Where Deals Go To Die
I've blogged on this a fair few times down the years.
Whenever someone wants to stop a decision being made, they ensure opponents suffer drowning by data.
Intended to tie those with whom they wish to stymie up in knots for the duration to the point of inaction.
Need to claim a case is less than concrete? Feel you're about to lose out? Want to kick something into the long grass?
Demand data. Deeper, broader, weightier. In volume, forensic, redrawn.
It's all a ruse, of course. It'll be nigh on impossible to muster. So no matter the issue, the moment shall duly pass. Ambitions of others suffocated by your incredibly astute, reasonable and irrefutable call for more data.
There's a decision-making spectrum. At the poles, Data & Vibes.
Stationed upon either option alone is surely seldom what works.
This can hit us hard in solution selling.
Here's a citation I came across from the medical world on this very play.
"One of the lessons of history from the many occasions when things have gone wrong in the [UK state-provisioned health service] is that senior managers and doctors who are reluctant to confront what is actually happening take refuge in the call for ever more data."
Swap out what's in my square brackets for in your sector and the label doctors for buyers, and this applies to our arena too.
I read it comes from the collation of Deborah Douglas. A victim from malpractice of since jailed "butchering" breast cancer surgeon, Ian Paterson. Of whom I have a personal interest given familial experience. As recounted by official report compiler, Professor Sir Ian Kennedy.
There's layers to this given our mercifully less life endangering world of Enterprise selling.
A 'call for ever more data'?
Sound the alarm.
Someone is likely 'taking refuge'.
Who are 'reluctant to confront what is actually happening'.
In a place prone to 'many occasions when things have gone wrong'.
All three of these are identifiable.
Do so. In league with those championing our path. Expose them. Ensure the decision is not made on data above all else.
After all, despite my love of a business case with juicy figures, who truly has tomorrow's numbers?