Be Better than the Alternative

Four years ago we cut the cord: We switched from satellite TV to YouTube TV. Our satellite provider made leaving difficult, but once we moved on, we realized we’d never go back. YouTube TV had great perks, including easy signup and no long term contracts. Plus, the user experience was wonderful…until early December, when we received the following announcement:

We are now in negotiations with Disney to continue distributing their content on YouTube TV. Our deal will expire on Friday, December 17, 2021. We have not yet been able to reach an equitable agreement, so we want to give you a heads-up so that you can understand your choices.

Of course, the two parties were not able to come to an equitable agreement — which put our family into a crisis. My wife could not live without college football, especially during bowl season. Well played, Disney!! So, on Dec. 19th, 2021, we switched to Hulu Live. Once again, we were pleasantly surprised with YouTube TV; canceling our subscription was super easy. No penalties, no phone calls, nothing.

We found that Hulu Live was not all that different from YouTube TV, and, in some ways, we enjoyed Hulu better. However, soon we noticed that Hulu lacked a few features offered by YouTube, and some of Hulu’s user experiences were not as good as YouTube TV’s. And after a few months, we really missed YouTube TV. So, we switched back…once YouTube TV began streaming Disney content (including ESPN) again. Hulu Live was great about this; cancellation was simple. Thanks Hulu!

While this may feel like an endorsement for YouTube TV, there are a couple of leadership lessons I took from this experience.

First, as much as we enjoyed YouTube TV, when something we valued (Disney/ESPN) was taken away, we switched faster than Clark Kent in a phone booth. As leaders, we need to know what our people value and prioritize fighting for what they value. Your people may love you as a leader, but if you take away something they value, they may choose to leave. Leadership lesson: Don’t give your people a reason to leave.

Second, unlike our satellite provider, both Hulu Live and YouTube TV made cancelling easy. Consequently, I wouldn’t hesitate recommending Hulu/YouTube to others even though I would discourage signing up with a cable or satellite provider. Hulu and YouTube were saying, “Give us a try, and if we don’t work out, you have other options.” Similarly, as leaders, we should fight to keep our people, but if they choose to leave, then respect their choice. Heck, assist them with their next move and celebrate their new opportunity. Treating people leaving the team with respect and dignity may position them to become your best recruiters. Leadership lesson: Help team members leave well.

As leaders, we can learn a lot from YouTube TV. Provide the best experience possible, know what your team members value, and fight to make that a priority. And if team members choose to leave, make doing so easy for them. You can build a remarkable reputation by simply treating your people better than the alternatives.