You may have scared your colleagues

I know you don’t mean to, but chances are you’re scaring your colleagues…

Recently, I spoke to a marketer at a professional service firm. He told me how difficult it was to convince his non-marketing colleagues. About the importance of marketing in general. And more specifically about adjusting their strategy.

While we spoke, it dawned on me… Unintentionally, he had scared them.

Possibly in 3 ways:

1. Fear of novelty – The marketer had proposed his colleagues to do things differently. Different from how they had been doing things the past 20+ years. Now, according to professor Jeffrey Alan Gray novelty in itself is a stimulus for fear. We don’t really like things we’re not familiar with. Things that are new. Or different.
   
2. Fear of losing possessions – We want to protect what we have. Professors Paul Lawrence and Nitin Nohria say we have a strong desire to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our property. But also, our resources and our reputation. When someone gets too close, the core driver to defend kicks in.
   
3. Fear of losing autonomy – A big one to lose is our autonomy. Professors Edward Deci and Richard Ryan say we want to feel that we are the masters of our own destiny. It motivates us when we feel in control. Losing control – over how to do marketing for example – is not appealing at all.

Our marketer friend had not expected to encounter these fears. And I can’t blame him. He’s a marketer, looking at the market. He noticed that changes are required. And addressed this with his colleagues.

Moving forward, how can he convince his colleagues to tag along?

1. By playing down the novelty – Let’s be honest, there’s nothing new about marketing. Not even to a firm that has been doing things in a certain way for more than two decades.
   
   All these years, the firm has been cultivating relationships with the market. Generated interest in their services. And convinced potential clients to buy from them.
   
   Maybe, they did it unconsciously. Maybe, they did it without using marketing terminology. But, it’s only fair to say that they did something right. Otherwise they would have been out of business.
   
2. By highlighting other core drivers – It can be beneficial to consider what people may feel they could lose. Addressing their worries in a conversation may take the sting out of it.
   
   In the same conversation I would always emphasise the other 3 core drivers:
   
   the desire to acquire – in this case: recognition, status, revenue, a great project to work on,
   
   the desire to bond – in this case: with relevant players in the market,
   
   and the desire to learn – in this case: effective marketing and selling techniques.
   
3. By ensuring control & competence – Always try and respect your colleagues’ autonomy. Explain to them that marketing is and will always be a collaborative effort. To which they will need to bring their subject matter expertise and experience. And you will bring yours.
   
   Also, stress how you will help them be effective (or competent) in their marketing efforts. Another basic human need Deci and Ryan identified, on the same level as autonomy.

Hope this helps!

Thank you for reading MBD Boost #009, sent to marketers and business developers on May 7, 2024.