sneakysnek

KCSM

How do you incite change in your org without becoming a "problem?"

I have a good number of friends who complain about how their companies / orgs function. When you have ideas on how to make things better, how do you bring them to the table without being labeled as whiney or inflammatory?

There seems to be a fine line between "bringing about actionable change" and "becoming a nuisance" in the eyes of leadership.

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Rallier

Politicker

SDR Manager and Consultant

You have to offer some type of solution to the problem you are complaining about. When you complain without proposing any type of solution, that's when you become a nuisance

sneakysnek

Politicker

KCSM

Have you ever found that management considered your solution "self-serving," even when it was intended for the good of the org?

SADNES5

Politicker

down voters are marketing spies

No way. If you have an actual solution there shouldn't be pushback. People LOVE to complain, it's human nature. Like marketing taking another 2 weeks off after a long day (2hrs) of A|B testing.

Most mgmt team are used to just hearing "this sucks" "why do we do it this way" without any substance to change. There are workflow/process engineers for a reason, sometimes their textbooks miss the obvious.

TL;DR - if you have a solution, present it. Shouldn't have issues. If you have an issue with no solution, keep your head down. 😂

funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

Excellent advice. If you come prepared with a solution you're viewed as someone who cares about their work/the company and a contributor.

ChiefGreef45

Catalyst

Account Executive

This is great advice, and reminded me of this quote: "Complaining about a problem without proposing a solution is called whining." - Teddy Roosevelt

Telehealth_2the_Moon

Notable Contributor

Director of Business Development

This. Holy shit. If you want something fixed help fix it.

Applies to personal conflicts too, you better not come to me to complain about a coworker if your answer is "no" when I ask "have you talked to them about it yet?"

sales101

WR Officer

Head of Channel & Alliances

100%- treat it like a sale and show them the ROI on the solution to the problem that you're complaining about.
Also, make the barrier to entry as low as possible- make the solution something that's easy to implement.

Tres

Politicker

Account Executive

Make it clear that the reason you bring those things up is because you care about the org and want to be there for a while. That should help leadership understand your motives for raising these things to their attention.

paddy

WR Officer

Director of Business Development

You could just incite an office riot

sneakysnek

Politicker

KCSM

While arguably the least viable, I think I like this option the most. Sales uprising impending.

paddy

WR Officer

Director of Business Development

I mean at the end of the day, the sales team is the last bunch of hooligans you want pissed off. The mayhem we're capable of shouldn't be underestimated.

Riss

Opinionated

I don’t even know anymore 🤪

Echo the above, but sometimes you have to realize--you can be liked or you can be respected, you can't always be both. Stirring the pot can be good for your career growth, not always good for being likeable.

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

☕️

Constructive criticism, paired with actionable steps to correct the problem, is better received than simple complaints. Executives want to solve problems, but they don't want to listen to your whining for the sake of whining. They are not your parents, they are your employers.

Chep

WR Officer

Bitcoin Adoption Specialist

Ask nicely if you can test something out. Make it clear that if it doesn't work you won't advocate for this solution again.

Stringer

Arsonist

SDR

I prove them in my own work-flow/process and then provide the success and biz case.
For instance, we hadn't even dabbled in selling to the insurance vertical, but I felt strongly we'd be a good fit. I spent a week only hitting up insurance companies, and quickly found green grass. We've since opened an entire insurance vertical of focus. 4 AEs, 2 SDRs dedicated, with very full pipe and plenty of room to grow.

goose

Politicker

Sales Executive

This is tough. Anytime you go against status quo you will be identified as a complainer. Only real way to affect change is to model it. If you change your behavior and produce results then leadership will give you some slack. If you complain then you will be out.

TheFemaleWolf

Opinionated

Director of Sales

This ^ .

Also find companies in high growth mode where leadership still uses the field heavily as a resource for feedback and developing strategy.

More stable than a start up, and it’s a better environment for feeling like your feedback matters/it’s a place where you can drive change.

These things are much harder in a big corporate environment where anonymous surveys are the only way to make people feel involved. Smoke and mirrors at that point.

Telehealth_2the_Moon

Notable Contributor

Director of Business Development

A good way to start these conversations with leaders is to ask why they are done in this way. It helps you learn some context and also sets it up to them that you're interested in it changing.

It also prevents you seeming like you think you know it all and can do a better job than them.

cw95

Politicker

Sales Development Lead

It's a hard one, more often then not you highlight the problem, get shut down and then someone new comes in and changes it to exactly what you suggest ages ago.

Then again, unfortunately, Boy cried Wolf syndrome can kick in a lot in our world!

Ace

Arsonist

CEO

My solution dead-on solves this problem but alas I can't sell it on here. Anyway, the best way to do it is by being anonymous. Maybe create a fake email account (something not offensive) and send the management an email describing your problems. And based on the thread here, make sure to combine that with possible solutions that you've in mind. If you think creating a fake email is extreme, then drop an anonymous note in your boss's office with the same thing.

rekled

Opinionated

Strategic Account Executive

in addition to the (great) comments and suggestions above, you also have to choose your battles. in sales, if you are proposing change that may impact other groups (e.g. product, marketing) - you want to ensure you're not blindsiding them. more or less, you artfully balance promoting a change/fix to the other groups (if applicable) before presenting to leadership.

Finesy

Valued Contributor

-2

Account Representative III

Leave.

CaneWolf

Politicker

-2

Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract

You can't. You have to get into a position of power and then make changes. Leadership at most companies (not all, but most) have little interest in seeing changes that didn't come from them.

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sneakysnek

How do you incite change in your org without becoming a "problem?"

23 comments

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