FAST COMPANY: How do you ask a difficult question?
SARAH HOFSTETTER: I'm a huge believer in candor, but that also needs to be couched constructively. It's always about thinking about your end game. What do you want the result of your conversation to be? If you want it to be positive, don't put someone on the defensive. So when you're asking a difficult question, be direct, make sure it's also a safe environment for someone to answer.
How do you ask a difficult question?
As 360i's Senior Vice President of Emerging Media & Brand Strategy, Sarah oversees 360i's social, mobile, digital publicity, consumer insights and brand strategy groups. Under her leadership, 360i has developed industry leading practices that have helped cement its reputation as a leading "next generation digital agency," as pronounced by AdWeek. Sarah's expertise is in providing strategic counsel to clients such as Kraft Foods, Coca-Cola, JCPenney, NBC Universal and Reckitt Benckiser on utilizing digital to help marketers foster relationships and form emotional bonds between brands and consumers.
Sarah currently sits on the Word of Mouth Marketing Association's (WOMMA) Board of Directors. Prior to joining 360i, Sarah was President and Founder of Kayak Communications, a boutique marketing agency focused on developing brand strategy and communications plans for new media brands such as Adobe Systems, Vibrant Media and Covad. Before starting her own agency, Sarah spent ten years at Net2Phone, one of the world's first providers of VoIP technology. There, she held a variety of senior positions, most recently Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications, where she was charged with developing the company's communications and brand strategy. Sarah lives on Long Island with her husband and two kids. To blow off steam, she enjoys painting, cooking and kickboxing.
