Are you not entertained?
When the worst type of feedback kicks you in the stomach.
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Upon presenting back our findings on a particular question asked of my team recently, we got the worst response you could imagine.
Not “This is all wrong, start again.”
Not “You’ve clearly misunderstood me, let me tell you the question again.”
Not even “You’re sacked.”
Nope, worse than all of those.
The dreaded sentence flowed out like a spoonful of poison that has demoralized many a team over the years. It blindsided us because we always try to prevent this situation. This time, though, we missed it. Fortunately, there are some simple ways to prevent this from happening, which I’ll share in a moment.
But first, the feedback…
After delivering what we thought were some pretty impressive slides (if we do say so ourselves) and talking through the findings in a compelling way (yes, we’re good at this stuff), we were met with:
“That’s interesting.”
What?
The conversation didn’t go any further. In fact, I suspect the person had already forgotten they’d even asked the original question. And we’d diligently set out that question at the start of the presentation, as all good presenters should.
“That’s interesting” was the sum of their response.
After spending considerable time—company time—working on this analysis, the main outcome was that we entertained this person with an “interesting” finding.
It was painfully clear the analysis wasn’t going to be used in any meaningful way for the business.
The original question had been asked simply because the person was curious about the answer. Nothing more.
I couldn’t help but think of Maximus Decimus Meridius from Gladiator: “Are you not entertained?”
How can we avoid this?
Thankfully, there are steps we can take to avoid this kind of situation. It’s about being proactive and deliberate at the start of the process. Here are some strategies that have helped me and my team since this particular episode:
Delicately tease out the core business question
Don’t settle for surface-level curiosity. Ask questions to understand what’s driving the request. What decision or action will this analysis inform?Clarify resource needs upfront
Explain what resources (time, data, people) will be required to produce the analysis. This step often makes people think twice before asking for something “interesting.”Confirm the question in writing
After the initial discussion, send a follow-up email that plays back the question in your own words. This ensures you’re aligned and reduces the risk of misunderstandings.Define the output format
Will this work be delivered as a slide deck? A report? A discussion? Be clear about what’s expected.Understand the audience
Who will see this work? Knowing the audience shapes the tone, detail, and focus of your analysis—and ensures it’s positioned to drive action.Check back periodically
Before diving too deep, share interim findings or progress updates. This helps ensure the work remains relevant and aligned with the original ask.
By taking these steps, we can avoid the dreaded “That’s interesting” and ensure our work drives real impact. Because while being interesting might work for Netflix, it’s not exactly what you want to hear after a week of hard graft.
Maybe I’m overreacting—are there times when being ‘interesting’ is enough?
Let me know if you disagree!
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