What Can CROs Do About Politics ft. Gerda Vogt-Thomas
Jul 3, 2024
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Gerda Vogt-Thomas discusses politics in CRO and experimentation, focusing on in-house vs. agency-side politicking and the importance of removing emotion from decision-making processes. The conversation explores strategies for managing office politics, building relationships, stakeholder buy-in, and navigating challenges in CRO processes.
Understanding political dynamics in CRO for in-house vs. agency settings is crucial for securing buy-in and navigating organizational structures.
Building relationships, trust, and managing stakeholders' expectations are key in fostering an experimentation culture and driving successful CRO initiatives.
Deep dives
The Dichotomy Between Politics and CRO in Agencies vs. In-House Operations
In discussing the dichotomy between politics in conversion rate optimization (CRO) within agencies compared to in-house settings, the key focus lies on how to navigate the dynamics of selling ideas persuasively in both environments. The conversation touches on bureaucracy, layers of approvals, and dealing with blockers when running tests. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the political landscape and the nuances of securing buy-in and maneuvering through organizational structures to drive experimentation.
Transitioning Careers and Deciphering the Role of Politics in CRO
Gerda's career transition from sales to founding her own agency, Koalitative, sheds light on the significance of personal experiences leading to professional evolution. The discussion delves into the essence of politicking in advocating for experimentation, showcasing personal growth, and building trust with clients. It highlights the role of flexibility, creative problem-solving, and the need to balance autonomy while navigating multiple stakeholders in decision-making processes.
Handling Stakeholder Management and Red Flags in Experimentation
Exploring the challenges of stakeholder management in experimentation, the episode underscores the red flags associated with numerous stakeholders and conflicting perspectives impeding progress. The conversation emphasizes the importance of setting clear expectations, utilizing concise agendas in meetings, and fostering a strategic approach to test ideation with multiple stakeholders. Strategies discussed include streamlining decision-making and involving champions for final decision authority to mitigate friction.
Promoting Experimentation Culture Through Relationship Building and Emotional Detachment
The podcast underscores the pivotal role of relationship-building in fostering an experimentation culture within organizations. It delves into the necessity of educating stakeholders, cultivating trust, and managing disappointments with emotional detachment. Emphasizing the need for healthy politicking strategies, the discussion navigates the complexities of driving experimentation initiatives, handling challenges, and promoting a collaborative environment to ensure the success of CRO endeavors.
Gerda "The Koala" Vogt-Thomas joined Shiva to discuss a number of things related to politics in CRO and experimentation. A number of politic-related things are discussed, including in-house vs. agency-side politicking, and even removing "emotion" from the decision-making process to help get more buy in / reduce your own personal stress in CRO.
Also, Shiva somehow comes up with an analogy that CRO is like Jenga... and it low-key kinda works?
Timestamps:
00:00 Start of Episode
2:26 Gerda's background and journey to Koalatative
7:46 Differences in politics between in-house vs. agency
19:07 All stakeholders are babies, and we should treat them as such
27:54 Shit You Should Know: Hristian Kambourov
Go follow Gerda on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerda-vogt-thomas/) - and check out her company, Koalatative (https://koalatative.com/)
And go check out Hristian Kambourov's post: https://tinyurl.com/FromAtoB-Hristian
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