Comments on: Opinion: Don’t Forget To Eat Some Humble Pie!

By: Aixa

Aixa — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 21:10:02 +0000

Derek, this was a great blog that makes some really good points. I think people at the top of the ladder or on any step of the ladder, seem to forget we’re all human. That we all breathe, live, die and that no one is better than anyone else in this world. It’s nice to be reminded that we really are all equal no matter who we are and what country we govern.

By: Mark Wallace

Mark Wallace — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:37:03 +0000

Derek:

Like your post. Sales 101. The best possible meetings are the ones when clients or prospects talk at least 60% of the time. As you know well, I have always believed that. We all like to be talked with vs. talked to. Otherwise it is not social.

By: Steve Gentile

Steve Gentile — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 22:16:36 +0000

A very good post and always something that could stand some reminding from time to time. When I first stumbled into this world of marketing research (almost 20 years ago egad!) I started as a videographer, employing my fine documentary camera skills to this work. And for much of my formative years, I was very busy – and taped a lot, A LOT of focus groups, IDIs, man on the streets, in homes.
I quickly realized that the moderators who listened far more than they spoke were those whose work I found most interesting. Their role was to moderate the discussion, not “lead” it. They were at once inside the conversation and outside it, engaged and disengaged. And their styles, while different, yielded tremendous results.
Now, as a moderator myself, I try to mirror that fine work and remember what I was told early on “There are 10 or 13 people in the room, remember your percentage of talk time” “But I thought you were the boss?” “No, my clients pay to hear the respondents speak candidly; they pay me for my analysis after the fact”
Point well taken – thank you to all those who taught me my craft today in ways you’ll never know.