Colin Savage
👤 SpeakerAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
This is how we could link a dovetail or a pipeline into getting new people in a new market we might make. So it took a lot of time, but I was very surprised and very proud that we actually managed to get this kind of a lead. I got support from lovely people within the organization. They provided their time to me. We moved ahead. It took two years, but the change did happen.
This is how we could link a dovetail or a pipeline into getting new people in a new market we might make. So it took a lot of time, but I was very surprised and very proud that we actually managed to get this kind of a lead. I got support from lovely people within the organization. They provided their time to me. We moved ahead. It took two years, but the change did happen.
And it was actually a real shining example of just because you think a culture and a group of people are traditional in their practices doesn't mean they're averse to change. You just need to be, from that change addict thing we were talking about, Not willy-nilly, not, hey, let's just do it for the sake of doing it.
And it was actually a real shining example of just because you think a culture and a group of people are traditional in their practices doesn't mean they're averse to change. You just need to be, from that change addict thing we were talking about, Not willy-nilly, not, hey, let's just do it for the sake of doing it.
Be measured, be strategic, be researched in what you want to change, and then find the kind and supportive voices. And if you find enough of them, you'll get groundswell and you'll be able to do it. If you don't, maybe your idea really isn't that great. Maybe you need to go back to the drawing board.
Be measured, be strategic, be researched in what you want to change, and then find the kind and supportive voices. And if you find enough of them, you'll get groundswell and you'll be able to do it. If you don't, maybe your idea really isn't that great. Maybe you need to go back to the drawing board.
So learn to take the interest and the novelty and the energy that comes from potential change and have it fuel huge ideas that are really important. steps, fundamental steps to maybe make that change happen. And the flip side would be actually back here in Canada. I worked for a quite traditional marketing company. Probably if I tell you who it is, people will know right away.
So learn to take the interest and the novelty and the energy that comes from potential change and have it fuel huge ideas that are really important. steps, fundamental steps to maybe make that change happen. And the flip side would be actually back here in Canada. I worked for a quite traditional marketing company. Probably if I tell you who it is, people will know right away.
They brought me in as a change person. That's how I was recruited. Please come here. We know our industry is on the decline. We're not really entirely sure where to go with it. We've seen what you did in other places. We're eager to change. We want a chance where they use all the right words. They were very receptive to the idea before I moved in house.
They brought me in as a change person. That's how I was recruited. Please come here. We know our industry is on the decline. We're not really entirely sure where to go with it. We've seen what you did in other places. We're eager to change. We want a chance where they use all the right words. They were very receptive to the idea before I moved in house.
I got in there and I asked, do you want me to be disruptive? Would you like me to push new initiatives? Absolutely. This is what we want. And within a month of me doing that, we don't really like it. Or that was a little too much. The reality is they were a different kind of ad. They were hooked on a legacy of very high revenue and high profit margin.
I got in there and I asked, do you want me to be disruptive? Would you like me to push new initiatives? Absolutely. This is what we want. And within a month of me doing that, we don't really like it. Or that was a little too much. The reality is they were a different kind of ad. They were hooked on a legacy of very high revenue and high profit margin.
And they weren't willing, they really weren't willing and they hadn't done the time to figure out, do we want to change? Are we willing to forego some of that to potentially make it somewhere else or maybe not? And even though they had all of the support, allegedly support from people above and their ownership and others, they were incredibly reluctant to do it.
And they weren't willing, they really weren't willing and they hadn't done the time to figure out, do we want to change? Are we willing to forego some of that to potentially make it somewhere else or maybe not? And even though they had all of the support, allegedly support from people above and their ownership and others, they were incredibly reluctant to do it.
So I was sitting in a role where change was in my title, but I couldn't do anything. And I had tried, I had built up goodwill. I'd got some champions. I was doing everything that change management tells you to do. Pushing the needle here, scaling your time here. And for the time period that I was there, they were wholly unwilling to take it on.
So I was sitting in a role where change was in my title, but I couldn't do anything. And I had tried, I had built up goodwill. I'd got some champions. I was doing everything that change management tells you to do. Pushing the needle here, scaling your time here. And for the time period that I was there, they were wholly unwilling to take it on.
And at a certain point I had to, you know what, it isn't going to work for me. I'm pushing the rock as ill as whatever the Greek do. And I'm not getting anywhere. And I'm being told two different stories. So we dig into it, which might have really been like an external push from other people. So we don't want to do it. And it ended up being a failure for myself.
And at a certain point I had to, you know what, it isn't going to work for me. I'm pushing the rock as ill as whatever the Greek do. And I'm not getting anywhere. And I'm being told two different stories. So we dig into it, which might have really been like an external push from other people. So we don't want to do it. And it ended up being a failure for myself.
And it's something that I had taken on and I accept. I learned a lot of really good lessons from it. And frankly, had some work with the wonderful people that were driven to do it. But when the entire organization has been dictated change, and not really trusting of the person who's supposed to pilot it, then it's not gonna happen.
And it's something that I had taken on and I accept. I learned a lot of really good lessons from it. And frankly, had some work with the wonderful people that were driven to do it. But when the entire organization has been dictated change, and not really trusting of the person who's supposed to pilot it, then it's not gonna happen.