Insubordination
Insubordination
There was an article in the Harvard Business Review about insubordination and entrepreneurship (in a company) and how it a fine line (or gray area).
As most of you know, I have had the pleasure of working for some great technology companies, all of them at the beginning of their life, all of them in "start-up" mode, and all of them incredibly successful (or quickly became).
Throughout my career, if you spoke to my previous supervisors (from directors, to CEO's), I have been insubordinate - because I believed in my cause/case so strongly, that I strongly voiced (over and over) what I believed. I would figure that 90% of the time, I was correct (and they would agree to this also).
The basis was that we had and were working in an entrepreneurial atmosphere. Because of this, we had to act and work like entrepreneurs. Meaning, we had to think of unorthodox marketing strategies - not your basic Marketing 101 strategies and plans.
Because of this, I helped all of these companies be successful - because I worked and thought like an entrepreneur, bringing new and innovative thinking to their marketing plans. I didn't invent a physical product - I don't have that great of a mind - but, the same entrepreneurs that invented the product, needed the same thinking that went into the product, and innovative marketing approach.
What am I trying to say? Just that, if you are involved with an incredible product, that you KNOW will be hugely successful, and you have a strategy to bring the product to market that you KNOW will succeed, then, stand up for what you what, don't "fold" easily. Don't give in. Even when I was an Asst. Marketing Manager, I stood up and stated what I believed. If it fell on deaf ears, then, I said it again, until it was heard. After I knew that it was heard, and they still said "no", then, I backed off.
Stand up for what you believe in, even if it comes to that fine line of insubordination. I'm NOT saying to sabotage the product or company (come on - then you SHOULD be fired!!!), but, make sure that your voice is heard. There are so many people out there who have incredible marketing idea's, and don't speak up, or speak up once and don't do it again. Don't be shy - your product may succeed more then you can imagine if you speak up.