Inside the office we hear lots of conversation about commissions and closing deals.
Lots of talk about who quit, who couldn’t hack it, who is sleeping with whom.
Almost no conversation about making progress with partners and clients.
Outside of the office we hear lots of conversation about the industry and supporting customers.
Lots of talk about trends, tech stacks, and the next big thing.
Almost no conversation about profit margins.
Companies operate this way, on two playing fields, two languages. Maybe more. Internal and external conversations are not aligned, and the front and back of house are not in sync.
Everyone is forced to play two parts. Two roles. Twice as many as they should.
They call it jargon but that’s not quite right. We are confusing people, confusing the people on our team and in our industry, because it’s not just the terms being used, it’s the topics being discussed.
Is the goal to help clients make progress, or maximize margins? Is it the goose or the golden egg?
Musicians get better by practicing their scales, they jam, they talk music, they study theory.
They don’t play jazz at rehearsal and rock at the show. You shouldn’t either.
Consistent, authentic, transparent.
One thing you’ll notice in business is the way strong leaders talk about their company. The best CEOs can discuss their business with no hesitation, holding nothing back. The way they speak in public is the way they speak in private, it’s all on the table, same messaging for clients and employees.
They are leading something they are proud of. A business worth discussing. No spin.
Listen to Frank Slootman talk about Snowflake, or his time at ServiceNow and Data Domain. He is the same guy whether he is speaking to his sales teams or Wall Street analysts. He will openly discuss business development to the extent that prospects would be shocked if the Snowflake sales team were not default aggressive when asking for their business. Openly discussing partners and rivals, where his company is doing well and where others have the lead. These are areas many business leaders keep concealed, they keep it in house, but they shouldn’t.
Consistent, authentic, transparent.
Slootman is their leader, their best salesperson, and head of strategy, using the same language throughout. Employees can listen to quarterly calls, and it builds on what they talk about during their all hands call. Wall Street gets a “leaked” memo, and rather than a scandal to be addressed by public relations, it simply emphasizes what was discussed at the last investors day.
The other option is to run your business like a New York City restaurant.
Host up front, wait staff all smiles, and “a Mexican prison gang” behind those swinging doors.
Pull that thread a bit further. If you change your tone for each audience, it’s not just confusing, it’s concerning. Talking out of both sides of your mouth, they will wonder what the truth is.
What’s the better option?
The back of the house is in alignment with the front of the house.
The way we do anything is the way we do everything.
One common language, not two or three depending on the audience. Everyone in lockstep, customers, employees, and suppliers.
Consistent, authentic, transparent.
