Imagine how you would feel if someone suddenly appeared in your office and said, “Hi. I’m from the IRS and I’m here to help you.” Your likely reaction–suspicion, fear, resistance– is similar to what anyone who works in an external or internal advisory role faces.
Insiders think…
- Is my job at risk?
- Why do we even need these third parties?
- Is this a cover to spy on me?
- How could they possibly know more than I do?
- What’s really going on here?
If you are that support person, how do you explain your legitimacy? How do you communicate your added value to their situation? How do you win trust?
Not Now. Later.
Roberta H. is Executive Director of Volunteers for one of the nation’s largest non-profits and faces those challenges every day. With her thousands of volunteers, her mission is to support new strategy initiatives. Her goal is to be called in early by the various senior executives of those initiatives. But her problem is that these executives often don’t see the need to include her in these discussions until after many key decisions are made.
Why Do they Wait?
Some feel threatened. Some think they can figure volunteer involvement out for themselves. Some value volunteers, but think—erroneously–that it is better to discuss their involvement further along in the process.
With twenty years’ experience of volunteer management behind her, Roberta knows that the earlier she is called in to strategize the use of volunteers with these executives, the more likely their initiatives will succeed. Not only does she understand volunteer utilization, but she has a strong record of offering suggestions and asking questions that lead to even more efficiencies in launching new initiatives.
The woman offers real value, but, as Lee Iacocca once said, “You can have great ideas, but if you can’t communicate them, you don’t have anything!”
When Logic Fails
Frustrated, Roberta looked for a metaphor to re-frame how these executives saw her services. Early 
ideas were to describe herself as a “Helper” (No. Too subordinate and too evocative of Santa Claus); perhaps, like an “Assistant Chef” helping them create a gourmet meal (Uh-uh. A strategy doesn’t get eaten); or maybe, a “Scout” helping them stay on the right path (Not bad, but too wild west).
Finally, she hit on the right metaphor: a Sherpa. Sherpas are admired for their skill and years of experience in tough terrain, and are reputed to be able to lead people up any mountain. The metaphor evoked just the right balance of strength and unique value, without seeming to be a threat to the executives’ authority. She put her argument together this way…
“Think of me as your strategy Sherpa. My role is to guide you up your mountain (to your strategic win), but it is the mountain (the strategy) that you choose. My twenty years’ experience in all types of initiatives will help you get to the top safely and as efficiently as possible.”
Then, she locks in her value by sharing one or two examples of how bringing her in early to strategy discussions helped other executives in the past succeed in their programs. She concludes that she will do the same for them.
Foes No More
Since she has been using this Sherpa metaphor, Roberta says it has been much easier to get invited to more meetings in the early stages of new strategy initiatives. Early inclusions work for her. They work for the executives and they work for the organization.
As Roberta discovered, a well-chosen metaphor can go a long way to minimizing suspicion, promoting trust, and winning acceptance for the value you bring to the organization.
Anne Miller
Make What You Say Pay! – with Metaphors
Photo by Christopher Burns on Unsplash
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