Back in 1997, I accepted a position as a Group Brand Manager for a Fortune 200 company that shall remain nameless.
My start date coincided with the annual marketing planning process. Here’s the arc of a conversation I had with a well-meaning co-worker (WMCW) during my third week:
WMCW: You have to sign up for at least a 10% growth objective.
Me: What do you mean, “have to”?
WMCW: That’s what leadership wants to see.
Me: I’ve got no news, no budget and a parity product in a flat category. There’s no way I can commit to 10%.
WMCW: I’m not saying you have to believe it. I’m saying that’s how it is here.
Me: So leadership would rather we put 10% on paper than achieve 10% in real life?
WMCW: You’re catching on.
When the starting point is nonsense, the entire planning process is a farce. A better approach – and it’s not rocket science – would be to allow each brand manager to build his or her way to a credible objective; to own the thinking, the process and the outcomes.
Leadership, a quick reminder:
You get the thinking that you encourage.
If you’ve hired good people, allow them to own their areas of responsibility. You’ll be pleasantly surprised more often than not.
If you’ve not hired good people, why is that?
About Matthew Fenton: Matthew founded Three Deuce Branding in 1997 with a simple mission: “To help good people build great brands.” He’s a former CMO who repeatedly led underdog brands to dramatically outpace the market, and now he does the same for the clients he serves. Businesses and brands trust Matthew to help them achieve “brand clarity” through core brand strategy and positioning. Matthew is also a highly-rated speaker. Contact Matthew here. He’s based in Chicago.
Copyright 2016 – Matthew Fenton. All Rights Reserved. You may reprint this article with the original, unedited text intact, including the About Matthew Fenton section.
