Alternate Headline: Do you know what your management is really asking you to do?

There was a time before Dropbox, Amazon, ICloud, and file compressing when you could not simply send video content anywhere in the world with the push of a button. You needed actual videotapes and actual videotape players to watch a video.

In 1989, I worked on the Kentucky Fried Chicken account at Y&R NY (they had not yet officially changed their name to KFC). We were constantly producing TV commercials and always running late. That meant that we were always scrambling to get their advertising committee to approve a new batch of commercials just in time to get them trafficked to the networks and syndicators in time to make their scheduled airings. We had to use an “any means necessary” mentality to get rough cuts and finished spots to Louisville. This often meant putting the tapes on a direct flight from LaGuardia to Louisville, where the client would pick them up at the airport.

My Management Supervisor, Tony Pace, kept a copy of the Overseas (and Domestic) Airline Guide (OAG) within arms reach at all times. The OAG was a comprehensive timetable of every flight available, and Tony knew every direct flight from NYC to Louisville.

Tony has many strengths, but he is not perfect. He was often generous with his time and taught me how to read a market share report, he taught me the fundamentals of classic package goods marketing, he rewarded loyalty and he was (and is) very smart.

Organizationally, however, he was a bit of a disaster. I was constantly rushing to the airport with only seconds to spare to put a tape on a flight. All of the airlines had this type of service, and you could rush to the airport and have several choices of carriers. From NYC to Louisville, Delta and Piedmont had flights almost every hour, often within 10 minutes of each other. I forget the name of Piedmont’s service but Delta’s was Delta Dash which was appropriate because I often found myself running through the airport to get there.

On one occasion, Tony sent me to the airport with strict instructions to put the videotape on the 10:20 AM Piedmont flight to Louisville. When I got to LaGuardia, there was only a 10:25AM Piedmont flight. I had done this enough times to know that the airlines periodically updated their schedules and there was a slight time lag in the next printed edition of the OAG. I handed off the tape, walked out of the airport, got into the car service (we spent a fortune on them) and headed back to 285 Madison Avenue.

I ran into Tony in the lobby and told him that the videotape went out and that the flight was actually a 10:25 flight. He immediately snapped at me. “What are you talking about, it is a 10:20 flight!” I replied: “Tony, the Piedmont flight is now 10:25.” Then he said something that was regularly repeated among the broader KFC team for years to come. “Piedmont. The 10:25 Piedmont is not a direct flight. When I said Piedmont, I meant Delta and you should know that.”

Tony then shot up to his office to let the client know that the video wouldn’t be there until late afternoon and begged forgiveness for the additional delay. Meanwhile, I think I scurried off to tell my Acct. Supervisor Ellen Hyde and My Acct. Executive, Tom Sebok, that Tony had finally flipped.

Over the years, I have reflected on this moment again and again as it still bothered me for a long time. It bothered me because I felt I was treated unfairly but it also bothered me because I could have gotten that damn videotape to the client faster.

With the wisdom of 26 years of hindsight, here is how I now use this moment to help people understand what it means to lead at every level.

1) Get crystal clear on the objective and be willing to violate the executional directive in order to fulfill it.

a. I knew the goal was to get the videotape to Louisville as quickly as possible. Why didn’t I look for the best way to do it instead of waiting to be told how it should get done?

b. Management is often too far removed or not aware of technology changes that may make the way they are telling you to do something silly. Own the outcome and they will probably give you more leeway on the how.

2) Own as much of the process as you can if you are going to be held responsible for the outcome:

a. Why was Tony, a tenured Management Supervisor, the guy with the OAG? I was an entry-level eager beaver, shouldn’t I have bought my own copy and been the one picking flights?

3) Learn and Improve –Fast

a. I bought an OAG that week but more importantly I started to stay closer to the creative teams and the producers finishing the spots so I could be as ahead of the curve as possible.

4) Take the feedback and find the jewel in it-

a. What Tony said was ridiculous since we used both Delta and Piedmont all the time BUT I should have clarified right there that I would use whatever flight got in first.

Too often today, I find clients tangled in the doing and not in the work that will deliver the objective. While the situations may be more complex than sending a videotape by plane, too often they are relying on a Piedmont when a Delta is sitting there, waiting to take off. We try to help them switch carriers.

P.S.: Tony went on to be quite successful as the CMO of Subway, and Chairman of the ANA. He married Ellen who runs the Colgate Business at Red Fuse. I am not sure if he still carries a copy of the OAG.