Alright, so let me tell you about this one time, a real head-scratcher of a project, or rather, a concept that got thrown around. It was tagged with this utterly bizarre label, and honestly, the main “practice” for me became figuring out how to even navigate the conversations around it. We’re talking about the “sexualman” idea. Yeah, you heard that right.
The Initial “What The Heck?” Phase
It all started pretty unceremoniously. We were in one of those weekly update meetings, the kind where you’re mostly just trying to stay awake. Then, this new guy, fresh from somewhere fancy, I guess, starts talking about his brilliant new marketing angle. And he drops this “sexualman” term. Seriously. The room went quiet. You could hear crickets. My first thought was, ‘Is this a language barrier thing? A mistranslation? A prank?’ But nope, he was dead serious.
So, the initial part of my “practice” was just trying to process this. I remember going back to my desk and just staring at my screen for a good ten minutes. My task, as it slowly dawned on me, wasn’t to develop “sexualman,” thank goodness, but to somehow provide “feedback” and “integrate” this… concept… into our existing strategies. What a laugh.
The “Practice” of Professional Poker Face
The next few weeks were an exercise in absurdity. Here’s what my practical engagement looked like:
- Decoding attempts: I actually spent time trying to figure out if there was some legitimate, albeit terribly named, idea buried under there. Was it about empowerment? Confidence? Nope, seemed like he just thought the name was edgy and cool.
- Strategic questioning: My main tactic during meetings. I asked a ton of questions. Stuff like, “Could you walk me through the target demographic for the ‘sexualman’ campaign?” or “What are the core values ‘sexualman’ is supposed to represent?” Watching him try to answer these without sounding completely unhinged was… an experience.
- Drafting diplomatic evasions: I wrote so many emails and internal notes. The real skill I was honing was how to say “this is a terrible idea and will blow up in our faces” in the most corporate, non-confrontational way possible. Phrases like “potential for misinterpretation” and “brand alignment considerations” became my best friends.
- Corridor diplomacy: A lot of hushed conversations with other colleagues. “Are we really doing this ‘sexualman’ thing?” “How do we stop this?” It was a collective, unspoken practice in damage control.
The “Trying to Steer the Ship” Part
I tried to gently guide the conversation. I prepared alternative suggestions. I pulled up market research showing why, just maybe, naming something “sexualman” might not be the best move for a company selling, you know, fairly normal products. It felt like I was trying to teach a fish to ride a bicycle. The practice here was sheer persistence and an almost zen-like patience I didn’t know I possessed.
We had workshops. Imagine that. Workshops. With whiteboards and sticky notes. Trying to “brainstorm” around this “sexualman” core concept. Most of us just doodled or wrote down actual sane ideas and tried to subtly change the subject.
The Inevitable (and Quiet) End
Eventually, the whole “sexualman” thing just… faded. I think even the new guy realized he wasn’t getting anywhere. There was no big announcement, no “we’ve decided to go in a different direction.” It just sort of vanished from the meeting agendas. Poof. Like it never happened. Which, believe me, was a relief to everyone involved.
My biggest takeaway from that whole ridiculous episode? Sometimes, the most important “practice” you get isn’t about building something new, but about stopping something monumentally stupid from happening. And learning how to do that without making too many waves? That’s a skill in itself. It’s funny, that guy left a few months later. Wonder if he took his “sexualman” idea with him to his next gig. I almost feel sorry for them.
