When I was growing up, my absolute favorite movie was The Wizard of Oz. I even dressed up as Dorothy for my fourth grade Halloween costume; blue smock, braids, straw basket and a small stuffed dog that barked when I squeezed it. But despite my love for the film, there was this one part that I never really cared for. And it is probably the most pivotal point in the movie. I’m referring to the scene when the Wizard, played by Frank Morgan, is revealed to be nothing more than a small old man behind a curtain. His threatening voice and stature - all his supposed power - turn out to be a façade of mechanical controls and sound effects. Even as a kid I remember being disappointed and confused. Not only did I think it was a little over the top; I also thought it was completely unnecessary, not to mention fairly cheesy, too. What a fake!

Of course, everyone’s heard the phrase “fake it ‘til you make it.” In other words, act like you know what you’re doing or act like someone that you’re not; just do it long enough to get through that meeting, that interview, or that dinner with the in-laws. And if you do it often enough, then the act eventually becomes your standard modus operandi. A simple and anecdotal solution to a complex problem. Now I’m no fan of the phrase, but I can’t deny that I’ve “been there and done that.” Often. In fact, I lived that phrase throughout the entirety of my first year in the A/E/C industry.

Fresh out of college; LITERALLY fresh out of the classroom. I graduated on a Friday and started my part-time Sales/Marketing Coordinator gig the following Monday. Sporting brand new dress slacks and a pair of sweaty palms, I was ready to do whatever a part-time sales and marketing coordinator was supposed to do. Unfortunately, I had no idea what that was. A week later and I was a wreck; I was scared out of my mind. My Pagemaker skills (yes, sadly, Pagemaker) were lackluster and I was seriously wishing that I had paid more attention in school when the class was learning how to do animations in PowerPoint. But perhaps the worst part of the week was admitting to the President of the company that I had absolutely no idea what a “debrief” was. I remember wondering why they even bothered to hire me…

As the lone marketer in the company, I did the only thing that I could think of to solve the problem. I faked it, in true Wizard-like style. I put up a curtain utilizing a barrage of research on best practices. And it worked! I got through my first year one day at a time, all the while assimilating the tricks of my trade. I learned how to conduct debriefs and I figured out what the difference was between an RFQ and an SOQ. 

However, even after several years in this industry, I still felt like a fake…like an imposter. I had developed a bad habit of downplaying my accomplishments in favor of casting the professional spotlight on to someone else…usually one of my technical peers. I also often found myself crediting the achievements that I did allow myself to claim as LUCK, pure and simple. I would tell myself that I had just been in “the right place at the right time.” I was actually an A/E/C Marketer, but everything in my psyche said that I was still faking it; it hadn’t occurred to me that I had actually made it.

In 1978, Oberlin psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes coined the term “impostor syndrome” to describe this very phenomenon. Those who suffer from this syndrome experience an unrelenting underlying feeling of being a fraud. In their mind, their accomplishments don’t equal what external observers see and they often end up working two to three times harder in order to avoid being discovered as less competent than others perceive them to be. Just like the Wizard did to stay in the Emerald City, they work their tails off to maintain the façade of success and secure the illusion of their mastery in a given field.

Does any of this ring true for you? And if so, have you ever really considered where these dark thoughts are coming from? Why do we punish ourselves so? I can’t really speak for other A/E/C marketers on this, but after some serious soul searching, here was my conclusion: my “imposter syndrome” was coming from comparing myself to the engineers and architects that I worked with. I had been measuring my own success in degrees of technical knowledge possessed by my “techie” counterparts. And it was only recently that I relented this parallel as unjust and inequitable.

As A/E/C marketers, our technical command lies in an entirely different arena; it lies within the realm of branding, messaging, communication, client relationships, visual design….fill in the blanks where applicable. Comparing ourselves to the architect in the office down the hall from us is just like comparing apples to oranges. The two are different. And if we focus our energy trying to be more like them and less like us, then we come up short in both scenarios…and as imposters on both fronts. So, what’s the answer?

Enter at stage right, our very own SMPS; the yellow brick road in this analogy. As marketers, all we really have to do is follow the path to the Emerald City, unearthing professional truths, collecting allies and conquering inner demons along the way. I was lucky to find SMPS early on in my career and was elated when I learned that being surrounded by other marketers actually caused that pesky “imposter syndrome” to fade, albeit incrementally. I had found a group of my own and was collaborating with individuals that were traveling the same path. And I began to feel less like a fraud and more like myself. I was creating a new definition of professional success. It was therapy, straight up SMPS-style.

I now know that there are SO MANY definitions of success in the A/E/C marketing world, and as a result, my personal definition has evolved over the years. In the beginning of my career, it was as simple as getting through an industry networking event without breaking out in hives. Several years later, success meant earning my CPSM certification. For others, it may be launching a new branding initiative, implementing a new CRM system, mastering a new skill in Creative Suite, becoming an SMPS Fellow or being awarded the coveted Weld Coxe Marketing Achievement Award. ROI, of course, is the ultimate measure of success for A/E/C firms. And mapping out a plan to achieve my goals has always translated over as a benefit to my employers.

These days, I have more compassion for the Wizard; he really thought that he couldn’t achieve fame and fortune as a magician in Oz without faking it. I can relate. I felt the same way that first day on the job as an industry newbie; that same day that I suddenly realized I wasn’t in Kansas anymore. But I also feel sad for the Wizard. After all, despite all his gadgets and gizmos, he had actually achieved his status as the Wizard himself…even if he had the help of a few witches along the way. He was a legitimate success in the Land of Oz, but he never recognized it and he never allowed himself to enjoy it…

Over time, I have had to learn how to shake off the effects of “imposter syndrome” and have come to embrace my qualities as a marketer. I now own my successes as well as my failures. I am also much more confident in who I am and where my place is in the A/E/C universe. I still question myself sometimes and I still tend to pass along kudos before accepting praise. But I no longer feel like I’m “faking it.” I may have to remind myself every day, but I’m now a big believer in the importance of pulling back the curtain, revealing my strengths (and weaknesses), and recognizing the value that I provide as a marketer.

About the Blogger:  Maureen Varela, CPSM, is Marketing Manager for Pulice Construction, Inc. and 2014-2015 Publicity Director for SMPS Arizona. She and her husband are owned by two rescue dogs and spend their free time in pursuit of the best hunting, fishing, hiking, and kayaking spots that Arizona has to offer. As a transplant to the Valley of the Sun, she believes in the power of family and friends, good neighbors, and rainy days.

Phoenix weather:  hot, hotter and hotter than hell LOL!  With temperatures reaching 115 degrees, I think it's safe to say that most of our brains are reaching their boiling points.  We're feverish and flustered and the summer has only just begun.  So how about a quick recharge?    BeatBlogger could certainly use one.  But it won't be for too long...posting will resume next week (06/30/2015) with more original content to get you through our seemingly endless summer.

In the meantime, if you have any comments, thoughts or ideas that you want our readership to consider, feel free to post them below!

It’s an age old adage for a professional services marketer:  you want to blow that agency/client out of the water, but you’re not a technical professional.  You don’t know all there is to know about roadway geometry, wastewater treatment plants, or architectural design.  Unfortunately (for you), “all there is to know” is exactly what you need to win the job.  That means you’re going to need a lot of help from one of the technical folks if you want a shot at the masterpiece in your head. 

You convince yourself that this is not an obstacle.  After all, your main “techie” has been in communication with this agency/client for a while and has known about the upcoming project for some time.  AND he keeps telling you that the RFP/Q is coming out soon and that you should be ready.  Nevertheless, as soon as it hits the streets, the man up and vanishes like a fart in the wind.  Nothing left but a collection of red pens on the table.  You are tempted to check for escape routes hidden behind that ever rotating set of plans that he has been using as office art for the last two decades.   

Understanding Your Target
Technical people are a peculiar species when examined through the lens of marketing.  While marketers focus on making their firm known and understood, “techies” focus on quality deliverables.  No doubt, our core motivators are different.  But there are some parallels between us.  Like marketing professionals, “the techie” works on deadlines.  And like marketers, they are very busy folks.  It’s just that the “tech specimen” is busy solving technical problems; that’s the stuff that s/he really likes to do. 

The idea of stopping to take part on a proposal is just about as appealing to “techies” as serving five to ten in Leavenworth.  Most of the time, a proposal is nothing more than a “necessary evil” that must be completed in order for them to keep doing the things that they like to do (i.e. building roads, designing buildings, running an HEC-RAS drainage model, etc.).  For “techies,” a proposal is like some strange form of marketing bribery; paid on demand to keep “the heat” off their back.  No wonder they get particularly busy when it comes time to collaborate with marketing…   

But if you understand what motivates a “techie,” then you can use that perspective to your advantage.   To entice your technical staff to participate in proposal preparation (and well in advance of the due date), a slick marketer will figure out how to create problems that their “techies” will enjoy solving.  This harmless form of entrapment should prompt them into demonstrating their technical abilities and prowess.  Before they know it, they have unwittingly been lured into committing the ultimate offense.    They have committed…MARKETING.    

Setting the Trap
So now that it’s time to lure those technical folks into helping you, what do you do?  Chase them down, lock them in a room and “good cop, back cop” them, right?  WRONG!  A figurative strong-arming will only solidify your “techie’s” resolve to lawyer up and ignore you (and the proposal) for as long as possible.  What you really need to do is set a trap and reel them in.  Simply put, you need to start writing the technical components to that proposal yourself. What?!?!?  Yeah, you heard me right. Hey, you didn’t think it was all up to them, did you?  Besides, crafting a trap takes some planning and forethought if you want it to be effective. 

If it’s a project approach that you need, then use your own refined, not-too-techie, but surely creative problem solving skills to come up with an initial draft.  Dig into the resources that you already have.  Rummage through old project approaches, search the internet, ask a friend, call your mentor.  Do whatever you need to do to come up with something that might pass for a decent approach.  Waste of time? Not really...and here’s why.

Have you ever met an engineer, contractor or architect that doesn’t just love his/her red pen? In fact, they don’t just love those things; they are sure to have at least a dozen nearby, just in case the menu at a restaurant needs to be revised.  They are the ones making sure that the waiter knows that the wrong entrée has been listed on the buffet sign.  And at dinner parties, they are the ones correcting the name cards should there be a misspelling.  In their never-ending quest to create a better and more perfect world, they search out things that they can fix.  And this, my friends, is your ticket to setting an irresistible trap. 

Sealing Their Fate
To ensure that your “techie” actually takes the bait, you’ll want to misspell something right at the start of your newly crafted project approach.  This should really get them going. Doing this is akin to staging a murder within the first two pages of a suspense novel; it will suck them in and they won’t be able to put the draft down.  That red pen will start working and their brain will start churning, and all of the information that you had been looking for will miraculously stream out of them in a flood of red lines that would make one of the pages in that murder mystery novel look tame. 

Your “techie” now feels obligated to help you (an obviously naïve marketer) understand the complex world that is technical project management.  Never mind that maybe you have been at this for a while and that you may have learned a few things along the way.   Now you will be graced with the knowledge that you have been lacking for so long.  And because your “techie” has worked so hard to establish a strong relationship with the client, s/he will wantto make sure that everything the client reads is clear, concise, and above all, accurate. The proposal must be perfect, and s/he will take it upon themselves to make sure that happens.  And that’s when you know you’ve GOT them.  That’s when they have sealed their own fate, having actively participated in the convictable crime that is…MARKETING.

Celebrating Your Victory
But there’s no need to alert them to this fact; there’s no need for them to ever be made aware that they were the unwitting accomplice in the marketing scheme known as “proposal submission.”  You have what you need to finish today’s proposal and your stealthy methods remain cloaked to your unsuspecting target.  Or should I say, asset?  Now don your most sinister of hats and trench coats; it’s time to pack up and hit the road for a much deserved cold beer, glass of champagne or tasty cocktail.  Congratulations, you did it again!   

Note:  As many of you know, being a marketer in the A/E/C industry is part writer, part cat-herder and part detective. We also know that technical folks aren’t the only ones who can solve problems.  We've got skills; mad skills....supersneaky skills.  Like the “sleuth” method...which works for everything from project approaches, project/key staff experience and cover letters to any other part of the proposal document.  It can also work with time cards, employee reviews, or whatever else isn’t getting done. Make sure to pass this along to anyone who struggles with this age old problem.

About the Blogger:  Supporting a staff of over 120 certainly keeps Laura Turiano on her toes. To balance the load, she decompresses by spending time with her husband, 6-year-old son and beloved yellow lab. It seems that her son is in training as a stand-up comic, which keeps the family in stitches most of the time. Laura considers herself a Ninja when tracking down engineers and surveyors and even takes this skill home with her from time to time.  She sometimes dreams of being a rock star, but with very little musical talent, feels grateful for a more simple life.

I’ll just be flat out honest here. I have ALWAYS had a hard time understanding why someone didn’t like me. It’s not that anyone has ever said they didn’t like me (at least, not to my face), but every now and again someone throws down “the vibe,” and I pick it up. Because they didn’t exchange cards with me, or set a real meeting date with me, or even laugh at my joke, I would interpret this as them not liking me.   Not liking me. Not liking ME?!?! When it happens and it’s fresh in my mind, I can’t help but think over and over again, “what the heck is it that you could possibly NOT like about me? I mean come on…what did I do? Please, tell me so that I can fix it. Please tell me so that I don’t continue to rub you the wrong way…”

WANTED: Marketing professional seeking opportunity to stagnate their career in a long-term position where their knowledge, experience and technical acumen will be sidelined, minimized or underutilized altogether. This position is with a company that discourages growth and development while pigeon-holing employees into repetitive tasks. Ideal candidate will work best under leadership that suppresses creativity, resists innovation and micro-manages assignments. Self-starters need not apply.

OK, you got me. This isn’t an actual job board announcement. But despite what the majority of the job descriptions may say on the surface, the subtext reads loud and clear. And whether companies realize it or not, the marketers on the receiving end are NOT oblivious to this type of “window dressing.” In fact, some may even refer to this sort of camouflage as a classic bait-and-switch.

We’ve all seen it happen at one time or another with project pursuits. A firm proposes the expertise of an individual or team (the “bait”) with the full intention of substituting another individual or team once the project is secured (the “switch”). If the Client is lucky, then the substitute is equal to the initial promise. If they’re not, then the Client is left with an inferior team and not much recourse. This same maneuver is now being used to lure in ambitious marketing applicants; the promise of growth (the “bait”) is quickly replaced by an enduring lack of upward mobility (the “switch”) once an offer has been accepted.

No doubt the war for marketing talent has begun in A/E/C, and companies are clearly in reactionary mode. But while bait-and-switch has started to manifest itself, this tactic isn’t necessarily intentional. The list of reasons is varied and extensive. Some companies may have an internal disconnect between their need to respond to immediate tasks and their desire to have a long-term growth strategy. Others might lack the corporate culture necessary to facilitate employee growth. Or maybe they simply copied a generic job description from the internet and claimed it as their own, not realizing how it might be interpreted by job-seekers.

But as hiring managers continue to fight for qualified marketing candidates (actually, ANY candidates) to fill their firm’s vacancies over the next few years, marketing professionals continue to become increasingly savvy (or dare I say, suspicious) of the underlying messages conveyed by companies during their searches. This goes for both publically-posted and behind-the-scenes job opportunities alike. And as the distance between what companies actually need and what marketer’s actually want INCREASES, it fuels the fire of a progressively drawn out battle.

Nonetheless, A/E/C doesn’t have to exist in a perpetual stalemate for marketing talent. Whether you represent a firm in need of a marketer or you ARE a marketer in search of a new place to call home, below are a few things to keep both sides of the equation honest and “fighting fair.”   

For Companies Looking to Hire:

To better understand your candidate pool, it’s best to start with what happened to them during the recession. Because of their classification as “overhead,” marketers were generally the first ones in an office to get laid off, and at a time when NO ONE was making any new marketing hires or adding to overhead. As a result, many of them left the industry or the state entirely in search of viable employment. In essence, they became A/E/C marketing refugees. And the handful of newcomers that have entered the industry within the last two years aren’t looking to jump ship any time soon because they are still relatively new to their current positions. In other words, the candidate pool is already EXTREMELY limited.

If you also take into account the fact that almost every posted position is for a Marketing Coordinator (MC) with somewhere between three and five years of experience IN the A/E/C industry, then the pool shrinks even further. Why? Because the marketers that actually stayed in A/E/C and survived the carnage have long-since moved UP in their careers with the firms that supported them during the recession. Most aren’t likely to be interested in anything less than SPECTACULAR.

So how can a company in search of an MC make the most of hiring during this marketing talent shortage? Here are a few thoughts:  

• The Benefits: No, I’m not talking about your healthcare and 401K plans. I’m talking about what sets you apart from the hiring competition. Does your company offer flexible work hours? Or work from home options? What about training and development opportunities for non-technical staff? Is there an employee-recognition or appreciation program in place? And what kind of workplace perks have you rolled out lately? Ask yourself what YOU have to offer. If the answer is “a job,” then it’s time to go back to the drawing board.

• The Description: Think twice before pulling the old “cut-and-paste” routine; this is a time to invest in some careful thought and consideration of your job description.   For example, who wrote it? Was it someone in your local office or someone in another state? How old is it and has the position evolved since then? Does it include percentages to show how much time will be designated to a specific task or responsibility? Does it reflect a hierarchy of priorities? Your job description should be specific, current and above all else, transparent.   
  

• The Role: Not to be confused with “the description,” the role of a marketer can and often does vary greatly from firm to firm. But there ARE distinct differences between several roles that are often intertwined or confused with one another. Prominent snafus include the muddling of Marketing and Business Development and the jumbling of MC and Marketing Manager. So familiarize yourself with the disparities between each and develop your description accordingly (HINT: SMPS Blueprints is a great place to start). And steer clear of substituting a more senior title than what the actual position is for; this will only result in high turn-over rates that future candidates are sure to take notice of.

• The Timing: As with most things in life, timing is everything when it comes to snagging a solid marketer right now. With almost twenty postings on SMPS’ job board alone, an efficient interview-to-hire process is more important than ever in not losing out on a strong candidate to a competing firm. If you aren’t prepared to act decisively, then postpone publicizing the job opening until you ARE. And if you’re searching on the “down-low,” be aware that qualified MC’s are probably doing the same. In other words, you'll still need to be decisive once you've found the right person.

• The Training: Training has always been a crucial component to onboarding a new MC. But having an available marketing supervisor to train these days allows for a much larger candidate pool because you can consider individuals that are entry-level. Check out your local universities for graduates with decent written and verbal communication skills. And don’t be afraid to engage the Liberal Arts majors in addition to the more traditional contenders like Journalism, Communications and Business majors. After all, Liberal Arts majors are often required to take extensive “writing intensive” courses and are generally adept at creative problem-solving. Remember that proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite can be learned on the job, given the right on-site manager.

• The Resources: As an add-on to “the training,” the presence of an experienced marketer serving as supervisor also allows you to contemplate candidates from other industries. If services marketing is the primary skill-set that you seek, then consider checking out organizations such as LMA or HSMAI. If a comprehension of general marketing is more your speed, then you might want to set your sights on AMA or BMA. And if interactive marketing or proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite are “musts” for your firm, then AZIMA or AIGA might be right up your alley.

• The Salary: Whether you like it or not (and whether you believe it or not), it’s an MC’s market right now. They’ve got plenty of options with no shortage of interest in their skill sets or offers on the table. And as simple supply-and-demand dictates, the salary ranges for these positions are well on their way up. Throw in the diverse laundry-list of qualifications now typically being sought by firms, and you’ve got a job easily worth $10K MORE than it was just five years ago. In addition, you might find yourself in a bidding war with another company for the same candidate. Start thinking NOW about how you might sweeten the pot. Are we entering an era of signing bonuses and stock options? As far-fetched as it might sound, prepare yourself for all possibilities.

For MC's Consideration:

It’s undoubtedly a great time to be an MC, but it might also be a very precarious time to be an MC right now. So without rehashing everything that was discussed in Think Before You Shuffle, here are a few things for you to keep in mind as you head towards the front lines:

• Value Alignment: Cultural fit is HUGE right now, for both job-seekers and hiring companies. Some have even gone so far as to say that it is just as important as technical ability now. When starting the dialogue with a potential employer, be sure you have a firm grasp on your core values. Are you more reserved and conservative, or do you crave a dynamic and diverse environment? Do you operate best in a highly structured “habitat” or someplace more organic and innovative in their approach? There is no right or wrong answer here, but you WILL want to find a company whose values align with your own. It could be the difference between long-term and nomadic employment.

• Running Out the Clock: If you’re gainfully employed right now, then there’s NO CLOCK on investigating job opportunities; you can take your sweet time. Interviewing for a job should feel like a series of casual dates, not a night of speed dating. If a company seems more rushed than decisive, it could be a red flag. They may be looking for ANY person, not necessarily the RIGHT person. Let’s not forget that we spend approximately 40-45 hours a week at work, so it’s important that you invest the time to make sure that the company and opportunity are a good fit for you and your long-term goals. 
  

• Get it in Writing: These days, what companies say to prospective employees matters much less than what they are willing to commit to in writing. So if you’ve actually found a company that you’re interested in working for and they’ve offered you XYZ (whatever that may be), then be sure you GET IT IN WRITING. And be sure you get it BEFORE you put in notice at your current job. It’s still not what I would consider an iron-clad guarantee, but it gives you much more recourse should any issues arise going forward. 

• Go with Your Gut: Weighing the pros and cons are great and all, but there’s still a lot to be said for going with your gut. Of course, you should ask to meet with multiple people within the company (ex: the marketing manager, the business development, and/or member of executive leadership). And of course, you should ask yourself a few questions. Do I get a sense that there is a consistent corporate vision? Is their team really in agreement of what the marketing position in question entails? Are these the people that I really want to work with every day? If you’ve got a bad feeling in your gut that you can’t quite put your finger on, despite all evidence to the contrary, then don’t be afraid to walk away.  But if you're getting "warm fuzzies," then go for it! 

About the Bloggers:  BeatBlogger worked hard to bring together two great minds in Phoenix A/E/C for this lengthy introspective. Representing two sides of the same coin on the topic of marketing talent, here are their stories:  

• Maisha Christian Hagan is a juggler. No, seriously. Not with bowling pins or flaming torches, but with projects, deadlines and to-do lists. As Marketing Director at Jokake Construction, Maisha is responsible for internal and external marketing efforts including support for all Business Development efforts as well as marketing support for Jokake’s sister company, ProKure Solutions. When she’s not at work, Maisha writes, sings, is actively involved with her church’s leadership team, and participates in mud/obstacle races with her husband and friends.

• As a Sr. Account Recruiting Manager, Dan Nedoba zigs and zags his way through recruiting of candidates and working directly with hiring managers of key customers.  With nine years of recruiting and account management in Phoenix’s A/E/C industry for Aerotek Inc., Dan knows the market well.  In his free time, he gets out to the plethora of Spring and Fall events that the Valley has to offer in addition to golf, baseball, and old fashioned R&R poolside.  Friends and co-workers have nick-named him “Tan Dan.”

As I sit here gearing up to write this post that I personally suggested to BeatBlogger, I find myself wary…wary of what to say, wary of how to say it and wary of how much to write.

• Will this idea resonate with other professionals in my industry? Or will I make a fool of myself for admitting that I suffer from this mentality?
• Should it be argument-based (i.e. does this personality “defect” really exist at large or is it just me?) or should I come in with a funny story about the time I couldn’t get something done until the pressure of the looming deadline meant that I couldn’t put it aside any longer (a scenario which happens far too often).
• And is “short and succinct” the way to go? Or should I give my readers something substantive to chew on for a while?

What I’m experiencing as I write these thoughts down is typical of what happens in my head every time I prepare for a new task. I over analyze each and every option and fully expect failure if I don’t get it done “just right.” I AM the “perfectionist procrastinator.”

Although I like to think that I am anticipating potential hurdles and finding solutions to them, what I’m really doing is creating roadblocks to my own success. I find reasons for why my results will be less than perfect and therefore why I should obviously wait to start whatever task I am trying to tackle until later when I’ve got it “sorted it all out.” What actually ends up happening is that I get to it when the deadline is around the corner and I don’t have a choice anymore. I’ve romanticized this fail-to-start pattern by telling myself (and others) that I am highly motivated by deadlines. Nice marketing spin, right?

Here’s an example for you. Although we are now on the cusp of June and I’m finally making the time to write this piece, I initially brought this topic up to BeatBlogger WAY back in February at the SMPS Southwest Regional Conference. I mentioned to her that I thought it would be great if someone (not me, of course!) would write a post about this very issue, since I had been inspired by something that had found its way into my inbox. That somethingwas an e-newsletter by Sandler Training and I received it four months prior in OCTOBER of 2014!

The good news is Sandler Training did their job at least: their email had piqued my interest so much so that I am still thinking about it six months later. I knew I’d get to it eventually. But what did this e-newsletter say that resonated so much with me? It discussed perfectionism and procrastination as two sides of the same coin.

“Perfectionism is a mental obsession with achieving the ideal as a minimum requirement. For some people, it is a conscious form of procrastination that prevents them from getting started on goals and projects. For others, it’s an unconscious form that prevents them from completing projects, accomplishing their goals, and adding value to the world.  In either case, it’s a debilitating condition.” Sandler Brief, Volume 13, Issue 10.

I had never really thought about it in that way. Or at least I had never put words to the fact that I may be a victim of this very condition…delaying doing all sorts of things for fear of not doing them perfectly. Case in point, here are a few additional examples from personal experience:

• In my professional life: Need to think about how to refresh the design on that proposal template? Too much! I’ll need to research the latest trends, try to find out what my competitors are doing these days, and come up with a few options to choose between. And then the “reveal.” What if my boss doesn’t like it? What if it’s no better than what I had already designed? What if I make a mistake? Let’s just leave it the way it is “for now” and I’ll try to redesign it sometime in the future…
• In my personal life: Need to hang a piece of framed art at home? Too much! I’ll need to measure where everything else is spaced on the wall, the exact height they each need to be from the ceiling and perfectly hammer each nail so that I KNOW they will be level when I place that wire on the hook. Don’t even get me started on when it’s off by a quarter of an inch… my level eye (aka anal retentive tendencies) can’t take it! Can’t we just do that tomorrow?
• As a volunteer: Need to write that blog post you suggested in the first place because the deadline is in two days and you’re still not sure what to say? Too much! Oh wait… That’s what I’m doing here isn’t it. Hey, I’m finally getting something done! Thank goodness for deadlines…

But here’s the thing. YOU control your own destiny. You can stop this counter productive routine in its tracks by simply saying “YES.” If you start with saying “YES, I can do this,” then you will get so much farther than if you never started in the first place (due to fear of not being perfect). Never mind the “I shoulds,” or the “but, what ifs.” Never mind with the “I can’ts” or the awful “I’m not good enoughs.” You ARE good enough. In fact, we are all better than we give ourselves credit for.

If we always kept our ideas to ourselves for fear of failure, then no one would ever improve. Methods of doing all things would stay stagnant and we would never discover innovative approaches to solving common problems. All it really takes is the courage to ignore your inner critic and try something new. In case you need some additional inspiration, here are three quotes by Albert Einstein that are helpful when dealing with your own perfectionist/procrastinator complex:

• “In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.”
• “The person who never made a mistake, never tried anything new.”
• “You never fail until you stop trying.”

Who knew I could get through this blog post if I just silenced my perfectionist tendencies and let go. Is it perfect? No. But is it something that wasn’t out there before NOW that I personally accomplished? Yes. Was it helpful for other A/E/C marketers and business development professionals? I hope so.

So if any of this rang true for you, I challenge you to say “yes” FIRST and figure out the details later. You will be amazed with what you can accomplish if you just get out of your own way.

About the Blogger:  Maria Leshner is an inner perfectionist and outer procrastinator extraordinaire who decided to say “YES” as her 2015 New Year’s Resolution. She spends her time letting go by laughing with her husband and two dogs, Rylie and Jett. She can sometimes be found getting stuff done, but usually only at the last minute for an impending deadline. She is an artist turned graphic designer who loves ctrl+z (undo) so that she can fix any unintended mistakes.  She also provides marketing and business development to a great MPE engineering firm in the valley that embraces her tendencies to make things “just right.”

Leadership. What exactly are the elusive qualities that make a perfect leader? And is there a set formula? I’ve sat through tons of classes and presentations on this particular topic, and the theme is always the same. Treat people with respect, project an unwavering passion, and empower your team to carry out your vision. But what if all your best efforts in the leadership department aren’t making the dent that you thought they should? Does that mean that you’re not cut out to be a leader? Or perhaps worse yet, that you’re a bad leader? Hmmm…

I remember my first boss in A/E/C. She was well respected in the industry and quite direct in her approach…she just expected you to do your job, no more and no less. The environment in which I was groomed was very much like this: don’t try to make small talk about the weekend, never ask for a raise because you did your job, and avoid making excuses for missing a deadline. I never interpreted her as “mean” in her approach; it seemed to me that she had a fierce passion to succeed and wanted to push me to be my absolute best. And I thrived in this environment. She was an awesome role model in my eyes… exactly what I needed to kick-start my first real job, not to mention my career.

Fast forward ten years and I had found myself in my first “management” role, very much emulating my first boss’ “no-nonsense” leadership style.   After all, it had worked for me! But my marketing coordinator had just resigned and the exit interview didn’t cast me in the best light. To sum it up, I needed to be less abrasive, more caring, and give more kudos…otherwise I was going to get a reputation in the industry as being an unreasonable person to work for.

I was shocked. I thought everything had been going so well. A deadline had never been missed, we had been updating marketing collateral that hadn’t been touched in years…virtually all of the goals of the department were being met. But apparently I was missing a “touchy-feely” component to my management approach. In all honesty, I didn’t know that was a requirement of the position. In fact, I was quite perplexed. How could the same approach that had worked so well for me almost a decade ago be yielding such different results?  

I nearly quit over this “bad review.” I couldn’t help but think that I was beyond help…maybe even beyond hope. Ithought I was doing all the “right” things as a manager. I thought that I was doing all the things that would position me as a mentor to an industry newcomer and solidify my position as a leader within the firm. But I had clearly failed at both. I was feeling as low as I had ever felt, both doubting myself and doubting my future within A/E/C.

I needed help… I needed an epiphany…I needed a shrink…hell, I needed a drink! And that’s when both fate and fortune stepped in, because that’s when I happened to run into one of my long-time trusted mentors. She took me to happy hour (of course) and after listening to my story, she gently reminded me of one simple fact: there is no such thing as a “perfect” leader. She was also quick to remind me that there are as many leadership styles on this planet as there are people on this planet! These words of wisdom were just the boost that I needed to pull myself up out of the doldrums…and it wasn’t long before I got my “groove” back.

Add another four years onto this equation and I am still in hot pursuit of my unique leadership style. But the one key difference now is that I stopped focusing on being a “perfect” leader. There is just no such thing. And I was reminded of this once again when I attended the SMPS President’s Leadership Symposium (PLS) last year and was shown a TED Talk by Drew Dudley called Everyday Leadership.

In the video, Drew makes the point that too often people are afraid to step up into a leadership role, or even put themselves into the category of “leader,” because it seems so far out of reach. We make leadership about changing the world...something that is no small feat. But the reality is that there is no world; there are only seven billion views of it. And if you change just one of those viewpoints, then you’ve actually made a difference as a leader. Powerful stuff, huh?

In fact, this idea struck such a chord within me that I decided it would be the basis for my entire tenure as Chapter President. SMPS Arizona’s 2014/15 year would be dedicated to growing leaders through “Lollipop Moments” (watch the video and you’ll get it). And now that I’ve got four years of management under my belt, am nine months into my SMPS Presidency, and just got over the hump of submitting for the Chapter’s “Striving for Excellence” award, this is what I’ve learned on my journey towards “Lollipop Leadership.”

• Tell people your expectations up front. If you expect people to work hard, never miss a deadline, and stay late to finish a project, then be clear in your expectations. Think of it as a verbal job description.
• Recognize your weaknesses and work on them one at a time. I firmly believe that in order for something to become part of your “DNA,” you must continuously practice that "something." My weakness as a leader? I tend to focus on what’s next instead of stepping back and celebrating what has been accomplished. I forget to give kudos when someone has done a fantastic job...so that's what I have focused on THIS year.
• Get in touch with your emotions. I don’t mean this in a “crying at work” or “screaming at the top of your lungs” kind of way. I just mean that every experience comes saddled with some type of emotion. For instance, when I am stressed, I become extremely direct and I forget how this can come across to others.   My “director” mode is entirely unintentional, but not unavoidable…as long as I am aware of it.
• Know when to apologize. If we could go back in time, there is always something that we would do differently, say differently, or approach differently. But since we are still waiting on the invention of the time machine, the only thing we can do is learn from our mistakes and say “sorry.”
• Last but certainly not least, just be YOURSELF. I openly admit that 99% of the time, I am being 100% ME. I’m direct, I’m stubborn and I can be a little bit bossy. And I am nothing like a lot of other leaders out there. But if I remind myself that there is no such thing as a “perfect” leader, then I am better able to embrace my unique valueas a leader…especially when someone is chiding my weaknesses as one.

So what if you’re not a leader? Well I say that’s just absurd. Each one of us is capable of leadership in our own way; we are all “lollipop leaders!” And the beauty of this is that you don’t need a specific title to be seen as a leader, nor are you required to manage a staff or even achieve a certain number of years in the industry to be considered one. All you need is the passion to make a difference and the drive to encourage others to do the same.

Oh…and one more thing. If you ever catch me on one of those days when I’m in “director” mode, I apologize in advance. That's next year's focus LOL!

About the Blogger:  When not serving as President of SMPS Arizona or developing a strategy to win the next project for Concord, Grenee Celuch, CPSM can usually be found having her patience and her stubbornness put to the test by her German Shepherd. After countless years and hours of manipulation, she finally realized 5% of dog training is for the dog and 95% for the human. She credits her dogs with teaching her that you should jump for joy when excited, that snuggling and wet kisses can cancel out even the crappiest of days, and that stopping to smell the roses from time to time is not without its merits.

So I PROMISED myself that I would NOT miss a weekly post for ANY reason, whatsoever.  Basically, hell was going to freeze over before I let it happen.  BUT, I guess hell has frozen over, because I need to take an unscheduled break in posts.  This has been an unusually hectic couple of weeks...I know that most of you will understand.  Despite this small hic-up, I WILL return in full force next Tuesday, May 19th and hope to never use this graphic AGAIN. 

In the meantime, if you have any ideas for a blog post that you want to talk to me about, please send me an email.  Or post your ideas in the "Comments" section below...

Sincerely,
BeatBlogger

Not too long ago, I was rubbing elbows with several Hollywood A-listers…like Christian Bale, Olivia Wilde, Steve Carrell and funny-man Zach Galifianikis. Hell, I once brought Jim Carrey his apple juice and took Steve Buscemi’s lunch order! And when Dave Franco was in Scottsdale promoting his 2013 release for “Warm Bodies,” he asked MEif it was ok to have an adult beverage at 11 AM in between his interviews with the press. Of course, I answered with a resounding “Yes!”

Before coming over to the A/E/C industry, I worked for Hollywood. More specifically, I was a publicist at a Public Relations agency that represented movie studios in the Southwest region, along with the studio’s stars and their films.  The job offered some insanely glamorous opportunities, like flying to Las Vegas to work a press junket, coordinating film premieres and wining and dining actors, actresses, directors and filmmakers when they were in town on tour in support of their films.

When I mentioned my history in Hollywood to BeatBlogger, her eyes practically fell out of her head and she asked me why I would give up such a glamorous gig to market for A/E/C ….an industry, which she was quick to point out has not been known for its glamour as of late.  Which got me to thinking…was the grass really greener working for Hollywood? 

Truth be told, my history is not really all that glamorous.  Yes, I matriculated to A/E/C from a Hollywood PR agency…but I did so with absolutely NO experience to speak of within the professional services world, let alone the engineering side of things.  And being “fresh off Hollywood,” I was a little intimidated to start a job where I was responsible for leading projects in an industry that was entirely new to me.  BUT my dad is an engineer…and I literally grew up with his “engineer speak” (or rather lack thereof), and I soon found that my ability to translate this jumbled techno-jargon into actual understandable English was an asset here…in the real-world of A/E/C.  

My confidence boosted by a little engineering “street cred,” I was quickly realizing that the best practices that I once used for Hollywood to build the foundation for a big-budget film campaign were exactly the same as the ones that I had been using to build an effective marketing plan for A/E/C.  The need to understand the ultimate end goal and the strategy that goes into finding the best and most effective solution to achieve that end goal (whether it be a successful movie opening or securing a project ‘win’ for my firm) actually ran parallel to each other, despite variances in industry.  The basics of marketing remained:  it was STILL all about understanding your audience and communicating value in a way that causes them to stop and take notice.  

My day-to-day “bread n’ butter” as a publicist was to interact with the major decision-makers in Hollywood (i.e. the studio executives), to plan and execute promotional events and deliver publicity opportunities to market a specific film.  But if you just change out a couple words within that sentence, you actually get what I do today:  My day-to-day “bread n’ butter” as an A/E/C marketer is to interact with the major decision-makers in the built environment (i.e. engineers, architects, contractors, etc.), to plan and execute winning proposals and deliver marketing collateral to market a specific team. 

Just as the A/E/C marketer receives periodic RFQ/Ps, chock full of requests for project descriptions, scopes of work, project approaches and team resumes, a PR representative receives a set of directives that details what sort of promotional activities the studio would like to see, who the targeted demographic is, and what the proper formatting will be for final reporting. Just like the popular 90’s saying goes, “same diff.” 

So let me be the first to tell you that there are more similarities than there are differences between what I was doingthen as a publicist and what I’m doing now as a practice-area marketer.  There!  Have I dispelled the myth of all the glitz and glam that comes with working for Hollywood? 

I only mention this because I suspect that at some point in our A/E/C careers, we all get to thinking that the grass is greener elsewhere…like in another industry.  And maybe we start to see marketers in those industries through rose-colored glasses.  We get to thinking that they get to do all the fun stuff in the marketing world (like put together a nifty press junket) while we get stuck with translating techno-jargon for selection committees …WOOPIDY-DO!  But realizing that their harsh realities are mirror images of our harsh realities should help bring us back TO reality…in A/E/C that is.

No matter how you choose to spin it, everyone’s job under the marketing umbrella is to discover and build upon their strongest and most creative strategy.  Whether you’re trading phone calls with the “top dog” at Sony regarding a film, or trading emails with the leading wastewater firm about a project, you are being called upon to provide your insight.  And ultimately, you are the middle man between the public’s eye and the client’s, no matter WHO that client is.  And, that’s not something to take lightly.

Maybe we are EXACTLY where we are supposed to be.  And maybe sealing the deal on that huge proposal (you know, the one that took you three years to land) really does hold the same weight as sharing a ride with an actress as she narrates the text messages between her and Daniel Radcliffe regarding their next big film (true story). OK, so one might not sound as fancy as the other, but consider your audience…

About the Blogger:  Lauren McConnell has a ton of flair; and no, not like Jennifer Aniston’s ‘pieces of flair’ in the movie Office Space.  She has a flair for details that has taken her far in her short period of time in A/E/C.  Outside of the industry, Lauren splits her time between epic classic video game play a la the original Nintendo Entertainment System and long walks with her furry four-legged children, in failed attempts to keep them from eating her couch.

My technical colleagues ask me all the time why marketing people are so “finicky.” It appears that we are guilty of changing jobs frequently over short periods of time. In comparison to whom I’m not really sure, especially throughout the recession, but somehow the stereotype stands. Having amassed nearly 16 years in the profession, I can now say with confidence what I have long since suspected…and I declare it to whomever asks me with a somewhat comical response. I say simply this: “THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH.” Let me explain…

The phrase “seven year itch” has been around for quite a while and has been used to describe any number of conditions including rashes, punishment for bad behavior (huh?) and even hopeless situations (double huh?). But the more modern acceptance of the phrase has to do with reaching a metaphoric fork in the road at the seven year mark of a long-term relationship (or marriage). Epitomized by the 1955 movie starring Marilyn Monroe, it’s a phenomenon that is actually backed up by psychological studies showing this point in time as a period of general restlessness and angst. And the relationship between a marketer and their firm is not much different.

In the early years of our careers, we are incredibly enthusiastic with a seemingly endless amount of energy primed to tackle the marketing world. Whether it’s because we are so young in our occupations or just plain naïve is debatable, but regardless of which it is, we are pretty much willing to do whatever it takes during this phase. You need me to work until three in the morning? No problem! And you want me to come in this weekend, too? Sure thing! Both days? You got it. Did I mention that we somehow manage to do all of this with a smile?

The “honeymoon” phase in a marketer’s profession is not dissimilar to the “honeymoon” phase at the beginning of a serious relationship. Dismissing tedious flaws and red flags in favor of massive rationalizations are a mainstay of this chapter, and in both scenarios we risk forfeiting quite a bit of ourselves in the process. We tread dangerously close to becoming someone that our friends used to know and used to hang out with; two years in and we are barely recognizable as ourselves.

Enter the “temptress” firm…donned in a white flowing dress, luring us away with the promise of “a little affection” (i.e. more money and a better work-life balance) as Marilyn suggests to her co-star Tom Ewell in the famous “subway scene.” This is why so many of us move from firm to firm and on such a predictable two year cycle; this is why we come across to so many in A/E/C as “finicky” job hoppers. Basically, our relationship has soured and we haven’t yet figured out why. All we know is we had NOTHING to do with it LOL! I actually had a two to three year rebound cycle and at three separate firms early on in my career. The job roles were always the same, but there was something forever holding me back from fully committing to any of them.  

I was at my fourth (and current) firm, and coincidentally also at my seven year mark (in A/E/C), when I first started to hear people say to me: “You’ve changed. What happened?” Initially, I wondered what they were talking about. After all, I was still the same person. But their inquiries prompted me to give this perceived “change” some considerable thought. What HAD actually happened?  

At that particular point in time, I had been with my firm for a little over a year and I had no intention of leaving. I had staked my claim on the position, and was functioning much more decisively both as a team member AND as a team leader. I had also reached a point where I was more willing and able to own and manage my own workload. I was like “hey…why am I killing myself for a snowball’s chance at winning this pursuit? Especially during the wee hours of the morning. What am I thinking?” And I became much more assertive about it.

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I had reached the “fork” in my professional life; that “seven year itch” point when you decide you’re going to buckle down and stick with it or you’re going to bail. Like the point in a relationship when you’re NOT yet married and you are wondering what the other person is waiting for. But making THAT kind of long-term commitment means “sugar-coating” the flaws goes out the window; you have got to “grow a set” and own yourpart in the relationship if you want it to LAST. And that’s what I had done!    

Pushing past the “seven year itch” and coming out committed on the other side is an important rite of passage that not all marketers will achieve. What can I say? Some of us are just destined to be wooed by the “temptresses” of A/E/C. But those of us who do reach this point are no longer distracted by white dresses and blowing subway vents. Instead we start wondering why some ditz is standing over a fan without giving a care in the world about shining the entire modern civilization with a view of her “moon.” Thanks, but no thanks…we’ll just work on improving the job that we’ve got…  

Which brings up an interesting twist to this analogy. If you ARE “married” to your firm, like I have been to mine for the past decade, then how does one keep things fresh and interesting? I say don’t be afraid to spice things up! Hey, what you do in your relationship is your business (hee hee hee), but strapping on your red “power” pumps certainly commands attention…and in both instances! Assert your voice and become a force to be reckoned with. Establish boundaries and SHARE your opinions. Have confidence in your portfolio of knowledge. You know what you‘re doing…  

It is actually this attitude adjustment that led my colleagues to take notice of my abilities, ultimately earning me a seat at the “big boy’s” table. And if you’re anything like me, once you get to this point, there is NO GOING BACK. The animal has been let out of its cage! If you have eclipsed the “seven year itch” and come out the other side a stronger marketer, when did it happen for you? Was it actually at the seven year mark? Was it sooner? Or later? I only ask because you don’t HAVE to wait seven years before you take the bull by the horns and make this transition. Despite the label, you can actually sidestep years of heartache if you have the vision and drive to make it happen.     

About the Bloggers:  Brandi Barr is SMPS Arizona's 2015 Education Chair, is a marketer and business developer by day, mom of three and wife 24/7. When not chained to her office, she's an avid sports enthusiast with four fantasy football teams and a passion for the San Francisco Giants. Recently crowned the 2015 Marketer of the Year, she buddied up with the Inaugural 2014 Marketer of the Year, Amy Villasana-Moore CPSM, on this quirky little blog post and was pleasantly surprised by Amy's movie buff contributions.