Not No Doesn’t Mean Yes

mlns='> Don’t mistake vague alignment for commitment [View Message in Browser]( / [Add Us to Safe Sender List]( Weekly News 11.5.21 Connect With CMI [Video Storytelling: Here’s How To Get More From Your Investment]( Stop focusing your content on your audience’s wallets and reach for their hearts. Follow the advice of these content experts to create the kind of authentic visual storytelling that captures interest, earns trust, and wins business. [Read more]( By Jodi Harris More of this week's best stuff: - [3 Pre-Launch Steps To Make Your Content Project Stronger]( by Ann Smarty - [Are Inbound Marketing and Content Marketing Still Different in 2021?]( by Robert Rose - [10 Social Media Monitoring Tools To Help You Track What People Say About Your Brand]( by Bowin Poe - [3 Cool Content Campaigns That Tackle Hot (and Warm) Topics]( by Content Marketing Institute Team Want To Be Featured on the Content Marketing Institute Website? Fill out [this short form]( to share your opinion about any exciting, unique, puzzling, or eyebrow-raising content example, idea, or trend you’ve seen this week (including pieces you’ve created). We’ll credit you as the source (and include your commentary) if we include your submission in an upcoming Friday article.  Not No Doesn’t Mean Yes My mom had a flair for getting to the truth. She would often ask, “Do you want a piece of advice?” As a teenager, the answer to that question was always no. What 15-year-old wants advice from their mom? But I would never say that. Instead, I would say something like, “Whatever.” Or, “You’re going to give it to me anyway, so….” Then she would ask, “Why isn’t the answer yes?” I’d sit there, a bit dumbfounded (it’s not that hard to confuse a teenager). Then, finally, I’d say, “Okay, yes, please give me some advice.” I love that question. “Why isn’t the answer yes?” In other words, “Please explain what your issue is with the thing I am proposing.” I thought of this when talking with a content marketing leader struggling to roll out a new content marketing program. Six months earlier, he’d made a case for building a new blog, email newsletter, and thought leadership program to a cross-functional group of the company’s senior leaders. At the meeting, just about everyone on the leadership committee had said things like “sounds interesting,” and “we’re aligned with your thinking,” and “keep us updated on the impact this will have on the business.” So, he hired an agency and spent the next five months putting together the new program. They launched the new blog, implemented the technology for the new email newsletter, and assembled a content plan that would support them for the next six months. Then came the rollout to the leadership group. As the content leader presented the plan, he included all the changes that this would mean to the way his team produced content for the other teams. He also explained the initial focus of the blog and email newsletter, from audience persona to editorial content, and how everything would be measured. It’s safe to say that he got pushback. On. Every. Single. Thing. He was frustrated. The problem was he had mistaken “yes” for “not no.” One of the most frustrating things about modern business is the amount of time we spend in meetings “getting alignment” on business initiatives. [Research has shown]( that meetings have increased in both duration and frequency over the last 50 years. Managers now spend an average of nearly 23 hours a week in meetings, up from less than 10 in the 1960s. But what’s even worse is that these meetings rarely result in concrete decisions or uniform plans of action. We’re spending more time not making decisions than ever before. Unfortunately, the content leader fell prey to one of the worst flavors of corporate indecision – the “not no.” Inevitably someone proposes something in the meeting that a group of (usually cross-functional managers) need to get behind. The initiative might have broad support even though the implications to other teams are still unclear. Therefore, rather than commit to something they don’t understand or admit to fearing the implications of the change, people give the vague answers my colleague got. “I’m aligned for now.” “I understand what we’re trying to do.” “Interesting. Keep us updated.” These are all subtle codes that mean, “I may understand what you’re proposing, and I don’t disagree with it – but I’m not committing to it.” The only thing I’ve seen that helps combat the “not no” is to ask each member of the group, “Why isn’t the answer yes?” You can do this more subtly than my mom did. Simply ask everyone to state their definition of the proposal’s success. This exercise lets you uncover what’s behind the “not no.” When asked to define their alignment and commitment to success, people will usually surface doubts, uncertainties, and any lack of commitment. You’ll quickly find out if it’s a “no” in disguise – or if a “yes” lurks there somewhere. It’s your story. Tell it well. (And [tell us your thoughts](mailto:cmi_info@informa.com?subject=Feedback) about Robert’s note.) Robert Rose Chief Strategy Advisor Content Marketing Institute You're getting this exclusive article from Robert Rose as a perk of your newsletter subscription. Do you have colleagues or friends who would benefit from Robert's weekly updates? If so, please invite them to [subscribe]( here.  Sponsored Content The Content Marketer’s Funnel The Content Marketer’s Funnel is an easy-to-follow yet comprehensive framework for creating content that moves buyers along their journey - from generating awareness to influencing a purchase decision. Get the guide to learn about each stage of the funnel and how content can be used to drive sales. [Download »]( A Word From One of Our Content VIPs  What is Content Intelligence, And Why Does It Matter? Explore how content intelligence allows content marketers to make more strategic decisions, connect with their target audience on a deeper level, and prove the value of their work. [Explore Now »](  Content Marketing Job Listings Currently on a job search? Thinking about switching gears with your career? Please check out our job listings below. Available positions: - Director or Sr Director, Content Strategy, Zion & Zion, Remote – U.S. - [Learn More]( Interested in posting a job here? 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