Communication Espouses Leadership-How Watch Brands Can Earn Respect Amongst Watch Enthusiasts
In the Navy, a Sailor has to be qualified to fight a fire; technically, they have to be qualified to demonstrate the ability to fight a fire. If an actual fire occurs, especially out to sea, one will do what needs to be done; qualifications be damned. The lengthy qualification process covers more information than I could ever address in this article. Still, it starts with the most vital skill: communications, or "comms" for short. Comms are the foundation of a firefighting organization onboard a ship and directly relate to leadership across the board, and I have noticed the same for watch brands. It is high time that watch brands provide more data ahead of time and rely less on hype.
Communications are nothing without actionable information. Simply pumping out data that does not initiate a decision is useless. As watch enthusiasts, we are often provided with new details on watch releases at trade shows. For the majority of watch enthusiasts, this is too late. We might have spent some money on another purchase by that time. We are forced to operate on rumors, leaks, and the like. None of which provide us with an opportunity to make an educated purchase decision with our money. Telling us more beforehand demonstrates trust between brand leadership and their customers, which can be endearing. Some of the best leaders I have worked with explained what I needed to know beforehand to make the necessary decisions. Zodiac Watches is a brand that has put effort into setting expectations, explaining its process, and providing a road map of where they are trying to go. A forward-facing Brand Director like Mike Pearson helps Zodiac Watches communicate effectively.
Leaders listen, both up and down the chain. They are not selective. Do they entertain all suggestions? No. Should they listen, digest, and decide? Yes. Plenty of excellent ideas come from all ranks in the Navy, and they can and have from watch enthusiasts. The question is: are the brands listening? Some are, and it is apparent when they do. I know quite a few Christopher Ward enthusiasts, and they regale me with tales of material improvements, size changes, and other design elements spurred on by the CW community. Mike France, the CEO of Christopher Ward, does a great job informing the CW customer base that their inputs are being heard, even if all their suggestions cannot be acted upon.
There is no more satisfying feeling than hitting the "complete purchase" button on a new timepiece. There is also no worse feeling than not buying a watch because you need more information to act on. I have been in that situation, and it sucks. It sucks because I, like many military members, past and present, am expected to make decisions. Someone will say that deciding not to buy a watch because you do not have enough information is "making a decision." That is true, but it would be much better to choose not to buy a piece because you had enough information from the brand about the piece. Watch brands must realize that the more information they provide us, the more it reinforces their relationship with the customer base.
Understanding and executing effective communications reduce the risk of misunderstandings, set expectations, and increase the chance of personal and team success. It is essential in the Navy, especially in firefighting, because actions down at the fire affect leadership positions throughout the ship. Suppose leadership throughout the ship needs to be more informed due to a lack of communication from the scene. In that case, somebody might make decisions with serious repercussions, unaware of the complete picture. While watch collecting and buying is nowhere near as important as fighting a fire, watch brands can learn valuable lessons from the latter.
