My grandparents, God bless them, are approaching their 66th wedding anniversary. Last week, my grandfather fractured his pelvis and landed in the hospital. He’s 90 and a fighter like you’ve never met. But this isn’t about him (his turn will come in this space), this post is about a lesson I’ve learned from my bubbie, who’s a remarkable 88 years old herself.
I’ve watched her time and time again through challenging situations and she handles everything that’s thrown at her with grace, dignity and a sense of humour. And we’re not talking little stuff: tragic deaths, health scares in the family, family divorces, and outliving most of her peers. Through it all, she’s been a rock.
Because she’s always able to go with the flow.
And not to trivialize the things she’s been through, but I was thinking about this, how some people have the natural ability to go with things, while others just can’t. And I realized that clients, brands and companies are cut from the same cloth: they either go with the flow, or they can’t.
And, of course, I don’t mean the “laissez-faire” go with the flow, I mean the “adjust, address and move on” go with the flow.
Going with the flow is about:
- Having the right response for the right situation
- Acting, not overreacting
- Moving things forward no matter the circumstances
- Listening first, then responding appropriately
- Keeping calm to calm others
In short, it’s about Give + Take Marketing.
Can you think of examples of how you were able to go with the flow to the benefit of those around you? How about examples of companies that did the same in a tight situation?
P.S. Bubbie (though I doubt very much that you’re reading this in a newsreader), thanks for showing me how to go with the flow. I haven’t mastered it like you, but I hope to get there! Happy Mother’s Day.
UPDATE: I meant to include this picture, one of my recent favourites. It was taken at my grandparent’s 65th wedding anniversary party last summer. That’s my bubbie, showing perfect contentment at being with family and friends.
May 11th, 2007 at 2:15 am
I believe that sometimes you can dare to go against the flow… like in the song of “the the”: If you can’t change yourself, change the world.
But go with the flow as you define it is often the right attitude.
I remember a few years ago, my former company was about to sign a structural partnership with an international portal. I felt the construction of the deal was terrible and I was emotionnaly involved since I had to fire 50% of my staff. I chose to be collaborative and not confrontational and remained objective. With this attitude and by asking the right questions, everybody understood the weakness of the partnership. Eventually, we stopped the discussions and worked out the first Belgian blog platform (more than 3 years ago) that became a tremendous succes. Nobody was fired. We even hired extra people and gained market shares.
The negative side is that I left a lot of energy in this and had a burn out just after :)
About your grandparents, my grandma is just like yours :) I hope your grandfather will recover soon.
May 11th, 2007 at 6:25 am
Thanks, Philippe. Thanks for the “The The” quote, it’s absolutely dead on. Great example, too, of you being able to go with the flow. It goes without saying that I mean it in a proactive, positive way. Thanks for the kind wishes too, my grandfather is definitely doing better. Thanks!
May 11th, 2007 at 9:11 am
I couldn’t agree more. The greatest attribute of creative thinkers (in my opinion) is the ability to relate 2 seemingly un-related events and to draw the parallels, and you have pulled that off here.
You are dead on in your assessment of the person and of the relation of those characteristics to business and brands.
Great Job. Great Post
May 11th, 2007 at 4:27 pm
Great wisdom from your Bubbie, and it’s fantastic that you recognize and appreciate it — especially while Bubbie is still here to hear you tell her so.
My Bubbie, who would be about 110 if she were alive now, was from the generation before your Bubbie’s. She came from a time and a place where women took a back seat, but she never did. Had their been a women’s lib movement back then, I’m sure she would have been right there in the front row.
But she taught my mother, and through her, me about going with the flow, even though she never expressed it in those terms. She also taught me a lesson to add to your Bubbie’s list — you get more with honey than with vinegar.
Great post for Mother’s Day weekend, Mark.
May 11th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
Jamie: Thanks, bro. And now we have how we feel about Bubbie on the record (not that it needed to be).
David: Thanks so much for the words of wisdom you learned from your bubbie. My wife smiled when I told her that one. Enjoy your weekend with your daughter.
May 13th, 2007 at 10:06 pm
Mark,
Agree with this post..obviously. I think though that you missed one aspect of Bubby’s personality. Yes she goes with the flow, but I believe that is an offshoot of her seeing things for what they are and telling it like it is. She never colors anything with Rose colored glasses, unless it is a rose! Having worked in Sales and Marketing my entire working life, I have seen marketeers and small and large corporations ignore reality and try and force square pegs into round holes with mallets…always at the very high expense of the companies they work for. If marketeers would take off the rose colored glasses and see things for what they are, they may win less awards, but would they not be more effective at their jobs? Just like bubby…somewhat less obviously influential throughout our lives, but don’t we think back now to how much more influence she has had over the people we have become than we ever could have imagined! Is this not what would describe the ideal position a company would want from a marketing campaign?
May 14th, 2007 at 6:57 pm
Your Bubbie is beautiful. Thanks for sharing her wisdom.
May 14th, 2007 at 9:42 pm
Lee, you’re exactly right on here. When I spoke to Bubbie on the phone today, I sensed exactly what you describe, her unabashed honesty and ability to just tell it like it is. What a powerful thing to be able to do, we should all learn from it, as individuals and as professionals.
C.B.: Thanks so much. And you’re right, she’s absolutely beautiful.