MOM Brands: Why it’s good to vent, as long as you can laugh about it afterwards
While the best ideas are rarely invented by committees, translating a great concept into a commercially viable product is a joint effort.
And this means that people really do have to be team players (and not just say so in interviews), said the first speaker of the day, Mom Brands VP innovation and commercialization Dave Duffy, who devoted his presentation to ‘embracing conflict’.
Tension between R&D and marketing (“like oil and water, they don’t mix”) is to be expected, said Duffy, who confessed to having a “really good blow out” with a marketing colleague a couple of weeks ago (followed by laughter and handshakes)
“Sometimes you need to let people vent,” he said, as long as things don’t get personal, and you retain your sense of humor, and perspective (easier said than done).
His tips for successful ‘passionate collaboration’?
- Say what you want to say in the meeting (don’t wait till you leave the room to say what you really think).
- Don’t get personal.
- Don’t lose your sense of humor. “Laughter eases tension.”
- Make ‘yes’ your first response.
- Ask what would need to be true to make this happen?
- Let people vent. “Sometimes you really have to go into that explosive moment.”
