Alan Weiss and Lisa Larter recently launched the book Masterful Marketing. These two incredibly successful individuals reveal their secrets to success in marketing a business. But before reading a single page of their book, an insight sprang from their promo material:
Now replace “buyer” with “employees” or “stakeholders.” How does that inform your plan for leading change?
Early in my career, I worked for a small manufacturer of theater seats that was introducing new ways of working. Looking down from the offices above the shop floor, I had no idea how to motivate these folks to try something new, but I did know that the best consultants always recommended getting up close and personal with those you want to influence.
You know that scene in movies where the new kid enters the cafeteria on the first day of school and wonders where to sit? That was me. I was nervous as I entered the employee lunch area and picked a spot. No other managers or leaders in sight. It didn’t take long for others to sit close by, and a conversation began. I learned a LOT in thirty minutes, and I kept showing up.
Close contact built camaraderie and trust. I was no longer one of those corporate a-holes. It’s hard to build walls when the enemy keeps showing up on your side of the fence and is open and sincere. And it made it much easier to convince people of the benefits of change.
It’s common that executives have to think REALLY hard when I ask when they last sat down for a chat with someone on the frontline. It’s always been too long. They are doing themselves and their initiatives a disservice.
What are you doing to truly know your audience?
Thoughtfully yours,
Jeff Skipper
