Entry barriers!
I am sure the sentence resonates with my friends in sales and marketing organizations. Does it not?
Folks, each one of us—across business categories, across designations including the C-Suite has faced entry barriers. These do not come just from nay-sayers who oppose any new idea or innovation, but a new breed of defensive souls is laying new barricades.
Consider this:
I am using the example from ESG and sustainability, not because these are new buzzwords or are a part of the mandatory compliances globally. I also want to highlight how ignorance or fear of losing power is building the wall. Result: we received a backlash from a top source in the sector recently.
WriteCanvas was invited for a `chat’ to map the company’s ESG initiatives. As an enterprise that does not believe in box-ticking, we identified some gaps that could be plugged at the entry-level. Considering the prospect was an ambitious enterprise in the SMB segment, we took a four-pronged approach and informed the prospect that we would not just handhold them throughout the project but maintain transparency at all levels.
Needless to say, we did not bag the project!
The indicators were present from the second meeting itself! One of the managers started getting restless and defensive. And the parting shot was: If we have everything in-house, why do we need you?
The importance of compliance:
Compliances in ESG if not strictly implemented invite heavy penalties. And organizations that want to scale up, and expand geographically, may face issues due to non-compliance.
We believe that an external agency can help you to identify and plug the gaps until you acquire adequate manpower in the sustainability department, with adequate skillsets.
Lessons learnt:
1. We will have to face naysayers at every stage
2. We have to learn to deal with the defensive structure
3. The prospects have to really look inward and scope the requirements. They need experts to plug the holes, for course correction and NOT to mutely nod their heads in YES SIR fashion
4. We HAVE NOT, DO NOT, and WILL NOT promise the moon. We are realistic and know our capabilities
No one can address climate change single-handedly. It requires collective efforts and the involvement of all stakeholders. Override your resistance. We are not there to replace you, but to extend a helping hand in your journey to transform your organization into a purpose-driven, sustainable one.