Yup, That’s Me
doing a little stretching out two months ago. I couldn’t be more grateful for this flexible, healthy body of mine. It’s probably a combination of many years of yoga, clean living, the structure of my joints and the length of my connective tissue. But there’s more to flexibility than that. Let’s call it an attitude.

I Sat In The Media Buyer’s Office
and heard her say the fateful words, “Sorry, you’ve got 10 minutes, not the 30 we originally scheduled.” Yikes! I was the National Advertising Manager of the Boston Herald, making a sales call at CBS TV in Los Angeles. There was a lot riding on this meeting, which had been planned for weeks and was a Very Big Deal.

What To Do?
I took my carefully-organized pitch deck (on paper, pre-PowerPoint) and pushed it to the side. I don’t remember exactly what I said in lieu of what I had so painstakingly rehearsed, but I do remember exactly what the buyer said when I stopped talking at the 8-minute mark (leaving time for some conversation). 

She Told Me That
most media salespeople, and she had seen hundreds, would just zip through their prepared material super-fast, cramming every last detail in, no matter what the time constraints were. “But you did something different. You changed it up, slowed down, and talked to me, not at me. That was unexpected. Well done.”

It’s Not Just What You Say
it’s how you say it. It’s how you use the platform, the podium, the meeting, the Zoom/Teams call, and whatever time you’re given…to make a difference.

We’re Living And Working
in a time of upheaval and uncertainty. We’ve all heard the word “unprecedented” bandied about. So what can you do differently? Be flexible. Adapt, modify, readjust, shift, revise, pivot. And not in a negative way, but in a positive, forward-thinking effort to stay nimble. You’re not being less of who you are; you’re expanding and being more.

A Good Stretch
can be a great stress-buster, but flexibility isn’t just a soft skill. Think of it as a hard-edged business strategy to be heard and stay relevant. Flexibility is not “winging it.” It will often take even more preparation time as you plan for a range of possible outcomes. You can call it stretching your ability to absorb changing scenarios. You can also call it leadership.   

Flexibility Means Staying Alert
When we’re communicating, we need to keep reading audience cues in real time. What are you noticing? Facial expressions? Head nods (or not)? Are they taking notes? Leaning in? Checking their phones? Looking engaged? Bored? If attention is waning, be flexible enough to authentically respond and do something different. Sometimes the moment deserves a narrative shift:

  • Let me pause here to…
  • I’m going to stop and pose a question.
  • Let’s take a step back and…
  • How is this landing? Is this making sense?
  • We’ve been looking at the Big Picture. Now let’s get very detailed and specific about…
  • You’ve seen the specifics. But our industry as a whole represents a broader view…  

That Sales Call In LA?
I made the sale and got The Herald included on the buy. It was a win. And perhaps more importantly, I learned a valuable lesson and love to tell the story. I’m also about to get down on the floor and enjoy a nice, long stretch. This writing stuff is hard work!

Stretch on, my friends. We all deserve to feel good. You can do this.

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