Amira joined our team with a wealth of HR and performance management expertise. She was excited to bring her deep knowledge to the table, expecting a collaborative environment where her insights would shine. However, things didn’t start off as smoothly as hoped.
Amira: "I felt like I was coming with a lot of expertise, a lot of opinions, a lot of kind of... a lot of content knowledge to bring to the organisation."
Ruta and Emma, on the other hand, were used to a fast-paced marketing environment, constantly brainstorming and producing content at breakneck speed. This difference in pace and approach led to initial friction.
Ruta: "We just kind of sucked her into our world and our way of doing stuff and expected her to just be okay with things."
Amira found the sudden jump into high-energy content creation meetings overwhelming, leading to tension and misunderstandings. "I needed time to think about it," she mentioned, highlighting the need for different working styles to coexist.
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The turning point came when Ruta needed Amira’s slides for a webinar. Ruta made some tweaks to better fit the marketing narrative, which left Amira feeling her voice was being diluted. This led to a heated exchange that nearly derailed their collaboration.
Ruta: "I really want a good webinar. That's all I want. And I want Amira to do a good job."
Recognizing the brewing storm, Ruta reached out for mediation, bringing in a neutral party to help navigate the conflict. "Having a mediator is a really good idea," Amira noted, emphasizing the importance of a third-party perspective in resolving disputes.
Through open conversations and setting clear expectations, Ruta and Amira found a way to respect each other’s strengths and working styles. They developed a framework to categorize content needs—Bronze, Silver, and Gold—each with its own level of collaboration and control.
Amira: "Bronze was like Amirah just give us the bullet points and then we'll write it."
This system allowed Amira to contribute her expertise without feeling overridden, while Ruta and Emma could maintain the marketing momentum. "Ownership was the key," Ruta explained, "and once we clarified that, it made a huge difference."
One of the biggest lessons from their experience is the critical role of communication. Ruta shared a client case where an SME created content that didn’t align with the marketing goals, leading to wasted time and resources. "Make sure you are as specific as you can in those situations," Ruta advised.
Amira: "Having the conversation upfront is essential. Share how you like to work."
Regular check-ins and clear briefs can prevent misalignment. Amira added, "Writing on brief is a skill set of its own that subject matter experts might not have." By breaking down the process and ensuring both parties understand the other's priorities, they minimized conflicts and enhanced collaboration.
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Marketers often work under tight deadlines, where timing can be everything. "For us, timing is quite often everything," Emma explained. On the flip side, SMEs like Amira are more focused on the depth and accuracy of content. Striking a balance between these priorities is essential.
Amira: "Sharing what matters to you both and why is the fundamental point."
Understanding that a perfectly polished piece delivered late can be less effective than a good piece delivered on time helped bridge the gap between marketing urgency and expert precision. "Good enough is good enough," Ruta emphasized, encouraging Amira to adopt a more pragmatic approach when necessary.
Trust emerged as a cornerstone of their successful collaboration. Amira realized that trusting Ruta and Emma’s understanding of the audience was crucial. "You guys really did know the audience," she acknowledged.
Ruta: "We need to find a way of working together that suits both parties."
By valuing each other's expertise and maintaining mutual respect, they transformed initial tensions into a productive partnership. This trust allowed them to navigate future projects smoothly, with each party knowing their role and the value they bring.
Collaborating with SMEs doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Here are some key takeaways from Ruta and Amira’s experience:
By following these principles, marketers and subject matter experts can create content that’s both impactful and authentic, driving success for all parties involved.
Collaboration between marketers and SMEs is a dance of balancing expertise with timing, precision with impact. As Ruta and Amira showed, with the right communication and mutual respect, this partnership can lead to outstanding results. So next time you’re working with an SME, remember to set clear expectations, keep the conversation flowing, and most importantly, trust in each other’s strengths.
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