A significant number of companies have what I call an “office hysteric.” You know who I’m talking about – the person that takes everything to extremes. They thrive on drama, and discuss everything with great emotion. They’re addicted to superlatives, and tend to over-describe everything. Sales results aren’t good, they’re “the most awesome results anywhere in the country.” The project isn’t just working, “it’s going to change everything.” They work in the negative as well. When things look bad, it’s “catastrophic.” Your idea won’t fail, “It will ruin everything this company is built on.”
I worked for an office hysteric once at a major religious ministry. When I pitched him an idea for TV, his response was, “Your idea will destroy everything I’ve ever worked for, and I hope you can live with that.” (I took the idea to another ministry and it was very successful.)
The point is, hysterics try to win over their colleagues by heaping on the drama. They feel that the best way to convince people of their ideas is to make them sound incredible. Likewise, they demonize the ideas and people they don’t like.
But the truth is – being over the top actually undermines your message. Cut the drama. People understand reality and can see the truth pretty easily.
Build your argument on the quality of its content, not the value of its drama.
