Have you seen that video of Mark Zuckerberg talking about the difference between Meta’s and Apple’s development approaches?
For some reason, LinkedIn keeps serving me a clip from the September 2024 episode of the Acquired Podcast.
At the beginning of that segment, Zuckerberg notes that Meta takes a different approach than Apple regarding product strategy:
Why do we need the Ferrari of marketing automation systems when our strategy calls for a truck?
Why do we need to figure out how to get to 42 AI-generated versions of content when three will get us 95% of the way to our goal?
Why do we need to create 100 pieces of content for that social media channel when it’s not delivering the desired level of benefit?
When I work on content marketing strategies for organizations, I often recommend changing the content creation process to start with the story rather than the containers (e.g., the designed asset).
For example, if they’re planning a thought leadership piece, I recommend they avoid saying, “We need a white paper!” Instead, I recommend they define the story first and then plan whether it should be a white paper, an e-book, a webinar, a podcast, an email, or all of the above.
The No. 1 pushback I get on this recommendation is, “It sounds like you’re going to slow down the content creation process.”
My answer is, “Yup, absolutely. And by doing that, you’ll exponentially increase your re-use and repackaging capabilities.”
Intentional agility as a strategic advantage
In a world obsessed with speed, it’s tempting to equate velocity with progress. However, the most successful organizations understand that real progress comes from moving with purpose.
Fortunately, I’m noticing more and more marketing leaders raising their hands and saying, “Maybe it’s time to pause, take a breath, and slow down.”
By shifting the focus to intentional agility— toward inventing things intentionally and away from breaking things quickly — you can create a work environment that is more sustainable, innovative, and impactful.
So, the next time you face pressure to move fast, don’t. Consider whether you’re merely chasing velocity or driving toward a meaningful destination.
Then move forward — intentionally.
It's your story. Tell it well.
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Cover image by Joseph Kalinowski/Content Marketing Institute
