The Power of Three

Numbers have huge mystical significance. 9 is the number of wisdom, 6 of beauty and 7 perfection – any coincidence that it’s Christiano Ronaldo’s shirt number? But it’s way too early in this piece for sporting analogies.

For the management and marketing guru, Ruth Saunders, the lucky number seems to be 3. She has recently hosted another in the excellent series of #braveleaders events. In these the Marketing Society is really pushing the agenda for our profession: raising taboo topics and creating comfortable environments for uncomfortable discussions.

Ruth handed out three of her newly published books at the end of the session. I’m sure it is an excellent read. 

The focus of the session was how to stay brave while under attack, how to stay calm and achieve the result you want while under examination in a board meeting.

Ruth covered three (that number again) areas, offering suggestions when one is:

1.      Questioned

2.      Challenged

3.      Attacked

Under the first topic it is important to recognise that a key process of a well-functioning board is to question. To board members it is the rational process, their way to understand and to come to a consensus. Most exco meetings have a healthy tension in them. It is sometimes uncomfortable to come into them to present a well-rehearsed presentation. The important thing Ruth pointed out is that often the questioning is positive, not personal. She advised on staying calm, answering rationally and at the conclusion to always confirm that you have the agreement of the board to the proposal or recommendation.

It is also important to use the board process appropriately. To not make it a big dramatic reveal, to share early and sometimes individually with the board members. It is important to allow time for individuals to go away and discuss with peers and to see if they are a lone voice.

She has also found that often it can take a few meetings to reach agreement. Her experience was that three was the crucial number. The first to introduce, the second to reinforce and demonstrate the conviction (and support from powerful elements in the business) and the third to share the positives.

The second topic is more uncomfortable, that of being challenged. Here it is vital not to resort to a parent and child interaction. It must remain adult to adult, but respectful of positions in the hierarchy. Sometimes if challenged and emotions are running high it is very sensible to retreat, allow things to cool off and then readdress the issue, but to try and be the voice of truth. Talking in facts and actions not opinions. Here was another rule of three, to be factual, to be the voice of truth and to present what is best for the business. In this way, the tension can be removed and a reasonable conclusion reached.

Sometimes it is worthwhile, particularly to the most aggressive interrogators, to be complimentary and to ask opinion and questions. To avoid making statements, create a conversation. Boards don’t have a lot of fun, so if you can use humour to diffuse the situation it can work, but don’t come across as flippant. As the great Billy Connelly says: “You don’t have to be solemn to be serious”.

Which moves us on to the last area, of outright aggression. Sometimes this is created by previous proceedings in the meeting and are very difficult to read. Ruth’s top tip here is not to shrink back, recognise your own body language. She recounted one occasion where she was under heavy attack and was physically shrinking from the situation. Once she recognised this she opened out her arms and sat back, allowing herself to be vulnerable, but also demonstrating in a visceral way that she was open and confident – a great tip.

Under this type of aggressive cross-examination there is a need to be flexible, not blasé. To turn questions on the questioner and try to isolate the real reason for the attack. Again, retreat is acceptable after clarification is sort. It can be good to go under the ego, respecting the individual’s professional role but stating it from your own professional experience.

I think I have captured a small fraction of the great insights, tips and questions of the session. Thank you, Ruth, and the Society for another excellent session.

The biggest rule of three for me is go into the meeting with absolute clarity of the 3 things you want out of the session. It could be 5 - but that doesn’t fit with the theme of this article. Therefore, wherever the discussion may meander you can always bring it back on course.

By Dan Vivian, Business Development Director at Proctor + Stevenson

@SusPathfinder