A few weeks ago – thanks to Metallica’s managers – I was asked to give a presentation to another of the bands in their roster.
They’re not as big or as successful as their management mates, but they are definitely a name and had a lot of ideas about the future.
I was asked to give my perspective on what they were thinking so wrote a presentation called, ‘How to stop you becoming twats’.
To be honest, it wasn’t going to be called that, it was just an internal working title – designed to scare their management team more than anything – so you can imagine my surprise when they just laughed and said I should keep it.
I must admit, I was very, very suspicious about why they were OK with it but decided to go with it because at the very least, I could blame them, haha.
Anyway, despite the very curious faces on zoom as I presented to them at 4am New Zealand time, it seemed to have gone down well … which is why I was somewhat surprised when the day after I received this email from one of the team.
Putting aside the worry they may have actually told me to present that title because they thought I would get murdered for it, it’s quite nice to have delivered a presentation of blunt truth [albeit, well intentioned] and been thanked for it.
It’s not as good as the insult I got from Lars – which was part of this preso – but it’s still good.
Now you may wonder how I got away with it?
Well I don’t really know …
However I do have a long career of being able to be very blunt with clients in a way where they continually invite me back.
I don’t think it’s because they’re masochists.
And I certainly don’t do it because I am a prick.
It’s purely because my sole focus is to help them win better.
It’s amazing what you can get away with when the person knows your ambition is for them, not for you.
Or as one of my best ever clients said to me – the NIKE CMO, Simon Pestridge – “middle management want to be right, senior management want to know how to be better”.
I may not suggest doing it in the way I do it, but truth should never be hidden or sugarcoated to the point where no one can actually taste anything you’re saying.
And if anyone pushes back on you for wanting to do this, just point them to this post … because if senior figures in global brands and members of global rockbands can take it, anyone can.
_________________________________________________________________________________
It’s a long weekend here for the Queen’s birthday, so enjoy the weekend and the exert day off free from my rubbish next week.