Return on Intention

There are more books published in a year then any human being could possibly digest. Business books are no exception. Whether it’s the latest marketing tactic book or the newest breakthrough in human resources, there will be a dozen books dedicated to the subject. I’m not complaining, I love reading about a subject from multiple view points ( I enjoyed both Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking and Think!: Why Crucial Decisions Can’t Be Made in the Blink of an Eye), but there is a pattern emerging in the business literature category. It seems no matter what the subject matter, there is a case being made for either a new position or promoting an existing one to the C-suite. The conference room is going to get crowded.

Whether or not every position that has had a case made for it reaching the C-suite actually gets there is up to each organization to decide, but the fact that the case is made so frequently suggests a few points to consider.

1. Most departments or professions feel under represented. The only reason to be part of the C-suite is so that your department has more of an influence on major decisions. This suggests that many people believe that their profession is either under represented or that other departments are taking more of the spotlight than they deserve. Everyone just wants to have a voice, right?
2. Interdepartmental communication needs some improvement. A persons belief that their point of view is over looked or at least not defended when they are not present is a good indication that organizations still suffer from departmental silos.

The strength of a brand relies on the ability of the organization to work toward a shared set of ideals and vision. Each department needs to be performing it’s function to support the goals of the organization. With departmental silos, it can be difficult to rally functions toward a common goal. As the economy returns to one driven by marketing instead of advertising, unity will become more and more important.