Management Tip of the Day: Give Up Your Guild Mindset

Give Up Your Guild Mindset

Guilds were set up in the Middle Ages to protect and further the skills and knowledge of their members. For example, blacksmiths might band together to defend trade secrets and corner markets. Unfortunately, this mentality is still alive and well in many companies today in the form of silos. Functions like marketing, sales, and IT have their areas of special expertise and at times expend energy trying to guard it from others. Competition between functions can be helpful, but not if it leads to unproductive jousting. Nurture the healthy instinct to compete but focus it on external forces — not internal ones. Functions should work together to become a team of specialists that spans silos.

Management Tip of the Day: Get Your Idea Approved

When you have a great idea, don't assume that others will share your enthusiasm for it. Whether a recommendation or proposal is approved is often less about the value of the idea itself than how it is presented. Here are three things you can do to give your next proposal a fighting chance: Build allies. Meet with stakeholders before you need their formal approval to generate interest and pre-sell them on the idea. Keep it simple. Don't weigh your proposal down with tons of data and analysis. Too many details can distract an audience. Be straightforward and concise. Highlight the benefits. Your audience will want to know what's in it for them. Be sure to position the idea in terms of the benefits they stand to gain.