The Grinch

You have that special person in your life, too – don’t you?  It’s the one person who can tell you exactly why your plans won’t work. It doesn’t seem to matter to him what the plan is or the amount of detail presented when sharing your vision. Like the Grinch slithering through Whoville on Christmas Eve, this person lies in wait for the precise moment to ease down the chimney to confiscate your zeal and keep things the same.  Maybe their heart is two sizes too small or their shoes are too tight. But their uncanny ability to spew venom all over your nicely shared vision makes you wonder if their head is not screwed on quite right.

Albert Einstein said ‘Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.’ I love that quote. It gives me license to dream of a brighter future for the business, for my family, and for every aspect of our life. The problem with that quote is that no one considers themselves to have a mediocre mind – especially those who can’t wait to provide their own personal precipitation for your parade. Einstein knew this, and further elaborated on his thoughts by describing such a person as one who cannot understand someone like you, who is not bound by the parameters of conventional wisdom.  Since their vision is limited by the boundaries of status quo and the perceived safety that provides, they feel duty-bound to bring you back to your senses.

As you prepare for the New Year, you may very well decide that 2017 is the year that you take full advantage of on-hold advertising.  You know it is the most cost-effective, and personal medium to connect with your customers. Plus, you’ve been on hold. You know that if done poorly, it can become a negative experience for your callers.  That’s why you have decided to take a professional, creative approach to your on-hold advertising. You want customers who call you to enjoy the same high-quality experience as those who walk through the door.

Just know that when you assemble your staff to tell them the good news – your Grinch will inform you why there is no need to change. ‘The IT department selected on-hold music last year.’ Remember to smile as you ask, ‘So you think members of the IT staff should handle marketing decisions that reinforce our brand?’  He will say, ‘Of course not,’ and let you know, ‘It’s just that the staff is so busy. It would be better to increase our external marketing budget to expand our reach.’  The follow up question almost seems unfair, but you ask anyway. ‘Let me get this right, you believe we should increase our spending and hopefully reach more people because we are too busy to focus on the customers who have already taken the time contact us?’

Your Grinch won’t stand a chance.

There is an old Chinese proverb which states, ‘People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.’ So, stick to your guns as you seek to blaze new trails for your business. It is innovators like you who provide inspiration for the other visionaries on your staff. And when that day comes when a young staff member comes to you with an unconventional idea that will help your business grow, don’t be the Grinch.

Remember, you are the visionary.

Tom McTee, Super-Genius