary status...
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Great leaders:
Provide clarity around long term direction
Stay true to their values and the values of the company
Are willing to step up to unexpected challenges
Learn from others in their areas of shortcoming
Have the courage to stand against advisors and withstand pressures from outsiders
Value long term relationships and loyalty
Are able to integrate complex issues into clear direction
Lead through direct engagement with employees and customers
If you are in a position of leadership, or are looking to 'get in front of a parade', think critically about how you stack up against each of these criteria.
Pick one to improve upon today, and watch what happens.
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Any others we should add to this list?
......
Here's the list of suggestions from those who have read the post...
Great Leaders:
Are able to personally accept and enable the team to become comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty (Jeff Eckman, CEO, Blue Green Ventures)
I recently saw a less then extraordinary print ad from a company that I'm working with, which made me sort of sad. Sad because it was misguided.
Ultimately, it was not inspiring or noteworthy in any way. Short on funds, this company took a shot at advertising (in the most static medium possible) with essentially no hope of ever getting a return on their investment (yes...it was that bad).
It got me thinking about how I could easily and effectively convey to them where this ad fell short, and how they might avoid this same fate in the future (hint...don't advertise in magazines...instead, there's this little thing called the internet floating around...)
It's really not that hard to explain. Marketing, and the ad's that surmise entire marketing budgets for some companies, should be MEMORABLE, MEANINGFUL & MOTIVATING. These 3 factors provide a simple test to judge your creative idea.
Is the action/ad/tactic/program unforgettable?
Is the photo or copy odd, fresh, arresting, nostalgic, scandalous, challenging, etc...Is it presented to the customer at the appropriate time? (time is relative. Surprising moment can be the 'right time').
With 3000+ brand messages a day delivered to each and every one of us, it better me memorable. This might be the hardest of the three to get right, but if you push the limits you can get there.
Does your ad resonate with your audience? Does it speak to them on an emotional level? Rationale aspects are important to show that your product is worthy of consideration, but connecting on a higher level is the only way to capture your audience's attention in a significant, long term way. Brands and companies, like people, have emotions, so show them!
Being relevant, insightful, problem solving, joyous and empathetic are just a few ways to be meaningful.
Is the consumer inspired? Do they want to tell their friends, make a purchase, or find out more info?
It's frequently known as your 'call to action', and it's amazing how many brands fail to do this, either explicitly or in a more subtle way. Regardless, you must motivate your audience, and whenever possible, give them the tools, resources, information, support, etc....to act.
Measuring your efforts by these three factors will get you closer to a more remarkable effort, which is what it's all about.
I just came across this interesting quote from Carl Jung.
In his memoir, Memories, Dreams, Reflections,
Jung wrote that meaning comes “when people feel they are living the
symbolic life, that they are actors in the divine drama. That gives the
only meaning to human life; everything else is banal and you can
dismiss it. A career, producing of children, are all maya (illusion)
compared to that one thing, that your life is meaningful.”
....what if all those things that are illusion, are the necessities to make you feel that your life is meaningful? By that token, they should not be dismissed as banal, since they produce the meaningful life.
A bit chicken/egg. but I thought it was worth sharing.
Recently I set up a meeting with some mutual friends/acquaintances that have a shared interest in movie making (two of them have a screenplay they're trying to film and the third has made a couple hit movies). I was the connector, but I may become involved in the production of said screenplay, so I had an visible interest in what we might learn from the accomplished filmmaker.
Yes, add "Producer" to my list of endeavors. Next stop, the Miller/Gold Agency in Hollywood. (I'd love to hear Ari yell at Lloyd in person).
It turns out, movie making isn't that different from production of other consumer products. You need capital up front, with precise distribution on the back end. A great product helps, but even movies that are mediocre get made. Much like the trinkets and trash that fill dollar stores, if you have the funding to make the movie, and contracted placements for screening (on-line, direct to video, in theaters...etc...), then even the worst movie can find a home.
Ok, so we knew that much going in, but "what are the tricks" found in the movie business that we need to know? How can we get the backing and build the relationships that will help us make the movie??
The answer lies in the art of illusion.
The easiest way to compel people to help you make a movie, is to make them believe it's already being made. Create the illusion that it's in the works and eventually it will come to be.
How do you create the illusion ?
Be positive.
One isn't simply "trying" to make a film. One IS making a film. You need to talk about production like it's actually happening. Exude confidence and communicate a clear vision. This lays the foundation for belief in the plan, which is what you must have, and what partners will want to see.
Do something. Anything.
Ask people for help, insights, connections. Meetings, discussions, edits, feedback, etc...are all part of the process of film making, so talk about your plans for these things, even if they aren't set in stone. Even though the camera's aren't rolling, there is work to be done. Get people together under the pretense of 'making a movie' and it doesn't matter if you've secured talent or a location for filming, it will seem like you are making a movie, even if you aren't ready to film.
Eventually, you will actually begin to make the connections, receive the funding and accumulate the resources/support you need to make the film.
The funny thing is, the easiest way to create the illusion is to ACTUALLY do these things, which means, it's not illusion at all.....
.....It's execution.
Calculated progress, day in and day out, no matter how small the gain.
Achievement in film-making is a lot like achievement in life and business. Build great relationships, always move forward, push your limits, have a dream and be grateful along the way.
I'm a huge fan of mascots. They're icons and visual reminders of our most beloved products and brands, created to enhance emotional connections, rally the troops and bring brands to life.
Whether it's Ronald McDonald (first played by Willard Scott in the original commercials), the Geico gecko, or any of the myriad array of sports team's mascots, they connect us with the qualities, personality and spirit of their organization or entity. They provide a voice at times, and occasionally give life to an otherwise static and boring experience (pretty hard to make insurance cool, so kudos to Geico for being creative).
There is one mascot however, that I just don't get....
..... The Six Flags "old man"
Are they serious????
Who in Gods name thought that an old bald man, in a tuxedo and Harry Caray glasses, was going to be a good idea? Did their consumer research tell them that kids (and their parents/grandparents) would really identify with the Freddy Kreuger looking, dancing grandpa? Perhaps, but that is some creepiness unmatched by any major brand that I've ever seen.
Does it's attract attention? Absolutely.
Is it memorable? Of course !
Does it inspire and instigate positive reactions from their audience?
I sure hope so, or else SF is crazier than I thought.
Could they have created a mascot that did all these things and was more closely aligned with their product/promise and target consumer?
No doubt!
For example, Six Flags has some great tie in's with the Looney Toons and Superman franchise's. Both make much more sense due to their whimsical, daring and playful nature, which clearly aligns with children/teens.
What can we learn from this?
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Gaining attention is not the end all be all.
Being memorable, inviting, 'on brand' and CONSISTENT with what your target audience expects from you, is paramount to simply creating a scene.
If you have the option of doing all of these things at the same time, take it.
I'd bet the farm that kids would rather see their peers (or something that closely aligns with their dreams) dancing through a commercial and frolicking in the amusement park, rather than Freddy Krueger.
But hey, I could be wrong....
Ed note, Sept 1, 2009: Six Flags filed for bankruptcy on June 13th, 2009.
I recently had to explain to my lady, Dr. Parker, what the hell Twitter is, as she is blissfully ignorant to the world of social media/marketing thought leadership, being that she has more important things to do...like ACTUALLY helping people get better, not "helping" by sharing information. Argue if you like, but the world can really live without mine, or your "tweets".
Ohh lord, I just used Twitter jargon. It's obviously too late for me...
Anyways...
Only a few hours prior to asking me about Twitter, we somehow got on the subject of Bridezilla's, as she was curious to hear my thoughts on what the deal was with these crazy ladies. You see, she sometimes thinks I remember anything I learned in college while pursuing my degree in Psychology. Little does she know I piece it all together from Peanuts cartoons and fortune cookies. Deep thoughts and tasty treats. Yum.
So, in thinking about the Twitter answer, I could have given her direction to one of these so called "experts" in social media
(side note: how is this "expertise" measured? Standards set by whom? If they can set their own standards and be called experts, does that mean I am an expert in brand marketing if I say I am??)
....But I digress (again).
Ok, so if I'm not going to give her the stock industry answer on what Twitter is, how I can I explain it to this brilliant woman in a way that will somehow be entertaining, and convey my true feelings about the phenomenon, while potentially dissuading her from feeling compelled to follow the herd.
That's when it hit me.
Twitter users are no different than Bridezilla's.
My crackerjack psycho analysis of Bridezilla's only 2 hours earlier seemed to be a perfect corollary to Twitter.
So I went on to rant, Some woman act like psycho loonies when planning their big day because they read too much People magazine and still think everyone should care about them as much as they thought they did in high school, simply because they were on the cheer-leading team, had the best bangs, and were bound for Arizona State, to "get the hell out of this place".
Fast forward 10 years to when they are back in their small town/hometown, working a job they hate, driving a vanilla SUV built by a middle American behemoth that was "The Heartbeat of America". They're now engaged to a man they deeply love and want to marry, while secretly wishing they hadn't broken up with "Chip Dow", who sure could find his way around a lacrosse field. If only he hadn't decided to follow the tour of the Tragically Hip ....
So, this "nuptial Nazi to be" ends up meeting her future IT guru husband with the steady job and love for Applebee's. Down the road, he drops to a knee and a lovely engagement follows, after-which the S#!T hits the fan. Bridezilla emerges controlling everything and everyone, leaving a fiery wake in her path.
For two reasons.
Ego and vanity
You see, this is this woman's best chance to get everyone, all at once, to pay attention to her. (They'll have no choice once stuffed into uncomfortable plastic folding chairs on some random golf course's veranda).
It must be her way, and everyone must know that she was the coordinator, craftsman and couturier. Every element will project the life she wishes she led, and wants you to believe she leads all year round (you know, "Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows").
Nothing but the best flutes of strawberry dropped champagne and the "Electric Slide", led by her of course.
As you can clearly see, when Dr Parker asked about Twitter, I had already explained it just a few hours earlier.
The only reason people "tweet" is so people will pay attention to them. Veiled in the desire to "share", "seek information" and "add value", is the Bridezilla's insatiable need for attention.
....and we have no choice but to pay attention, since it's a party and we're all invited.
"Look at me". "Listen to me".
"See what/who I know".
It's all about ego and vanity.
Why else would you be able to see in an instant how many followers someone has????
Anyone who tells you different is trying to sell you something through the side door.
Better they should just admit why they are really there.
.....To sell a product, image, idea, persona, or "expertise"....
The notion that they are "sharing" and simply in search of "more information" makes it easier to sleep at night and much easier to sell.
Not that there is anything wrong with this, in fact, it's a remarkably useful tool (for now). But, like the Bridezilla, many Twitter users aren't willing to look in the mirror and call it like it is.
Is my complexion starting to look reptilian?
Cue the disco dancing bridesmaids, and I'll see you on Twitter.
I was watching a great presentation from 2005, by comic guru Scott McCloud, when it struck me that he stumbled upon the secret to winning in business during a recession. In summing up his 3 different types of "vision " (about 6:40 in), he reveals the four basic principles of, "having vision of something that may be, but is yet unproven".
Here they are, with my thoughts on how they relate to our present reality.
____________________________
"Learn from everyone"
In this time of increased unemployment and reliance on networks and
knowledge development to set you apart as an individual or
business, principle one clearly rings true.
What can we learn from our friends and family about how they are evolving with the economy?
What can we learn from the changing psychology of consumerism and benevolence?
How about lessons from our mechanics and health care workers?
Everyone is being affected.
Some of us our adapting quickly, while others are left asking, "what now"?
Who are you learning from?
"Follow no one"
Following is what got us into this mess.
Following the advice of a mortgage broker who helped you get a loan you couldn't afford.
Carelessly allowing others to manage our 401k's without close oversight and diversification.
Following our government "leaders".
Following our public school administrators who set the curriculum's.
Innovation and risk taking will lead us out of the recession.
You can't follow the herd.
Risk taking will emancipate you from the status-quo, reveal a vision for the future, and help you chase it with reckless abandon.
Some will fail, but all will learn.
With each failure we get closer to realizing our dreams and obtaining the knowledge that will get us there.
"Watch for patterns"
While learning and leading, patterns will be revealed.
How the artist is solving the problem of little money for their materials.
What opinion leaders are doing to move and engage the crowd.
How the world is evolving communications over the web.
These patterns will reveal the next great business opportunity. Whether you sell books or help people work through their mental anxiety; patterns of thought, action and innovation will spark creativity and solutions for offerings that can't be ignored.
Watch for patterns and brainstorm as if your life depends on it.
It does.
"Work like hell"
If you have a job, get 2. Hell, get 4.
Don't spread yourself too thin, but you should be "working" on more than just your day job. No one knows what tomorrow brings.
The ax is coming down hard, in many unexpected places. If you don't have something else already instigated, you'll be left at ground zero, wondering what the hell to do next.
Now is the best time to start planning for your home business.
Now is the best time to help your neighborhood watch program.
Now is the best time to lead a group of folks just like yourself.
I snapped this photo at my local grocery store, Stop & Shop. That's right, the same place I buy Ho-Ho's and green tea (the guilt of one clearly offset by the antioxidants found in the other) sells a litany of ping pong balls.
Some of you know instantly why this store stocks enough pong balls to outfit the entire Chinese national table tennis team for a year and leave Forest Gump drooling.
Alas, I do not live in The People's Republic, nor Green Bow, Alabama. This store is located at Brigham Circle, in Boston, MA. Besides being the nexus of health-care in the city, it also neighbors Northeastern University.
And, as many of you already have concluded, college students love their beer pong (or Beirut as we called it at Hartwick).
Think of this for a moment. This national grocery chain must be deluged with so many requests, that they have dedicated an entire section of shelf space for these plastic poppers. This is an environment where the Nabisco's and Pepsi's of the world are charged thousands for the "privilege" of offering their products at Stop & Shop. And look how much space is allocated for p.p. balls ! There are 18 slots, which hold 4 packages of 6 balls. That's almost 432 balls on hand when the shelf is full. Assuming they retail for double their wholesale cost, they are making a buck a package. They must be selling copious amounts of these projectiles to warrant this.
However...
This isn't about the per unit profit. This is marketing.
You see, college students need other items when they purchase pong balls. They need cups, chips, dip, hot dogs, frozen pizza and Ramen. By offering one more, highly specific and non traditional item they need (clearly in hordes), Shaw's fixes themselves in their consumers mind as the place for all their shopping needs. They are willing to sacrifice valuable space on a low net item, in order to sell you much more when you come looking for your "gaming" need. There isn't a Wal Mart for miles, so proximity is their ally, but this offering helps ensure they are drawing in students when shopping for their favorite pastime, so they can up-sell them when they get there.
If I were them, I'd go one step further and put an end cap in place with all these items in one spot. Too bad you can't sell beer at grocery here in Mass (damn Puritans)....
I can just hear it now from a frat house not too far away....
Frat boy 1: "You get the keg, I'll get the cups". Frat boy 2: "No doubt. Just head over to "SS" and scope out some "Solo's" and "rocks".
Ahhh, the good ole days......
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Have you seen another "random" item at the supermarket?
How about another example of a retailer selling something outside of their core market offerings?
Happy New Year and a grand "welcome back" to the real world for many of you. I hope you had a chance to see an amazing feat this New Years Eve. Just about the turn of the calendar, Robbie Maddison flew his bike higher than anyone before, as a follow up to breaking a classic distance record last year. You have to see it to believe it.
This gut wrenching display of fearlessness was a testament to Robbie's vision and need to push the limits, as well as, the never ending ability of Red Bull to support athletes in the drive to break boundaries. This is how they differentiate their brand, and no doubt they helped conceive and execute this stunt with their partners in Las Vegas.
After Robbie collected himself, an ESPN commentator asked him, "if he was going to go bigger"? "What was next"?
All I could think was, "how the hell is he going to do that"?! "He'd have to jump over the moon"!
You know what? That's exactly what he should do.
Sure, he can't actually jump over the moon, but he could use that as a metaphor for inspiring his next stunt.
Innovation in sport, business, or any other arena in life, needs to be sparked by ideas. BIG ideas. Ideas that sometimes are so out of this world, they could never be achieved. That's how you build to 'bigger and better' solutions.
What if you wanted to make the first sneaker that would allow anyone to dunk a basketball. What would you do?
Propulsion devices in the heels? New materials that react differently with certain surfaces, or at different speeds/force? Court and shoe combination's that respond to a players intent specific to the feedback presented by the shoe??
How about eliminating the pesky problem of humans requiring so much food and sleep? Where would you start?
New diet pills? Auto pilot systems in cars (close by the way)? Recording devices that capture the ideas in our dreams? The 'perfect' smoothie? Promotion of a new paradigm in cultural norms by reshaping the expectations and actions of the people [we could learn from the Spaniards]?
The point is not to distract from the purpose of your innovation. It's simply to start in the stars and slowly bring it down to earth. Sometimes you can't think about simply going "bigger", with a 'height' in mind. You need to think CRAZY BIG, then worry about how you can make it happen.
Let's hope Robbie and Red Bull find some spectacular inspiration.
In case you couldn't tell, I try to maintain a positive tone when writing this blog. Sometimes, however, you just have to call it like it is, and this week two advertisements caught my eye which screamed for someone to point them out.
The first was a billboard on the Mass Pike, just outside of Boston. Headline, 'FARM FRESH WIND', with a picture of a windmill. Oh yeah, you can bet that the font was green. Subtle...very subtle. Did the creative director whip this up in 10 minutes? I hope there wasn't a grand creative session to brainstorm this copy. On the other hand, if the agency who created this billed for ANY creative time, than God bless them. They've got some kind of racket going. Clearly agencies should start targeting more energy providers. (I'm not exactly sure which energy co. this was , so that's inherently something to consider. I think it was NSTAR.)
Ok, so you're an energy co. Do you now sell wind? Sort of....I guess.
Unfortunately, 'Sort of' is not a clear message.
You do 'provide' energy to the masses. So why not talk about that? Even if you did sell wind; is wind from a farm better than wind from the city? I thought wind was wind? It certainly does not discriminate against us city folk. (If you have ever walked across the BU bridge, or down the vortex that is Boylston St. in the winter, you know what I mean).
Now, if it was widely known that wind from some farm in NH or OK was 'better' than urban wind, which we individually could directly benefit from in some way I haven't yet learned, than by all means, sell me some of that. (perhaps it's a new organic way to dry your hair...??) Bottle it up and send some by my place like the milkmen from the 'good ole days'. If not, than why waste your time talking about wind?
I don't benefit from the wind, I benefit from the energy you provide me, which you mined from the wind. The earth can benefit from this 'green' energy, but that's a secondary benefit to the consumer. Essentially, you are hoping for the target audience to put it all together on their own.
Billboard advertising doesn't work this way. You have 2 seconds to relay a message and generate an impression that hopefully builds awareness of your product/brand. and/or, its benefits/brand personality/values. The message needs to be clear and concise. Sure, I am 'remarking' about this billboard, so I suppose you have done something right, or REALLY wrong. At the least your brand name needs to be recalled ! I'm writing about this billboard and I can't even remember the co !!! I do remember the name was smaller than the aforementioned message, and it was not prominent. How exactly has this message served their business needs? It hasn't.
A few quick options that might have been better. Take them or leave them. Wind Energy. For the earth. For you. (BIG company logo). Thank your Mother (Nature). Wind Energy from ____ (and Mother Earth).
Here's the second ad, this time a 30 second television spot.
Where I do I start !
First, Reebok hardly ever advertises on TV, therefore, when they do, they should really nail the creative to maximize their ROI. This is almost embarrassing, and is not a new idea.
Second, Reggie Wayne, while being a fine ballplayer, does not have much household recognition (he's probably the 10th wide receiver a 16 year old boy would recall, let alone football player, and let's be honest, if they aren't trying to sell these shoes to 16 year old boys, than they have bigger problems than we have time to talk about). Celebrity/athlete endorsers should be iconic figures that definitively elevate your brand. Sorry Reg, but you're not that guy. All this says to me is that Reebok couldn't afford someone with a higher profile. This might be the worst problem with the ad, as it just doesn't serve the inherent purpose of why you would use a pro athlete.
Ok, so Reggie's your guy. That doesn't mean the creative should be weak too !
Walking on water is an OLD cliche. We all know he can't do this. There's no mystery or intrigue here. Clearly you are telling me the shoes allow him to walk on water, I get it. It's the not the man himself, which brings us back to the fact you don't need a pro athlete when using this idea.
"Reggie can't walk on water, but with these "Hexride's" he can" !
Who hoo ! Go Reggie.
Pla - ease.....!
Then there is the tag line, "Superior Cushioning". Sweet, a benefit message ! Thanks for that. Too bad it makes no sense ! Why would 'cushioning' allow someone to walk on water? Doesn't cushioning in a shoe help reduce impact on hard surfaces? Last time I checked water was not a hard surface. Now, if this was an ad for a 'lightweight' shoe, they might be on to something, but it still has the problems I noted above. At the least, show the man running over some crazy boulders or something. It might not be related to football, but at least it will more closely match the product benefit!
To me, this commercial officially sums up Reebok's position in the marketplace. They are NOT a leading brand and hold no aspirational status. Think hard if anyone you know actively wears a pair of Reeboks? 1 in 15? 1 in 20? I don't know a single person who wears Reeboks.
Talk to anyone at the co. and they'll say, "we can't try to out Nike, Nike". We'll, if you mean, "come up with compelling creative", than clearly you can't. Heck, you'd be better off just showing the shoes with a simple message like, "Reggie Wayne wears them. You should too" ! Not creative in any way, but I bet just as effective, and a whole lot cheaper.
Here's a classic example of a brand that used the idea of superpowers, attributed them to the product and pulled off some good creative.
For a split second you have to wonder. Did he really do that???
(too bad we now know Mike's true colors).
Like never before, there is no room for mediocre work. In tough times, consumers need good marketing to help them make the tough choice of how to spend their limited funds.
Someone out there can do it better.
Don't waste our time with greenwashed messaging, or generally lame creative. The consumer can see through this.
You only make your competition look brilliant, and turn off those of us who know better.
As I was re-reading Jim Collins' best selling book, Good to Great, I was struck by a quick passage that everyone should consider:
When teaching by the case method at Stanford Business
School, I issued to each MBA student an 8.5"x 11"bright
red sheet of paper, with the following instructions: “This
is your red flag for the quarter. If you raise your hand with
your red flag, the classroom will stop for you. There are no restrictions
on when and how to use your red flag; the decision rests entirely
in your hands. You can use it to voice an observation, share a
personal experience, present an analysis, disagree with the professor,
challenge a CEO guest, respond to a fellow student, ask a question,
make a suggestion, or whatever. There will be no penalty whatsoever
for any use of a red flag. Your red flag can be used only once
during the quarter. Your red flag is nontransferable; you cannot
give or sell it to another student.”
With the red flag, I had no idea precisely what would
happen each day in class. In one situation, a student used her
red flag to state, “Professor Collins, I think you are doing
a particularly ineffective job of running class today. You are
leading too much with your questions and stifling our independent
thinking. Let us think for ourselves.” The red flag confronted
me with the brutal fact that my own questioning style stood in
the way of people’s learning. A student survey at the end
of the quarter would have given me that same information. But
the red flag—real time, in front of everyone in the classroom—turned
information about the shortcomings of the class into information
that I absolutely could not ignore.
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The red flag is your reality check; your tactic for keeping everyone on task and accountable for their actions, while delivering a sense of control to each member of the group. They key is everyone receives just 1, there-by establishing value and creating a culture of self moderation. If you use your flag, it best be for something of great concern to you, the team, or your leader/boss/partner etc...
If you match all three, you have no doubt identified your subject.
________________
So, each of you today has been given by me, one hypothetical red flag.
You can use it for anything you like.
You only get 1.
Will you call out someone in the office who has failed to make a decision? Alternate strategy for a product? Reject a proposal that may harm long term growth?
__________________
The red flag is just a tool. The intention for it's use is what's important.
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Incorporating a similar instrument or doctrine into your business will ensure you're vetting facts and confronting the most compelling and important aspects of the firm. The use of an actual tool can be helpful, but the spirit and EXPECTATION that everyone is required to hold each other accountable can help you get things done.
Inject this, after you have the right people (right Jim?), and you may see dramatic results.
If you have the stomach for it. __________________
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