Learning from Disagreement: My Professional Journey by Saksham

Learning from Disagreement: My Professional Journey by Saksham - March 2024 Scholarship Essay

As a fresh social media intern out of college, I thought I had a decent grasp on the world of digital marketing and brand-building. However, a particular experience during my internship with a tech startup opened my eyes to the vastly differing perspectives that can exist between client and agency. More importantly, it taught me the immense value of empathetic listening to overcome conflicts and find common ground.

The situation arose when one of our startup's biggest clients, a prominent IT company called Dursikshya, approached us to help build buzz and brand awareness for an upcoming product launch. In our initial meeting, their representative laid out a startling demand - they wanted our agency to amass 5,000 organic followers on their new Facebook group by the end of the week. As someone who understood the complexity of cultivating a genuine online following, I immediately recognized how outlandish and unrealistic this request was.

My boss tried advocating for a more reasonable timeline, explaining the inherent difficulties in rapidly growing an authentic following from scratch. However, the client's rep was stubbornly insistent, going so far as to threaten pulling their lucrative contract over the disagreement. With the future of the startup potentially hanging in the balance, tensions were running high in that meeting room.

Moved by a simple moment of curiosity, I decided to simply ask the client representative why this oddly specific goal of 5,000 new followers by week's end was so paramount. With a defensive hesitancy, he explained that they were launching a new product the following week and wanted to use this Facebook group as the premiere platform to announce and market it. Instantly, the underlying motivations that were driving his perspective came into focus.

This key insight allowed us to finally find common ground - we assuaged the client's concerns by proposing an alternative distribution strategy for the launch. Rather than attempting to manufacture an artificial audience, we would leverage our startup's established social media channels and cultivated community of engaged followers to amplify the product announcement. We outlined a comprehensive promotional plan that included rotating ads, influencer partnerships, and exclusive first-look content.

With a deeper understanding of each other's expectations, the representative agreed to our revised proposal. Crisis was averted and the partnership was preserved.

This experience was an invaluable lesson in not making assumptions about others' viewpoints and motivations, no matter how misguided they may initially seem. By extending empathy and examining the roots of the client's demands, we were able to turn a potential disaster into a shrewd marketing collaboration.

In the fast-paced world of tech, it's tempting to get bogged down in your own expertise and fail to consider other angles. However, this internship taught me to always seek out perspectives that challenge my own and not discount them until I've truly understood their origins. Keeping an open mind and practicing responsive listening are keys to professional problem-solving.

More than any social media tactic I picked up, this was perhaps the most vital skill I developed during my tenure at that startup. Moving forward into my career, I've carried the principle of never stopping my ears to differing viewpoints, but rather embracing them as opportunities for personal growth and common progress.