Breaking Up the Band
November 3, 2009
Back in June, I wrote a post sharing my good news with anyone who would listen about my dream job and how it materialized when I least expected it to show up, but was most prepared to find it.
And then I promptly fell off the face of the blogging planet.
I’ve been really busy working a lot since then. I’ve also been really busy learning a lot since then. Mostly, I’ve learned more about the traditional side of marketing. But there were some unexpected lessons as well.
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned I should’ve probably figured out somewhere in my twenties, but seemed to have missed in the quest to acquire such useful skills as casting bronze and living in a tent.* It seems that having two totally diverse visions only works well in collaboration if you are John Lennon & Paul McCartney (and even that didn’t last forever.)
In Plain English
Let me just ditch my tendency toward metaphor for a bit and put things down here as clearly as I can.
Over the past four and a half months, I’ve had the privilege to be the Director of Social Media for Collective Bias. But increasingly it’s been evident to both John Andrews (managing partner) and I that we weren’t heading in the same direction.
John and I have known each other since July of 2008 when he started the Walmart ElevenMoms program and asked me to be a part of it. We worked well together on that program and became friends along the way, so when he asked me to join his newly formed Social Media agency? It seemed like a natural fit for both of us.
But in a startup, the pressures are different than they are in an established company. Leadership really must be on the same page and the vision has to be pretty clear. You don’t have the luxury of spending a lot of time negotiating every little detail – there’s a lot of work to be done if you want to make it past the startup phase. And there are always too few people to do that work even in a well-funded startup. No man hours can afford to be wasted on anything that isn’t going to help the company move forward.
Striking the Wrong Chord
It didn’t take John and me very long to figure out that we weren’t harmonizing well. (Yes, we’re back to the music metaphor. I can’t help myself, it fits!) It’s not that we weren’t both accomplished artists, it’s that we were singing entirely different tunes. It was confusing the rest of the band… it was making things sound horrible to the audience… it was generally just not working for anyone.
When John first suggested to me that we really needed to re-evaluate the nature of my role in the company, I couldn’t hear what he was saying. After all, except in the fast-paced world of the Internet, we had barely started. I heard instead that he didn’t like my tune. So I resisted and kept insisting that we could figure it out if we just tried harder.
I was wrong. Trying harder isn’t always the solution.
It’s kind of like singing louder – it doesn’t make the tune any more pleasant, it just means that you either drown someone else out or you end up shrieking trying to be heard.Neither makes sense.
So a couple of weeks ago, I came to the same conclusion John had already reached. Something had to change. Someone had to back down. And honestly? It had to be me.
I had to realize that just because the band wasn’t going to sing the tunes I have in my head didn’t mean that those tunes weren’t good, and just because they weren’t mine didn’t mean that the ones John was creating weren’t good either. But I’ve been the metaphorical equivalent of a jazz singer trying to fit into a rock band.
Yeah, it took mere months & not years for me to figure out that this band wasn’t the right band for me and for John to figure out that I wasn’t the right singer for his band. So sue us. Maybe we don’t need to have a Yoko Ono to bear the blame. Maybe we’re smart enough to figure it out before we end up only talking through our press agents.
Whether or not anyone else thinks it was enough time to figure it out? We do. So after much conversation, we’ve worked out a transition plan that works best for us.
A Long, Lingering Note
So, at the end of November, I’ll be leaving Collective Bias as their Director of Social Media. We decided to take our time and do it right, so we can get everything transitioned and get the right person/people in place that will help John and his company to move forward with his vision.
If you’ll forgive me for sticking to my band metaphor past the point of prudence? I’ll be finishing a few gigs we already had agreed to while Collective Bias auditions my replacement and s/he learns their songs. I may even sit in from time-to-time down the road if they need me and I’m available (we call that ‘working contractually’ or ‘consulting’ in the non-music world.)
So, was it my dream job? Yes. And No.
But it was definitely worth pursuing to find out – as are all such dreams – and I would do it all over again. I was privileged to work with an amazing team of people and I learned a lot from each of them. I consider myself very fortunate to be given the opportunity.
Are we “breaking up the band” as I said in my title? No, not really. Collective Bias will go on to make their own Social Media music without me.But, after next month? I’ll be able to hang out in the audience enjoying their performances, while I keep working on the songs that are in my own heart.
*Those skills are real, but that’s a post for another day.
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18 Responses to “Breaking Up the Band”
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Well written article. So glad you’re making the right moves for you..and CB. I know you’ll be happy to “sing your own tune.” Bravo to both you and John for figuring it out before it was too late.
Good on ya.
Gotta march to your own drummer, and it’s one of the things I adore about you. Sing it, sister.
Thanks guys – sometimes it’s hard to know when to say when – but I think we got it right.
Just have to stay true to you and your heart – good for you and John – making the effort to ‘harmonize’ and recognizing when to stop. There are big things waiting for you, friend.
Very well written article. Sometimes realizing things aren’t working and stepping down can be very hard to do. I pity the person who tries to fill your shoes….he will probably realize that he will need to hire 2 people to fill your 1 spot. LOL
very well said, I know this has been tough for you, I am glad you both were able to recognize that it was “out of tune” if you would have tried lip syncing everyone would have just been miserable.
What a great post and it’s great that you were both able to recognize what was and wasn’t working that is a huge thing in and of itself
So now I know where you have been hiding..
The soloist,
Seems to suit the you I remember..
~smile~
Lucretia,
Thank-you for all you’ve done to help Collective Bias get off the ground! We appreciate all of your wisdom and insights and look forward to working with you in the years to come!
I don’t know why really, but this post made me wipe my eyes… sniff. You write beautifully and I love the tunes that both you and John play, and it is sad to realize you are not playing in the same band anymore. And I’m with Sandy – who could ever even begin to fill your shoes? Impossible!! Can’t wait to see what’s up for you next!
Thanks you guys. I know it’s not until the end of November – but I’m already sad about leaving.
I would make the same choice again even knowing what happened. It was a good experience.
Thanks John. For more than the comment above!
And Katja & Sandy? You guys are way too nice about the shoe thing… There will be someone who can fill that position better for John than I ever could, because s/he will be singing the same kind of music that CB is!
It’s so nice to read your post, I can just tell the kind of person you are! I’m glad to hear that you are happy with the experience, I’ll think good thoughts so that you may have something more your tune come your way! (You never know what’s around the corner, right?)
Lucretia… I’ve always thought the world of you. You’re smart, dedicated and full of determination. Keep making YOUR music… sing, dance, twhirl (aah… the social media puns). Your professionalism and humor and love and honesty in this post shows your character… very cool!! Hope I get to see you soon!!
xo
Audrey
You both make such beautiful music, it is just different music, like you said Jazz and Rock and Roll, BOTH music I love and Both GREAT genre’s of music, but just different.
TOTAL Kudo’s to Both of you for figuring this all out , u know it takes REALLY intelligent people to know when to say when!!!
Just don’t you dare go into hiding now or something cause I will be singing the Blues !!!!
XO Love You Woman !!!! XO
Beth
“He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.”
Lao-Tzu
The Lord Provides
Lucretta,
John and CB were lucky to have a woman working for them that was wise enough to know when something wasn’t working and do something about it. It’s hard to throw in the towel sometimes…takes courage, honesty and a whole lot of will power. I agree with Sandy and Katja… filling those shoes will be challenging, but the right fit will come along and harmony will again prevail. You rock and I can’t wait to see what your next endeavor will bring!
Lucretia…sorry for the previous misspell:( I’m still delirious from shopping in the middle of the night for Black Friday. Ooops:)
I’m late to this post (just realized that you weren’t in my bloglines account?!)
Anyway, I just wanted to say “kudos” for the class act explanation. I love the analogy and can’t wait to hear your future music!
All the best.