'Now, bringing you live

Certainly for their skill and ability to do things with their bodies that I could never even dream about; but more importantly, for the fact that they perform their jobs, day in and day out, in a public fishbowl.

Every move they make, both on the field of their sport, as well as in their personal lives, is subject to the most extreme media scrutiny. Every mistake, every zit, every stupid thing they do (and which every person, athlete or not, does) is recorded and commented upon.

What would your life, and your job, be like if you were exposed to the same relentless analysis that sportsmen go through?

Announcer Bob: “We are here, live, to watch Eric Rosenkranz give the final presentation on his strategic proposal to the New Client Company.”

Commentator Tim: “Yes, Bob. It has been an excruciating march to this point. Rosenkranz has had to battle five other consulting companies to get to this final pitch.” 

Announcer Bob: “But doesn’t he have a habit of choking at the end?”

Commentator Tim: “Yes, Bob. The last six pitches Rosenkranz has been in, he has flubbed the last slide and the client has walked out in disgust.”

Announcer Bob: “Let’s hope he changes. I know he has been practising with a new coach and trainer for this moment. He has new slides and a new suit and tie so we know he wants things to be different. Here he goes. He is making the presentation now. The client seems quite interested. The client is staring intently at the screen. Rosenkranz is flying now. He is making excellent points. He is driving home his recommendations!”

Commentator Tim: “This reminds me of 2007 when he won 14 straight pitches and ended up on top of the league standings for consultancies in Asia. What a comeback!”

Announcer Bob: “Wait a minute. What is this? He seems to have lost the plot. His last recommendation seems a bit off. The client seems confused. Rosenkranz seems confused. He goes back to an earlier slide. That doesn’t help. Now he fast forwards to a new slide. The slides appear out of order. His cellphone is ringing. He forgot to turn it off. He doesn’t know what to do!”

Commentator Tim: “Now the client is shaking his head. He is getting up to leave. Oh no. This is a repeat of 2011 when Rosenkranz miffed the Carbuncle account in the closing minutes of the pitch.”

Announcer Bob: “Let me interrupt. We have Rosenkranz’s coach on the line. Coach, what happened?”

Coach Bill: “We practised that slide endlessly, but Rosenkranz simply can’t execute the way he could when he was young. I think it is time for him to give it up.”

Announcer Bob: “We have Rosenkranz’s wife now, live from the reception area. Let’s see if we can talk with her. She is surrounded by a ring of reporters. What’s this? She is standing next to someone from McKansey, Rosenkranz’s biggest competitor. They appear to be kissing. She shakes her head and they leave together, hand in hand. What a blow for Rosenkranz. First he loses the pitch, then his wife!”

Commentator Tim: “A sad day for the veteran, Bob. It’s hard to see how Rosenkranz can recover from this. It may be time for him to hang it all up. He’s packing his briefcase now in disgust. The conference room is empty. We’ll try to interview him now.”

Announcer Bob: “In a moment. Now, let’s cut live to the Starbucks on Soi Lang Suan, where the barista has been trying to make a double venti no fat soy caramel latte for the last five minutes. We have it on close communication that if Khun Ploy doesn’t get it right this time, her days may be numbered. Let’s go there…”

 

Who among us could stand such scrutiny? Our daily lives covered in minute detail?

Yet, in some ways, we do. Every act we take, every thought we utter, is remembered and noted by someone. The good and the bad. People remember insults and slights, and remember thoughtful words and gestures.

I run a strategic advisory. I don’t advertise. I don’t sell my services. People hear about my work. They hear from others. If people like my work, they say so. If people don’t like my work, or don’t like me, they say that also. My business lives or dies by word of mouth. 

Whether you run your own company, or work for a big corporation, this goes true for all. Even if we are not shown live on TV while we perform, nevertheless people are watching. 

When I go into a presentation, I like to think that 50,000 people are watching me on TV, and that commentators are analysing my every word. It makes me sharp, makes me prepare, makes me think just a little bit more about what I do and say. And the truth is, we never know who is watching us.

 

Eric Rosenkranz (www.ethree-asia.com) runs a strategic advisory assisting both existing companies as well as start-ups to develop their long-term strategy and achieve success in their business.

Follow his “Creating Success” series in this Hi! Managers column every fourth Friday of the month.

 

Follow-up: In last month’s column, I said I would give a shout out to the first person who wrote in with an explanation of where the word “Yahoo” came from. Domy P Aguilar Jr was the first reader to correctly identify the Yahoos as a group of crude country folk from the 18th century novel “Gulliver’s Travels” by Jonathan Swift. James Watt writing all the way from Atlanta, Georgia also correctly responded.