Dec 14 06
Focus on what you do best - and it’s not corporate broadcasting
By Renn Vara
I have a theory. When an enterprise builds its own audio/visual studio and hires full time producers to create their own webcasts, videos and audio programs, it’s a sure sign that tough times are ahead. Just look around and test my theory.
It can take a few years, but an organization grows arrogant and full of self-importance. Kingdom builders begin to emerge. You know them. They’re the managers who demand intense personal loyalty from their team, often putting themselves and their interests above those of the business and customer base they serve. It begins subtly at first. Rarely revealed until a big blow-up happens and people are asked to choose sides. These managers usually start by creating an enemy — another team or manager who doesn’t know what they’re doing, or is incompetent. The “them and us” mentality takes over and it becomes clear that the team is no longer about making the business better or serving customers more effectively. Its all about maintaining power and resources. The beginning of the end.
It’s very difficult to uncover these organizational tumors. They begin deep under the skin of business. Kingdom and turf builders are hard to see at first. They generally are very articulate and diligent. They make strong arguments for their cause. They evangelize their interests and opinions under the guise of the company’s best interests. Their bosses often fall into their trap because kingdom builders are impressive leaders themselves.
From the outside, you see a strong and clear manager with a loyal and hard-working team. They are the ones working late into the night and going out socially. All good things. No wonder leaders fall into their trap. That’s why I’ve developed my studio-building theory. It’s a visual sign of the “kingdom builder” cancer. When businesses take precious resources and invest in studios, they break a fundamental rule of business; focus on what you do best and hire the rest.
So the next time you hear someone talk about the benefits of “doing it themselves,” particularly building audio and video studios, give the idea the big test. Ask yourself: “Is this what we do best, or should we outsource?” In most cases, particularly with audio and visual projects, it’s smarter in the long run to contract with teams and companies who do it for a living. It’s like a football team, if everyone does their job, we can move the ball down the field and win the game. Contractors and corporations have a symbiotic need to work together, each focusing on what they do best.
