Management Matters Blog

It's All In The Message

By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth

 --Top CEOs understand the power, influence, and leverage created by great messaging. Do you ever find yourself sitting back and marveling at those chief executives who always seem to have the right thing to say? Contrast this with the feelings you have when you hear an awful sound-bite that makes a CEO look either uninformed or unintelligent. The difference between the two aforementioned examples is that top CEOs have mastered the art of finding the right message regardless of the medium, market, or constituency being addressed. In today's column I'll share some of the messaging secrets used by the world’s top CEOs.

So why is great messaging so important? As a chief executive, corporate messaging is the key to both your personal and professional positioning strategy. A CEO’s message has a direct impact on their personal and corporate brand equity, how they manage a crisis, marketing initiatives, investor relations, press and public relations, team building and employee engagement, and virtually any other mission critical area of chief executive responsibility.

The reality is that your messaging will often times have a greater impact on your career than your performance. I have witnessed on numerous occasions CEOs with average, or even sub-par performance histories fare well because they possessed great messaging skills. Let me be clear that I’m not talking about form over substance here…They simply understood how to message their shortcomings and flaws, while engendering confidence around their planning for corrective measures to critical spheres of influence. By contrast, I have also watched CEOs with excellent performance histories not do so well because they did not possess the messaging skills necessary to keep stakeholders engaged. Simply put, the savvy and sophistication of your messaging will have a direct impact on the sustainability of your tenure as a chief executive.   

CEOs that become recognized as great leaders are prepared, articulate, consistent, and crisp in their messaging. They speak with authority, clarity, and certitude. Their messaging engenders confidence and serves to inspire and unify. Perhaps most importantly, a great leader’s message is never in conflict with their values. They will not compromise their core beliefs simply to manipulate the outcome of a specific situation. They rest in the comfort that doing and saying the right things will ultimately put them in a favorable position, and if not, they are comfortable in assuming any negative consequences that may come as a result of right thinking and decisioning.

When it comes to the construction of messaging, I have found that people will tend to fall into one of the four following groups.

1. The Medium “is” the Message: People that fall into this camp believe that the medium will do the work for them…They believe in the reach and power of the medium to overcome any flaws in the message. This view of messaging constitutes a numbers based approach where the business logic states that if you reach enough people with the message some acceptable percentage of the people reached will embrace the message.

2. The Market “is” the Message: This view of messaging values the target audience above all else. The message is so targeted and nice specific that it is sometimes almost unintelligible to those who fall outside of the intended target market. 

3. The Message “is” the Message: This group believes that content is king…The emphasis here is that if the message is creative enough, or valuable enough, nothing else matters. This view of messaging is all about the teaser, the hook, the calls to action, the design, the concept, etc.

4. The Messenger “is” the Message: This is the branded approach to messaging…If the person delivering the message has enough credibility and influence, nothing else matters. This iconic, ego-centric approach to messaging places a high premium on the spokesperson. 

My view of the aforementioned four theories is that their sum total value is greater than their independent stand alone value. Other than in matters of character and principle I don’t tend to be an absolutist…Over the years, and especially in the genres of marketing, branding, positioning, and messaging I believe a collaborative and cross-disciplined approach to be the key to success…While content can create credability, credability can also enhance the view of content. Furthermore, the best content or spokesperson in the world communicating to the wrong audience, with the wrong message, or through the wrong medium is likely to miss the mark. It takes a blending of approach to craft the right message and this will not happen when operating in a vacuum. Following are a few final thoughts for your consideration when crafting your message:

1. It Must Be the Truth: The truth always comes out in the end…If your message won’t pass public scrutiny over time, then you have the wrong message.   

2. Use a Multiple Medium Approach: Long gone are the days of one size fits all mediums…the best messaging campaigns take place across mediums creating multiple touch points to various constituencies and demographics. 

3. Know Your Talking Points: Don’t allow the message to get lost in the medium. Remember that the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. You must be consistent and convicted in your opinions and your positions. Be clear, concise and don’t compromise on key points.

4. Know Your Audience: All messages should be tailored to the audience being addressed. This does not mean you should compromise your position, rather it means your message needs to relevant, timely, and of significance. While your talking points need to remain the same, they also need to address the concerns and areas of interest of those being communicated to.   

5. Don’t Forget Your Critics: The tendency is to believe that your audience is comprised of friends and allies. You need to assume that every message given will find its way into the hands of your worst critics, and furthermore, that they will attempt to use your message against you.

Good luck and good messaging.

Do You Have A Bad Attitude?

By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth

--Show me a CEO with a bad attitude and I'll show you a poor leader. While this sounds simple enough at face value, I have consistently found that one of the most often overlooked leadership attributes is that of a positive attitude. As a CEO, how can you expect to inspire, motivate, engender confidence, and to lead with a lousy attitude? The simple answer is that you can't. It just won't work. CEOs with bad attitudes will not only fail to engage their workforce, but they will quickly find themselves shown the door as their attitude's impact on performance becomes visible to the board. In today's column I'll examine the importance of CEOs having a positive attitude.

Clearly the topic of “attitude” has been addressed ad-nauseum in many a self-help piece, or most recently in "The Secret" (one of the most dangerous books and trends ever, but that’s another topic altogether), but this doesn’t mean that it is not worthy of topical consideration for chief executives. Leaders are not perfect, and as CEO you’re going to have your fair share of bad days. The difference between you the CEO, and everyone else on the planet, is that you don’t have the luxury of displaying a bad attitude.

Why then do so many CEOs appear to have a bad attitude? While there are certainly a variety of reasons (ego, arrogance, pride, etc.) for why a CEO can display a bad attitude, I believe that in many instances it is because they have fallen prey to a bad habit…yes, attitudes are formed, and a bad attitude is nothing more than an ingrained habit. The good news is that habits can be broken and/or reformed. So, this begs the question how does a CEO know when they have a bad attitude? If you answer yes to any one of the following five questions, then you are in need of an attitude adjustment:

1. Are your likeability and respect ratings low? While being a great CEO is not a popularity contest, the fact is that most great CEOs are both well liked and respected. They have the full faith and trust of their stakeholders, and possess strong positive relationships across constituencies. What do you reflect and what do people see in you? If you are not well liked and respected then you will have consistent, self-imposed obstacles placed in your path that inhibit your ability to be an effective leader.

2. Do you tend to have a pessimistic outlook on things? If you aren’t excited about the start of each day, display a “same crap…different day” attitude, or have a “glass is half-empty” perspective on things, then you likely have a bad attitude. 

3. Do people seek your input, advice, and counsel? If people see you coming and quickly run the other way, you have an attitude problem. Great CEOs are magnets that attract the attention of others. If people shy away from you versus clamor for your attention you likely have an attitude problem.

4. Are you often frustrated wondering why others don’t see things your way? Everyone can have a bad day, and while it’s okay to visit pity-city every once in a while, it is not a healthy place to live. If the majority of your conversations and interactions are negative or confrontational you likely have an attitude problem.

5. Do you have difficulty attracting and retaining tier-one executive talent? The simple truth is that people strongly desire to work with and for great leaders. Great CEOs are talent magnets…people want to be led by those who have much to offer. If you struggle with recruiting, team building, and leadership development you likely have a bad attitude.

If you still don’t know whether or not your attitude is affecting your performance I would strongly suggest participation in a 360 review process where your strengths and weakness are objectively assessed by those whom you interface with on a frequent basis. Lastly, following are few statistics that might convince you to change your outlook on life if you tend to be a pessimist:

1. People with bad attitudes have an 800 percent higher incident rate of being diagnosed with clinical depression.

2. People who possess a negative outlook on life are four times more likely to suffer a stroke, heart attack, or be diagnosed with cancer.

3. People who have bad attitudes have more career turnover.

4. People with bad attitudes have a 50 percent higher divorce rate. 

5. People with bad attitudes are ten times more likely to have poor relationships with their children. 

If your attitude is impeding your relationships, your talent, or your health it might be time to consider making some changes.

 

Is Family Business a Good Idea?

By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth

--Oh what a conundrum! Family business: Should I, or shouldn't I? In my opinion there really isn't a right or wrong answer to this question. It is simply a matter of personal preference. I have observed extremely successful family enterprises that strengthen relationships and flourish across generations. I have also witnessed business ventures that were responsible for the total destruction of what were previously very close families. Whatever decision is made with respect to bringing family members into a business, it is a decision that should not be taken lightly. In this week's column I'll share my thoughts on the topic of family businesses.

Let me begin by sharing some personal history with my involvement in family businesses. In addition to advising numerous family held businesses over the years, I have personally been involved in two family businesses. I have witnessed the good that can come from helping family members grow and prosper, and I’ve seen the harm that can come when greed becomes more important than right thinking. While my experience with family businesses wouldn’t keep me from involving family members in business ventures in the future, I also wouldn’t be quick to rush into such a venture. That being said, the following five points should be kept in mind when considering inviting family members into your business:

1. Think it Through: Family should be about unconditional love, security, and continuity of relationships, however business is often driven by conditional relationships, greed, and ego.  While business interests and family relationships can successfully coexist, the conflict of interest described in the statement above can often be terminal. If you cannot live with the possibility that things may not turn out on a positive note, and family relationships may be damaged, then I would strongly advise caution about including family members in your business venture.

2. Seek Alignment Up Front: Its easy to assume that family members should all have the same values, but that is not always the case. Don’t just assume you family members share your values; confirm it is so prior to their inclusion in your business. While it is certainly easy to involve family members in your business, parting ways is rarely easy, and usually comes with more than its fair share of emotional turmoil. Spend the time up front to align expectations and talk through all the “what ifs” surrounding family involvement in the business. Spend more time talking about what happens if things don’t work out rather than the upside of potential success.

3. Document Everything: There is often a tendency to believe that since you’re dealing with family there is no need for formal business agreements…WRONG! Document everything when it comes to dealing with family members so that in the event of a dispute, sound business logic and prudent governance will prevail over emotions, revisionist history, or suddenly flawed memories.

4. Don’t Give Anything Away: My thinking on this topic applies to responsibility, titles, compensation, and ownership interests. In general I have found that human nature is such that people just don’t value something that they have not earned (this can be particularly true of family members who can often display an undeserved sense of entitlement).  The goal here is not to make things unduly difficult on family members, nor is it to make money off of family members. Rather the goal should be to teach them that along with the privilege of ownership comes requirements for investment, risk, responsibility, and commitment.

5. Keep Things Close: While family should be family, this assumes value alignment, right thinking, and prudent behavior. The reality is that your chances for success in family businesses rapidly diminish the further removed you are from your immediate family. The harsh reality is that your immediate family are much more likely to remain loyal in good times and in bad times than nieces, nephews, cousins or in-laws.   

The unfortunate reality is that conventional business logic often does not apply when dealing with family businesses. It is important to realize that even when you do everything correctly that things still may not work out when dealing with family businesses.

 

What to Do When Marketing Goes Wild

By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer N2growth

--Have your company's marketing initiatives wandered astray? Is the proverbial tail starting to wag the dog with respect to your current marketing campaigns? How do you know when marketing is out of control? Those of you familiar with my work know that I'm generally a strong advocate for sales- and marketing-driven organizations. However my typical pro-marketing position assumes that certain key fundamentals are in place to ensure that the lunatics don't somehow become in charge of the asylum. In today's column I'll discuss how to keep marketing in check so that brand focus is maintained and your company avoids the costly trap of marketing gone awry.

On more than a few occasions I have found myself called in to rescue companies from themselves and/or their consultants with regard to ill advised or poorly conceived branding or rebranding initiatives. I have watched companies spend tremendous amounts of money, time and energy debating logos, taglines, corporate color pallets, font styles, ad campaigns, positioning strategies, marketing messages, brand promises, etc., with the only outcomes being failed initiatives and splintered management teams.   

I have often counseled clients to beware the change agents for the sake of change. There are few things in business that can impede corporate progress like failed marketing initiatives. If you don’t believe me just try confusing, offending, or alienating your customers and prospects with mixed marketing messages and see what happens. Today’s consumers aren’t going to tolerate trite marketing gimmicks that either insults their intelligence, or that requires too much intelligence. Don’t fall into the trap of cranking out cute ads where form trumps substance by having the message either lost in the ambiguity of the marketing, or overshadowed by the complexity of the marketing.

I would advise you to gut-check your marketing and branding initiatives against the following three points to determine whether or not your message is accretive or dilutive to your objectives:

Leadership: There are a number of ways to get in trouble here…poor leadership, no leadership, or fractionalized or disjointed leadership can all be quite problematic. Marketing is not a part-time endeavor. Moreover if you don’t have a qualified C-level marketing executive leading the charge, don’t just trust things to the most vocal staff member. Lastly, don’t decentralize marketing…consistent messaging across business units, products, markets, and constituencies is critical. Don’t be guilty of mixed messaging because the right hand didn’t know what the left hand was doing.

Alignment: A fundamental precept to all marketing initiatives is that they must be in alignment with the corporate values and vision. Remember that good marketing adds value, leverage, and velocity to your vision. It should never dilute it or distract from it. Most importantly good marketing is never in conflict with corporate values…compromise in this area and trouble will most certainly follow.

Managing Outside Vendors: Remember that consultants work for you, and that the decisions should be made by you and not the vendor. Good consultants build consensus and unify management focus, they do not splinter opinion. If you have a management team that is split down the middle on a marketing or branding issue then you have not arrived at the right decision.

Bottom line…solid marketing and branding initiatives are mission critical to sustainable increases in growth objectives. That being said, flawed marketing or branding initiatives have crippled many a good company. Don’t allow yourself to be bullied into something that doesn’t resonate with discerning reason. If something is important enough to implement, it is important enough to do well.

Six Mistakes Real Leaders Avoid

By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth

--I recently had a reader ask: "Is there a simple test that can be used to quickly determine an executive's leadership ability?" The short answer is yes. There are, in fact, a great number of tests that can quickly assess leadership ability. Something as simple as a 360 review, or as complex as a deep psychological profile (both with weighted emphasis on leadership aptitude) can point out an individuals' leadership capabilities. Our firm (as do many other firms) offers a broad array of skill specific assessments and profiles which can be implemented, but for purposes of answering the specific question at hand, in today's column I'll give you six areas to peel back the layers on when evaluating potential leaders.

First of all, it is important to realize that just because someone is in a leadership position doesn’t necessarily mean they should be. Put another way, not all leaders are created equal. Frequent readers of this blog can find a veritable plethora of tips on becoming a better and more effective leader. However in the text that follows I’ll address how to spot ineffective leaders by assessing six critical areas of leadership DNA. While there are certainly more than six areas that can be examined when discussing leadership ability and aptitude, there is no possible way for a person in a leadership role to experience sustainable success as a senior executive if they have issues in the following areas:

1. Poor Character: A leader a lacks character or integrity will not endure the test of time. It doesn’t matter how intelligent, affable, persuasive, or savvy a person is, if they are prone to rationalizing unethical behavior based upon current or future needs they will eventually fall prey to their own undoing.
2. Little or No Track Record: While past performance is not always a certain indicator of future events, a long-term track record of success should not be taken lightly. Someone who has consistently experienced success in leadership roles has a much better chance of success than someone who has not. Bottom line: unproven leaders come with a high risk premium.
3. Poor Communication Skills: Show me a leader with poor communication skills and I’ll show you someone who will be short-lived in their position. Great leaders can communicate effectively across mediums, constituencies, and environments. They are active listeners, fluid thinkers, and know when to press on when to back-off.
4. Self-Serving Nature: If a leader doesn’t understand the concept of “service above self” they will not engender the trust, confidence, and loyalty of those they lead. Any leader is only as good as his or her team’s desire to be led by them. An over abundance of ego, pride, and arrogance are not positive leadership traits. Long story short; if a leader receives a vote of non-confidence from their subordinates…game over.
5. One Size Fits All Leadership Style: Great leaders are fluid and flexible in their approach. They understand the power of, and necessity for contextual leadership. “My way or the highway” leadership styles don’t play well in today’s world and will result in a fractured culture and ultimately a non-productive organization. Only those leaders who can quickly recognize and adapt their methods to the situation at hand will be successful over the long haul.
6. Lack of Focus and Follow-Through: Those leaders who lack the focus and attention to detail needed to apply leverage and resources in an aggressive and committed fashion will perish. Leaders who do not possess a bias toward action, or who cannot deliver on their obligations will not be successful. Leadership is about performance. Intentions must be aligned with results for leaders to be effective.

The moral of this story is leaders need to be honest, have a demonstrated track record of success, be excellent communicators, place an emphasis on serving those they lead, be fluid in approach, and have laser focus and a bias toward action. If these traits are not possessed by your current leadership team you will be in for a rocky road ahead.