My Three Cents

The Mets' Black Mark

2007-10-08T10:14:00.000-04:00

Baseball, like any business, is dependent upon its relationship with the audiences that support it. Baseball primarily relies on the fans that buy tickets to see the games, tune in to radio and TV for play-by-play and read the media, both online and off, to get commentary and the after-game reports.

Every business that wants to stay in business makes a pact with its customers that it will do its very best to serve them. If best efforts are not provided to paying customers, credibility suffers.

That is the situation the New York Mets baseball team finds itself in, following the biggest collapse in baseball history, as the team, having dominated first place for most of the 2007 season, lost a seven game lead on Sept. 17 and lost the division to the Philadelphia Phillies. What further contributed to the letdown was the hype over the new Mets team, built over the last three years, as one of the best, if not the best team in baseball.

The reason for the collapse? “Complacency,” according to the Mets’ manager, Willie Randolph, in an Oct. 3 interview in the New York Times. Complacent, to me, means self-satisfied, content with the status-quo, and lacking in drive to reach the greatest heights possible. What a bitter pill for paying fans to swallow! That is certainly not fan ROI. Win or lose, we at least want to know that we are getting best efforts. In this case, the manager admits that we have been short-changed.

As The Times’s Ben Shpigel points out, “He [the manager] is in charge of getting the most out of his players and convincing them not to take anything for granted.” Isn’t that a fundamental leadership expectation? Major league players, on the other hand, many of whom make more money in an hour than most people make in a year, are expected to be motivated.

Thus, how do you explain the rumored comment of one star player, who said, “We’re so good, I am bored”? Or Tom Glavine, the Mets’ superstar 300-game winning pitcher, who allowed seven runs in the first inning against the Phillies, totally demoralizing the fans, in the all-important division-deciding last game of the season? He reportedly said he was not devastated by the loss. What does it take to devastate Tom Glavine? Wouldn’t it have been appropriate to hear some emotion, some personal regret – even if only to observe fan protocol? Why didn’t the manager remove Glavine earlier in the first inning preventing the game from becoming lopsided from the get-go?

Randolph also attributed the collapse to young players who had never been through late season pressure. In reality the Mets’ lineup had more veterans than young players. Yet baseball history is loaded with young motivated teams that have won many times over. Randolph advised that some young players were becoming too celebratory and acting silly. Doesn’t management set protocols?

As a fan myself, I come out of 2007 a skeptic. You cannot shortchange your fans and keep them. Yet the manager has been told he is staying as is the rest of the leadership. The Mets will have to do some fancy footwork to regain the credibility they had built up over the past three years. Perhaps the leadership can start by issuing an apology to the fans for permitting complacency to fester and guaranteeing that it will never happen again.

Technorati Tags: baseball, New York Mets, Willie Randolph, Ben Shpigel, Tom Glavine, leadership, credibility, business, communications, public relations

Know Thy Customer

2007-10-01T10:55:00.000-04:00

The better you know your customer, the more effective your pitch and the likelier you are to close the deal. Tailoring the pitch, the style and the element of “shock value” to your audience is the best way to capture people’s attention. Let me explain what I mean.

I was on a packed #7 subway in New York City about 10 days ago — deeply engrossed in my New York Times — on my way to the U.S. Open Super Saturday event, when suddenly a voice came out of nowhere.

I looked up and saw this rather nice looking, approximately 14-year-old boy sandwiched between people, holding onto straphangers, speaking loudly, trying to rise above the din: “Ladies and gentlemen … Can I have your attention for just two minutes?” The crowd suddenly became silent, almost as if something important were about to happen.

“I am not asking you for a donation to a charity or some other kind of organization,” he said in a very resonant tone. “This is not Boy Scout or Girl Scout Cookies. This is not fundraising of any kind. I am trying to make money for myself. I will be selling packages of M&Ms for $1 a piece and would appreciate your considering buying one. Thank you very much!” And he proceeded to make his way through the car selling the yellow sealed packages with the pictures of the familiar candies on it.

Now I know what you’re going to say. “It’s illegal to solicit on the subway.” You’re right! It’s also true that the so-called “fundraising candy scam” is familiar to almost every New Yorker.

I’m definitely not condoning this young man’s activities, but I certainly noted his energy, the enthusiasm in his presentation and his apparent candor about making money for himself. He clearly chose this particular venue to target an upscale crowd. His young, resonant voice caught everyone’s attention. He positioned himself as an entrepreneur and tailored his sales pitch to an audience of up-market businesspeople.

And his pitch was effective! A number of sophisticated straphangers, many of whom knew precisely what was going on, bought the candy anyway, because they saw something special — something of themselves — in this young man.

Technorati Tags: #7 subway, New York Times, U.S. Open, Boy Scouts, Girl Scout Cookies, M&Ms, shock value, fundraising candy scam, pitch, straphangers, New York City, business, communications, public relations

Mattel and the PR War over Product Safety

2007-09-24T16:29:00.001-04:00

It’s a complicated and often confusing story. Mattel, the toy manufacturing giant, announces massive recalls of nearly 20 million products manufactured in China, apologizes to its customers in the U.S. and Europe and then to officials in China. Now the latter apology is at the center of a storm of controversy.

Mattel says it was simply repeating in Beijing what the company had already said in Europe and the U.S. — that it was sorry for the recall and the company was doing everything it could to prevent further problems. (While the bulk of Mattel’s recalls resulted from its own design flaws — small magnets that were a choking hazard — another 2 million or so toys were recalled because they were coated with lead paint.) The Chinese press reported it as an apology for the design flaws that led to recall and for harming the reputation of Chinese firms. The U.S. translation of the Chinese translation of the apology sounded as if Mattel were apologizing for any blame placed on China, but the toy company said in a statement that those reports were “mischaracterized”.

Ouch! Mattel apologizes to the Chinese? Inexplicable! Haven’t we all heard the stories about tainted pet food, poisoned toothpaste, contaminated seafood and defective tires? As Senator Charles Schumer of New York said, “It's like a bank robber apologizing to his accomplice instead of to the person who was robbed!”

But wait a minute. The issue of the safety of their children is uppermost in all parents’ minds. Where was Mattel’s much-vaunted commitment to safety in the design and manufacturing process?

“For all of our import-bashing, it's worth keeping in mind that we are capable of screwing up here, too,” says U.S. News & World Report’s Rick Newman.

Michigan Representative John Dingell agrees. “It would be far too easy to attribute this summer's recalls to China's poorly regulated export manufacturers,” he said recently. “Regulatory deficiencies, shoddy business practices, and the forces of globalization all play a substantial role in this catastrophe. There is enough blame to go around.”

If there were ever a public relations problem, this one certainly qualifies … with customers, the U.S. government, U.S. consumers, suppliers, investors, politicians and the list goes on.

Mattel Chairman & CEO Robert A. Eckert has written, “When I was a young man growing up in suburban Chicago, my father encouraged me to earn his trust through my actions rather than just talk about what I was going to do. Today, I tell my children ‘deeds, not words.’”

As a communicator, I would agree that words are not enough. Mattel must earn back the trust of its customers with deeds. Every company has an obligation to its customers, employees and shareholders to ensure that all of its products — wherever they are manufactured — reflect the reputation and standards of the company whose name they wear.

Technorati Tags: Mattel, apology, product safety, product recall, design flaws, China, child safety, Charles Schumer, Rick Newman, John Dingell, Robert A. Eckert, business, communications, public relations

High Touch, High Tech

2007-09-17T09:20:00.000-04:00

We all seem to have love-hate relationships with the electronic devices in our lives. We love ‘em when they work; we hate ‘em when they crash. It’s great to have instant communication worldwide. It’s awful when you’re settling back to enjoy a movie and the guy in the row behind you is chatting on his cell phone. We want our kids to be technologically fluent, but we worry when they spend hour after hour glued to the computer screen.

We are all aware of the physical problems that come with the use of electronic devices: stiff necks and sore shoulders, bleary eyes, repetitive motion injuries, big butts and flaccid muscles. So I confess I was heartened by a handful of photos that accompanied a recent article by Andrew Parker in The Sun Online.

It shows a number of seniors, some as old as 103, who have traded knitting and bridge for Wii, the Nintendo gaming console with a remote control device that is used three-dimensionally in space, so that gamers can play tennis or baseball, golf, bowl, even box in the comfort of their own living rooms. It’s a virtual sport that gives your arm a real workout … as the residents of the Sunrise Home in Birmingham have discovered to their delight.

It’s nice to read about a new technology that reaches across the generations with something good for everyone.

Technorati Tags: electronic devices, instant communication, Andrew Parker, The Sun Online, Wii, Nintendo, virtual sport, senior citizens, business, communications, public relations

Big Business Beaten by the little Guy?

2007-09-10T16:40:00.000-04:00

It’s another case of David vs. Goliath … and it’s looking like another victory for David.

Tiny Trenton, NJ-based TerraCycle, the manufacturer of all-natural, all-organic liquid plant food made from waste (worm poop) and packaged in waste (recycled soda bottles), is being sued by Scotts Miracle-Gro , the $2.7 billion giant that currently dominates the market. According to the Wall Street Journal, the four-year-old TerraCycle had revenue of $1.5 million in 2006 and it's not yet profitable.

Scotts claims that the two companies' products look similar and will confuse customers and, further, objects to TerraCycle’s claims that its plant food is as good as or better than “a leading synthetic plant food.” Denying the allegation, TerraCycle says that the market is flooded with plant food products, which are, predominantly, packaged in green and yellow.

But TerraCycle is not just relying on legal counsel. The company — dubbed the “Coolest Little Start-Up in America,” by Inc. magazine — is harnessing the power of the Internet to generate public support, boost sales and raise legal funds through a blog called “Sued by Scotts”.

During the four weeks following the launch of TerraCycle’s online campaign, company sales surged 122% from the previous four weeks. (Last year, the company's sales increased 31% in the same period.)

The publicity surrounding this case has helped TerraCycle to create massive awareness about its products, which they could never afford if they were to advertise. The next challenge for TerraCycle will surely be finding ways to sustain their new-found awareness, perhaps through an ongoing visibility campaign.

And what about Scotts?

Goliath definitely needs a more effective strategy than standing on a hill and shouting at the enemy.

I believe that an out of court settlement is in the interest of Scotts Miracle-Gro. Even for a company with deep pockets like Scotts, the legal fees could be considerable and it might be easier and less costly for Scotts to settle this matter and move on; a protracted court fight and its attendant publicity can only help TerraCycle.

For TerraCycle there is limited downside here, even if it settles the suit and has to change its packaging. TerraCycle can say that it had to settle because the company couldn't afford to continue to fight. TerraCycle will still have won because of all the publicity which has boosted its sales and generated lots of awareness about the firm's products. And my bet is that TerraCycle will win more customer loyalty as a result of all this.

But for Scotts, there might be more competitive challenges down the road as more companies get a sense that there is a business with products like TerraCycle’s; some of these may be well-heeled competitors who can afford to spend marketing dollars on developing the category beyond a niche market. Scotts may also want to examine the strategy of going increasingly “green.”

Technorati Tags: TerraCycle, Scotts Miracle-Gro, Wall Street Journal, plant food, Inc. Magazine, Sued by Scotts, publicity, going green, business, communications, public relations

Murdoch and the Wall Street Journal: An Unholy Union? I Don’t Think So!

2007-09-04T12:26:00.000-04:00

Rupert Murdoch’s bid for the venerable Wall Street Journal seems to have polarized the blogosphere, the mainstream media and a number of my friends and colleagues.

In “Murdoch: Bad for Journalism, Bad for Democracy,” for example, blogger Josh Silver asserts that “those concerned about the journalistic independence and editorial integrity at the Journal have good reason to be worried.” On the other hand, former Knight Ridder executive Ken Bridges writes in his blog, ContentBridges , that “Murdoch's Dow Jones vision is right-on. It's the idea of a global business news and data business delivered to the laptops, desktops, phones, PDAs and TV monitors of everyone who wants in on capitalism around the globe.”

The New York Post — a Murdoch property — proclaims that the Bancrofts’ decision to sell to the media mogul “drew cheers from Wall Street analysts and other public shareholders who said Dow Jones desperately needed News Corp.’s capital and its international multimedia platform to stay competitive in Europe, Asia and across the United States.” But the Post’s arch-rival, the Daily News, has issued dire warnings that “the financial broadsheet [Murdoch] has long coveted is poised to sit alongside the factually challenged Post, Homer Simpson and Bill O’Reilly in the Murdoch trophy case.”

Where do I stand on the issue?

I contend that Murdoch bought the Journal precisely because it is one of the preeminent newspapers in the world and a standard-bearer for business reporting. It’s also a great fit for his new financial channel. I believe his promises to invest in Dow Jones — particularly its digital properties — and to expand its editorial presence overseas.

In an open letter to readers on August 1, WSJ Publisher L. Gordon Crovitz asserts that his paper’s readers “must be able to trust that our facts are right. Livelihoods depend on it, and capital is deployed because of it.” Crovitz further pledges that “the same standards of accuracy, fairness and authority will apply to this publication, regardless of ownership.”

It is the Journal’s objective, high-quality reporting and strong editorial independence that have given the newspaper its prominence and credibility. The newspaper’s 118-year track record is at the heart of the value that Mr. Murdoch is willing to pay $5 billion for. As an op-ed in the Journal states, “No sane businessman pays a premium of 67% over the market price for an asset he intends to ruin.”

If there’s anything the last few years have taught us, it’s that change is endemic in the media today. But change is not necessarily the same thing as disaster.

Technorati Tags: Wall Street Journal, Rupert Murdoch, Josh Silver, Ken Bridges, New York Post, News Crop., Dow Jones, Wall Street, Daily News, L. Gordon Crovitz, business, communications, public relations

A Client Complaint Can Sometimes Be a Gift

2007-08-27T17:24:00.000-04:00

The reality of any great relationship is change and imperfection. As in a marriage, great client relationships require a lot of hard work to achieve longevity. At Makovsky + Company, we put a premium on building client loyalty by aiming to do everything right. Despite a client satisfaction program that has historically produced an amazing client retention rate, we take nothing for granted.

One of the philosophies of our Quality Commitment program based on years of experience - - is to solicit complaints that, some clients - - unless solicited - - will not tell you about. They are usually small problems, but not always! The aim is to put them on the table. This is executed either through a client questionnaire or our independent auditor who periodically calls clients for performance reviews.

In fact, we see client complaints as an opportunity to bring us closer to our clients and meet even higher standards.

We all know the rule of thumb: the customer is always right. Do you remember supermarket mogul Stew Leonard’s legendary quote?

Rule #1: The customer is always right.
Rule #2: If the customer is wrong, go back to rule #1!

This principle was so essential to the foundation of his business that Leonard had it etched in a three-ton granite rock at the front door of his store.

For me, Leonard’s rule rules the day. It’s almost irrelevant whether our clients are right or wrong about what they are concerned about — whether it’s a perceived strategic or executional failure, interpersonal problems or simply a lack of chemistry — it’s my belief that every problem is a colossal opportunity in disguise.

Why? Because if there is an issue, and you address it openly, quickly and effectively, you are demonstrating, in a really meaningful way, that you’re willing to go that extra mile. By achieving consensus, you’re changing rough waters to smooth sailing and engendering warmth and gratitude in clients who might have been only dimly aware of the problem before you gave them license to recognize it. Of course, for the complaint to serve as a gift, however, what went wrong must never go wrong again.

If there are occasions in which the client is genuinely wrong, is it worth getting the client to admit it? Or do Stew Leonard’s rules still apply? Where there is one-sided or mutual culpability, most clients are frequently willing to admit it. This is a plus and tells you something about the integrity of the client and his or her desire to strengthen the relationship.

Depending on the complexity of the issues and the personality of the client, you have an opportunity to bring in an outside auditor to hear both points of view and deliver an objective solution. Or a frank meeting between the leaders on both sides may solve the problem. For the complaint to be a gift, however, the turnaround must introduce — and resolutely adhere to — new, higher standards of performance.

I’ve had a few of these experiences in my career where the result has been, indeed, a gift: “a client for life.” What better payoff could you want?

Technorati Tags: relationships, client loyalty, client satisfaction, Quality Committment program, complaints, Stew Leonard, business, communications, public relations

The "Tongue-Tied Factor"

2007-08-20T17:29:00.000-04:00

Have you ever been in a meeting where you wanted to make a point or ask a question but for some reason couldn't? You might have been anxious, for example, about any of the following:

You're low man on the totem pole in your organization and are uncertain how your question or opinion will be received.

You're bored, your mind is drifting and you have no idea if the point you want to make has already been made.

The guy running the meeting is shooting down everyone's ideas.

The facts being discussed are complex, and you worry that requesting clarification might imply that you're out of your depth.

You're just plain shy.

I've met many otherwise smart, capable, engaged individuals who have confessed that, at least sometimes, they find themselves tongue-tied at meetings. In my estimation, the "tongue-tied factor" is a problem that's largely ignored by both meeting leaders and participants. Most folks are content to let a few acknowledged "experts" at the meeting dominate the discussion, but involving everyone is critical to getting the best thinking at any gathering of people responsible for coming up with new ideas or breakthrough solutions to a given problem.

What can discussion leaders do to neutralize the "tongue-tied factor"? First, they have to be aware of the syndrome and set an inviting tone by engaging everyone in the meeting, not just the most facile communicators. They may even need to overtly state: "We need your best thinking today. It doesn't matter whether you're are an intern or an EVP, everyone has a perspective that brings value to our discussion. If you have a question, ask it. Don't censor yourself or each other. There are no dumb questions, no dumb ideas. What you might think is a stupid comment can lead someone else to a creative thought. I want to hear from each and every one of you!"

Meeting leaders are responsible for helping to bring out the best in the participants. Compliment those who have contributed to the discussion. Describe how tweaking a particular idea might strengthen it. If someone asks a question that was answered earlier, rather than become impatient with the questioner, dig more deeply to get behind the question. Clearly something needs to be clarified!

People in a meeting who are afraid to speak up must work on freeing themselves from their fears. One way to build confidence is by learning as much as you can, in advance, about the topic under discussion. It will boost your courage, lengthen your attention span and the increase the likelihood that what you say will be both memorable and helpful in achieving the goals of the meeting. Surrender your ego. If you participate fully in the meeting, the potential rewards will always be greater than the risks, even if someone should react critically to one of your ideas or questions.

Neutralizing the "tongue-tied factor" is everybody's responsibility. It's a prerequisite for us to find the best, most creative solutions to our clients' - and our own company's - most pressing business problems.

Technorati Tags: tongue-tied factor, discussion leaders, communicators, meeting leaders, confidence, courage, ego, fear, business, communications, public relations

The Value of the Intern

2007-08-13T11:28:00.000-04:00

While I was still in university, the Association for International Exchange of Students in Economics and Commerce enabled me to work as an economics intern for a large shipbuilding company in Gothenburg, Sweden. I will never forget the fantastic international business experience I gained, as well as the hospitality and generosity of my colleagues. So it’s no wonder that I am so passionate about Makovsky + Company’s Intern Program. Some wonderful young talent has been developed through it.

This week I am happy to introduce the special writing talents of one of our summer interns, Travis Ferber, a recent graduate of Washington University, in St. Louis, who describes his experiences here …

There are few people who have not, at least once in their lives, held an entry-level position in one business or another. Be it that first job in high school, a part-time post during college or the first “real” employment out of college, most of us know what it feels like to be on the bottom of the totem-pole. And there is rarely any other title which so strongly evokes the image of being squarely at the bottom of the pecking order as that of intern.
The word “intern” was, in my mind, associated with long hours spent photo copying documents, getting coffee and running to Staples to pick up paper for the printer — basically, the stereotypical stump on which the rest of the proverbial totem-pole rested. This view, however, was not altogether representative of reality.

This summer I had the opportunity to intern at Makovsky + Company — an experience which redefined my view of the word “intern.” At Makovsky I was given the opportunity to learn a great deal about the public relations industry from within a firm that treated me as a respected member of the staff. I was encouraged to ask questions, do “real” work, and become a member of various client teams; and while there was the rare occasion when I had to complete so-called menial tasks like scanning, data mining and binding, there were no races to Starbucks nor chains binding me to the copier. And even those tasks which are deemed menial are not without value, for, as I have come to learn, a business cannot function successfully without them.

It is lessons such as these which demonstrate the beauty of an internship — it is a golden opportunity to learn a field from the inside out. Interns can immerse themselves in a real-world, working environment, finding out not only if the prospective field is really right for them, but also what it takes to run a successful business. Yet, the benefits of an internship are not simply one-sided.

Companies can, and do, take advantage of interns, not as a bunch of cheap lackeys, but as additional (oftentimes tech-savvy) employees with distinct points-of-view who can contribute to the bottom line. And face it: we interns are the next generation of employees. There is a big incentive to find out which of us are a good fit for a company before anyone actually is hired, and an internship is a great way for an employer to do just that. Furthermore, once a decision to hire has been made, the transition from intern to employee is much easier than that of inexperienced grad to employee. Ultimately, those who have internship experience are more satisfied with their job and demonstrate a higher organizational commitment, so both the employer and intern benefit.

My internship has been terrific! I worked on client projects, helped with new business presentations, wrote some press releases, and actually got to call some reporters. Moreover, I come away with a greater understanding of the value of clear, conscious communications in business as well as life, and with the belief that an intern, like many starting positions, can be a valued member of a company despite being the at the bottom of the totem-pole.

To those employers who are contemplating or already have internships available: remember interns can be an asset to you, so do not treat them otherwise. For those students who have never thought of completing an internship, I would strongly recommend you consider it. My internship has been a great experience! And guess what! All the hard work paid off, for I was hired in mid-August — moving up one spot on the totem-pole from intern to employee!

Technorati Tags: intern, internship, Association for International Exchange of Students in Economics and Commerce, Gothenburg, Sweden, totem-pole, intern program, Washington University, business, communications, public relations

Is Sorry a Strategy?

2007-08-06T13:46:00.000-04:00

I could not have said it better. I credit the following to Robyn Greenspan, Senior Editor of Execunet, an online networking and career site for senior executives. The links, however, are my own interpolation.

John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods, is the latest apologist for his role as an anonymous Internet user who posted negative messages about competitor Wild Oats on financial stock forums. It may seem like a MySpace prank at first — an impulsive action from a high schooler who didn't get a prom date — but Mackey routinely posted on these message boards for eight years.

Mackey's actions were certainly opaque, and his apology seems to represent transparency. But with a recent wave of public "sorries" from visible figures — Paris Hilton, David Neeleman, Don Imus, Mel Gibson and a growing list of politicians — these megawatt mea culpas may no longer suffice. In many cases, the apology seems less about reprehensible actions and more about "I'm sorry I got caught."

While the antics of drunken celebrities, corrupt politicians and greedy corporate executives (Enron, Tyco, etc.) may not surprise us — and may sometimes be expected — Mackey's actions are more disappointing. Whole Foods, like Neeleman's JetBlue, are supposed to be the good guys — socially conscious, friendly, customer-centric companies that care about their employees, the earth and doing what's right.

They both issued very public apologies, but Neeleman's and Mackey's downfalls are decidedly different. The former faced a customer service debacle while the latter deliberately deceived stakeholders; Neeleman absorbed the blame for issues where he may not have been directly responsible and Mackey's consistently poor judgment put his company — and especially its brand — in jeopardy.

There are many lessons in Mackey's story: the myth of Internet anonymity, the economic influence of user-generated content, managing bad PR and repairing brand reputation, the psychology of forgiveness, etc. But the most important is about the interrelationship between leadership and trust.

Technorati Tags: Robyn Greenspan, Execunet, Whole Foods, John Mackey, apology, JetBlue, Wild Oats, Paris Hilton, David Neeleman, Don Imus, Mel Gibson, business, communications, public relations

What Today's CEOs Can Do For Tomorrow's Leaders

2007-07-30T18:32:00.000-04:00

Think about all the issues that face CEOs at major companies: everything from ethics, safety and diversity in the workplace to environmental sustainability and regulatory compliance … all on a global scale. Failure to successfully manage such issues can cost a company its profitability or even its ability to survive.

The challenge is compounded by the fact that the world can change in a minute. With the advent of the internet any single person on a mission among any of a CEO’s constituencies — customers, employees, shareholders, vendors, analysts, reporters, etc. — can bring down a company with the click of a mouse.

So one would think that CEOs of tomorrow would address such challenges in special educational programs in today’s graduate business school curricula. Yet just two years ago, Ron Alsop reported in The Wall Street Journal that it was the rare business school that provided MBA graduates with a solid grounding in corporate reputation issues and management. And recently I took a look at the curricula of the top five U.S. business schools, Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, MIT Sloan and Northwestern’s Kellogg , according to U.S. News & World Report , and not one teaches strategic communications — unless I missed it because it’s camouflaged in a marketing course.

In an era when democracy is being reinvented via the internet … at a time when every company exists only because of public consent and two- and three-way conversations are multiplying faster than you can say “blogosphere,” how can potential CEOs and other senior executives hope to be on top of their game without formal training in the strategic management of corporate reputation? Would MBA candidates not take basic courses in finance, accounting, marketing and human resources?

The public relations profession has certainly taken note of this educational void. Nevertheless, various efforts by the Public Relations Society of America to move business schools in the right direction have not yielded much in the way of tangible results.

And so I pose a challenge to our industry’s leadership, and particularly the heads of corporate communications in our nation’s leading companies: let us join together to motivate your CEOs to encourage action in the major schools of business. Businesses pour millions into business schools; if the CEO of a Fortune 500 company (such as Credit Suisse, Novartis, Thomson on General Motors or Exxon Mobile, for instance —
all major philanthropic sponsors of Harvard B-school) should call Dean Jay Light and make a cogent argument for a course designed to train our future leaders in strategic communications management, Dr. Light will surely listen. So will all the others in like situations.

But this will not happen unless we, as professional communicators, stimulate and push such action. Every CEO today must recognize that profit-making is dependent upon the ability to forge strong connections and build trust with every stakeholder. I have every expectation that they will share our interest in educating the generations that follow us.

Technorati Tags: CEO, graduate business school, The+Wall+Street+Journal, MBA, education, PRSA, Dean Jay Light, Harvard, Wharton, Stanford, MIT+Sloan, Kellogg,business, communications, public relations

Client Advocacy at Its Best

2007-07-23T13:12:00.000-04:00

Because I have always seen myself as an advocate, I have trained myself to rapidly identify with a client’s cause and do everything possible to achieve the end result desired by the client. Without understanding and meeting the client’s goals, the chances for a successful outcome are slim.

But what is at the heart of successful advocacy? Obviously, you need to know the issues and develop strategies that will work, and you need to be aggressive. Nevertheless, at its very foundation, I believe it requires two skills:
1) a very deep understanding of the client’s situation, and
2) being able to fully imagine how he or she feels — personally and professionally — to the point of being able to feel it yourself.

In a nutshell, I’d call it “empathy.” To me it’s at the heart of our closest personal ties. It’s equally as essential in a professional environment.

A study, reported in the July 2007 issue of Harvard Women’s Health Watch, indicates that humans are wired to connect. Conducted by researchers at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital, the research suggests that the success of psychotherapy is strongly linked to the patient’s perception of the clinician’s empathy. When positive emotions are at the highest levels, patients and therapists are most in sync, in terms of facial expressions, body language and verbal exchanges. The more in sync they are, the greater the empathy. The greater the empathy, the better the outcome.

While this particular study specifically addresses the patient-psychotherapist relationship, I feel the findings have much broader relevance — for business, in general, and particularly for counselors in public relations.

If the client feels that the counselor truly empathizes and they are emotionally in sync, the counselor can be a better advocate, enhancing chances for success. The attributes of empathy — including listening intently, sharing information and showing an emotional closeness — can create a feeling of connectedness among people with all kinds of divergent interests, from parents and children to labor and management or a company and its employees.

Empathy is often considered an inborn talent but, in reality, it is a skill that can be learned, according to lead researcher Dr. Carl Marci. It’s a skill that’s worth acquiring, since we now know that it can change everyone’s fortunes for the better if it’s in play.

Technorati Tags: client advocacy, empathy, Harvard Women's Health Watch, Massachusetts General Hospital, emotions, Dr. Carl Marci, business, communications, public relations

"Role-Model" Recognition

2007-07-16T11:38:00.000-04:00

Everyone likes to be recognized and appreciated for a job well-done. That’s Management 101. According to Stanford Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer, author of The Human Equation: Building Profits by Putting People First, companies that manage people right outperform companies that don't by 30% to 40%. Nonetheless, many managers unintentionally neglect giving recognition to their subordinates, as well as others in the company who deserve it, even though studies have shown that recognition motivates staff, increases morale, productivity and employee retention, and decreases stress and absenteeism.

I am not suggesting that everyone is equally dependent upon external recognition. (As one former client, who was a chairman of a Fortune 500 company, said, "How do I motivate people? I hire motivated people!") But occasional doses of recognition can stimulate even the self-motivated to greater heights.

At Makovsky we help our managers acknowledge superior achievement by our people through the “We Achieve” recognition system, which honors those who embody — and role-model — the firm's values, all of which relate to creating an environment in which quality work thrives:

Initiation
Innovation
Communication
Collaboration
Motivation
Education

… all in the name of excellence
… all with integrity

Employees who role-model these values are always client-focused — client advocates, client loyalists — outstanding team players, they impart knowledge to others and, last but not least, are great to work with.

"We Achieve" is based on giving recognition cards to others. There is a separate card, about the size of a business card, for every value. On the back of each card, in addition to "from and to," it asks for the "purpose." Thus, for example, if someone has been amazingly motivated and worked into the wee hours of the morning, doing an excellent job on Project X, someone might give him or her the "motivate" and "collaborate" cards, indicating why in the "purpose" section. Every two months the person in the firm who has received the most cards wins a cash prize, and the announcement is made at a firmwide meeting.

Approximately 2-300 cards exchange hands every two months.

As businesswoman Mary Kay Ash, once said, "There are only two things people want more than sex and money — and that's recognition and praise." Recognizing this simple fact of human life can yield impressive returns for a company … and its customers.

Our program not only encourages managers to recognize others, but stimulates healthy competition, goodwill, enthusiasm and hard work. Recipients are touched when they receive a card. "We Achieve" always ranks among the top-rated programs in Makovsky's annual employee survey. Strategically, it not only works to our clients' benefit but every other audience who wants to know what makes us tick.

Technorati Tags: role-model, recognition, praise, Jeffrey Pfeffer, Mary Kay Asg, initiation, innovation, collaboration, motivation, education, business, communications, public relations

Publicity: Vice or Virtue?

2007-07-09T12:38:00.000-04:00

When I think about the media circus created around Paris Hilton, in general, and particularly on the day of her release from jail, I imagine that “thinking people” in the U.S. and elsewhere must question not only her frivolity but the frivolity of journalism and the mechanism of publicity. As one journalist noted, the wayward heiress’s exit from jail “received more news coverage in some circles in the past month than the entire continents of Africa and South America in a year.”

But for every Paris Hilton, there are many other situations which remind us that publicity is often a towering virtue, and one we would not want to be without. It can serve as an important pressure tactic to bring justice, educate the public about the prevention of dangers and disease and build awareness of new products, ideas, opportunities and leadership, for example. One way or the other, it influences us positively, negatively, or not at all, but it may influence action that makes a difference.

I will just cite one example, so we can keep the use of publicity in perspective.

Adam Liptak’s article, "Prosecutor Becomes Prosecuted," which appeared in The New York Times on June 24, is about the disbarment of Michael Nifong, the prosecutor in the Duke lacrosse case, for withholding evidence from the defense, misleading the court and inflaming the public. According to Liptak, while other prosecutors have been found by the courts to have done similar things, very few have ever lost their jobs or their licenses to practice law. Even when prosecutorial wrongdoing has put an innocent man on death row, discipline has been light or nonexistent.

What made this case different is the fact that it was a huge media magnet. Bennett Gershman, a former prosecutor in Manhattan who now teaches law at Pace University, said the Nifong case was handled differently because the national exposure it generated “put the disciplinary body and the entire system of justice under the spotlight.”

Publicity enables the court of public opinion. But its value is dependent on how and for what it is employed.

Technorati Tags: publicity, Paris Hilton, Adam Liptak, Michael Nifong, Duke lacrosse case, Bennett Gershman, Pace University, business, communications, public relations

Death To Spin

2007-07-02T10:35:00.000-04:00

There is no word in the English language that I hate more than “spin.” It is used by politicos, business executives and many others to address difficult situations that they need to “put over” on the public. “How shall we spin it?” Or how shall we shape or even fabricate the story so that we can gain public acceptance or at least tolerance? Public relations professionals are often referred to as “spin doctors.” The media attribute “spin” to the quotes they get from their sources. And so the concept of “spinning” gains traction.

As a public relations professional who believes in and practices truth over “truthiness,” I long for the total annihilation of “spinning.” So it was with great pleasure that I read Tom Friedman’s column, “The Whole World is Watching,” in the New York Times, June 27, in which he emphasizes that transparency trumps spinning, whether you like it or not, and, most importantly, gives organizations a new opportunity to distinguish themselves.

The question is what does he mean by that? He cites the new book, “How,”
by Dov Seidman, CEO of a business ethics company. Friedman says:

Seidman’s simple thesis is that in this transparent world “how” you live your life and “how” you conduct your business matters more than ever, because so many people can now see into what you do and tell so many other people about it on their own, without any [newspaper] editor…More and more of what you say or do or write will end up as a digital fingerprint that never gets erased…So the only way to get ahead in life will be by getting your “hows” right.

Seidman points out, according to Friedman, that today “what” you make is quickly copied and sold by everyone. But “how” you engage your customers, “how” you keep your promises, and “how” you collaborate with partners – that is not as easy to copy, and this is where companies can really differentiate themselves.

According to Seidman, “The tapestry of human behavior is so varied, so rich and so global that it presents a rare opportunity, the opportunity to outbehave the competition.”

How can you outbehave the competition? Friedman cites several examples from Seidman’s book: “One hospital taught its doctors to apologize when they make mistakes, and dramatically cut their malpractice claims…A New York street doughnut-seller trusted his customers to make their own change and found he could serve more people faster and build the loyalty that keeps them coming back.” A large auto dealer allowed every mechanic to spend whatever it took to do the job right, and saw costs decline as customer satisfaction increased.

Friedman concludes: Seidman says “we do not live in glass houses (houses have walls); we live on glass microscope slides…visible and exposed to all.”

Thus, companies or people can try to “spin” all they want, but everyone will know the truth about it. So, Friedman advises, get your “hows” right, because people will know about that too…when you do and when you don’t.

Technorati Tags: spin, Tom Friedman, Dov Seidman, transparency, truth, outbehave, business, communications, public relations

5 Cs of Great Agency Leadership

2007-06-25T09:14:00.000-04:00

What gives a public relations agency a leading edge? Here is what I see as the “5 Cs of Great Agency Leadership.”

Culture

People with exceptional talent who have passion for what they do and help drive the firm. Not prima donnas.
Client advocates who bring client delight.
How leadership gets along with each other and helps each other out. Leadership sets an example for all others and that has a great impact on employee satisfaction.
Colleagues are team players. Collaboration is their "middle name."
The needs of the employee and the company have to be balanced to make it all work.

Commitment

To the client and the firm
To constant learning and constant improvement
To quality
To achievement

Continuity

In client relationships: A clients-for-life philosophy
In working relationships: Consideration and support

Creativity

Helping clients think differently about their business
Helping the agency succeed

Confidence

Belief in our success is fundamental
Winning begets winning
Our reputation is more important than money

Technorati Tags: leadership, culture, commitment, continuity, creativity, confidence, business, communications, public relations

Your Identity – and What You Do With It

2007-06-18T10:03:00.000-04:00

It is hard enough for companies to define themselves; they spend millions attempting it and once finally defined, they employ public relations and advertising to promote the new identity, while they strategically apply it to certain areas of activity. For example, at Makovsky our identity is “specialized thinkers.” We apply it through vertical specialization, e.g. health, financial services.

But what about the individuals in the company? How do they define themselves, and do they also strategically apply it?

Well, a friend of mine, Larry Ackerman, who wrote two corporate identity books, Identity is Destiny and The Identity Code, conducted a mini-survey of a cross-section of people. The exact question, “What do you believe is the single, most important application of identity in people’s lives?” Or – once you have determined your identity, where do you apply it?

Of the 100 identity-aware individuals asked, 50 responded and half of them generated valid responses which, while the numbers are small, may indicate how a larger population might respond.

The respondents generated four distinct identity application categories:

forging relationships (in particular with family)

understanding the essence of one’s self

providing a guiding force

influencing one’s career

Here are some summaries of what was found.

Forging relationships: About one-third of the respondents replied that the main application of identity is how it influences and is influenced by one’s relationship with others—i.e
“I become manifested through, and see my self through, the eyes of others”
“My sense of identity derives from my connection with (significant) others”
“I identify myself as a mother, wife and friend”

Understanding the essence of one’s self: Some said that a person’s identity represents his/her “profound self” or as Socrates understood, know thyself.
“(The) clarity of purpose in one’s life”
“The single most important application of identity in people’s lives, is achieving insight and clarity about the deepest level of one’s own personal ‘inner truth’ and ‘reason for being’”
“(The) most poignant application of my identity resides in feeling inner peace”

Providing a guiding force: About a quarter of the people said that the most important role of identity is as a guiding force in their lives. That is, a person knows who he is and that his identity shows him the way through life. As an old Dannon Yogurt commercial claimed, If you take care of the inside, the inside will take care of the outside.
“If we are identity-driven and therefore true to our self, we have a clear roadmap”
“I have a strong sense of identity that drives and guides me and the choices I have to make”

Influencing one’s career: Many saw their profession as the main expression of identity—through work and the impact it has on others.
“So much of who you are is tied up with what you do”
“Work is the ‘application’-or the part of my life-where my identity can contribute most, where I like myself the most”

Larry concludes: Although it isn’t explicit from the survey, it is compelling to note that people who are more aware of identity have developed well-formed ideas about its purpose and benefits – in short, identity has become a conscious part of how they live their lives.

Technorati Tags: Larry Ackerman, Identity is Destiny, The Identity Code, identity, corporate identity, relationships, career, business, communications, public relations

A Sunni Sheik’s PR Strategy

2007-06-11T10:21:00.001-04:00

There was a poignant story in The New York Times a few weeks ago about a Sunni Sheik in Iraq whose home was occupied by American soldiers. Holding out hope that the day would arrive when it might be returned, he embarked on a unique and hopeful communications strategy: visit the Captain of the American soldiers daily and build a relationship. While obviously untrained in the science of communications, Sheik Duleimi’s approach is far reaching. He might have sulked and left the area. He might have become an irritant. Instead he decided on a bridge building approach. This is probably not common in this war-torn country. Thus, here are three “communications lessons” that can be derived from this situation:

Good Communicators Express Mutual Respect: Despite Sheik Duleimi's antipathy toward the American enterprise in Iraq, his visits with Captain Chris Calihan are cordial and have become something of a self-affirming ritual for both men. The Sheik reminds the American whose house this really is. The captain replies, “You're kind for letting us stay here,” allowing the Sheik to retain some dignity.

Good Communicators Are in It for the Long Haul: The regular contact helps the captain maintain at least the tacit cooperation of the community's leaders in the fight against the hard-core Sunni resistance. And despite his obvious — and very reasonable — frustration with the Americans who occupy his house, the Sheik looks ahead to the time when his life returns to normal. ''Take care of my house,'' he murmurs to the soldiers, when he leaves, and hopes his visits will be a factor in American preservation of his home and the day when it will be returned in relatively good condition.

Good Communicators Acknowledge the Complexity of Life: ''To take my home in this way is not right,'' the Sheik says. He sees the Americans as occupiers who came uninvited to Iraq and who, in their rush to remove Saddam Hussein, may have damaged the country beyond repair … but, the Sheik says, he also wants the Americans to stay, at least until some semblance of stability is restored.

Technorati Tags: The New York Times, Sunni Sheik, Iraq, Sheik Duleimi, Saddam Hussein, respect, communication lessons, cooperation, stability, business, communications, public relations

Four Ways to Get Attention on the Job

2007-06-04T09:50:00.000-04:00

It doesn’t take a lot to distinguish yourself in a business or non-profit organization. I’m not saying that the following four action points are all you need to be successful — you still need to know your “stuff” and be a top performer — but they will distinguish you, for your boss and others, as someone with a future.

Here they are:

Return all of your calls and answer your voicemails and emails promptly.

Do what you say you are going to do, and exactly what you’ve been asked to do.

Meet your deadlines. If you can’t, advise the person in advance and set new ones.

Follow through on the projects you manage.

These sound like simple rules. They are. But countless leaders of organizations I speak with agree that few abide by them. So if you do, those whom you report to and work with will remember you.

Admittedly, most people intend to observe them, but things get in the way, and they don’t. How easy it would be to call and say, “I am really sorry, but it will be tight for me to meet the deadline I promised next Tuesday. Would it inconvenience you if I changed it to Thursday?” Or, “Unfortunately, I can’t do what I said I would because…” But far too many of us, for a variety of reasons (fear, fatigue, inertia, sensory overload), just let such matters slip.

These rules are not only good business, but they communicate basic consideration, and particularly, that you care about the other person.

At Makovsky our credo says, “We are all each other’s client.” The rules are part of our philosophy — and our most mundane interactions — with clients, employees, outside suppliers and all the others with whom we work.

I recommend them highly to you, too … indeed, to everyone, everywhere.

Technorati Tags: get attention on the job, business success, communications, public relations, business,

A PR Dilemma: Should the Commissioner Attend the Game?

2007-05-29T15:48:00.000-04:00

Everyone who follows baseball knows that Barry Bonds, the San Francisco Giants superstar, is on the verge of breaking one of baseball's most sacred records: the 755 home runs hit by Hall of Famer Hank Aaron, formerly of the Atlanta Braves, who retired in 1976.

There has been a lot of publicity and discussion about whether Bud Selig, the Commissioner of Baseball, should attend the game in which Bond's record-breaking hit will occur. Why? Because Bonds has been indicted by a Federal Grand Jury for his admitted — but he says "unknowing" — ingestion of steroids supplied by his trainer. Steroids artificially inflate one's physical power and speed up recovery. It is currently illegal under baseball regulations to take them. The Grand Jury investigation is still under way, while Bond's personal trainer, Greg Anderson, refusing to testify, sits in jail.

So this so-called record, many contend, is really not a record at all; Bonds might never be in a leadership position had he not taken drugs which enhanced his physical prowess. In fact, to add to the skepticism, Bond’s statistics have gotten better as he has gotten older, when most players' performances tend to decline.

And that’s the issue: by attending this "historic" game, will the Commissioner be recognizing this new record as legitimate, thereby endorsing what Bonds and other superstars allegedly did (cheat)? If he attends, will this create a long-term public relations problem for the game?

It is my position that the Commissioner should attend the game, largely because he and the rest of the leadership of Major League Baseball are the reason baseball is in this pickle. While the integrity of any professional sport requires that performance-enhancing drugs not be used, it is not until the past couple years that baseball had a drug policy. Integrity alone is not enough of a deterrent in a sport where players' livelihoods are dependent on performance.

Major League Baseball has left all records -- and statistics -- standing among those who admittedly took steroids. Thus, Bonds alone should not be any more culpable than Jason Giambi, Jose Canseco, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro, Mark McGwire or others whose use of steroids has been alleged or admitted. There is no investigation that can ever go broadly enough to discover all baseball players in history -- and most likely many in the Hall of Fame -- who took steroids, influencing their records, either long before there was a drug policy or since the policy was established.

The reality is that it is Major League Baseball itself that is culpable, and it is time for the leadership to admit that and start afresh. There should be an "amnesty" applicable to the past, through a designated date in the future, regarding all statistics and records, so the questioning stops. Before doing this, MLB needs to make sure that they have an adequate testing program in place; without that, any policy is a sham. Thereafter, anyone caught taking steroids should be punished via established MLB policies (which should includes specific punishments for first, second and third offenses), and their "records," if any, should not be recognized.

Years ago, when Roger Maris hit 61 home runs in one season and broke Babe Ruth's record of 60, Maris did it during a season of 162 games, while Ruth created his record in a season of 154 games. Legend has it that for years the Maris record had an asterisk (*), footnoting the fact that Maris played eight more games than Ruth. It took over 40 years of pressure for MLB to remove this famous asterisk which according to The New York Times, May 27, never really existed except in the minds of fans. Nevertheless, it gained such notoriety (the idea was ignited by a sportswriter), a committee was set up to officially “remove” it.

Since the drug makers are ahead of the testers, it is time for MLB to fix what has been broken and fix it well. In other words, it is time to “remove the asterisk" and move baseball forward.

Technorati Tags: baseball, Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants, Baseball Hall of Fame, Hank Aaron, Atlanta Braves, Bud Selig, steroids, Greg Anderson, Major League Baseball, Jason Giambi, Jose Canseco, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro, Mark McGwire, MLB, Roger Maris, Babe Ruth, New York Times, business, public relations, communications

When Small Talk Can Be Big Talk

2007-05-21T09:47:00.000-04:00

Sometimes small talk can be big talk.

How do I define small talk? It is conversation about the day-to-day happenings of life — e.g., stories about our families, ourselves, sports, commuting, articles in the media — that quickly establish common ground. I also call it “fun talk.”

Small talk is what we do when we are out with friends, chatting over the phone, bumping into someone on the street, etc.

Generally, we need things in common to establish a level playing field. It happens naturally with friends, but it may not happen as naturally in business, where we often have “bigger” things to discuss. So you may have to look for an opportunity to break the ice.

To ignite a business relationship, we often have to build a bridge. Don’t you like to do business with people whom you feel a sense of connection (although, obviously, that alone is not enough)? For example, assume you meet a new recruit or the CEO or head of corporate communications of a potential client. After an initial greeting, you might discuss the weather, the pictures on his or her desk, yesterday’s baseball game if you note an autographed baseball on the desk, last night’s episode of the Sopranos, golfing, or skiing — depending on how the conversation flows. It establishes a rapport, a comfort level, thereby putting both parties at ease, and it makes it easier to segue into the purpose of the meeting.

Someone once said: “Don’t knock the weather. Nine-tenths of the people couldn’t start a conversation if it didn’t change once in a while!” In most cases, big talk often follows small talk.

Technorati Tags: small talk, The Sopranos, business, communications, public relations

Five Tips to Presidential Candidates on Using the Internet

2007-05-15T13:44:00.000-04:00

Television transformed the 1960 election and, nearly half a century later, I believe that bloggers and YouTube will transform the 2008 presidential election.

In 1960, more than 75 million U.S. viewers tuned in to watch Senator John Kennedy of Massachusetts and Vice President Richard Nixon in the first-ever televised presidential debate.

According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, in 2004 75 million Americans used the internet to get political news and information, discuss candidates and debate issues or participate directly in the political process by volunteering or making contributions to candidates. I expect the momentum to grow, and it is already happening.

Thus, here are five tips for candidates in the next presidential election about adapting themselves to the new world order (i.e., the rise of consumer-generated media):

1) Beware of the "gotcha": There are no more out-of-town runs to test speeches and make mistakes; everyone's a reporter today
2) Don't pander: If you promise one thing in one state and something else in another, you will be found out
3) Understand the medium: Don't think you can use YouTube just for political ads or as an "information dump"
4) Look for new opportunities to dialogue: For example, as a public service, YouTube is offering a YouChoose channel for candidates
5) Tone down the nasty: In this election, your words can come back to haunt you on an opposition website

Joe Trippi, head of Trippi & Associates and now in the employ of the John Edwards campaign, was recently quoted in Advertising Age saying: "When you look back at 2008, you will see the candidate who was riding high until the person with the cell phone caught them doing something or saying something and put it up on YouTube."

I couldn’t agree more.

Technorati Tags: presidential candidates, 1960 election, YouTube, 2008 presidential election, John Kennedy, Richard Nixon, presidential debate, Pew Internet & American Life Project, consumer-generated media, YouChoose, Joe Trippi, Trippi & Associates, John Edwards, Advertising Age, public relations, communications, business,

When Negative = Positive

2007-05-07T12:53:00.000-04:00

Positive thinking is the backbone of everything good that gets done -- and it is certainly the foundation of every internal and external communications program.

I believe strongly in the power of positive thinking, a concept pioneered by the late minister, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale of the Marble Collegiate Church in New York City. Positive thinking often produces positive results and creates positive energy in every organization bent on success. Success builds confidence and -- as Rosabeth Moss Kanter’s book, Confidence, demonstrates through surveys-- confident people are more successful than those who lack confidence.

So you can understand why I was challenged by the headline, “The Power of Negative Thinking,” in a New York Times piece on May 1 by guest columnist, Atul Gawande, a general surgeon at Harvard Medical School and staff writer for The New Yorker magazine.

Why the change in philosophy, I wondered. However, what the column demonstrates is really not a change in philosophy. Rather, it shows why thinking “negatively” in advance about what could go wrong or concurrently why things are not working out – can advance one’s cause, thereby making the individual more successful.

Mr. Gawande addresses the recent scandal at Walter Reed Hospital as his example. He distinguishes leadership thinking in two separate areas of the Hospital: patient care for those entering and after-care for those in rehabilitation and outpatient facilities. Lives were saved in “unbelievable situations” in the former; while the latter involved the cases that led to the scandal (e.g., wheelchair-bound soldiers stranded without food).

“The primary difference,” the author advises, “was whether leaders accepted the value of negative thinking.” In one area, leadership looked for failures and how to overcome them, as they tracked data on injuries and survival rates. Instead of just being proud of the soldiers they saved from blindness, for example, the doctors asked a harder, more unnerving question: why had so many injuries occurred in the first place? They discovered soldiers weren’t wearing their protective goggles and came up with a strategy to correct that. In the after-care section, there was zero effort to track how soldiers were doing in rehab, for example.

How does this translate to the public relations business and how we carry out campaigns for clients? Here is one example. Once, and only once, did a prospective client -- in a very competitive bid – ask us to give a presentation on all the things that can go wrong in a communications campaign and in an agency-client relationship – supported by real case histories. We did it, and we won! The client relationship lasted ten years, far exceeding the length of the average client-agency relationship. Further, as the campaign progressed, we continued to apply “advance negative thinking” to everything we did, and the positive results just kept rolling in!

“Negative thinking is unquestionably painful. It involves finding and exposing inadequacies,” Mr. Gawande says.

Some may call it crisis planning, which we always advise clients to do, although few pay heed. However, here we are not talking about crises, but regular operations. It may be an unhealthy way to proceed in some parts of our personal lives, the columnist advises, “but in running schools, businesses, in planning war, in caring for the sick [and, I would add, in managing communications campaigns] … negative thinking may be exactly what we need.”

Technorati Tags: Positive Thinking, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, Marble Collegiate Church, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Confidence, The Power of Negative Thinking, New York Times, Atul Gawande, Harvard Medical School, The New Yorker, Walter Reed Hospital, negative thinking, communications, public relations, business,

Our “African Child”

2007-04-30T18:42:00.000-04:00

For nearly 15 years, my wife and I have been helping to support various children through monthly stipends we send to The Christian Children’s Fund. We traditionally have been assigned a child in a faraway place. The Fund then sends us an annual “report card” on the child’s education, health, family, community and general ways the funds might be applied.

But a new element in the process emerged once Harriet Buyewa, 9, from Zambia became our “adopted” child, and that is Harriet’s uncle, Kelvin Simangolwa. Uncle Kelvin writes us from time to time, in his own handwriting on lined notebook paper, about life in Shacele Village, the activities Harriet is involved in, how grateful the family is for these small stipends and often, how the money is applied. We are so moved by these letters. It has made us feel so good about the help we are providing and the value of The Christian Children Fund’s work. Also, it has brought us closer to Harriet and changed our perception about our donation from a stipend to an opportunity. Thus, I share our most recent letter from Uncle Kelvin:

Dear Mr. Ken Makovsky:

It’s with joy and gratitude to have this wonderful opportunity of writing you again. I am the usual Uncle to your sponsored child, Harriet. How are you in the U.S.A.? Here in Zambia, Harriet and our entire family are fine.

I would like to thank you greatly for the birthday gift you sent to this child. She received U.S. $25, which is equivalent to one hundred and seven thousand one hundred and twenty five Kwachain, our local currency, and this is what was bought:

Beddings K35,000
Rice K15,000
Sugar K10,000
Chickens K20,000
Flour K20,000
Cooking Oil K5,000
Sweets K2,000
Balloons K125

Special thanks once more from our family and Harriet is thanking you a million times. May the Almighty God abundantly bless all the works of your hands. Bye for now.

Yours sincerely,

Kelvin P. Simangolwa
(Uncle to Harriet)

Communications between Uncle Kelvin and us have opened a new door of understanding that is making what we read in the newspapers about tribal life in Africa less remote than just a story and something more tangible … something we can touch and that touches us.

Technorati Tags: The Christian Children’s Fund, Zambia, Africa, Goodwill, communications, public relations, business