Cultivating Collaboration Within Marketing Teams

By David Ronald

A culture of collaboration is essential for marketing teams. 

While some may disagree with this perspective—arguing instead that a culture of respectful competition might better serve certain environments, such as sales organizations—I firmly believe that a collaborative environment is the key to unlocking creativity and driving innovation.

Collaboration not only encourages diverse perspectives and the free exchange of ideas but also builds a sense of shared ownership and purpose, both of which are critical for long-term success.

By fostering a team dynamic where individuals feel supported and empowered to contribute, marketing organizations can more effectively adapt to challenges and seize opportunities.

It would, however, be a mistake to assume that a collaborative culture will appear automatically within a nascent marketing team - instead, it takes focus and effort and time to develop. 

In this blog post I am going to provide some guidance on how best to create and nurture a culture of collaboration.

Define Clear Responsibilities

One of the first steps is to work with each team member to define their role and responsibilities. This takes time and is itself a collaborative process, born of respect for each person’s wishes. 

Nothing should be imposed. 

When every individual has a clear understanding of their specific duties and what is expected of them, it eliminates ambiguity and fosters accountability. This clarity not only helps to reduce overlapping efforts and redundancies but also minimizes the potential for conflicts arising from unclear boundaries or misaligned expectations. 

Establishing well-defined roles also promotes better collaboration, as team members can more easily coordinate their efforts, leverage each other's strengths, and collectively work toward shared goals.

Nurture a Positive Environment

A positive work environment is foundational to fostering collaboration and ensuring team success. 

To create such an environment, start by providing your team with a comfortable and well-equipped workspace that meets their physical and technological needs. Access to the necessary tools and resources is critical for enabling efficiency and creativity. 

Encourage a healthy work-life balance by promoting flexible policies, respecting personal boundaries, and recognizing the importance of time for rest and rejuvenation. 

Equally important is cultivating a supportive management team that is approachable, empathetic, and committed to addressing challenges constructively. 

Promote Communication

Utilize communication tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, or other collaboration platforms to facilitate real-time communication and keep team members connected. 

These platforms not only enable seamless and instant communication but also offer a variety of features, such as channels for specific topics or projects, direct messaging for one-on-one conversations, and integrations with other productivity tools. 

This helps ensure that information is shared quickly and efficiently, minimizing delays and misunderstandings.

Create Transparency

One of the most effective ways to promote collaboration is by organizing regular team meetings, where members can share updates, discuss challenges, and align on priorities. 

Yes, we all have too many meetings on our calendars, but structured brainstorming sessions can provide a creative space for team members to contribute innovative ideas and build on each other’s suggestions.

Cross-functional projects are another powerful way to encourage collaboration, as they bring together diverse skill sets and perspectives, fostering a culture of teamwork and mutual respect across departments.

To further streamline collaboration, leverage project management tools such as Asana, Trello, or Monday.com (Trello is my personal favorite). These platforms allow teams to organize tasks, track progress, and maintain clear communication, ensuring that everyone is on the same page.

Foster Mutual Respect

Mutual respect serves as the cornerstone of a truly collaborative team culture, enabling individuals to work together harmoniously toward shared goals. 

To foster this environment, encourage team members to genuinely value and appreciate each other's contributions, recognizing the unique skills, experiences, and ideas that each person brings to the table.

Actively promote the acknowledgment and inclusion of diverse perspectives, as this not only strengthens decision-making but also sparks creativity and innovation. 

Emphasize the importance of treating one another with kindness, professionalism, and respect, even in the face of differing opinions or challenging situations. 

Encourage Innovation

Creating an environment where innovation is actively encouraged and supported is essential for cultivating a dynamic and forward-thinking team. To achieve this, it's important to empower team members to experiment with new ideas and approaches without fear of failure. 

By fostering a culture that values curiosity and creative exploration, you allow individuals to step outside their comfort zones and take calculated risks, knowing that they have the support and resources to succeed or learn from setbacks. 

Encourage a mindset where failure is not seen as a negative outcome, but rather as an opportunity for growth and learning.

Implement Feedback Mechanisms

Regular feedback is crucial for fostering a culture of continuous improvement and ensuring your team remains adaptable and aligned with its goals. 

By actively seeking input from team members, you can uncover valuable insights that might otherwise go unnoticed. 

Feedback can be gathered through various channels, such as one-on-one meetings, anonymous surveys, or open team discussions, depending on what best suits your team dynamics. 

Regularly acting on feedback demonstrates a commitment to growth and accountability, creating an environment where individuals are motivated to contribute their best work.

Reward Team Efforts

Recognizing and rewarding the efforts and achievements of your team members is essential for cultivating a motivated, engaged, and high-performing team. 

Recognition can take many forms, from formal programs such as employee of the month awards or performance bonuses to more informal methods, like acknowledging achievements during team meetings or sending personal thank-you notes.

Formal recognition programs can be structured to highlight specific milestones or accomplishments, whether related to individual or team goals. This could include celebrating exceptional performance, innovative ideas, or successful project completions. 

Support Professional Development

Investing in the professional development of your team members is one of the most powerful ways to foster long-term growth, improve performance, and ensure the success of your team and organization.

Foster a culture of continuous learning, where team members are motivated to regularly update and expand their knowledge base. 

This can include both formal learning opportunities, such as industry-specific certifications, advanced training programs, and leadership development courses, as well as informal learning through peer mentoring, webinars, or online resources. 

Encourage team members to take ownership of their professional development by setting learning goals and seeking opportunities that align with their interests and career aspirations.

Summary

In summary, clear roles and responsibilities, a positive work environment, mutual respect, and open communication are key to fostering a high-performing and collaborative team. 

Additionally, encouraging collaboration, innovation, and professional development ensures continued growth, creativity, and success. 

By implementing these strategies, you can build a collaborative team culture that enhances creativity, innovation, and overall team performance. 

Thanks for reading all the way to the end! 

Did I leave something out that you would have included? If so, get in touch at david@alphabetworks.com and let me know what it is.

5 Tips for Dealing with Difficult Customers

By Sharon Lee

With the good comes the bad and, in business, this sometimes means having to deal with difficult customers.

"The customer is always right" is a common adage but, as any experienced vendor knows, perhaps as the consequence of a painful experience, is an adage that’s untrue—your customers can be wrong and, indeed, can be wrong often.

What is true, however, is that the customer is always the customer, even if they are ill-informed, inexperienced or downright deceptive. And their status as customer, and source of your livelihood, dictates that you try your best to interact effectively with them.

But even simple personality differences can cause friction that, over time, risks destroying business relationships. And keeping a positive attitude when you must overcome feelings of frustration, dislike or distrust, can be especially challenging.

In this post I’m going to examine five communication skills that can enhance relationships with even your most difficult customers.

1. Listen

True listening is a disappearing art but, in order to communicate effectively with anyone, it's an imperative. 

Although the ear is only the organ that delivers sound waves to the brain, a good listener also engages their heart and mind. They do not allow themself to become distracted, but focuses on the speaker. 

They don't formulate answers before the speaker completes a statement. Nor do they give the appearance of being defensive.

2. Accept

Accept what the customer says at face value, even if you think they are wrong. They think they are right, and perception is the most important thing. 

If they perceive that you accept and believe them, they will be more likely to relax and get to the point. 

A common hallmark of strained interactions is that the main bone of contention is saved for last. The complainant will build up to their real issue by talking about the peripheral ones first. And that also allows them to build a mountain of anger out of their molehill of frustration.

3. Respect

If the customer receives respect from you, they will likely return it. If they feel disrespected, it will be perceived as a personal attack. 

Remember, you can learn something from anybody, regardless of education level, financial situation, or physical appearance. Everyone deserves respect simply for being human.

4. Empathize

You can offer sympathy to someone who is having a problem, but empathy will go much further toward achieving your goals. 

Put yourself in the customer's place - wouldn't you be disgruntled or angry, or even fearful, if a product or service didn't perform according to its advertising or worse, caused some type of damage or injury?

5. Negotiate

If you successfully employ listening, accepting, respecting and empathizing, you will pave the way for negotiating. 

You will have put the difficult person at ease and they will be better prepared to drop their aggression and enter into negotiations, more confident of being treated with fairness, honesty and integrity.

Summary

Always try to resolve a customer's issue with one conversation—the quicker the issue is resolved the better the customer will feel about the interaction.

The reality is that problems will occur. Allow yourself to learn from difficult customers in a way that helps strengthen your business and increases the probability of your overall success.

You just may begin to be grateful for the difficult customers out there every now and again.

Thank for reading. 

What are your tips for dealing with difficult customers? Please email me at shamikodesign@gmail.com and let me know what they are.

My Passion for Product Marketing

By David Ronald

Someone asked me recently, while we were vacationing, why I am passionate about product marketing. 

This question kicked off a long conversation, and although my answer wasn’t concise then, it prompted me to deeply examine my passion for this discipline.

Although I am excited about marketing in general, it's true that I have a special affinity for product marketing.

In this blog post I’m going to attempt a cogent explanation why.

So, here goes…

Educating Audiences

A passion for education runs deep in my family. My mother was a primary school teacher, and my sister has followed in her footsteps, dedicating her career to the same field. It seems that an educational bias is woven into our DNA, as I’ve often felt a strong inclination to share knowledge, whether in formal settings, like a classroom, or in more informal environments, such as coaching on a football field.

This innate desire to teach, inspire, and communicate ideas is something that has shaped not only my personal life but also my professional approach.

In product marketing, education plays a central role, and it’s one of the aspects that excites me the most. A core component of the job is explaining complex ideas in a way that is both accessible and compelling to the target audience.

This might mean guiding potential buyers through the reasons why my product is the best solution to their problems or, equally important, training internal teams, like sales or customer success, on how to effectively communicate the value of our product. In both cases, the goal is to break down information into digestible insights that empower others to make informed decisions, something I find both rewarding and challenging.

Intersection of Strategy and Creativity

Product marketing sits at the intersection of strategy and creativity, making it a uniquely exciting field. I am passionate about devising strategies that encompass market positioning, competitive analysis, and go-to-market plans. The thrill of analyzing market trends and identifying opportunities for differentiation is invigorating.

At the same time, the creative aspects of product marketing allow me to explore innovative ideas and push boundaries. This duality of strategic thinking and creative execution is what makes product marketing so compelling to me. I enjoy the challenge of developing integrated marketing strategies that not only align with business goals but also engage and inspire target audiences.

Impact on Business Success

The tangible impact of effective product marketing on business success cannot be overstated. I am passionate about the role product marketing plays in driving revenue growth, brand awareness, and customer loyalty. Seeing a well-executed marketing strategy translate into increased sales, market share, or positive customer feedback is incredibly fulfilling.

I am particularly motivated by the idea that product marketing is not just about selling a product; it’s about building a brand that resonates with customers and fosters loyalty. This involves cultivating relationships, understanding customer journeys, and continuously iterating on strategies based on feedback and performance metrics. The cyclical nature of this process keeps me engaged and committed to the pursuit of excellence in product marketing.

Crafting Compelling Narratives

One of the most exciting aspects of product marketing is the opportunity to craft compelling narratives. In a crowded marketplace, the ability to tell a story that resonates with the target audience can be a game-changer. I am passionate about developing brand narratives that not only communicate product benefits but also evoke emotions and connect on a personal level.

Through various marketing channels—be it social media, content marketing, or traditional advertising—the challenge lies in articulating a clear and memorable message. I find great satisfaction in the creative process of developing campaigns that capture attention and inspire action. Whether it’s through engaging visuals, captivating copy, or innovative formats, my goal is to create experiences that leave a lasting impression.

Understanding Customer Needs

At its core, product marketing is about understanding and meeting the needs of customers. This requires a deep dive into customer behavior, preferences, and pain points. The thrill of conducting market research, analyzing data, and deriving insights that can influence product development and positioning is invigorating. I relish the challenge of getting into the minds of buyers, discovering what drives their decisions, and how we can create solutions that resonate with them.

This customer-centric approach extends beyond merely gathering data; it involves empathy and a commitment to delivering real value. I find it immensely rewarding to translate complex insights into actionable strategies that can shape product offerings and marketing messages. The more I learn about customers, the more I am motivated to advocate for their needs within my organization, ensuring that our products align with their expectations and desires.

Collaborating with Colleagues

Another aspect of product marketing that I am passionate about is collaboration. Working in product marketing requires engaging with various teams across an organization, from product development to sales and customer support. This collaborative environment fosters a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose. 

I thrive in cross-functional teams, where diverse perspectives come together to achieve a common goal. I find joy in aligning marketing strategies with product roadmaps, ensuring that we are not only meeting market demands but also anticipating future needs. The synergy created through collaboration enhances creativity and innovation, making the product marketing process more robust and effective

Adapting to Change

The ever-evolving landscape of technology and consumer behavior means that product marketing must be adaptable and agile. I am passionate about staying ahead of trends, understanding emerging technologies, and adapting marketing strategies accordingly. The challenge of navigating shifts in the market landscape keeps me engaged and motivated. 

Being at the forefront of these changes allows me to explore new tools, platforms, and methodologies that can enhance marketing efforts. Whether it’s leveraging data analytics for more targeted campaigns, utilizing social media for engagement, or exploring new content formats, I am driven by the desire to innovate and improve continuously.

Lifelong Learning

Product marketing is a field that requires continuous learning and adaptation. I am passionate about personal and professional growth, and I believe that staying curious and open to new ideas is essential for success. The opportunity to learn from peers, attend industry conferences, and engage with thought leaders excites me.

I actively seek out resources, whether through online courses, webinars, or industry publications, to deepen my understanding of product marketing trends and best practices. This commitment to lifelong learning not only enhances my skills but also positions me to contribute meaningfully to my organization.

Promise of Technology

In today’s age, technology plays a pivotal role in product marketing. The proliferation of digital channels, social media, and data analytics has transformed how we connect with customers. I am passionate about leveraging technology to enhance marketing efforts, streamline processes, and improve customer engagement.

Whether it’s utilizing marketing automation tools to personalize campaigns, employing analytics to gain insights into customer behavior, or exploring innovative digital formats, technology offers endless possibilities. I enjoy staying informed about emerging technologies and trends, understanding how they can be integrated into marketing strategies for greater impact.

Summary

In summary, my passion for product marketing is driven by a deep commitment to understanding customer needs, crafting compelling narratives, and making a tangible impact on business success. The intersection of strategy and creativity, collaboration with cross-functional teams, and the ability to adapt to changing market conditions all contribute to my enthusiasm for this field.

As technology continues to evolve, and customer expectations shift, the challenges and opportunities within product marketing will only grow. I am excited about the journey ahead, eager to embrace new challenges, learn from experiences, and contribute to the success of innovative products and brands.

Thanks for reading all the way to end—I really appreciate it.

Feel free to email me at david@alphabetworks.com with your feedback.

Crucial Advice for Every Entrepreneur Wanting to Stay Motivated

By Sharon Lee

Do you sometimes struggle to stay motivated? I know that I do.

Staying motivated is crucial for every entrepreneur—funding concerns, long hours, team-building worries and an apparent lack of traction are just a few of the issues that can quickly lead to disenchantment and even burnout.

Motivation, thankfully, comes in many different forms.

Here are seven ways that I use to keep myself motivated at all times.

1. Visualize your future
From Thomas Edison to Steve Jobs, every great entrepreneur has had a vision of what they wanted to achieve. Be clear about what you want to accomplish and the steps you’ll follow to get there. If you haven’t already done so, consider writing your goals down on paper and review them frequently—ask how your daily activities are enabling you to achieve your goals. 

2. Find an inner strength
Although the pressures facing entrepreneurs can be fatiguing, they don’t have to be damaging. Convince yourself to welcome challenges and use them to make you better–after all, the muscles in your body become stronger through repeated exercise.

"I personally prefer to turn those entrepreneurship pressures around and use them to push me and my business harder, faster, farther." Aaron Schmitz, CEO and President of Equity Technology Partners explains that, "I've seen how a lack of motivation in entrepreneurs can affect their mental and physical health and, while it's an easy trap to fall into, it's also avoidable."

3. Exercise regularly
Exercise is a great way to release stress and become reinvigorated. By nature, exercise is similar to entrepreneurship—both involve hard work, excuses are not welcome in either, and they're all about personal development. The dedication and motivation that comes from exercising carries over to entrepreneurship—so don't skip that workout.

4. Mediate frequently
Find some time every morning or evening to meditate. It doesn't really matter what it takes to clear the mind, but finding a calming process to wipe the mental slate clean is a great tool for staying motivated. It invigorates and refreshes, allowing you to see each day as a new opportunity.

5. Delegate decision-making
Although you probably have a lot of tough choices to make each day, too much decision making can take a toll. Try to limit your decision-making as much as possible. Delegate to your co-founders and employees in your work life, and significant other, family and friends in your non-work life, as much as possible—doing so will help you motivated because you will be confident that, when it comes time to make those important decisions, your ability to do so will be as strong as ever.

"You can become exhausted by decision making and the day-to-day activities," says Mary Ferguson, President of Concenter Services. "Delegating as much as possible can be a crucial factor to staying motivated."

6. Appreciate your progress
If you feel yourself becoming demotivated, take a little time to realize how much progress you have already made. Make of a list of your accomplishments—it's a great way to appreciate your personal progress and it can be pleasantly surprising, too. Put your mistakes into perspective. Don’t look back with regret and, instead, view every mistake as an opportunity to learn and become better.

7. Take time off
Sometimes, a break is all that's required to feel reinvigorated. We are are human, after all, and we get tired. Spending some time with friends or family, or perhaps embracing a hobby, provides the refreshing mental break that allows for a proper return to form the next day.

Lastly, motivation comes from many places, and not just mental ones. With the unbelievable range of cultures, values, and regions across the world, inspiration and new ideas are virtually limitless. Find time to explore. There are endless ways to find motivation in the world, so don't hesitate to expand those horizons.

Remember that starting a successful business is easy; running a successful one takes confidence, flexibility, innovation, passion, tenacity, tolerance, vision and more. Find ways to keep yourself motivated and you’ll increase the likelihood of meeting the requirements of the job.

7 tips for entrepreneurs who are managing for the first time

By Sharon Lee

Becoming a manager can be both a positive and overwhelming experience—management is not easy and requires a broad range of skills that take tie to acquire such as communication, coaching and motivating. But everyone needs to start somewhere and there some important steps that can make the transition a bit smoother.

Many entrepreneurs find themselves becoming first-time managers when the company they founded begins expanding. In this blog post I’m going to provide some tips for new managers who want to start strong and thrive as employee count grows.

1. Lead by example
Through the good times and bad, who are people going to look to when they need inspiration or an example for how to act? The answer is simple: you. You are now the example that others need to follow. The values you demonstrate, the way you handle adversity and ambiguity and the way you persevere through the biggest challenges, is now considered the measuring stick for how others will act and behave.

You are going to need to be very mindful of your emotions and how you react in certain situations. You are going to need to slow down, be patient and develop an informed perspective, so you can lead in a way that people will admire and model.

2. Stay in the trenches
Now that you are a manager it doesn’t mean that you don’t have to do the “dirty work” that helped your business succeed in the first place. It is an endearing quality that your direct reports will respect when you are willing to do any job at any time to help them move forward.

Keep an eye on things day-to-day and when there is an opportunity to jump in and help, grab the opportunity and run with it. At the end of the day the success of the business is what matters and a culture where anyone, including you, is willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish things is a culture that will thrive and endure.

3. Understand the importance of delegation
You are going to find early on that you want to be involved in everything your team is working on. The challenge here is that you cannot be everywhere at once. You need to create an environment where you are actively relying on others to help carry projects. You will still be informed, but you need to let others lead so they can grow their abilities and perspective.

When you need someone to step up and lead on your behalf, be clear on your expectations but also stress to them how important the opportunity is for them personally. When they know how important their role is they will feel even greater ownership towards ensuring an optimal outcome and their contributions will feel even more valuable.

4. Prioritize your one-on-one check-ins
Individual time with your direct reports is critical towards their success and overall career development. It is during this time that you need to keep an honest watch on priorities, metrics, and any questions that might be on their mind.

Set up the one-on-ones, so they happen at a regular and predictable cadence. Block the time on your calendar and do your best to respect this time.

5. Find a mentor
One of the first steps you should take is to find a mentor that you can go to when you have questions or need support. Find someone who has excelled at being the type of manager you want to be; ideally someone who has experience handling a diverse set of situations, so you can understand first-hand the pros and cons for handling certain situations certain ways.

Look outside your company, perhaps someone you worked with in a previous job, and find out if they are willing to provide guidance and feedback.

6. Be consistent
If you constantly flip-flop on decisions or how you make decisions, your team will start to lose trust in your ability to strategically lead. To be a consistent leader you need to be a patient leader. Take your time. Don’t respond to emails with irrational feedback. Don’t make a decision in the moment just because people are pushing you to do so. Find outlets that allow you to think through things. Write up emails and step away before you send them. This can be very hard for people at every level but sometimes the best thing you can do is just slow.

7. Know that relationships have changed
It’s not unusual for an entrepreneur to build a team with people who they have worked alongside in the past. Once you become their manager the relationship changes and you need to be transparent about that—you can never allow past relationships to cloud your business judgement.

You may need to set clear ground rules early on. But be as transparent as possible and if things feel weird, talk about it so you can collaborate on a solution.

Management is an important part of any business but it takes time to develop the skills you need to be effective at it.

Be patient with yourself and believe in yourself.

Your rewards will come in time…

9 tips for building a successful startup culture

By Sharon Lee

The probability of a startup succeeding over the long-term is low if the founders cannot build a culture of passion and commitment.

What does it take to build an effective startup culture? Although there’s no simple answer, and the needs of every company are different, transparency and communication are likely to be a part of the answer.

 Here are some recommendations that should help every founder team put this into practice.

1. Don’t hesitate to verbalize your dream to team members daily
Written mission statements and a passionate quarterly pitch to the team is not enough. Team members have to hear from you daily and see your enthusiasm during individual discussions, to the point that they are repeating your story to others. That’s how a culture is solidified.

2. Demonstrate a consistent set of personal values and priorities
People believe what they see more than what you say, and they tend to imitate what you do. Thus investors look for consistency between you and your team on values and priorities. If there is no consistency, there is no culture.

3. Customize your organizational structure based on individuals' strengths
There is no rule that marketing needs to report to the founder or that every startup needs a chief operating officer. Some of the best startup cultures have no hierarchical reporting, yet everyone knows who drives each of the initiatives. Culture is not defined by job titles.

4. Focus on hiring the right people and deal quickly with mismatches
Skills and experience are necessary in hiring but finding a match in values and culture is equally important. Mentoring and training programs need to be put in place early. Entrepreneurs who are too busy for people never get the culture they envision.

5. Foster innovation in process as well as products
Technology can be used to facilitate customer support and sales as well as enhance your product. Investors look for innovation in all areas of the business and all levels of the organization, from top to bottom. Winning cultures incentivize and reward innovation as well as business results.

6. Visibly link your standards to industry best practices
Teams tend to look inside an organization and tend to compare their performances to their own previous records or other internal groups. Comparisons should always be with competitors and customer expectations of excellence. A culture that excels measures itself against industry leaders.

7. Create opportunities for continuous learning
A winning culture is filled with people who love to learn. They need opportunities to do new work and try out new roles, as well as have access to training updates in their current positions. Successful leaders are good coaches and mentors, as well as being on the lookout for personal learning opportunities.

8. Sponsor internal events to build team synergy
Events need to be inspirational as well as directional. These will build the culture you need, but also give you an opportunity to observe where you need more focus. Make sure each one highlights your values, recognizes the right team members and involves customers and outside experts.

9. Make your startup a winning place to work
Promote your culture and innovations through social media and the press to make the team proud of their jobs. This pride will be sensed by customers and vendors, since everyone wants to buy into a winner. Winning in business is all about building momentum, and capitalizing on that progress.

The right culture doesn’t happen overnight and it’s especially hard to change once it is set. It’s especially important, therefore, to start early. Your business's growth and success depends on it.

Culture matters. A lot!

Good luck building yours.

Beware of so-called experts

By David Ronald

Sometimes it feels that there are types of people—those claiming to be experts and those willing to believe everything that a so-called expert tells them.

And I confess that I am occasionally guilty of falling into that second category.

We are surrounded by so-called experts—people with opinions, but very little actual expertise. Often I am willing to defer to the opinions of someone speaking about a topic with confidence. Sadly, however, confidence seldom equates to actual expertise. 

 According to one dictionary definition an expert is someone possessing special skill or knowledge and trained by practice.

The key part of that definition is “trained by practice”.

So here are some thoughts on how to get the most the relationships with any consultant who you invite into your business:

• Be a student, don’t be a follower. Consider all valid viewpoints and embrace opposing views. Seek the conflicting counsel of several experts—don’t just drink the Kool-Aid because the “expert” said to. Be a learner; a researcher, not a disciple.
• Only take advice from those who have done what they are advising you to do successfully and often. Find practitioners, not just teachers, even if you’re eager to learn the topic. Vet your experts / consultants by results, not pontification.
• Ensure that your decision is the product of your own conclusions. Ultimately, you know best. You were designed with a built-in intuition to sort, vet and determine what’s real from what’s counterfeit. Trust yourself.

There are good, even great, business consultants, and using them can be very helpful (if I didn’t think that we provided real value to our clients, my business partners and I would close our collaborative tomorrow). But when you use an expert, don’t automatically assume that he is smarter than you, or that they know more about your business strategy than you do, or even that their advice is necessarily true. As you work with any consultant, continue to apply your own common sense, reflect on your own experience and weigh the benefits of their recommendations.

Be like the one little kid in the story of the emperors’ new clothes; the only person in the kingdom who was willing to call out, “But mommy, he isn’t wearing any clothes.”

Leave a comment if you found this information useful.