● Team building
Clearly there is a need to use the skills and capacity of the team to the opti-
mal level. It is important to have a core goal as this gives the team a focal
point. Each team member must understand their contribution to this
collective goal. As Wickens (1997) states teamwork does not depend on
people working together but upon working to obtain the same objective.
A winning team has the right combination of skills. These should
blend and complement each other. The environment should be posi-
tive and supportive but not complacent or overly relaxed.
Basic team building principles, which can be applied to a marketing
project, are:
❍Encourage a positive supportive environment. It is okay to make a
mistake but ensure you learn from them.
❍Show and encourage respect for each other. Encourage constructive
criticism as opposed to personal attack.
❍Link individual reward to group performance.
❍Disagreement and discussion should not be suppressed and ideas
should be listened to. However this should not detract from effect-
ive decision making.
● Crisis management
There will be times when things go dramatically wrong and a crisis
point is reached. The basic premise of crisis management is to take
urgent action in response to unexpected events. By definition, the
process is reactive in nature and invariably is a turning point.
However, it does not negate prior planning. Management can develop
a series of scenarios and have appropriate responses available as a
contingency. This scenario planning allows a crisis management
approach to be developed in advance.
Additionally, we may be given prior warning of a pending problem.
Often there is a gradual worsening of events until the point of crisis is
attained. If these signals are picked up early enough decisive action
can be taken before the problem becomes a crisis.
A key idea is to maintain confidence and for management to be
clearly in control. Basic techniques include:
❍Assess the situation coolly and establish the facts before taking any
rash action.
❍Draw up a plan of action and establish a management structure.
❍Set up a communications system to receive and disseminate
information.
❍Separate the trivial from the important and prioritise tasks.
❍Be decisive and take responsibility.■ Summary
Do not downplay the importance of implementation. Organisations need
to consider not only the development of strategy, but address issues that
turn strategy into reality.270 Strategic Marketing: Planning and Control