Too Many Cooks! How to prevent content interference so you can

do your job.

Jared Thomas MeyerConfab Higher Ed 2016

11/16/2016@jaredt

m

Here’s what we’re gonna do

Talk about what content

interference is.

Figure out why content

interference happens.

Talk about ways to stop it from

happening.

1 2 3

XKCD.com

What is content interference?The unsolicited, unwanted, and often uninformed opinion of an interloper that delays or alters carefully crafted content.

“I looked at the website. Here are

my edits.”

“The letter from the director

needs to be on the home page.”

“Carousels! FAQs! PDFs!”

Design

“Feedback”

Final Product

Content production process...

How do you want to spend your day?

PeopleProblems

Good ideas

Bad ideas

LeadershipInspiration

InnovationCreativity

Petty TyrantsDisengagemen

t

Embarrassment

Failure

Causes of content interference

We fight over content because…

1.It’s highly visible and poorly understood

2.It’s easy to fake expertise

3.Jacked up service-model power dynamics

Visibilityis power.

(That’s why it’s so political)

Competing interests......and limited resources.

Content strategy is a mysteryYou’re magic.

Expertiseis easy to fake.

(At least, in the content world.)

Fachidiot

“A person who is an expert in their field, but a complete fool in every other topic.”

Service-modelpower dynamics.

(Who do you work for, exactly?)

About your job...

You think:

“My job is to find ways to efficiently produce effective content!”

Your boss thinks:

“Their job is to do what I tell them!”

You think: Your boss thinks:

Recap! - Why we fight over content

We fight over content because…

1.It’s highly visible and poorly understood

2.It’s easy to fake expertise

3.Jacked up service-model power dynamics

Content interference is high risk stuff

People want to make meaningful contributions

Input feels personal

Content feels very important

Take a strategic approach

Change your culture

Change the way you work

Try these tactics

Listen

Include

Evangelize

Depersonalize

Be specific

“One of the best ways to persuade others is with your ears―by listening to them.”

― Kerry Patterson, Crucial Conversations

Listento more than just words.

Start with their problemsDo the safety danceStart every project with interviews

“Remember teamwork begins by building trust. And the only way

to do that is to overcome our need for invulnerability.”

― Patrick Lencioni, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

Includeevery stakeholder.

Make it a safespaceCreate mutual meaningInvent mutual meaning

“The key to real change lies not in implementing a new process, but in getting people to hold one

another accountable to the process.”

― Kerry Patterson, Crucial Conversations

Depersonalizeand align on mutual

purpose.

Point to governance documentsLean on data & best practicesDon’t be a sociopath

“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.”

― Brené Brown, Daring Greatly

Evangelizeto make content converts.

Present THIS conference!Create (or join) a committee

“Start with Heart. The first question is: ‘What do I really

want?’…How would I behave if I really wanted these results?”

― Kerry Patterson, Crucial Conversations

Be specificabout what you want.

Use contrastingAsk for what you wantOffer what was asked

Take a strategic approach

Change your culture

Change the way you work

Try these tactics

Listen

Include

Evangelize

Depersonalize

Be specific

Essential elements for success1) A culture of empowerment and integrity

2) A boss that supports you

Crappy culture?No support?

Quit your job.

No really.

Quitting your job is an act of optimism.

Thanks!

Jared Thomas Meyer

Content Strategist (by way of copywriting)

George Washington University to Quad Learning, LLC to Bixal

Jaredthomasmeyer.com

twitter.com/jaredtm