Biggest Challenges Faced By A Managing Director At SHIFT Communications
Alan's biggest challenge as Managing Director at SHIFT Communications is "the unpredictability of the world around us," specifically the fluctuating nature of client businesses and the inherent subjectivity in human-to-human interaction, which makes it difficult to precisely predict outcomes despite the best intentions and data-driven approaches. This blend of "art and science" in the work is both exciting and nerve-wracking.
Communication, Problem-Solving, Executive/Leadership, Unpredictability, Overcoming Challenges
Advizer Information
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Job Title
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Alan Dunton
Managing Director
SHIFT Communications
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
NA
Creative Writing, Journalism
Consulting & Related Professional Services, Advertising, Communications & Marketing
Business Strategy
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. The unpredictable nature of the business environment and its impact on client needs and agency work is a significant challenge.
2. Success relies heavily on human interaction, requiring a blend of art and science to achieve results, and this combination can lead to uncertainty.
3. While the work is exciting, the inability to always predict outcomes, despite best efforts, is a nerve-wracking aspect of the role.
Transcript
What is your biggest challenge in your current role?
The unpredictability of the world around us is tough. As an agency, we serve at the pleasure of our clients, and their businesses are impacted by variables we have no control over. This unpredictability in the space we operate in is what's difficult.
Much of what we do is based on human-to-human interaction, driving results by convincing one person to take action. This is both art and science. The science part we can track, manage, and learn from.
The art part, however, is very subjective. This unpredictability is both exciting and the most nerve-wracking aspect of the business. We don't always know the exact output of our actions, even with the best intentions.