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Arrogant + Ignorant = Buh-bye
I just had an experience that I have never had in the six years since I started my company. We were the top creative agency in a coast-to-coast search by a Boston-based emerging technology company. The piece of business would have been worth about $200,000/year. We had met previously with the CEO and senior marketing guy and emerged at the top of their list after an exhaustive search. These two guys were awesome — smart, deliberate, thoughtful and respectful. Equally as important, while they were both very successful, they knew they didn’t have all the answers and were looking for a partner to help them build their brand. All their previous marketing experiences had failed miserably and they were, rightfully so, a bit gun shy.
The purpose of this second meeting was to give the COO an opportunity to meet my team. Enter arrogant and ignorant. This guy had a chip on his shoulder from the moment he walked into the room. He was abrasive, condescending, rude and just plain out of touch. Because I really like the CEO and marketing guy, I continued onward for about an hour covering everything from our approach to strategy/positioning to branding. During this hour, the COO refused to look directly at anyone on my team and appeared irritated. Finally, I asked him if he had any questions. He went on a self-centered, know-it-all rant about how successful he was and how we didn’t have a clue about his business or marketing. It was during this diatribe that he told me there was no such thing as Web 2.0 (note to self: remember to tell Facebook, Ning & Wikipedia). As his spewing continued, he then inaccurately referred to Web 2.0 as “Internet 2.” Huh? During this whole scene he was whipping out collateral and articles about how he was really the second coming of Christ and me and my team were a bunch of dumb-asses. His insecurity continued to rear its ugly head as he rattled off all the successful companies he had worked at. I had enough. I asked him how long he was at the company to which he replied, “Three years.” I told him, “Clearly your approach hasn’t worked.” I then said, “Dude, I can’t help you and this meeting is over.” Buh-bye!
And as he walked out the door, I had an epiphany. The common denominator to this company’s miserable marketing experiences was this bonehead. They will never have a positive experience as long as this guy touches anything marketing related. He is out of touch with today’s communications environment and doesn’t have a clue about marketing.
The most gratifying moment for me was when I stepped into my office and twittered: “just met with the most abrasive, arrogant dick on the planet & asked him to leave my office cause my peeps didn’t need his crap — yeehaw!” The responses I have received to this twitter have been fantastic. I have created an awesome environment for my employees and I will never allow such disrespect to affect their worlds. If he worked for me I would have fired his ass on the spot.
May 21st, 2008 at 1:53 pm
I hope you share your knowledge with the CEO and Marketing guy you liked. While they may not be appreciative at first, being right goes a long way in being helpful. Good for you for walking out. I wonder how he explained that one?
You go girl! Great post.
May 21st, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Hi Kel,
Arrogance is a fatal disease. It is not contagious, but the real problem is that the person who has this terminal condition is the only person who is unaware of the illness. The only cure for the condition is a life changing, humbling event.
I’ve experienced many arrogant fools in business and they all have one thing in common, they are extremely insecure.
When you ended the meeting, you demonstrated enormous respect for your team and yourself. Bravo!
You are very likely to hear from the CEO begging you to reconsider working with them… right after he/she tells you they fired the arrogant one.
Cheers.
May 21st, 2008 at 2:07 pm
There’s a reason why jackasses like this exist in today’s real world of Web 2.0: comic fodder. I’m sure this nincompoop tells people the kind of car he drives, wears loafers without socks and probably wears his sunglasses inside. The moment he said “Internet 2″ disqualifies anything else he says. Sort of like the buffoons who say Ha-vai-i instead of Hawaii or fa-gee-tas in stead of fa-hee-tas. Bravo to you for showing this fraud/hack the door. Hopefully his boss will do the same, if he knows whats good for his company.
May 21st, 2008 at 4:39 pm
Kel,
This is why we love you. Passionate, unwavering, and simply the best.
I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall. He is probably curled up in the corner of his living room inconsolable.
May 21st, 2008 at 7:22 pm
larry, the ceo & marketing guy were in the room too! that’s why i let it go on so long — because i really liked and respected those two. the coo just took it too far and i wasn’t going to tolerate it any more. the “good guys” looked shocked by his behavior and i’m not sure they knew what to do. it was like watching a train wreck.
May 21st, 2008 at 7:27 pm
michael, it was so clear this guy was insecure. their marketing to date has been a complete embarassment to the point where the website was so bad they had to take it down because people thought they were going out of business! this guy had his fingers in all of the previous marketing. whenever he went off on all the companies he worked for and started waving collateral in the air, i realized he is the kinda guy that has to tell you how good he is because you would never draw that conclusion after an encounter with him.
kel
May 21st, 2008 at 7:28 pm
shane, your comments always make me laugh out loud!
May 21st, 2008 at 7:29 pm
frank, you are a dream client and i love you too! more importantly, my team loves you!
May 22nd, 2008 at 9:06 am
As I sat in the meeting, I started to think about creative ways that we could work with this guy going forward. Because one of the greatest things about the K&P team is that we can and will find ways to work with all personalities.
But when Kel decided the meeting was over, and I’m telling you that quote is 100% accurate, the initial shock wore off and the relief settled in. It was then I once again got to see how truly great it is to work for a place that not only talks the talk, but walks the walk.
To pass on business to ensure a quality work experience of your employees is serious biz-nizz.
Go Kel
May 22nd, 2008 at 9:48 am
Kel -
Rock on! As the CEO of client services based company, you walk a fine line. I have worked at many agencies where executives often would turn a blind eye to the abuse bestoyed on their staff by egotistical, moronic clients because they “paid the bills” or were “marquee clients for the agency.” Usually these clients had a short shelf life in their high level positions, because the truth about their lack of knowledge or negative attitude finally reared it’s ugly head one too many times- and boom - they got outed. I am a 100% firm believer in what goes around comes around. Guys like the one you met with yesterday clearly have issues with their own insecurities and hide behind their ill-attempted bravado and smarter-than-everyone personalities - you know, the Napoleon syndrome. I applaud you for not allowing anyone to degrade you or your staff. More CEO’s should have such guts. Your staff is very fortunate to have you at the helm.
May 22nd, 2008 at 10:26 am
karen, i always got your backside covered, sista’! the greatest asset at kel & partners is the employees and i would never put that asset at risk.
May 22nd, 2008 at 10:35 am
hope, thanks for your comments. as the “anti-agency agency” we will never let revenue negatively impact our employees’ happiness. in return for that respect i have this amazingly talented, dedicated group of people who would do anything for each other and the company as a whole. i’m so lucky…
May 22nd, 2008 at 10:36 am
Embarrassed, he’s probably feverously calling Comcast to upgrade his internet service to Web 2.0. Great post and story! You should write the book on how to fire customers.
BC
May 22nd, 2008 at 10:53 am
ben, that was funny! you should do stand-up. at one point the guy mumbled something about being one of the inventors behind “internet 2″ or something. i should have told him i’ll be sure to let al gore (inventor of the internet) know he took his idea to a whole new level.
k2
May 22nd, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Amazing. You’ve got to wonder what is going on inside some people’s heads to be sitting on so much anger and frustration. Maybe your principled stand will at least prompt the CEO to ask this guy WTF? There is always more to the story, but he should be paying a therapist to listen to it rather than you. I guess he did succeed in sabotaging the engagement as that must have been his goal. I feel bad for the CEO and marketing guy; this guy is poison to the organization.
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:51 pm
dave, it’s so funny you should say that. whenever i see completely inappropriate behavior i can’t helped but wonder if something happened to them as a child. that is usually followed by a little empathy. this dude used up his empathy equity the second the disrespect was directed towards my team. not sure, but i’m guessing there were no wire coat hangers allowed in his closet!
kel
June 7th, 2008 at 10:58 pm
You are the best - seriously. What was this guy thinking? I feel really sorry for him - arrogance is a nasty poison. ‘Internet 2′ - HILARIOUS!
June 8th, 2008 at 11:05 am
sonciary, i have no idea what he was thinking! really. i think he really believed the vile he was spewing. kinda sad for the people who have to work with him every day. there is no way in heck this was an isolated incident.
k2
June 11th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Hey Kel,
Nice blog you have going here…I finally had a new moments to check it out. It’s appalling that this person (not going to refer to him as a gentleman, as he obviously wasn’t one) couldn’t even give you and your team the courtesy of at least listening to what you had to say and your ideas for effectively promoting his company. Even if he was dead-set against anyone giving his company advice, why not at least be polite and treat you like any other guest in their office? The fact that you said he wouldn’t even make eye contact with anyone from your company is a major red flag. Good for you for sticking to your guns. I hope you’ve received a follow-up from the CEO and marketing guy.
BTW, I hope you know your fans at Burst would never treat you that way.
June 11th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
pam, thanks for your comments. i always tell my kids that it’s not so much what you say, but how you say it. in this case, this dingdong blew both approaches. i love you guys at burst. go longtail!
kel