Healthy Paranoia

Happy Friday, sippers

How was your week?

Last night, I had the pleasure of watching my youngest's music concert and the drama play for my middle one. Each was (obviously) amazing, and I was so impressed watching them handle their stress and transform it into a great performance.

This week was also our Canadian team offsite, and it was nice to be together, sharing many stories and laughter. The program was one of the best in years. We were privileged to have the visit of two powerful speakers, Diane Brisebois and Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe.

First, I had the pleasure of hearing from Diane Brisebois, the absolute force behind the Retail Council of Canada. For those who don't know, she has been a champion for Canadian retail for what feels like a lifetime, having recently been inducted into the Canadian Retail Hall of Fame and now trying to take her well-deserved retirement. 

I loved the endearing roasting of her interviewer throughout her time on stage, the flow of her answers (here's what I heard, here's my answer, here's what I told you), how casual it felt, and how structured and thought-provoking it really was. 

One of her gems was the concept of "healthy paranoia." 

A constant state of looking over your shoulder (not in a scary way), pondering on: 

• How can we be better?

• What's coming next?

• Are we really delivering for our customers? 

The opposite of complacency, the brand-building equivalent of that feeling when you're sure you've forgotten something and triple-check your bag before leaving the house.

In short, it's what customer centricity should feel like

Speaking of which, Diane's point about taking responsibility hit home. She mentioned the 2008 case of Maple Leaf Foods and how their CEO, Micheal McCain, stood up and said, "This is on me." It was a moment of brand accountability. Painful? Yes. Necessary? Absolutely. 

It's about acknowledging, apologizing and over-correcting.

Here's why this is the only way to think about it:

• It forces you to justify your existence daily | you earn your customers' business. It is never given.

• It makes accountability non-negotiable | A paranoid brand is obsessed with its own reputation in the customer’s eyes and takes ownership of its shortcomings.

• It shifts your focus from your mind to theirs | It’s not about your challenges; it’s about being paranoid about the reality your customer faces. 

This isn't just about market share; it's a paranoid belief that you are always one misstep away from being forgotten and, when channelled correctly, is a powerful motivator for excellence.

Okay, so that's the "what." It's an intense, constant state of vigilance. But it brings up a question: how does a team sustain it?

Enter our second speaker, Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe, an expert in resilience who gave us the how. If healthy paranoia is the mindset, then battle-tested resilience is the operational strength that allows you to act on it. In this powerful story, she demonstrates that the key to building resilience in others isn't always about having the answer, but about creating an alliance."

Here's how resilience brings customer-centricity to life:

• It's the ability to absorb the truth | A customer-obsessed brand is constantly getting feedback, and not all of it is pretty. Resilience is the organizational and personal strength to hear that your beloved campaign missed the mark, to see the negative comments, and to not crumble. 

• It fuels the courage to pivot | It's what allows a team to take the learnings from a stumble and quickly channel them into a new, better approach.

• It empowers the people who build the brand | This is the most crucial part: when your people feel supported, they are not afraid to try new things, admit mistakes, and adapt. They become the bridge that turns paranoid insights into brand-building progress.

So there it is. 

Diane gave us the what | the raw, visceral feeling of true customer obsession. 

Dr. Hanley-Dafoe gave us the how | the resilient foundation required to sustain it. 

You simply can't have one without the other.

It feels like I uncovered secret ingredients for sustainable brand building this week.

See you next week