3.004: tell them why - an idea worth spreading

One of the more rewarding aspects of my job is the customer interaction it affords me to have with some of the largest IT organizations in the world. I am frequently called upon to brief customers in EMC's renowned Executive Briefing Centers, both here in Hopkinton MA as well as at our other EBCs in Santa Clara and Cork, Ireland (to name just two).

Thankfully, EMC has invested to deploy Cisco Telepresence at numerous EMC facilities, and recently we've linked our TP network with several partners (like Cisco and AT&T), affording the opportunity to speak with multiple customers around the globe on a single day, without even one second spent in an airplane.

I humbly admit that I'm pretty good at what I do, or perhaps even more humbly, allow me to politely note that customers and sales teams alike consistently rate my briefing sessions and presentations very highly in their visit and event assessments. I am often pleased to receive follow-up feedback from an account team that attributes a portion of their success to an EBC session with me, or to receive a note from a customer asking me if I could find time to share my perspectives with their management or peers.

And, as you might expect, I am often asked to explain how it is that I handle these briefings and presentations so well, and indeed that is a very difficult question to respond to. To be sure, simple experience plays a role, as does a deep understanding of the topics that I am called upon to discuss. But there are oodles of experienced subject matter experts who aren't good at this sort of thing (I'm sure we've all sat through more than one death-by-PowerPoint session, eyes glued to the clock in hopes that the session ends before the misery saps our very lifeblood away – so to speak). As a result, the true answer has eluded my conscious response for years.

Last week, while on vacation, I happened upon what I believe is the answer to the question; the answer not only to why my briefings stand out for my audiences, but perhaps indeed the secret behind all why inspirational, motivating and enjoyable presenters.

Notice, I said "Why" and not "How" my presentations are different, or "What" makes my sessions click.

The answer is in the "why…"

ideas worth spreading

That's the motto of TED, if you didn't know. TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. The annual conferences bring together the world's most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes). On TED.com, they make the best talks and performances from TED and partners available to the world, for free. More than 700 TEDTalks are now available, with more added each week.

My answer to the question was found in this simple, seemingly innocuous TED talk from Simon Sinek, given last September 2009 at TEDxPugent Sound. The multimedia supporting materials may be rather dull, but the core message – well, see for yourself.

Now, I'm not suggesting that I'm in the same class as Steve Jobs, the Wright Brothers or Martin Luther King Jr. – I most definitely am not.

BUT…

As I listened to myself presenting to my first customer this past Monday (fresh back from vacation), it struck me that indeed, it is when I was discussing the WHY behind the products that the room was most engaged and attentive – and not during my discussions of the products themselves! Focusing in on this with a sudden awareness of what I have apparently been doing subconsciously, I even found myself answering "how" and "what" questions first with the motivational reasons for why the product does what it does, followed by the what and how.

And occasionally, the subliminal approval from my audience came during those Why? answers, long before the what or how was addressed.

And sometimes that approval wasn't even subliminal…when heads start bobbing up and down while you're explaining that the driving mission behind all this talk about Cloud and FAST and automated just-in-time provisioning and distributed active/active federation is really all about simplifying and automating IT operations so that it takes fewer people less time to maintain a highly optimized Information Infrastructure…well, you know you've struck up a common chord, a shared vision, a unifying objective with your audience.

And when you and your audience click like that - agree on the why - then the rest all seems to fall into place.

By example, it strikes that Steve Jobs probably doesn't lose sleep over the inarguable fact that an iPad is just an oversized iPod touch – for those early adopters who share the inspirational vision of his "magical" new device, the term "oversized iPod" is in fact a compliment. And you can call me a zealot, a techno-geek or even a dolt – but I'm also a happy iPad user, in large part because I am sold on the "why?" that defined the iPad's what and how. Can it be better? Sure? But it also already allows me to do things I've wanted to do but couldn't with any other platform – 'tis indeed already "magical" for me. And for my wife, and my neighbor's wife, and the kid who sat next to me at my nephew's graduation last Friday – all whom don't really care that "what" it is is just an overgrown iPod Touch…

Now all this is not to say that the "what" isn't important – in our technical world, the folks that toil tirelessly to make all this stuff work simply have to know the "what" and "how." But I am beginning to comprehend that it is more the "why" – the motivation behind the product's roadmap - that really drives the success of a product. Several of those heads bobbing up and down in that briefing were on the shoulders of the ones who have to manage and operate the products we were discussing – and their managers weren't even in town for the briefings.

They honestly appear to believe in the Why…

Call it drinking the kool-aid if you will, but if your customer buys in to the same "why" that motivates your product, both your customers' and your product's chances for success are tremendously increased. It's an important learning, and one that is inarguably difficult to learn. The blogs of both @AceSage (Kirby Wadsworth's Storage Sanity) and @stevedupe (Steve Duplessie's The Bigger Truth) often nibble at the edges of this very revelation, and the age-old adage "1 part inspiration, 99 parts perspiration" serves as homage to the point that people will work tirelessly or stand in the heat and humidity of the Washington Mall in August if they are truly inspired.

Sins will be forgiven, seas will part, and the road will rise up to meet your feet – if only you:

Tell them Why!

 

technorati tags: TED,Apple,iPad,Steve Jobs,FAST,Tiered Storage,Cloud Computing,VPLEX,VMAX,Simon Sinek,Martin Luther King Jr.,Wright Brothers,leadership,marketing

Comments

[Corridan-gregg Natalie]

Barry, that was an awesome post. As I listened to the clip I heard an explanation of what I always felt, but could never have hoped to articulate. I will never be a presenter of your caliber, but I do always talk from the "heart". Thanks for sharing. Natalie

[Barry Whyte]

Maybe the true virtualized story works too, and we have the realy why, and thats why I get asked back again and again by the briefing center - despite it not being my job!

Or maybe you need a forename of Barry - lol

[the storage anarchist]

Natalie -

Dont' sell yourself short.

I once dubbed you "The Queen of Ease of..." because you were so effective in helping the engineers understand WHY they needed to make things easier to use and manage...they were able to make a better WHAT because you made the WHY crystal clear...

[the storage anarchist]

BarryW -

I think it takes more than having Barry as your forename (although having a "Y" in your name probably does help!).

Glad to hear your not impressed by VPLEX. That's great - just move along, these are not the 'droids you are looking for.

(A couple more back-and-forth comments, and we'll surely work in a reference to every single SciFi movie from the 80's!)

[Barry Whyte]

I always wanted to turn off some big (previously critical) machine that has a big handle like O-B-Wan does when he shuts off the tractor beam... wooooooooommmmmm - you'd just have to make the noise...

But i know what your mean, there is nothing like connecting with someone. That point in a briefing when u almost see the light come on above their head... it makes it all feel worthwhile - i had two of those this week.

We could move on from Sci-fi... but maybe... some points for anyone that gets... "the chance to begin again in a golden land of opportunity and adventure" surely one of the sci-fi classics of the 80's

[MauroAyala]

Awesome post Barry,two weeks ago I had my first EBC and I see you walking in front of my room, I didn't have the opportunity to see you in a presentation but I am looking forward ..... This post really help me in my job has Technology Consultant, thanks again to share that.

[alvarezjedi]

Barry,

I've attended an EBC briefing in which you presented. I missed the first 2 minutes where you introduced yourself and your role and I wasn't familiar with your face so I wasn't sure who it was speaking to us when I walked in late. My first impression was, "wow, this guy doesn't even button up his out of style double breasted suit jacket - does it even fit him?" My final impression was, "Man, this guy just wasted an hour of our time."

During that long, awkward silence at the end of your shpeel we in the room weren't thinking "hey, he's pretty good at what he does, let's writeup an assessment", we were looking for an exit. You robbed me of an hour of my life dragging us through this circular talk where you first state the obvious and then drop hints at technology that wasn't fully baked. But, in your blog you "humbly" admit your over confidence so I'll give you a pass.

So just to let you know, this isn't a hate post. I just get bothered by people who pat their own backs publicly. And if you have some guts, you won't censor my post and take my verbal lickin' like a man - it builds character, right?

PS I do think you write a mean blog, you should stick to doing that!

[the storage anarchist]

Thanks...I am humbled by the feedback.