Can you produce...the right thing?

There is a new magic in the land. Magic that addresses a core tenet of business and progress...productivity. Productivity, or more simply the ability to produce, is the bar that most leaders set when hiring, promoting, celebrating people and performance. And productivity is getting an almost unimaginable turbo boost with generativeAI, which in turn is creating disruption for every knowledge worker, customer experience and creative effort.

But I've come to believe that business success is largely the result of doing the right thing, not producing more things. The leaders of tomorrow will be those who supercharge creativity, wisdom and experience with genAI, focusing on the 'intelligence' piece, not the 'generative/production' piece of this great technology. They will understand deeply what it means to 'do the right thing,' and not settle for just doing more things.

I'm not talking about right as in altruistic impact. I'm talking about right thing being the thing that a business and its people need to focus on at any given time that addresses a major outage or blocker to growth and success. The things that tackle the real challenge or opportunity they face. Too often, we are busy doing the tasks of the day and miss out on what can really move the needle. For example:

• Engineers can be wildly prolific in developing code, but are they creating the services that address customer priorities?
• Sales reps can sell big deals, but do the deals have so much hair on them, churn is inevitable?
• Enablement teams can certify that all go to market folks know a sales pitch, but is it the right pitch that will accelerate a sales cycle, based on a codified selling motion?
• Marketing can deliver a piece of content that breaks records for downloads, but is there meaningful engagement with the right people or encouraging the right call to action?
• HR can deliver a comp plan benchmarked to best practice and 100 percent completion of reviews, but are they really addressing the needs of top talent?
• A CEO can get a leadership team aligned to a mission and vision, but who cares if the frontline doesn't trust them because their actions aren't aligned with company values?

So many of us spend an inordinate amount of our day producing things - content, code, pitches, plans, etc...long lists of things that cover to do lists and then get reported out in board meetings and quarterly reviews. And there are many, many professionals who are great at producing! They operate with enthusiasm and great intention. But they are frequently not focused on the things that matter most. GenAI is not going to help here, and may just exacerbate disfunction, producing more of what isn't needed.

I've worked in communications and marketing for over 25 years helping technology centric companies - big and small - disrupt markets and build value. Success is not easy, and is actually getting harder to achieve. The NYTimes recently reported that 3,200 private venture-backed U.S. companies have gone out of business this year. The world is extremely complex, and the path to success is not clear, nor linear, nor limited only to a teams ability to produce what is expected.

Generating more things faster isn't the answer. Focusing on what is right for the business, listening deeply, understanding how to make an impact and leveraging technologies to make us smarter is the answer. Marketing and communication teams, in addition to obvious support to revenue generation and company expansion, are on the line for alignment, advocacy and amplification. These are the outcomes that every successful organization that I've worked for count on my teams to deliver.

That is where I'm going to focus, on the right outcomes, not doing more, faster. Hire folks and align with teams and companies that understand this difference. Give me a master story teller, a consensus builder, a creator of experiences and a brilliant community leader, all who listen and learn...arm these humans with resources and tools such as ChatGPT, and we'll move mountains!

For fun, I put my beliefs to test with ChatGPT. Below is the result. Pretty mind-blowing that the system returned this answer in about 17 seconds. Some say GenAI is going to take our jobs. Not me. People don't hire me to produce this type of response, they hire me to bring the experience, wisdom and skill required to help an organization grow, navigate dynamic environments and deliver outcomes that matter.

The magic is in the intelligence, not the productivity.

(ChatGPT question/answer below...without a word changed or edit made)

Aaron: I believe the three most important business outcomes of a chief communications and marketing officer's team is alignment, advocacy and amplification. Can you write 300 words that make the case for this belief?

ChatGPT:

A Chief Communications and Marketing Officer (CCMO) and their team play a pivotal role in shaping the success and image of a company. The three crucial business outcomes of their efforts can be succinctly captured by the pillars of alignment, advocacy, and amplification.

Alignment is the cornerstone of effective communication and marketing strategies. A CCMO's team must ensure that the company's messaging is in harmony with its values, mission, and overarching business objectives. By aligning communication efforts with the organizational goals, the team creates a cohesive narrative that resonates both internally and externally. This internal cohesion fosters a sense of purpose among employees, translating into enhanced productivity and commitment. Externally, a consistent message reinforces the brand's identity, building trust and credibility among customers and stakeholders.

Advocacy goes hand-in-hand with alignment, as it involves championing the brand and its values. A CCMO's team is responsible for cultivating brand advocates within and outside the organization. Internally, this means fostering a positive company culture that encourages employees to become enthusiastic advocates for the brand. Externally, the team engages with customers, influencers, and partners to build a community of advocates who amplify the brand's message. Advocacy not only enhances the brand's reputation but also contributes to customer loyalty and retention.

Amplification is the proactive dissemination of the brand message across various channels to reach a wider audience. A CCMO's team utilizes marketing and communication channels to amplify the brand's presence, ensuring that the message reaches the right audience at the right time. This involves strategic use of social media, traditional media, and other platforms to maximize visibility and impact. Amplification not only increases brand awareness but also helps in creating a lasting impression, influencing customer perception and decision-making.

In conclusion, the triad of alignment, advocacy, and amplification represents the linchpin of a CCMO's team efforts, shaping a brand's narrative, fostering loyalty, and driving business success. As businesses navigate an increasingly competitive landscape, the ability to align, advocate, and amplify becomes paramount for sustained growth and positive market positioning.