Guts or Glory
How many times have you followed your gut today? I bet it’s more than you think.
Did you grab your jacket because you just ‘felt’ like it might rain? Or cross the road because the ‘vibe’ just felt off?
Regardless of how good your instincts are at predicting rainfall and fist-fights, the grasp our gut has on our lives is undeniable. The gut is our second brain. And, sometimes, it works faster than the big boss brain upstairs.
But, just like the big boss upstairs, the gut is a fickle brain. Following it is a bit like trusting a tombola. You can’t be 100% sure you’re going to win.
It can be tempting, if you’re a business leader or founder, to want your brands and campaigns to be based on what you feel. On your instincts. They’ve got you this far so why wouldn’t they get you further?
That makes sense in theory, but if you think about it (with either of your brains), in practice it becomes very limiting.
You don’t want to have to approve all the ideas, all the time. What if you’re busy? If you go on holiday? Or you just feel iffy this morning?
Maybe you think your team ‘know what you like’. But are you really going to rely on people reading your mind? Aside from being the worst idea imaginable, it’s not fair and it’s not fun. Gut feelings are too personal and volatile for others to fathom. Expecting your team to second guess your instincts totally undermines their own expertise.
If you work this way, you’ll soon become your brand’s bottleneck. And nobody wants that.
It keeps working while you sleep. And lasts long after you’re gone.
So, when it comes to developing brands, ideas and campaigns, your long-term goal should be to cede control. To reduce your brand’s reliance on any one individual – including yourself and those big boss brains of yours.
The ultimate aim is to arrive at a shared understanding of what the brand is, and where it’s going. To do that leaders can’t afford to take a hands-off approach to the brand development process. That’s a recipe for disaster further down the line when the brand direction just doesn’t ‘feel’ right.
You should be right in the thick of things at the start. In the workshops being poked and prodded with awkward questions. Letting the team in on your instincts, so they can use them as a stepping stone towards a better brand. Let go of your ego and let others turn your spark into a full-blown fire.
Then you’ll arrive at a complex and nuanced brand that takes other people’s insights and expertise into consideration too. A brand that everyone feels part of, and responsible for. A brand that encourages people, and your business, to push on and grow.
All you’ve got to do is trust your team as much as you trust your gut.
Who The LR We?
StudioLR is the creative agency that believes in guts. We’ve been grabbing people’s insides and making them interesting since 2004. If you liked this blog, you might like this one which talks about finding new creative ideas. And also features that Vinnie Jones ad.
