Enough Talk About Listening!

If you interact with a significant other, a neighbor, team members or co-workers, no one needs to tell you that listening is critical to almost any relationship.

What we must not overlook is the fact that all listening is not equal.  Query your favorite search engine for “types of listening” and you’ll find plenty of content on Discriminating (I-get-to-pick-and-choose), Passive (I’m-not-really-engaged) and a handful of other labels that seem like attempts to quantify the fact that sometimes we listen; often we fake it.

It is not difficult to make a case for Discriminating Listening in selected situations.  After all, it is almost impossible to find a market segment that is not flooded with messages, each making as big a splash as possible in pursuit of mind share.  The art of communication often seems inexorably linked to the metrics of media buys, production costs and decibels.  The result can be deafening.

And with all the talk about the subject, one can’t help wondering whether marketers are listening.

An Opportunity to Reinvent

Few will admit it, but the proof is in the execution of strategies.  Most strategies indicate that messaging is what we value most.

While we focus on the creation and delivery of the message we ignore at least two things central to the most basic communication theory:

Like it or not (and many struggle mightily with this) the basic building block of communication is the dynamism of shared experiences.  Shared experience is the byproduct of interaction, participation, and collaboration.  It does not begin with messaging.

Enter Intentional Listening – listening by design, with purpose, with ears wide open.  This is the opportunity and potential of Social Media.

And though the irony of talking about it this much is not lost, here is fodder for what can hopefully be an on-going discussion around one of the most critical practices if you're venturing into social media.

Five Keys to Intentional Listening

1.     Begin by asking “to whom should we be listening?” as opposed to “what should we be saying?”  Somewhere in the course of the media age we have come to equate the best communication solely with message creation and delivery.  And though this is not to say that the quality of messaging is not critical, it is to suggest that perhaps we have placed the proverbial cart before the horse.  The most successful marketing always begins with target identification and research.

2.     Take note (scrupulously) of what your target audience cares about.  Review tweet streams, examine past posts, and browse lists of friends and followers.  This “listening” will yield some of the best marketing intelligence available – a glimpse into what your market values and invests in.

It 

3.     Build on shared experiences.  Listen carefully and your market will tell you exactly what it takes to connect.  Build your connection strategy around shared experiences, interests, values and common needs.  (If you are unable to identify this point of connection, return to number 1.)

4.     Remember the arithmetic.  Listen more than you talk…at minimum, two times more.  Practically speaking, retweet more than you tweet your own message, ask questions that promote conversations around what your target market values.  If the only time you seek interaction or feedback is when you want to precipitate action on your behalf, your arithmetic is wrong.  Intentional Listening is about what it takes to build relationship.  It is not about exploiting a podium or pulpit.  In short, give more than you expect to receive.

5.     Help build.  Community is the life-blood of social media.  Help build it and, with deference to the better mousetraps that might come along, your market will beat a path to your door.  Build connections.  Invest more time in a cause, event or idea that is important to your market than you do in asking targets to join your cause, and you’re on the road to relationships based on shared experiences.  And there is dynamism in there.

This is the challenge for social media strategists: do we view this evolving arena as a message delivery media, or do we see it for what it is – a way to invest in Intentional Listening.  The former view squanders the potential, turning social media presence into little more than a firestorm of sound bites.

Practice Intentional Listening and we’re on the road to shared experiences, valued collaboration, relationships that endure – and yes, loyal friends, fans, clients and customers.

What Really Matters?

Some things simply are not important in the scope of things.

Mac or PC? Important to the respective companies, to be sure; but give me either and I’ll get the job done. Number of Twitter followers or Facebook friends? Great possibilities; but not near as important as how you treat those you’re connected to -- online or face-to-face.

Pro sports contract negotiations, college bowl selections -- 90% of what fills an hour of sports talk radio or sports center highlights -- important to the individuals and enterprises they touch, yes. But is the amount of time invested by many of us on such issues just a bit out of proportion?

Red state, blue state, left side of the aisle, right side of the brain -- are the things we invest so much time cussing and discussing -- are these things (or are the conversations we’re having about them) as important as the time we spend on them?

This is not to say that purchasing decisions, the thrill of victory and the body politic don’t warrant attention, or to suggest they have no importance.

But (thankfully) every so often I am reminded that it is more important to be quiet for a moment, and consider what really matters.

Time with friends and family really matters.

Experiencing what happens to human beings when we give of ourselves -- this is important. Nothing will change a community more quickly. I would certainly do better to shift some of my sports or political talk time to efforts here.

What others think of you is rarely as important as what you, deep in your heart, think of yourself.

And simply pausing for a few minutes to consider the very few things that really matter -- this is one of the most important things we can do today.

Why Nothing Changes

Thankfully we've survived the campaign antics of another election season in the U.S. And the news, whether your candidate won or lost, is that not much is likely to change.

So we can relax. Fear mongering notwithstanding, two, four, even six years from now we'll find ourselves a little older, to be sure; but, apart from that, not much will have changed. The issues, challenges and debates of 2016 will be alarmingly similar. (Consider how long we've been debating healthcare in the U.S.)

The truth is whether in ones personal life, as a leader in business, or a player on the political landscape, real change -- not to mention meaningful progress -- is rooted in unselfish perspective.

The trouble is perspective is in short supply; unselfish perspective may be near extinction. And big picture vision has given way to the belief that winning is the only true measure of success.

The void isn't limited to the body politic either. We manage to turn virtually everything into a contest. From discussions with significant others to a town hall meeting examining the health of our communities, dialogue far too often gives way to a debate. And with the combination of self interest and a commitment to victory, we dig in and hold our ground as if engaged in a battle for field position.

Unwilling to give even an inch, we witness -- well, something like a political campaign. No real dialogue. No information. No learning. No compromise. And no progress.

With rare exception, here's what we seem to have forgotten: meaningful change doesn't begin with the articulation of a winning argument or even a winning strategy. It begins when individuals become more concerned with listening than talking, and at least as concerned with understanding as being understood. It begins when winning today -- whether with family, neighbors or colleagues -- is less important than teeing up the dialogue that will enable us to find solutions to tomorrow's challenges.

Because no matter the venue or the issue, lasting change does not come in a day. Or a week. Or even an election season.

At The Heart of Today's Game-Changing Marketing Strategies

Ask a dozen professionals from a variety of endeavors to define marketing and you will likely receive variations on two or three different themes. Retailers, B-to-B enterprises, service providers, Fortune 500 companies, entrepreneurial start-ups – and everything in between -- often view, plan and budget for marketing from unique perspectives.

But all of us, unique perspectives notwithstanding, count on our marketing investments to do one thing: contribute to a change – in awareness, in behavior, in loyalty, in habits or routines.

You may not think of or define marketing as an agent of change, but consider it. Regardless of the deliverable, from a single effort to an entire campaign, marketing is designed to instigate some type of change in the status quo. It may be about transforming a target into a client, expanding a customer’s use of your product/service line, creating awareness, or deepening loyalty to a brand. But effective marketing is, at its core, an agent of change.

Enter “Social Media”

I don’t believe any single solution is the holy grail of marketing; but the so-called “social media” options present marketers a new level of access to a critical dynamic of change – the oft overlooked (or ignored) element of dialogue.

Simply put, dialogue is the life-blood of enduring change. One-off decisions and temporary digressions can be precipitated by an event, an incentive or a compelling message. Dynamic campaigns can certainly win customers. But lasting change – the kind that lies at the heart of repeat business and customer loyalty – is the byproduct of feedback, conversations and the dialogue attendant to shared experiences. And “Social” provides a platform for numerous approaches to each of these activities.

We have long recognized the potential impact of “word-of-mouth” marketing. Get satisfied clients/customers talking about their experience with your product or service, and the marketing game changes. No longer is it the voice of the company extolling benefits; customer-originated messages have authenticity. Shared experiences resonate.

Add the element of actual real-time feedback, and you’ve tapped into the real marketing potential of social media; now you’re building relationships. And relationships trump everything. Relationship is the context for turst. Conversations that allow for questions and answers, musings, what-ifs, and even the airing of a problem – this kind of dialogue is the DNA of relationships that grow and thrive.

So when you wonder about the role of social media in a marketing strategy…or how to introduce the idea to leaders in your company…or what the best practices might be with respect to Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, remember the seed that eventually gives rise to the most pervasive and enduring change your market will ever know: today’s game-changing marketing plans create shared experiences, encourage on-going dialogue, and build communities with clients and 

The Marketing Tool That Transcends Message & Media

Today’s marketing professional has an impressive tool kit at the ready. In addition to the staples of the past half-century or so, technology has created a whole new set that seductively promises to change the arithmetic and shrink things to manageable size. Where the world used to be an accessible oyster for those with the budget, today’s venture can play in the global arena with even the scarcest of resources.

Okay -- truth be told, many of us are still wrestling with pieces of the new tool-set. (Please submit all workable Social Media marketing strategies.)

But while in pursuit of promising new connections in an undeniably dynamic marketplace, it may be timely to revisit the tool that has always shaped, and will again change the discussion.

Spot The Common Thread

Spend a few minutes visiting with a lawyer or a doctor who built a successful practice twenty-five or thirty years ago. Turn the discussion to how the practice was developed and the response will be something close to “I did good work; the word spread; and the practice grew.”

Find a retailer whose product isn’t the cheapest, but for whom customers exhibit intense loyalty. (Yes, they exist.)

Or talk to a client of one of Carl Sewell’s auto dealerships in Dallas, Texas where the idea is to transcend selling a car today in favor of creating a customer for life. (If you haven’t read it, the book is a “must read.”)

The thread that runs through these and a relative handful of other examples is the importance of the client/customer experience.

While companies invest heavily in innovation, go-to-market strategies, creative marketing communication and reward mechanisms, are we spending more than an afterthought on the experience clients (or targets) have when engaged by even the intangible aspects of a company. Certainly, benchmarks exist for creative budgets, production costs and even customer “loyalty” initiative. But when it comes to what prospective customers actually experience, otherwise sophisticated strategies focus on comfy waiting room chairs, a cup of cappuccino or a “we appreciate your business” flyer stuffed in with an invoice or statement.

I should confess that I’m pretty big on comfortable waiting areas and a good cup of cappuccino. That said, if we believe a handful of tactics are the things that engage the market, and build enduring relationships, we have not learned the age-old and most basic lesson of successful marketing endeavors.

If the objective is to move one round of widget production, empty shelves of current inventory, sell one car, or sign one consulting contract, you likely quit reading a couple of hundred words ago.

But for every enterprise interested in creating customers for life -- or, maybe even more valuable, loyal advocates for your brand -- effective marketing comes down to what customers/clients/prospects experience when they encounter your company, product or service. This is really the essence of brand: is what your clients and targets experience consistent with what your message promises? Does the experience transcend or fall short of expectations?

There is little doubt that creative genius is able to engage for a season. But those who seed the stuff that turns to word-of-mouth muscle believe in creating, and invest in delivering an ongoing experience.

Market shifts and media innovations will inevitably distract many. Those focused on engaging the market in the experiences from which enduring relationships are born are the companies that will be left standing.

The Role of Proactive Listening in Social Media

Here’s the problem: we believe that once we’ve delivered a message -- written it, recorded it, spoken it aloud, hit “SEND” or (truth be told) even outlined it in bullet-form -- that we have Communicated. Put another way (and maybe a bit more to the point), when we think about communicating, we inevitably think about message delivery.

Conventional wisdom views “Great Communicators” as those gifted in the art of articulation. When it comes to marketing communication, we seek a wordsmith, an award-winning designer, and those able to grab an audience by the eye and ear, create and produce at the highest level...and deliver the message.

Enter the "Social Media."

View social media marketing tools through conventional eyes -- that is, see them primarily as message delivery vehicles -- and you sacrifice the opportunity to organically add a new dimension to your marketing efforts. Am I the only one who, upon first hearing about Twitter, scoffed -- wondering what value could be contained in 140 character limit for each message? How profound or poetic might one be when brevity is enforced? (My appreciation for Emily Dickinson notwithstanding.)

Clueless. Because I was thinking only in terms of delivering my message.

And while i may be slow, i did eventually come to realize that the real power of social media is that listening is at its core.

In fact, unlock the art of proactive listening in the social media, and you’ll discover a way to connect with your audience that will change your marketing -- both in terms of strategy, and execution.

To that end, here are a three ideas on how to use social media to proactively listen.

1. Master two or three questions. That's all it takes. Pose the right query to followers, fans and even foes, and you tap into the best marketing research available -- insight into what matters most to your clients/customers and targets, directly from them. And never underestimate the potential of a 140 character survey.

2. Build a Feedback mechanism. What this ends up looking like will depend on the tool, but you can bet your unhappy customers will utilize every tool at their disposal (remember the United Breaks Guitars video?). Be proactive and facilitate (encourage) conversations about your product or service -- the good and not so good -- and you'll hear about problems and opportunities in real time. This "conversation-context" is significantly more productive than a complaint box or traditional reactive approach to customer service. (By the way -- defensiveness has no place in a proactive feedback mechansim. Avoid it at all costs.)

3. Spend more time taking content in than you do dispensing your message. There is, no doubt, a more poetic way to articulate that idea; but we'll forgo poetry in favor of connecting. You get the idea. Listen (much) more than you speak. Read more than you write. I've seen varying suggestions as to effective ratios, and don't profess to have a proven formula. I think in terms of no more than 1 in 5 communication efforts revolving around a marketing message. I know a few folks who hit more like 1 in 10 when it comes to Twitter.

Three ideas. I'd appreciate hearing yours.

Imagine a marketing strategy built around on-going proactive listening. No telling how the marketplace might change!

Beyond Connections, to Building Relationships

It is news to no one that when it comes to marketing (especially in the professional services arena) relationships trump everything.

A challenge in the pursuit of this asset is to recognize the difference between connections and relationships. (Or, for that matter, the difference between followers and relationships.)

At the risk of oversimplifying, establishing connections is relatively easy.  Building and nurturing relationships is not.

Networking events can yield scores, even hundreds of business cards.  Devote the time, and it is possible to connect with thousands via social platforms like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.  Add a budget to the equation and it is possible to grow a contact list exponentially.

And while making contact is where it begins, a connection does not constitute a relationship.  Relating with an individual or a company (sorry about this) almost always requires two things – dialogue and shared experience. And this, for many, is where it gets tricky.

If we misunderstand what constitutes dialogue, we’re in for a long, winding, and likely frustrating journey.

We’ve long acknowledged the fact that communication is critical to building and nurturing relationships. The problem -- or at least part of the problem -- comes in the way marketing communication is typically defined. Most of the time we act as though communication is a one-way street. The result is the creation of entire web sites, advertising campaigns, and collateral communication materials that, with varying degrees of effectiveness, begin and end with telling a story.

Even when the story is compelling and well told, there is a problem: the real strength in a relationship is derived more from listening than from the delivery of a message.  In fact, when it comes to nurturing a relationship, Listening may be the single most powerful and most under-utilized communication tool there is.

Time for a pause long enough to re-think that last sentence.

We all know this. We experience it every day with family, friends and in the workplace.

The more time I spend listening to those with whom I most want relationship, the closer I get to something made from fabric that transcends a satisfied customer and approaches a loyal (read “Something that will last”) friend... or even fan.

(And at the risk of pointing out the obvious – what holds true in business and marketing is doubly true with respect to personal relationships.)

For years the sophisticated marketing organization has invested in research and business intelligence in an effort to identify needs, test products and understand what will prompt the market to buy. But a process where a service provider or company makes calculated investnents in dialogue – in listening to the target market’s story -- that has been rare. 

But times, they are changing.

The so-called (and ill-named) social media afford every organization a way to listen to its market. Those still in need of a reason to develop a “social” strategy need look no further.

What should a company or service organization do to develop loyal, lasting relationships? Invest at least as much time listening as you do delivering a message to your market. In fact, ask the right two or three questions, listen closely, and your market will tell you exactly what it takes to move from contact to relationship.

And two things are apt to occur. You’ll likely end up revising the way you tell your story; and you’ll be driven to focus on the second part of the relationship equation – the customer / client experience.  That’s fodder for our next post.

When (and Where) Winning Really Is Everything

This post is a few days removed from the event that gave impetus to thinking about the topic, primarily because the musings of my knee-jerk response to the final thirty minutes of the Masters were born of far too much emotion. And, though I’m not certain perspective has been fully regained, here goes.

Journalists, columnists and commentators have already commented at length on the stark juxtaposition of, on one hand, Phil Mickelson locked in a poignant embrace with his bride after winning his second Green Jacket; and on the other hand, Tiger Woods’ comments that many have characterized (correctly in my view) as born of almost no appreciation for the moment – either in terms of his own life, or for the lore of golf’s grandest stage. Agree or disagree, it is impossible to deny the compelling nature of the two stories. I’ll resist the temptation to opine further.

For me (and for some reason I feel compelled to apologize for the personal views I’m about to extol), there is a much more fundamental issue to be addressed: what have we decided constitutes winning?

For a season (no pun intended), while compiling an enviable record on the golf course, Mickelson was referred to as a “choker”, finishing in the top ten in tournament after tournament, but failing to finish first. The inference was that this man – clearly one of the world’s elite golfers – didn’t have the “stuff” to be a real winner.

Choker? Seriously?

And after listening to Tiger Woods’ comments at the conclusion of the Masters – comments that many of us (include me in the group) would once have lauded as representative of his relentless focus and commitment to winning – I wonder how many share my response; I no longer subscribe to, support or care to hear Tiger’s definition of sportsmanship, dedication or Winning. Not because I’m prepared to cast stones; not because I believe he should be held to any particular standard simply because he is gifted and public.

Not for any reason other than I believe it is time I realigned my definition of what it means to Win.

Jumping to another sport, when Duke defeated Butler in the fortieth minute of NCAA’s March Madness, how could anyone think of Butler’s bulldogs as a bunch of losers?

In that spirit, here are five ideas on the subject of winning.

• There is serious merit to the idea that “it isn’t whether you win or lose, but how you play the game" (with apologies to Vince Lombardi)
• Character matters. I’m not prepared to try to define it, except to say that while characters might win contests along the way, when calculating whether one is a Winner, the score is only one part of the formula
• Though it is counter-intuitive, it is worth noting that not winning every single contest does not constitute Losing.
• As cliché as it may sound, sometimes simply playing the game equates to Winning

And maybe most important, I believe it is way past time to remind ourselves that millions of Winners never tee it up. Or set foot on a pitcher’s mound, make Sports Center, have the chance to hoist a championship trophy, or -- for that matter -- sit in a CEO’s chair. They simply embrace each day’s challenges. And parent. And mentor. And give more than they take.

These are the real Winners. With a capital “W”. 

The Fuzzy Area Between Vision and Focus

This post is a reprise of a Guest shot for my friend Alicia Arenas (follow Alicia on Twitter), and her March Marketing Madness week. I offer it here knowing that focus always wins. 

Few things have as much to do with the fabric of our communities as the vision that resides in business leaders.  Certainly, family as well as other centers of value and education top the list; but the perspective that drives innovation, creates new enterprise, and transforms dreams to reality is a big part of what shapes cities and neighborhoods.

But somewhere between the vision that congers greatness and the focus necessary to realize a dream, things often get blurry.

You know the drill.  There is buy-in for a vision; strategic planning is complete; goals and objectives identified; and resources have been ear-marked.  Then something insidious happens: it comes disguised as a bigger, better vision, or a too-good-to-pass-up-all-new “opportunity” that demands immediate attention and resources.  And, though not forsaken (you have far too much invested in it by this point), the original vision never quite looks the same.

This is particularly problematic for the small business and entrepreneurial environment, where leaders tend to be visionary, seeing opportunity at every turn.

At this point it is tempting to resort to an old metaphor: it is impossible to hit the bull’s eye if you take your eye off the target.  But the issue is a bit more multidimensional than that.  For an idea person, the harsh reality is that conceiving and honing a vision plays to our strength; maintaining focus often plays to a weakness.

Warning: this next part is tough for most marketers to hear.

In today’s marketplace good ideas are rarely enough to carry the day.  Better mousetraps and newer/faster/better solutions are conceived on a regular basis.  The few that make it to the market and win are either the byproduct of tenacious focus or pure luck.  Ether works, but you only control one.

One of the most creative and innovative business leaders I know is plagued by his vision.  So grand is his ability to picture what might be, that he is never short of ideas.  But his visionary perspective seems to render him incapable of focusing long enough to nurture an idea to fruition.  By contrast, some of history’s grandest breakthroughs are the coincidental byproduct of tenacious focus  I frequently wonder about the impact my friend’s vision might have had, had he been able to focus.

And just in case you’re tempted to relegate the discussion to innovations or inventions, marketing is an area where focus can seem to be an afterthought.  After all, with sufficient media resources and distribution channels, you can hit virtually any target with your eyes closed.  (Apologies for resorting to the “target” analogy.)  But for the vast majority of main street, marketing plans don’t come backed by the kind of media budget that enables the small business to market blindfolded.

So if focus wins...how do you fight through blurry (or double) vision, and stay focused?  Here are four ideas.

Do your due-diligence on the front end.  Know your market.  Even if you don’t have an R&D budget, find a way to test your idea and marketing strategy.  Customer surveys and focus groups are great tools here.

Know the metrics.  How much does your vision cost?  How much is it worth?  At what point does it begin producing ROI? What percentage of your budget is earmarked for marketing?  Know the numbers. The perspective gained here helps when it comes to maintaining focus in the face of other opportunities.

Establish a timetable.  No business or marketing plan is good enough to be open-ended.  Your plan of action should include a calendar that specifies appropriate dates for evaluation and strategic “tweaks.”  Establish these at the outset, and it’s much easier to avoid playing “hunches.”

Practice saying “NO.”  Whether marketing a company, product, or idea, the critical measure of focus is the ability to say “no” to distractions disguised as opportunities.  There will be plenty.  Stay the course, execute your plan.  Chasing multiple opportunities is reactive.  And a reactive strategy almost always seeds leadership and market share to someone else.

There are a number of understandable reasons for the blurring that exists between vision and focus.  For many businesses it is as simple as the fact that a single leader is responsible for both tasks, while the perspective required for each is unique.  So, for all charged with both tasks, separate hats -- or more appropriately, goggles -- is the order of the day.

Lennon & McCartney, A Lagniappe, And Social Media Muscle

Some things just deserve a spotlight. A Twitter friend -- @9inchmarketing (John, IRL) – reminded me of this reality a few weeks ago when he introduced me to the Purple Goldfish Project. This is an organized effort to draw attention to the existence of Lagniappes (the practice of giving something extra) in the course of everyday business. Herein is one such tale.

I met Bob Magruder more moons ago than either of us care to admit. Chances are, you know him, too; or you know his voice, at least. For more than three decades he’s been the “voice” of local, regional and national advertising campaigns, as well as the authoritative persuader on promotional, instructional and training videos. You can sample some of his work here.

I was an inexperienced ad guy. He was a pro. From the outset it was clear that Bob employed an approach to his business that set him apart. His “customer is the boss” perspective was surprisingly rare among commercial talent the agency worked with.  And he always showed up prepared, wanting to give more than was expected to make every project better; but that is not the story.

Bob’s lagniappe is found in the significant something extra he did – and continues to do for colleagues, apprentices and out-right competitors.

Yes…even competitors. For years I watched as one of the busiest and most talented guys in the highly competitive and often cut throat “voice acting” business would invest in teaching aspiring talent how to take work away from him!

To be fair, he did sell his instruction from time to time; but, for years I’ve watched him give time and often even foot the bill to help scores of folks trying to make it in the business.

Now, this isn't a conventional lagniappe.  I don't remember ever hearing him talk about why he did this. For that matter, he never talked about doing it at all. When he reads this he’ll wonder what the fuss is about, becasue this was not a strategy or tactical approach. It is born of who he really is, and what he believes in: give clients more than is expected; and give back to an industry that supports you.

In recent months, while reading, thinking, and writing about the growing impact of social media, I’ve been reminded of Bob’s style. He would talk with anyone, share ideas, wonder about trends, and always welcome a conversation. But it never felt like strategizing. It was, in my view at least, the natural response of a guy that enjoyed conversation and collaboration, was always willing to listen, and from whom you would always get more than you paid for.

A Lennon-McCartney tune on the “Let It Be” album captures what Bob taught me (and hundreds of others). It is what the Purple Goldfish Project is all about. It is social media’s hidden muscle. “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”

Magruder reminds me that nothing is more powerful than sharing with someone. This is the heart and soul of social media.

Collaborating? Check Your Winning Attitude at the Door

There are few things we value more than winning.  From t-ball to spelling bees to the professional sports franchise we personally adopt, nothing matches the thrill of finishing on top.  It impacts self-image, the way we relate to those around us, and even commerce.  (Ask the folks in New Orleans about victory’s impact on the economy and psyche of an entire region.)

While it’s tempting to go off on the relative value (or absence, thereof) of a distorted focus on winning when it comes to pre and elementary school ranks, that’s a debate for another day.  For today, as calls for collaboration, compromise and new solutions echo from boardrooms, C-suites and strategy sessions, a compulsion to win may be one of the greatest barriers to progress.

Here’s the question: is collaboration possible when everyone at the table is driven to win?

No matter the venue – political, personal or business -- when winning is the measure of success the interaction resembles more an effort to convert than a commitment to collaborate. When leadership is measured in terms of litmus tests, compromise is difficult.   And in the context of unwavering agendas, real compromise is impossible.

Any of us hoping for compromise, not to mention sincerely wanting to collaborate -- from political leader to C-Suite management – might do well to take a quick look at the definitions of compromise and collaborate.  And then check that drive to win at the door.

The Discipline of Listening vs. The Art of Messaging

Listening doesn't come easy.

For anyone (or any business) with a point of view, an opinion, a measure of conviction, and the means to disseminate a message listening is rarely what first comes to mind when addressing the communication process.

Client feedback initiatives and market research notwithstanding, from the instant an infant realizes what it takes to relieve the pains of hunger, our practical view of communication focuses on creating and delivering a message.  We are conditioned to view charisma, wordsmithing and creative genius as the components of great communication.  Result?  We equate message delivery with communication.

Listening is...well, just silence.  Golden, perhaps.  But certainly not communicating.

(We could spend a couple of paragraphs discussing how this view has worked out thus far, but let's get to the good part.)

Here's the proposition: communication is one of those counter-intuitive disciplines that works exactly opposite of the way we think; it begins when we learn how to listen.

And the discipline of listening is what gives shape to the creative art of messaging.

Discipline and Art are not at odds when it comes to communication; rather, they are two essential halves that create the whole.  For marketing professionals, this gives rise to a two-fold go-forward challenge:

• Beef up the portfolio of proactive listening tools (Social Media affords great possibilities here); and,
• Practice resisting the temptation to go straight to messaging.

Thoughts?