Business at the speed of trust

I can’t begin to count the number of times I’ve been hired by a client because of my unique perspective — only to proceed with the project and be told that I need to see (and do) things their way. And they wonder why their brand is stuck in the mud. Hmmm.

Sounds like yet another case of GO vs. EGO. Too many companies cannot pass go due to the egos of the people who are at the helm. Founders, CEOs, presidents and whatever else you want to call them are scared that if they loosen their grip on the reigns and trust someone else to steer their brand in the right direction, they’ll look bad. Ergo, their ego keeps them from doing what they spent big money to do in the first place — shift their brand into “go.”

Yet, when you look at the most enduring brands — which belong to the most resilient of companies — you need only to look at their leadership for examples
of what to do: put your trust in the right people, and let them do what they do best.

I call it “business at the speed of trust.”

In this economy, especially, CEOs are filled with skepticism about any new approach to their marketing. They love the approach one day, and shut it down the next. And the bigger their ego, the bigger their self-doubt.

My point in all this? Relax. Park your ego for a while, put your trust in the people you hire, and trust that you made the right decision. Then, let go. And when you do, you’ll be amazed at the positive effect it can have on your business, and the timeliness by which things get done.