We need to have a long heart to heart about taking this new name of yours out from under the bushel and letting its light shine. Introducing a new name or a new concept into any organization is tough; names are the toughest. So, let’s be diplomatic about this… you know that thirty foot banner you were thinking of spreading across the plant entrance? Let us just hold off on that for a moment.

Our second son is named Noah. The reaction to the name was interesting. You know how it is when people see or hear something they don’t like and try hard to say something nice. The classic is, “What do you say about an ugly baby? That’s a baby!” Our response to the name was silence, then things like, “That’s an interesting name.” Then we told them that we had been choosing between Zechariah and Noah. Noah was quickly and completely embraced.

An old friend of mine, Mark Sebell, Founder of Creative Realities, talks about something he calls The Bazooka Factor. The Bazooka Factor is just what it sounds like—presenting a new idea in many organizations is very much like setting up a bulls-eye on a target range. Thirty bazookas are out blasting away before you can say, “But wait, look at the tag line. See my wonderful graphics.”

Part of the esteem in which I hold advertising agency personnel is because of their willingness to walk out onto the field of battle over and over. They virtually wear a sign, saying “Ad agency, kick me.” And we oblige. Very adult of us.

I would like to suggest the following exercise before you introduce your brand-new name into your organization.