“I would actually say it like this…” If these words sound familiar, then you’ve experienced what’s known as “content interference.” It’s unending, unqualified, and unwanted instruction from anyone with eyes to misread and lips to speak opinions that plagues content specialists the world over. More than an annoyance, unchecked content interference can derail even the best content strategies, and higher ed is exceptionally prone to this particular scourge. Learn why it happens, how to avoid it, and what you can do to turn content’s greatest weakness into your greatest strength. In this session you’ll learn how to: Identify the causes of content interference. Learn specific tactics to prevent content interference. Pick the right battles to fight (and avoid the ones you can’t win).

1. Too Many Cooks!
How to prevent content interference so you can do your job.
Jared Thomas Meyer
Confab Higher Ed 2016
11/16/2016
@jaredtm

2. Here’s what we’re gonna do
Talk about what content
interference is.
Figure out why content
interference happens.
Talk about ways to stop
it from happening.
1 2 3

3. XKCD.com

9. What is content interference?
The unsolicited, unwanted, and often uninformed opinion of an
interloper that delays or alters carefully crafted content.
“I looked at the website.
Here are my edits.”
“The letter from the
director needs to be on
the home page.”
“Carousels! FAQs!
PDFs!”

10. Design “Feedback”
Final
Product
Content production process...

12. How do you
want to spend
your day?
PeopleProblems
Good ideas
Bad ideas
Leadership
Inspiration
Innovation
Creativity
Petty Tyrants
Disengagement
Embarrassment
Failure

13. Causes of content
interference
We fight over content because…
1. It’s highly visible and poorly understood
2. It’s easy to fake expertise
3. Jacked up service-model power dynamics

14. Visibility
is power.
(That’s why it’s so political)

15. Competing
interests...
...and limited resources.

16. Content strategy is
a mystery
You’re magic.

17. Expertise
is easy to fake.
(At least, in the content world.)

18. Fachidiot
“A person who is an expert in
their field, but a complete fool
in every other topic.”

19. Service-model
power dynamics.
(Who do you work for, exactly?)

20. About your job...
You think:
“My job is to find ways to
efficiently produce effective
content!”
Your boss thinks:
“Their job is to do
what I tell them!”

21. You think: Your boss thinks:

22. Recap! - Why we
fight over content
We fight over content because…
1. It’s highly visible and poorly understood
2. It’s easy to fake expertise
3. Jacked up service-model power dynamics

23. Content interference is high risk stuff
People want to make meaningful contributions
Input feels personal
Content feels very important

24. Take a strategic
approach
Change your culture
Change the way you work
Try these tactics Listen
Include
Evangelize
Depersonalize
Be specific

25. “One of the best ways to persuade others
is with your ears―by listening to them.”
― Kerry Patterson, Crucial Conversations

26. Listen
to more than just words.
Start with their problems
Do the safety dance
Start every project with interviews

27. “Remember teamwork begins by building
trust. And the only way to do that is to
overcome our need for invulnerability.”
― Patrick Lencioni, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

28. Include
every stakeholder.
Make it a safespace
Create mutual meaning
Invent mutual meaning

29. “The key to real change lies not in
implementing a new process, but in getting
people to hold one another accountable to
the process.”
― Kerry Patterson, Crucial Conversations

30. Depersonalize
and align on mutual purpose.
Point to governance documents
Lean on data & best practices
Don’t be a sociopath

31. “Courage starts with showing up and
letting ourselves be seen.”
― Brené Brown, Daring Greatly

32. Evangelize
to make content converts.
Present THIS conference!
Create (or join) a committee

33. “Start with Heart. The first question is:
‘What do I really want?’…How would I
behave if I really wanted these results?”
― Kerry Patterson, Crucial Conversations

34. Be specific
about what you want.
Use contrasting
Ask for what you want
Offer what was asked

35. Take a strategic
approach
Change your culture
Change the way you work
Try these tactics Listen
Include
Evangelize
Depersonalize
Be specific

36. Essential elements for success
1) A culture of empowerment and integrity
2) A boss that supports you

37. Crappy culture?
No support?
Quit your job.

38. No really.
Quitting your job is an act of
optimism.

39. Thanks!
Jared Thomas Meyer
Content Strategist (by way of copywriting)
George Washington University
to Quad Learning, LLC
to Bixal
Jaredthomasmeyer.com
twitter.com/jaredtm