“At Aircall, we evaluate “ One thing to be aware of is paying lip service to encouraging unconventional, innovative different thinking — only to not be okay when a failure happens. thinking, it provides a basis on whether they have inspire innovation, and different way of looking drive disruption. There are You can’t do that. You have to live to the principle.” essentially means: Are they JEFFREY REEKERS Vice President of Marketing, Aircall which gives people variety. but a favorite is how People like variety — they things outside their job Netflix used SurveyMonkey like to figure out a different profile? Are they generally way to solve the same fearless, not reckless? I better with the marketing PITFALLS OF THE SW: “It’s important to problem. It emotionally think when people have content. Netflix learned team, and if they weren’t, COMFORT ZONE. have an idea of where the that 58% of pet owners bonuses would not pay company is going, because out as high. That’s how you Of course, the change everybody needs to have a think unconventionally, 46% of the couples who shared view of that. There drive real change.” in mindset required from an organization, has to be a strong sense of things that are innovative, its leadership, and its directional leadership that az: “We have a employees to think we communicate to the “At Boomi, people VerticalResponse customer who owns a yoga studio differently and live team. If we do something have ownership of what “I’ve worked with outside their comfort wrong and it affects our large enterprises that have who feared creating a zones is not without reputation, we can fix it. newsletter to send to potential downsides. We have to be willing to initiatives driven from the studio’s customers. take the reputational risk I asked our experts how just get on with it. They Executives, employees, the C-suite down. They Once we provided her they handle the potential because things will go have a strong sense of know they need to drive with the right easy-to-use wrong. It creates potential pitfalls of innovation. autonomy and decision- tools, she created pitfalls, but we’re willing to doing the day-to-day work powerful communication JR: “One thing to be aware accept that.” problem to solve and are nervous. They have to that contributed to of is paying lip service to get their jobs done. significant business WS: “People like comfort to encouraging different If something goes wrong, from their customers. It’s expansion. Another thinking — only to not zones. That’s why they’re we’ll course-correct. zone. One of the things I entrepreneur in the be okay when a failure called that — people feel I trust my team to make customers are innovating healthcare industry needed happens. When things comfortable there. So tied C-suite bonuses to to promote his business when you force someone go wrong, every manager but was hesitant because wants to get in there and outside of their comfort he didn't have any micromanage. You can’t zone, it’s uncomfortable. It have very low staff attrition customers use SurveyMonkey marketing experience. do that. You have to live can be frustrating to work every day to gather the By taking the plunge to to the principle and allow with people that aren't promote his business that to be a natural part natural disruptors. Rather with the right tools, he of the learning process, than working around them, gained the marketing and understand that if have a conversation. Ask if skills he needed and his you’ve hired good people, there's a fear or experience business grew significantly.” it will be okay in the end.” that caused them to be SUMMER 2018 SUMMER 2018 THE EXCHANGE 21