Trust me, I get it. Fielding tricky questions from company leadership can feel like an interrogation into the validity of your marketing efforts.
Questions like “what are we getting in return for that $50,000 billboard campaign?” can make even a seasoned marketer feel insecure, frustrated, or a little of both.
DON’T THEY KNOW THAT I KNOW WHAT I’M DOING?
The truth is, the questions being raised are fair. Asking what we are getting in return for spending $50,000 is a good question.
If it were your money, you’d ask the same thing.
When you find yourself in one of these situations, avoid becoming a porcupine, chameleon, opossum, or peacock.
The porcupine
You get prickly – short, brash, even belittling. If you make it unpleasant to ask you questions, maybe you’ll be asked fewer questions?
The chameleon
You try to blend in. You attempt to pass responsibility for the areas being questioned to other departments and people.
The opossum
You play dead. You collapse. You feel that you may have failed the company and become apologetic.
The peacock
Rather than being helpful, you try to make your answer as impressive as possible, highlighting how brilliant you are.
How many of these 4 tactics have you tried before? Embarrassingly, I’ve tried them all.
What should you do instead? Focus on being a good teammate.
A good teammate doesn’t guard or obscure information. A good teammate shares honest, relevant, and actionable information without concealing anything to cover their butt. They welcome questions, feedback, and new perspectives because it makes them better.
When you’re a good teammate, you earn credibility.
