Smart Lemming Diary: Pitching the Need for More Department Resources
November 5, 2005
Pave the Way for your Presentations before the Pitch
When I have a report or analysis that I have to review with our Management Team, I pave the way before the actually meeting. Prior to the meeting, I’ll give a copy to my boss, so he won’t be surprised during the meeting in front of his direct reports.
I learned this after failing to give one of my former CEOs a copy of one of competitive intelligence reports on a key strategic move by one of our primary competitors. My presentation to the management team at the time was successful, but it turned provocative for my CEO, leaving him wondering why I didn’t tell him sooner than the scheduled meeting. Learning from this mistake, today, I give my boss a copy of my reports, so they won’t be surprised at the time of the presentation.
Prepping for My Presentation
My current situation is that my marketing department is grossly understaffed. I performed a workload analysis to determine how many employees I would need to accomplished my current set of priorities from my CEO. I’m ready to present to my CEO and my peers on the Management Team in our weekly Friday morning meeting. Just before my Management Team meeting, I had given my CEO, Tom, a copy my Marketing Workload Resource Analysis report. “I don’t know what it says, but I love it already,” he said with enthusiasm. Before the meeting, I created my PowerPoint slides that reflected my Executive Summary.
I was prepared. It was my turn in the Management Team meeting. I handed out the Marketing Department Workload Analysis report, bound with a black plastic binding comb, clear cover, and five white tabs each with printed labels noting what section the tab represented. I handed out the PowerPoint handout, three slides per page.
During our meetings, we each take turns using our laptops to present to the group, so there’s a gap between presenters. Connecting my laptop to the LCD project, I excitedly said, “Here’s the show and tell part of my presentation, while you wait for my presentation to power up, check out my wall paper on my laptop; it’s a mountain in my home town that I grew up looking at it every day, since we lived across from this mountain.” We’re informal in our management meetings, often sharing personal stories like what we’re going to do over the weekend.
Pitching the Marketing Department’s Needs
First, I explained why I did my department workload analysis. Tom chimed in, “Lori did exactly what I asked her to do. I wanted to know if she had resources in Marketing.” I also explained the methodology that I used. Finally, I went through my slides, commuting that Tom and I had recently identified Marketing’s Top Priorities for the next 100 days. My findings determined that with only two FTEs (full-time equivalents employees), we were understaffed by 1,210 hours. I would need 1.9 Loris and 3.1 Jonathans to complete these priorities. I summarized that I was open to options in how to solve my resources problem. I wanted the team to see three things:
- What my department could look like fully staff
- What it could look like if staffed for top marketing priorities
- What I would need for both scenarios
As a company, we didn’t have enough Loris and Jonathans in Marketing, so I would have to ask Tom to reduce the priorities based on my findings.
Reaction: Silence
During my presentation, I heard the COO, CTO, and Controller flipping through each page of the report. The COO was listening, but then wanted to know more about the methodology I used. The CTO, well, as usual, was the most animated. “Tom, does this mean my report has to look like this when I proposed more headcount?” The CTO said as he laughed. “I don’t think I can do this! But this will definitely be one of the tools that I take with me when I leave this company. This is amazing,” he added. My work buddy, the Controller, didn’t say a word, staying true to form. I always know I’ve done something good when the Controller can’t talk. He just sits there looking at me with this look on his face that says, “Wow.”
Tom was wowed as always, and then said, “It’s my job to meet with Lori, read the report, and figure out the best approach to solve her issue. I don’t want to be prescriptive too soon, but it’s clear, we have to do something.” Finally, the Controller responded, “There goes our budget,” he said with a smile.” I ended my portion with, “I’m for rent, if the COO and CTO need me to document their staffing needs for v3.0 or the new demo! I realize that we may have to ask for more money from Mr. Investor [our major investor and VC representative]. A report like this could definitely provide the documentation needed for Mr. Investor.”
Sharing the Methodology
Right after the meeting, Tom and I met before our usual one-on-one meeting. “I’m also concerned about our new product development efforts and if the CTO has the resources for it.” Tom said. “I’d be happy to email my Marketing Department Analysis files to him, so he can learn how I do it.” I offered. Tom responded with, “I think he’s already salivating over your report. He’d love it if you’d send them to him.” I had to talk with the COO later on. “What methodology did you use for your report?” he asked. “A project management approach.”
Then he proceeded to ask me a bunch of questions, ending on, “You should have brown lunch to teach people how to do this. Yesterday, we had one on SQL. I’m sure people would love to attend.” I accepted, and then ran into the CTO right after that. “Do you want me to email the files to you so you can see how the report was done?” I asked him. “Yea, yea, please send them. That report was brilliant. Brilliant!”
Have an Arsenal of Tools in Your Creative Toolkit
I always refine and use tools in my toolkit, so I can pull them out when a need emerges. I used them creatively, often achieving successful results. A common theme in my position as Director for this startup is taking initiative like today. I needed to communicate my problem of being under resourced with too many marketing priorities. Not having time at work to perform this analysis, I carved out one weekend to kick out this deliverable, with great success.
I shared the report with our contract HR person, since he knows exactly how he could staff my data entry position. I like the option he presented me. Tom committed to figuring out a solution; it appears he may not want to just stop/gap measure, but something more permanent. I’d be fine with just a data entry person to help Jonathan. Tom’s so overwhelmed right now with everything that’s going on. He’s taking Monday off and will read my report.
“I’m so happy that you came to work for us. I can’t believe you said ‘yes.’ Thank you for being with us. Are you okay though?” Tom asked. “Now I am. Earlier in the week, I had this vague anxiety. Then I did my analysis and now I feel better. I know exactly why I was anxious and have proposed options for your review. I love my job. Every day’s different for me. I tend to get bored in jobs with too much routine, but here. Every day’s an adventure.”
The Smart Lemming Diary is a series that chronicles a journey of laid-off worker, who becomes a Vice President of Sales Operations & Marketing for a small entrepreneurial healthcare technology company. For previous entries in this series, click here. For the first diary entry, click here.
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- Smart Lemming Diary: A Marketing Department Workload Analysis on Pitching My Need for More Headcount
- Smart Lemming Diary: Pitching the Need for More Department Resources, Part 2
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- Smart Lemming Diary: Creating a Repeatable Process for Monthly Reports
- Smart Lemming Diary: The Rewards of Taking Initiative
