Thoughtful leadership and marketing

One way to help prevent burnout

I've recently heard from a number of teachers that are retiring.  Some write sad emails stating their unhappiness with their past teaching experiences as they say goodbye to the profession. I've encountered very few who are going out happy and at the top of their game.  A few, but not many.

My youngest daughter recently came to the teaching profession as part of Teach for America (same daughter that was fired years ago for Boat Rocking).  She started in an inner city Memphis high school that had previously struggled to find teachers willing to take the job. She was part of an invading army of young people launched by Teach for America and they are attempting to set the world on fire through improved teaching methods and youthful enthusiasum.  And from my vantage point, having visited her in Memphis, they are making a positive impact on the community and the children. 

They have assembled an impressive group of young people focused on changing the world.  It reminds me of the idealism of the 60's.  I hope they don't end up like some of my older teacher friends as it would be sad to lose this well intentioned army of young people.

How do we go from enthusiasm to despair in a 30 year teaching career?  If there is a subject that I am not qualified to write about from a personal standpoint, it is burnout.  I've never been there.  I love my current job and every job I've ever had since receiving my college degree.

However, I have experienced fellow workers with a form of burnout.  They were most often extremely emotional, sometimes crying uncontollably, and in a state of extreme anxiety about events at work and oftentimes in combination with events at home that had taken over their lives.

In attempting to help them work through their problems, I discovered similarities. They were often my best people.  They were hard working, conscientious, type A personalities who took on too much and were now overwhelmed. 

I would ask them if they were still exercising on a regular basis as I knew they once had.  And most often, through tears, the response would be nearly identical from each stressed out person I asked.  "No, I've been too busy to exercise dealing with all of these problems." 

I know it sounds simplistic, but it is nearly impossible to be emotionally stressed out when you've elevated your heart rate above 130 for 45 minutes.  

Making time to exercise and relieve stress is recommendation number one for preventing burnout.  

Teach for America is creating leaders and improving education

Recently I sat in the back of an inner city Memphis classroom and watched a young 23-year-old teacher with total command of her classroom.  She engaged her students in a dynamic and interactive teaching style I had never seen.

The teacher is an example of the job being done in our schools by Teach for America, an organization that recruits passionate young people, teaches them how to be great teachers, and sends them into our toughest schools. 

The leadership style embraces a philosophy that advocates setting goals that are both ambitious and feasible.   It reminds me of the style discussed in Good To Great by Jim Collins, with references to setting big hairy audacious goals.  It works for business and its working for students.

She was excited, gesturing, acting out words and enunciating in Spanish.  She pulled them into her lesson plan with her hands and her energy. 

She had earned their respect and participation.  It was like watching Sidney Poitier in the Blackboard Jungle, except the teacher was white and the students were black and, I sensed, mildly unfamiliar with someone who cared so much about their learning. 

And whenever the noise level in the classroom started to rise just ever so slightly, each time there was even a hint of impending chaos, she commanded them to “atención,” and they fell quickly in line repeating only the Spanish words she required.

I took satisfaction in that part because I remembered observing in my own children’s classroom and being occasionally horrified by how they were sometimes robbed of an education by those who had come to disrupt and teachers that did not have this young woman’s command of the classroom. 

The disrupters never stood a chance.  Not today.  Not in her classroom.  Everyone was learning Spanish.  Even the older guy sitting in awe at the back of the room learning Spanish for the very first time in his life from his daughter.  

 

Failure is not an option. Or is it?

Failure is not an option.  It is a great one time sound bite, but it is the absolute opposite of the main message of Celebrating Failure: The Power of Taking Risks, Making Mistakes and Thinking Big.  

As we enter the theatre of battle (a 10K road race or a compeititve business pitch for a multi million dollar account) we have probably all uttered that catchy sound bite as a form of temporary self-motivation.

“Failure is not an option,” can provide a surge of cerebral courage and needed motivational adrenaline.   Imagine asking the boss, a wily, long-time negotiation veteran, for your first ever raise. 

You need an edge, so you say to yourself, “Failure is not an option.” Hoping it provides the needed courage to simply ask.

Used in that context it can be helpful.  But as a lifetime philosophy it can be debilitating. 

We need to step up often and take risks and learn from our failures.  Failure is an incredible learning experience from which we learn and grow.  It’s not only okay to fail, it’s imperative and a prerequisite for success. 

Those that are most successful—those that conquer the biggest challenges know that failure is an option and they are comfortable with the possibility as an essential learning experience and step toward success. 

How to get people to stop changing your ideas

I’ve had only a handful of jobs in my life.  I was a lifeguard in college and got fired for starting a small revolution about hair length and its impact on mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.  I was crushed in the revolution even though I was right. Long hair does not negatively impact mouth to mouth resuscitation. They just wanted us to wear short hair.

So I became a drill press operator for a lot less money and far less visibility.  We pay a price to lead a failed revolution.  Otherwise I’ve been in marketing all my life at a radio station, ad agency, and now with Synergy Leadership Group. 

One thing you need to get comfortable with in marketing is that people will want to change your ideas.  They want to mess with your stuff!  The person or company paying you for your advice often wants to change something in the copy or design of your work.  We are all students of marketing, and so we have all developed strong opinions and want to share them. 

There is even a guy who makes a six-figure salary teaching marketing people like me how to sell our creative in a way that will make people less likely to change it.  He has raised the process to a fine art form.  Full disclosure here; I have hired the guy on multiple occasions.

But it’s not only creative people that have to live with someone wanting to change our dreams and ideas.  Our significant others, friends and co-workers often want us to change some annoying habit we have.

I’m currently working with a group of leaders that have laid out a master plan for a brilliant and exciting initiative, and they are in the early stages of selling it to selected targets and guess what?  Some of their potential clients want to mess with their stuff too.

These leaders spent years researching their brilliant new innovative idea.  They hired experts to do studies.  They meticulously patterned their thinking after other successful programs and met face to face with their leaders to learn more. 

They have done everything right.  And now others want to mess with their stuff.  And it is relatively new to them.

Here is a subject I have prepared for most of my life.  First, you need to listen intently to what is being suggested, because those making the suggested changes are not potted plants and, more importantly, they may be right!  They may even have a better idea and you don’t want to miss a new insight or breakthrough idea. 

I love it when people improve my creative and I am the first one to give thanks for the suggested improvement.  But I too am not a potted plant and have reasons for using the words or visuals I choose to use and I will be the first one to step forward and tell you why I used the word.  So be prepared to engage in a healthy discussion with me. The debate I had about hair length and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation demonstrated to me that I can debate sometimes with less fervor.

And here is how you could handle the conversation when people want to change your stuff.  I present my creative work and might hear, “Nice work Ralph, but I noticed you used a blue shirt in the ad rather than a red shirt.  I like red shirts.” 

I secretly cringe when someone says “I like.”  Because it is not about what they like, it is about what the target audience likes.  But let’s give them the benefit of the doubt and assume what they really meant to say was “I like red shirts because the target customer buys more when they see red.”

I start by thanking them for their suggestion because it can be difficult to step up and suggest changes in someone’s work.   Then I step back and carefully study the ad we are discussing with great interest, and say, “We can make that change.  We could show a red shirt in the ad rather than a blue shirt.  It would work.” 

I have now demonstrated that I am a good listener and I have validated the other person’s opinion, which is important.  And it is way smarter than making faces and looking disgusted by the mere thought of someone wanting to change your stuff. 

I then add, “Let me tell you why we pictured a blue shirt in the ad.” And then I present strong reasons, preferably linked to the target customer’s preferences for blue, as to why we selected blue. Most often they reply, “Oh, I didn’t know that.  By all means let’s use blue.”

Most often it works.  The key is that you did the research and you have strong reasons for why you chose the actions, words or visuals that you did. If there are better reasons to make the shirt red then make the change.  But if you were dead on with your original blue shirt research, keep making your case.  Just don’t loose your lifeguard job over it. 

 

 

The benefit of patience

Below is one of my favorite new business stories that teaches the benefit of patience.  The story has been around in different forms forever and I do not claim to be the original author.  I have, however, evolved the story and made it appropriate for G-rated audiences.

 One day two cows were power walking in the park.  The first cow was a wise, mature cow that had traveled extensively and was wise beyond her years.  The second cow was a young, inexperienced, and excitable cow. 

 As the two cows came up over a hill they looked down in amazement to see a pasture full of bulls.  The young, inexperienced cow became excited and said to the more mature cow, “Let’s run down there and become amorous with one of those big bulls!”  The wise and knowing mature cow looked at the younger cow and said thoughtfully, “I have a better idea.  Let’s walk down the hill and become amorous with all of the bulls!” Some days it is all about being patient.

 

Validating opposing opinions

Leadership requires a delicate balance when a company’s basic plans and ideas are being challenged by those who might disagree or believe they have a better idea.  People are always going to challenge your plan, or new product idea, or whatever it is you are selling.  So be prepared for it. 

Outsiders often want to manipulate the plan to their advantage, or for all the right reasons, want to change the plan based on their life experiences.  Often times people want to put their own mark on the plan much like a dog marks its territory on a tree. 

The leader must listen intently because it might be more than someone putting their own twist on an idea.  The suggested idea might be a brilliant new breakthrough thought, and you of course wouldn’t want to lose out on brilliant new direction.  However, most often that is not the case.  Most often you have done your homework and you should stick with your plan and not immediately abandon your beliefs.

When people, especially powerful people, see the leader waver in their commitment to a product idea, business plan, proposal, etc. they are like sharks in the water that have tasted blood.  They will go for your jugular and manipulate the system, and in the process, your best laid plans and dreams.

The smart leader listens intently and then verbally acknowledges the suggestion.  “We could do that.  We could make that change.”  You have now validated the other person’s suggestion and you let them know you heard them and you respect what they said.  “Let me tell you why we did it this way.”  And then, because you prepared, lay out the strongest possible case for why you proposed what you did. 

And if you’ve prepared and done your homework, you should be able to make a compelling case for your way.

 

 

Leadership and the Wisconsin state budget.

Leaders can accomplish great things when morale is high and an organization has momentum.  Great leaders know this and work hard to keep the work force motivated and continuously looking for ways to improve and perform at an even higher level.  NFL announcers routinely anoint the outcome of the football game to the team with momentum.  If you think you can win, you usually do. 

Teachers and state workers in Wisconsin right now have been devastated by a lack of leadership on the part of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.  The governor has not sat down with his team, shared the challenges of the organization, and asked for their help in meeting the state’s challenges, as great leaders do in challenging times.

Our teachers and state workers are Midwest nice.  They are willing to do what it takes to help the state.  But Walker insists on no dialogue, cutting benefits and now he has burned down the collective bargaining bridge that helped teachers and state workers obtain benefits like equal pay for women and men.  That link to past fairness is gone and they are concerned about their future and rightly so.  Their anger and bitterness is palpable.  I’ve lived in Wisconsin all of my adult life.  I’ve never felt anything like it.

A great leader works with his organization to keep the “team” focused on the goal of a quality education for our children. Walker has left near total confusion in his path.  Confusion is the last thing a leader wants in his organization.

I am not experienced in government economics and I encourage you to judge his budget plan.  I hope it is better than his leadership skills.

 

Learning in a gender diverse environment.

I am fortunate to work with two extremely smart, talented and wonderful co-workers.  I love working with them and we have a high level of respect for each other and our work.

Most days we work together like a fine well-oiled machine.  When a client asks a question of the company, and we are together in the same room, we instinctively know who is best qualified to answer the question. 

It is similar with the division of work.  We seldom ever discuss assigning work because we instinctively know who should do what.

We have many of the same business philosophies, and in the places we do differ, we understand and respect each other’s diverse position. When one of us begins a marketing dialogue the other two can seamlessly keep it on track and moving forward in the same cohesive direction.  The whole thing is pretty cool.

However, in one way, we speak a different language.  I speak one way and both of them speak another way.  I am blunt and direct.  No effort is required to understand my message and there are no lines to read between.  What you see is what you get.

They are considerably more tactful.  More graceful when they disagree with you.  For example, in the beginning, when we disagreed, I would hear the explanation and not be certain of the position because they were often so tactful in how they said it.

We have collectively come to define “it” as they play nicer than I do.  If you haven’t guessed by now my two partners are female.  There is a school of thought that says in general; women play nicer together than men.

The good news is we have learned from each other.  I’m working at becoming more diplomatic, and they are trying to be more direct.  Often times I no longer need to strain to hear the “it.”  I have grown professionally and personally because of the “it” and the benefit of gender diversity, and I think they have as well.

Diversity in the work place is a great thing.  So much to learn, and so little time. Thanks partners.

 

Never work another day in your life!

The last bunch of jobs I had were in management.  I was president of an ad agency, manager of a radio station, and several non profits.

And the other day I introduced myself in a "big" meeting and without hesitation or forethought proudly proclaimed myself a copy writer.  And as soon as it came flying off my lips it occurred to me every copy writer I had ever known aspired to be called anything but a copy writer.

I started an ad agency because I loved to write commercials.  And sans forethought again,  I became the president of the company and as the company grew I seldom got to do what I started out wanting to do.   Don't get me wrong, it was a great job and I loved it, but it wasn't my first passion.  Turns out that would be writing.  It gives me joy.

As I love to write, I take my laptop with me on vacations.  It was becoming a source of irritation between my wife and I until she realized that while she reads books to relax, I write. 

It is true what they said growing up.  Find a job you love and you'll never need to work another day in your life.

Are you capable of down and dirty?

I was speaking with an entrepreneur the other day who is suddenly struggling to stay in business in the "new economy."  His business is down and he is having a hard time making a living as he has done for many years.

He shared with me that he was going to attempt a new strategy involving going after "down and dirty" work he previously had not pursued as he is a bit of a perfectionist.  I was skeptical of his new strategy and for good reason.  I work with three partners and we are all individually incapable of performing at a lower level.  We always want to do our very best; when you put us in a group it is magnified. 

We consistently over deliver as it is in our DNA.  We can't seem to help ourselves.  We desire to deliver the best as opposed to some businesses that are good at delivering inexpensive, and proudly display it as a part of their mission. 

There are businesses out there who don't want the best.  They want good enough.  My neighborhood gas station is perfectly capable of delivering three different qualities of gasoline and we all understand that when we make the decision of which quality to purchase.

Same thing at the grocery store.  There is premium ice cream, average ice cream and inexpensive ice cream.  You can often tell which is which simply by looking at the packaging.  The high quality ice cream comes in small highly designed packages, while the inexpensive stuff comes in large clear plastic tubs.

But in marketing it is more nebulous. Most companies don't put out RFP's (Request for Proposal) specifying a desire for inexpensive branding.  But yet that is what some seek and if you want to compete at that level you have to be able to somehow deliver less from your normal process.  You have to be comfortable with the grocery store equivalent of large clear plastic tubs. 

In a past job I had there was more than one time when I too attempted to deliver down and dirty.  You think when you agree to it, that you can do it.  You decide to spend less time or whatever the particular "thing" is that you will be doing less of. 

But in the end you are not satisfied with what you have created (because of something in your DNA) and so you continue to tweak it, change it, and evolve it because that is the process you have always used, and you invest hour after hour of your valuable time, and the budget you had allocated is now blown sky high and thus you are donating your time to deliver a higher quality product and down and dirty is nowhere in sight.  

I never figured out how to deliver down and dirty but there must be a way because I see it in the dairy case every time I go to the store.  I have made a mental note to check back with my friend after a period of time and see if he was able to change the basic way he works and if he is capable of delivering something less expensively.  I remain skeptical but wish him the best of luck.   He too is a creative type.  Even worse he is an artist.