What Flavor is your F*ckshow?

Not sure what the kids call it nowadays, when you mix all the different soda at a soda machine into your cup. We used to call it a ‘graveyard’ where I grew up. With each flavor you added, appearance and taste would change - some for the worse, some for better. No matter, the rule was you had to drink it all. That was the deal.

As a chubby little kid at the pizza parlor soda fountain, I had no idea that soda experiment was giving me an early view of work and life. Take what you have in front of you, make the most of it, make something unique. Sometimes it’s a winner, other times it makes you sick.

But get through it you must. If you’re lucky, whether it’s the good mix or the bad, it’s an experience that you learn from, build from, and keep trying to create something unique.

As I’ve worked across companies big and small - global leaders, early start-ups, turnaround projects - I coined a phrase that has been truer than not across my experience. Might be helpful to anyone thinking long and hard about where they are now or what they’re looking at as a possible next.

Every place is a fuckshow. Just what flavor of fuckshow?

Now, that terminology might not be taught in MBA courses today, but it’s absolutely real to varying degree in the companies and brands that we find ourselves. By the way don’t assume that a f’show is always a negative; like soda flavors, there are varieties of tastes. Some that you initially can’t fathom loving, but somehow you really do. Sometimes it takes a while to get the real, full flavor of it to know that ‘show is not for you.

In work as in life, our tastebuds and flavor appreciation are individual preference, one person’s f’show (negative) is another person’s f’show in a fun and positive way. Working across a handful of brands, partners, and clients across my nearly three decades as a marketer I’ve found there to be some consistent flavors of f‘shows that I think are worth showcasing. But, only you know you what kind of tastes tickle your tummy or have you running for the door:

1- The Machine > The Mission.

Maybe you’re at say a global powerhouse of a brand that most people look up to with admiration and respect. Well-deserved in so many ways and how lucky are you to be part of it. However, it’s become so big that while it has every intention to live up to the promise, the reality is that 95% of the energy is spent inward within the corporation. This group vs that group, holding back until just the right moment so someone can ‘save the day’, worried less about the results and more the appearance of the results, politicking and bureaucracy. That next promotion isn’t going to happen because of the quality and impact of your work. Nope, how good is your “about me” one sheeter? How many informational coffees can your stomach handle to get in front of the right people? Will anyone really notice that you paid an outside agency to build your internal recap deck? Maybe… at least that’s this flavor. When people are rewarded for standing apart and getting raised because they’re the loudest voice vs the hardest working teammate - that’s a combo that leaves your tummy aching more often than not. Just look at politics if you need an outside example - right after the swearing in, they’re back on the campaign trail before fulfilling the promises that got them there.

2- Cloak & Dagger is the game.

Ever find yourself in an environment that seems to relish holding onto critical information for what seems like the sport of it? One of the hardest things to solve for within any company is communication. Ironically, even Communications companies are sometimes the worst offenders. For as many modes of communication we have at our avail nowadays- email, message, slack, asana, smart sheets… and the list goes on, and on - you’d think that we’d collectively have this dialed. Nope. So much talking and send-all’s for so little clarity and substance. Always assuming positive intent, it’s hard to imagine that people wouldn’t want you to know what you need to know so you can do what you’re paid to do. Still, that’s way more often the case. Sometimes information held is power held. Sometimes it’s because your leader doesn’t really have the answer, but you’re not meant to know that. Other times it’s because that info is only kept for those with the bigger business cards. If you find yourself in spot where knowledge is power and power is lacking, you’ll know it. If you listen to what’s not being said when you’re looking at group to join, they’ll probably tell you a lot more about their flavor of game.

3- That’s not how we do it.

Stop me if you’ve ever been met with this to a ‘why’ question - “we’ve been doing it like this forever; it’s a best practice; just do it this way.” You might be surprised to learn that not every business has embraced the concept of an open mindset. Whether for a year or 10 years, they’ve found a system or process that has worked for them. Don’t question it. Certainly don’t clearly show them that a better solution is within their grasp. Why would you want to challenge for better? What they’ve been doing, how they’ve been approaching a solution works just fine - any change is met with way more risks of failure than openness of newfound success. If you find yourself at one of these kind of companies - afraid to take risks, to ask new questions, to listen to the marketplace to create a new idea or path, it’s up to you what you do with this flavor. If the idea of stepping in line and just getting it done is cool to you- great, you’ve found the place. Or, if you’re more inclined to always be looking better, next, more efficient, effective, more creative solve, then ignore the ‘No Running in Hallways’ sign and sprint your curious ‘pain in the butt’ self onto something that suits you better.

4- Déjà vu.

If you’re not part of it yourself, it can be almost academically amusing to watch as a company or group basically take the same approach and somehow expect different results. It’s as if people forget that the world is moving faster than ever, change and opportunity is all around us. So is danger. The danger of not learning from missteps or mistakes to grow. Sam Beckett’s ‘Fail Better’ is still exactly right for most companies starting out. If you’re pushing hard enough you will never get it right all the time. You’re going to have to revisit the ingredients, the mix, or whether or not going to the soda graveyard was even the right call to begin with. If you’re lucky, you’ll be part of a place that actually encourages that - to explore an idea, to push a little too far, ‘cause you never know what might just happen. Knowing you have the support from and confidence in your team that you’re not only safe if you fall but will be trampolined back up to try again for another try. The good groups will see this, have the experience of other failings to help evaluate where a course correct is needed and blaze a new trail. The f’show, they don’t learn and wonder why they keep ending up with the same result.

5- Goldilock’ing.

Maybe you’ve found yourself in a new group or company and you just felt that you’re all in it the same way? You have that sense that it’s more a mission than a job. US vs EVERYBODY. The people around you, the plan, the passion, permission, and purpose. They all gel and get you excited. Now, it doesn’t mean they aren’t a f‘show in their own right. They’re just your kind of f‘show. If that’s where you are or what you’re looking for, those are out there. It might surprise you where you’ll find it. Could be a new category, a new sector, or just a new part of your company. If you find this kind, your kind of f’show, you’re going to know it. If you’re lucky, you’ll know it at the time - but guarantee you’ll recognize and appreciate it when you move on. Whether you’re pressed, polished, and tied, or you’re a crazy chaotic creative - your ‘just right’ f’show is out there. You just have to be willing to test the soda mixture until you find it.