Category Archives: Public Relations

Few of us are familiar with triskaidekaphobia, a fear or a phobia concerning the number 13. A seemingly irrational fear, it is rooted in myth and history as far back as the Babylonians and Vikings. But the superstitious among us may find evidence in the phobia: Apollo 13 and its ill-fated mission, hotels without a 13^th floor, and the fact that enough people call in sick or delay travel on Friday the 13^th that it costs an estimated $1 billion in productivity. Proof enough to avoid tempting fate? Regardless of where one falls on the “fear” scale, we frequently cling to long-held practices for fear of the unknown, fear of failure, or the inability to self-actualize.

As marketers, we need to get over our phobias – next time you face a tough situation, try one of these 13 techniques for breaking out of your comfort zone.

1. Take the lead. Stepping up to embrace new challenges yields opportunities to add and build that you would not see from your current vantage point, especially with projects that fall outside of your job description. Leading can be uncomfortable, yet is almost universally rewarding.
2. Send a note. I recently received a note from a colleague who works in a different department at my agency. His intentions for sending the note? Perhaps to build a bridge for a more trusted relationship, or possibly as a personal growth exercise in communications. This note prompted me to circle back to him and suggest we connect at lunch. The note pushed us outside our respective comfort zones and may well result in a strong relationship and the benefit of shared ideas and perspectives.
3. Read. Simple? Not necessarily, if you read “big.” Bill Cosby remarked that he read in chunks – between 2-3 hours at a time – which seems difficult given today’s frenetic schedules. How about scheduling reading like you would a workout? With regular practice, reading will become a more meaningful pursuit, forcing you to reflect on the material versus consuming easy-to-digest, fit-it-in-when-possible, and generally less meaningful mass-media.
4. Network. As marketers and communicators, we pride ourselves on providing advice to our clients to help them communicate with prospects, customers and influencers. We give them prescriptive nuggets daily. But when it comes to the first and most powerful channel – talking face-to-face – we often reflexively and irrationally pull back. Instead of approaching a networking event as a task or a ticket punch, challenge yourself to approach it as an exploration similar to traveling to a new country. Consider how your curiosity is piqued when meeting new people in your travels – are you not a better listener, absorbing what they say, and treating the experience like a gift to be remembered?
5. Order something different on the menu – literally. Granted, this is not a technique for marketing excellence, but more so a straightforward and repeatable trial-run for stepping outside your comfort zone. It also provides an opportunity to explore new cuisines and even cultures. The point is that familiar habits such as ordering a salad or hamburger at a restaurant reinforce and telegraph our safe zones. “Ordering new” provides a self-administered jolt so that you can more easily make other, less comfortable out-of-zone decisions before.
6. Seek out and surround yourself with excellence. When asked recently about his success with Virgin Airways, Richard Branson, its bombastic entrepreneur/CEO remarked that he surrounds himself with people who are smarter than he is. Quality is contagious; investing time with talented, creative and critical thinkers elevates everyone in the room, particularly you.
7. Tell a joke. Writing and communicating with the purpose of entertaining is challenging, because it relies on the ability to distill a story down to its essence. Easy? Not really. Successful comedians like Jerry Sienfeld are keen listeners, building in feedback loops to relentlessly fine-tune this communication skill. Launching a joke can recalibrate our “tell-meter” into a “listen-meter,” bringing critical listening skills to play as we think about the joke and its impact, deliver it concisely and for effect, and after, listen to the audience’s reaction.
8. Look around. What aren’t you seeing? We typically approach problems with familiar tools, yet they may not help find the path to success. I felt a particular frustration recently when working on a personal project, as I had envisioned the path to success ahead of time. As I tried in vain to craft a part of a wooden table, I met a serious setback. The moment of recognition came when, nearly throwing the work piece aside, I realized that I had ignored the most straightforward and elegant approach, too eagerly rushing down the wrong path because it’s what I knew. As I laughed to myself with the realization that this small epiphany had illuminated the way, it became a reminder to re-examine and pay attention for subtle clues that are not immediately recognized at the outset.
9. Feel free to duplicate the wheel, but make sure it’s round. Or put another way, feel free to dig into your archive of ideas that you spent time developing – those ideas were original at one point. Our growth imperative in making them better comes with effectively adapting and improving upon them.
10. Can you handle the truth? Jack Nicholson’s famous line from “A Few Good Men” makes for great mock-client/agency conversations; honesty can place both marketers and clients in unfamiliar and uncomfortable territory. While keeping an eye on their goals and uncertainties, dare to go over the wire with clients, sharing your honest feedback and ideas. If you feel they can’t handle the truth, frame and deliver it neutrally or, better yet, by demonstrating understanding of their viewpoint and position so they recognize that you empathize with them. The journey is not as treacherous when you travel with an ally.
11. Make it spontaneous and original. Are we creating art as communicators and marketers? A colleague recently approached a client with an original idea, well out of the client’s typical comfort zone. The was delighted, and provided the green-light for the project, fully accepting the concept and prospect of an unknown outcome and appreciating the creative edge it brought to the business.
12. Slow down. Sit and meditate. By doing so, you can recalibrate your internal clock, and  approach tasks with a new sense of prioritization and a clearer understanding of their true urgency and value to your clients. Slowing down can also help to more easily step into the other suggested techniques.
13. Self-actualize. The path to achieving growth, including recognizing the roadblocks and understanding and moving out of your comfort zone, requires taking the first step and accepting uncertainty. The Psychology Foundation has a summary guide that explains these points, all of which can be applied to our professional lives if the intent is there.

What makes you suspicious and are phobias holding you back?