I'm the new marketing gal at my company, and recently crafted a marketing theme/message that got approved by the CEO, his boss from the "mother" company and my boss. A couple of days later, the CIO emailed the CEO saying he feels my approach is a big mistake. (I'm learning this guy is known for having VERY low tolerance for risk.) The CEO then forwarded me the email so I could respond.
I know "healthy confrontations 101" mandates a face-to-face conversation as opposed to just hitting "reply" (since nonverbals like tone, attitude and intent can be misread via email). Yet, I feel I can be more compelling and diplomatic laying out my case in writing, which would also give him a bit of time to chew on my arguments.
I'd then follow the email with an in-person conversation to clear up further concerns and make sure the relationship is on the right track.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. How can I address the criticism most effectively while cultivating this new relationship?
Many thanks for your time and input!
Deca
Lead, not follow
Your in-person meeting should precede the email, not follow it. Find out what the CIO's concerns are, and whether you can address them without materially changing your program.
If you have time beforehand, the podcasts on "jumpstarting internal relations" and "prewiring" meetings are both great background for what you're trying to achieve here. In essence:
- understand his concerns
- attempt to address the issues in private
- adapt your approach to fit his, and make him an ally
Laying out your case in an email might simply prolong an argument: he might be the type that needs to right, and making a public email thread would put him in a position where he must fight to win. In private, the two of you can reach a common understanding, and then your email represents his thinking and yours.
Good luck!
John Hack
Smooth sailing
Thank you, John. That conversation turned out to be much easier than I expected.
In preparation for the meeting, I gathered compelling arguments and hard data to back up my recommendations in easy-to-understand, bite-sized chunks. To my surprise, most of it wasn't even necessary: We just focused on common ground and compromised on a couple of non-vital items.
Again, thanks for your advice!
Hi Deca, Glad to hear your
Hi Deca,
Glad to hear your success, as mentioned already, the prewire is always very effective. I used to have the same kind of thinking myself, but when I move away from my high C state and go talk to people, things often goes so much smoother ;)
Kind Regards
Mads Sorensen
Disc 4536