Marketing Musings: When Knots and Challenges Create "Aha" Moments

Growing up on sailboats, you learn a few things like how to tie (and untie) knots. Metaphorically speaking, my professional career has been largely focused on “untying knots” – challenges that arise when we get caught in a tough situation or, the inverse; the greatly rewarding work of focusing on the future needs of our customer and a better understanding of their challenges and how we might fit into their journey and their “job to be done”.

As a leader, I observe, reflect and learn about the knots that hold us safe and those that bind us.

Some might say that knots are negative. They aren’t. They can be incredibly positive and powerful. Unworking a knot can lead to a better understanding of the problem that started the knot to begin with. Tying the knot can have tremendous value in our lives as we form bonds, friendships, partnerships, international treaties and strategic alliances.

Tying and untying knots comes naturally to me. ?Bowline, Stopper Knot, Clove Hitch, Reef Knot, Sheetbend… you name it, I can tie it. When my 5-year-old son asked me to tie two pieces of string together and I mildly asked “so, a reef knot?” he was perplexed and then impressed. (For those of you who are parents of 5-year-olds, it is quite easy to be impressive.) But my son’s challenge inspired me to write this post, so I invite you to muse with me as I untangle the business meaning behind knots and the ties that bind.

Knots are simple solutions that can save a life, save a sail, or save a lot of work when used effectively on a working sailing ship. Metaphorically speaking, they also have potential when applied to business. If you look closely at knots, you can see the material that the rope or string is made of; those tiny strands that get thicker and stronger when intertwined. A veritable melange of different materials; diversity exemplified; when combined they may get us into knots, but they can also be used to carry heavy loads, guide us to safety, and be stretched to the limits. They can extend our capacity as individuals in becoming part of something larger.

I have logged thousands of nautical miles (by the way, a “knot” is also a unit of speed, equal to exactly one nautical mile (nm) per hour) and crossed most of the world’s oceans but I am “knot an expert” (pun intended). That accolade is reserved for my mother, Margaret. As a simple testimony to her skills I have included an example of her work below (because photos speak louder than words!).

But why do knots matter? Because they hold innate contradictions depending on the lens you look through. And that is the stuff of life...and marketing.

Knots are convoluted yet incredibly simple. They can be done and undone. They represent safety but also imprisonment. They herald both captivity and freedom. We tie things up and tie things down (negotiation, contracts, agreements). We can get into knotty problems but, in equal measure, a knot helps us to escape a situation. It is interesting that knots have identical or similar sounding words in many languages such as nudo (Spanish) and notto (Japanese) and knoten (German).

The takeaway? Knots (just like enigmas or anomalies) are positive when we seek to understand them effectively.

On a ship it’s common to “learn the ropes” – to take the time to understand how to perform a new task or to learn the systems of ropes and pulleys needed to sail a tall ship. When you know the ropes, you understand the complexity of the rope-based systems (prior to the advent of steam-powered vessels) and have memorised the configurations so you can move on to other tasks like leading the ship. The same can be said for knots. By understanding the metaphorical knots that exist and what they are doing there, we can bring about “aha" moments and make decisions that create better leaders, marketers and human beings.

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Esther Clark?is author and outstanding contributor to Forbes and the World Economic Forum (WEF). Follow @ClarkEsther

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