Who Is Your Audience? Are We Naked or Just Over-Exposed? By Carolyn J. Palo

November 9th, 2009

“I hate the online world now,” he said. My friend Bob was grousing about having another birthday and how he was receiving birthday wishes from all sorts of online well-wishers. I said “Hey, it’s great people are reminded of your birthday, it gives them an opportunity to send good wishes your way.” He said “Yeah, but it’s so phony – people I’ve known for years, now, all of a sudden are intent on wishing me a “Happy Birthday.” The only reason they are doing it is because of online social media. It’s because it’s easy.

Over half of the Happy Birthdays I’m getting is only because of some media outlet – those same people never called me or sent a birthday card – now it’s all the rage. It’s just not real.”
I was sensing that there was much more to this new sensitivity than what he was telling me. No one I know has complained about getting birthday wishes no matter what form they came in. (Except when someone I know turned forty and his bare likeness was copied and pasted all around his office sporting red horns, creepy mustache and brandishing a flaming pitchfork).
Although I was surprised by his new take on the birthday greeting, I could see his point. It’s the issue of reconnecting with people you haven’t spoken to in years, who are now so close to you in an online way it makes it seem as if they are more familiar than what they really are. Or are they?

“I want you to check something out for me and give me your opinion,” he said. “Look at my niece’s profile on Facebook. Tell me what you think.” I was reluctant to do this for one simple reason, I didn’t want my opinion to fuel whatever flames he was already running on, and I know when he asks me my opinion, it is usually because he is troubled by something. “Ok” I said, “But I’m going to be honest.” “Perfect,” he said.

I researched the profile and was slightly stunned by what I found. An eight year old girl had turned eighteen. She had turned into a beautiful young woman and it was clear by her primary photo that she was proud of her body. After I viewed her photo, I looked to see how many “friends” she had. It was over one thousand. That meant to me that over one thousand eyes had seen this young college girl in high heels, her bra and underwear with a pretty grapevine tattoo along her midsection. It appeared that the photo was taken in her dorm room, most likely by a college roommate or friend who may have aspirations of putting a photography portfolio together. It was tasteful. Yet so “out-there” that I worried about her safety. I worried about her safety because I was worried about what her message was. What was this girl telling me? Is it the same as what she wants a potential boyfriend to know, or a potential employer? What is she telling her friends on Facebook, and in the end, is it appropriate?

After thinking through this, I realized what the problem was. We are now creating an image of ourselves online – regardless of our audience. Some are conscious of their self-marketing – and I wonder, how many audiences do we have? What audience do we want to see us clad in sexy lingerie? Is it the same as the audience who is used to seeing us in a business suit everyday? Should we be crafting our image to suit all of our audiences? Grandma on Facebook? Your college professor? Your Priest or Pastor? Your ex-spouse? Your children? Your new boss? Do I make the assumption, as a potential employer that because your primary photo on Facebook shows you and your children, that you are in the midst of a divorce? Do I deduce from your lingerie photo that you may cross company lines regarding codes of conduct? If I’m a Republican who works in accounting and you are in the Green Party and work in sales, will we clash on issues in a professional setting?

I am amazed at how we are showcasing our “everything” to everyone, especially thoughts, beliefs, affiliations, etc…that we were careful to discuss, in order to avoid the wrong message to the unintended audience. We now happily brand our online identities with labels, affiliations, religious beliefs, political leanings, photographs and what sports teams we follow. We are followed and following, comment and commented on. We are supplying the world with a rich source of ourselves in a way that can be interpreted by thousands, if we have that reach. I don’t know if it is good or bad, I think the verdict is out on that. I haven’t heard anyone tell me they didn’t get the job they wanted because of their online social presence.

As far as my friend Bob, as much as he is not looking forward to another birthday, I believe that secretly, he may enjoy this newfound attention. Regarding his niece’s profile, I told him that she is a beautiful woman who has changed quite a bit since I last saw her. I suggested some thoughts about what her goals were after college, and if her online presence was going in the same direction. In the end, I admire the social freedom. I suspect if I were 18 now, I’d be having a lot of fun with my pals on Facebook. It’s only if I would want to be reminded of certain photos or escapades ten, fifteen or twenty years later. As Marshall McLuhan famously said, “The Medium is the Message.” Maybe this is the way it was always supposed to be.

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The Death of Integrity, or, How I Found Utopia at the Hair Salon By Carolyn J. Palo

July 30th, 2009

I called the salon I have been frequenting for a few years to set up an appointment. After securing the date and time, I was asked “Ok, what credit card would you like to use to secure your appointment?” Secure my appointment? What does that mean? I thought. “Why do you need my credit card now? I usually give that at the end of my appointment.” I said. “We need your credit card to secure your appointment and if you cancel before giving us a 24-hour notice, then we will bill you for half of the services booked.” “Wow,” I thought, and also “Why?” I never cancelled an appointment. Also, I don’t want to give her my credit card number – I don’t know who she is and I already don’t like this policy. I’m a good person, I think, and I don’t cancel appointments. Now I have to compromise my identity because of a few bad apples. “Wow, I said, so people must be cancelling a lot of appointments for you to have to put in this new policy.” I said. She replied “People cancel often and don’t call us, and we book the time for nothing and that hurts the stylists.” I could understand that. People weren’t keeping their word, and that was harming business. Yet, I always keep my word. My friends keep their word too. Was there some sort of wave of flakiness flowing through the city where no one will take you seriously unless you give them your credit card? “All the salons are doing it now” she told me. “Ok,” I said. I suspected that was not true, but I wanted to keep my appointment and figured I’d probe for more details when I got to the salon.

In my recent trip to California, I had to go through the security checks that I also find question my integrity, and that of everyone who passes through the gates. Due to one circumstance, we still have to remove our shoes. In a way, I feel as though we are not “protecting our freedom” but actually paying tribute to a terrorist who devised a plan to harm people by trying to light his shoes on fire. I’m sure he was intent on harm.
Yet because of this, my integrity is questioned each time I pass through the airlines. In fact, what am I really going to do with a full size tube of toothpaste or a regular sized bottle of hair conditioner that I cannot have it in my carry on?

The sad news of extreme fraud headlines the newspapers and media outlets. It amazes me that a Boston man of extremely high integrity – Harry Markopoulos – was ignored by the SEC in trying to expose a man of extremely low integrity, Bernard Madoff. How embarrassingly sad for the victims. The fact that this fraud went on for years is just salt in the wound for those who trusted a man with zero conscience or integrity. I wondered if Madoff or his wife had to put up their credit card each time they made an appointment at their salon.

In other news, it’s clear that here in Cambridge, where everything happens – a huge backlash involving a neighbor, a professor, a police officer and president has escalated into such a conflagration that it questions everyone’s integrity – even our President’s. As my mother would say “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” A neighbor was concerned about a break-in. Police arrive and question a professor’s integrity – to prove that he actually is a resident of the home, the professor (a renowned scholar who specializes in his own race) questions the police officer’s integrity (a specialist in racial profiling) by raising his voice and inferring racial motives (why is a professor yelling at a police officer?) and the President decides to question (attack) the CPD’s integrity while they are doing their job, and the neighbor, who made the dreaded call, has to reluctantly come forward and defend her integrity as just a good Samaritan who made a call on behalf of what another neighbor saw.

In a nation that prides itself on “innocent until proven guilty” we have all of these scenarios and missives that point otherwise. We have become a people that have to continually defend ourselves as righteous and true, because somewhere, somehow integrity has been lost, or possibly just under-utilized.

Needless to say, that my salon visit wasn’t very pleasant, and for prepaying ahead (so to speak), I didn’t feel I got the best service or haircut. I have found a new salon that is closer, less pretentious and has an excellent reputation. As a new customer, I called and made an appointment. There was no asking for my credit card to establish my credibility. My new stylist and I developed a nice rapport. We got to talking about where I was going before and I explained my experience and unhappiness with my last salon being more “Business Oriented” than “Customer Friendly” of course he was interested in learning more about this. I explained the credit card request to which he exclaimed (gasped) “I can’t believe they are doing that! “I can’t believe they are getting away with it!” he turned to the other stylist next to us, “Did you hear that? Did you hear what they are doing now?” The other stylist said “We don’t need to ask for a credit card ahead of time, we have a good business, we have great clients and everyone is happy.”

Ah, alas, Utopia.

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Spring Cleaning and Technology Upgrades by Carolyn J. Palo

June 17th, 2009

“What should we do with these records?” she asked. I looked at the records stacked on the floor. My parent’s stack: Sarah Vaughan, The Four Freshman, The West Side Story, Dinah Washington, Frank Sinatra, Happy Holidays with Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Robert Goulet, etc…The other stack: Michael Jackson “Off The Wall,” David Bowie “Let’s Dance,” Saturday Night Fever, The Eagles, Bruce Springsteen, REO Speedwagon, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Donna Summer, Grease, Billy Joel, Aerosmith’s Greatest Hits, Led Zeppelin. I remembered my first record player and how much I loved my albums, poring over the jackets and inserts, some with the lyrics included which I promptly memorized. Looking back, it seemed more like a bonding ritual. Visiting a friend or relative sometimes required you bring your latest album, which you saved for with money earned from household chores.

“Well,” I said, “I don’t think we should throw them away.” It was too much of a slice of our history – the music we listened to during certain times in our lives. Yet, for whatever reason, just never got around to upgrading them to a CD. My parents still had the American-made RCA console stereo in a rich mahogany stain my dad bought for my mother in 1968. You lifted the top and the record player was to the left and the tuner and controls to the right. It still worked, and the sound was still crisp, although the speakers were scratchy and only the left one would work sometimes. “Well, we don’t really use the record player anymore.” It was too bad I thought. Such great music sitting on the floor. I knew of a place in Cambridge that I could probably sell them to. Albums still had buyers, but would we want to give them up?

My parents had upgraded to various “portable stereos” through the years, and they lacked a record player. “Plus, we have all these cassettes, what do you and your sister want to do with these?” The honest truth was, I really didn’t want to do anything with them. I just wanted to leave them as they were. My car actually still had a cassette deck and a CD player. I looked through the cassettes and took out Elvis Costello, The Talking Heads, Elton John’s Greatest Hits, Squeeze, The Psychedelic Furs, The Firm. Thank God for the Columbia Record and Tape Club, where I’m sure I paid just a penny for the collection (plus shipping and handling). I had listened to them all so many times, over and over again I didn’t feel like hearing them again. Why were they so much easier to part with? No fancy artwork, no lyrics included. Just a plastic case that was scratched or cracked with a small insert of a downsized record album. A portable version to go with the portable style. But it just wasn’t the same. My friend Dave said “You have some awesome tunes, you can download all of that on to an Ipod.” Yeah, I guess.

While working in Information Technology, I regularly delivered news of technology changes that weren’t always well received by clients. It was surely always an upgrade, but often never worked exactly the same as the “old” product. Once implemented, we tracked the problems, or the bugs. Some could be fixed right away, some could not. Some clients rolled with the changes easily and others would refer back to the older version and how much better it was and what a waste of money the upgrade was, and how it hit their budget negatively. I’d listen to dissertations of the technicalities of why the vendor chose to do something and why it was a good idea, but implemented poorly and how they should’ve strategized longer on how to handle the inefficiencies. It was all in the name of progress I surmised.

I find myself in a similar predicament. My television is over ten years old (Go Sony!) and I figured I’d just buy a new one when this one was ready to say goodbye. But it isn’t ready to leave, and I have to prepare for digital television. I decided since I don’t have or need cable (yep, reception as clear as a bell with the rabbit ears), I purchased the converter box. Buying a new television requires so much more – I have to reorganize my entertainment center as a new sexy flat screen won’t fit into my fifteen-year old wall unit, plus, I believe I will have to succumb to cable. It’s about re-visioning my living area. I just don’t have time at the moment nor the money to invest in aesthetics. The same with my Dell desktop, I bought it almost ten years ago when I went to graduate school and had to write my thesis. Everyday it runs slower and slower. I consulted my friend Jon on my situation, “Should I just upgrade to a laptop?” He said “Do you need a laptop?” “No,” I said, “I don’t need one, but the desktop is old.” “So what,” he said, “Just get another gig of memory and you’re fine.” So I did. I installed it myself (boy, getting the cover off the tower was no fun, talk about a ruined butter knife). And I am fine.

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Yet, time goes by, and new stuff considered better and smarter and faster takes its place. Some of my friends buy a new car every year, because they can. Since I find car shopping to be an unpleasant task, as well as being a bit frugal, I buy a car to last me at least a good ten years. Needless to say, I’ve owned two cars in twenty years. Buying quality items that last a long time was the standard I subscribed to. I’m not sorry I did, but it does go with living and using products that may be “out of style.” Depending on who you talk to.

Not everyone embraces change in the same ways. My dear friend Annie has been avoiding the communication revolution for years. If you want to talk to her on the phone, you have to call her boyfriend and leave a message on his cell phone, or you can call her parents and leave her a message there. “Why don’t you get a cell phone?” I ask. She said “I just don’t really have a use for one.” Going through a recent downsizing in the travel industry, and looking for new work, she is forced to upgrade her methods of communication. She called me last week to tell me she got a new phone. It’s a landline.

I don’t buy into change for change’s sake. I do like new technological gadgets and investigating their uses. My cell phone has all sorts of bells and whistles. For example, GPS. I’ve never used it. I find a paper map to be easier. Yet, I like watching videos on You Tube and use the mobile email app, calculator, internet, calendar, texting, camera and video functions. Oh yeah and the phone too. I can’t say that if it were all disconnected tomorrow that I would miss it, (except the phone).

As for the 1968 RCA stereo and the albums that go with it, that’s up to my parents to do what they wish. I don’t want to discard my record albums as they are part of my own history, and they are still cool. “But you don’t even listen to them anymore,” my mother said. “I know I don’t, but I’m just not ready to get rid of them.” And I never will.<–>

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The Benefit of a Difficult Conversation By Carolyn J. Palo

May 22nd, 2009

Being responsible and accountable for the prosperity of a business alliance is often a challenge. There are many variables and personalities that may not always be in tandem with the alliances’ mission.

While managing a high-profile alliance, my counterpart and I had weekly conversations, discussing issues that affected the partnership and improving process. Since the beginning of the contract, there were measurement tools (metrics) in place to show us how we were meeting expectations. These reports were run on a weekly basis, and reported on quarterly. The problem was, one particular division wasn’t meeting my client’s expectation, in fact, the metric reporting was showing it was getting worse. Often, the case of a backlog is a staffing issue and typically when that is conveyed to the client, there is an understanding that hiring is needed. That solves the problem. However, that was not the problem.

I reached out to the division manager and explained what I was seeing with the metric reporting. I anticipated a defensive attitude and that is what I got. “Who are they (the client) to tell us how to manage our division?” “They are just one of many clients we need to keep happy.” My issue was, we had made an agreement, and were expected to uphold that agreement. My other issue was, I knew at our next quarterly meeting, I would need to explain why we weren’t meeting the turnaround times and what changes were in place to fix this. My response was “You are right, we have many clients to manage, however, this one is measuring our performance, and has the power to publish our results, and I need to provide some answers for our next meeting.” I suggested a face-to-face meeting which was scheduled, and prepared to try to help solve whatever problem was facing the group. As much as the lag time was becoming a problem, it was also a great opportunity.

Nancy, the division manager and I met, she gave me her usual pitch about how everyone in her division works really hard and felt my reporting was “off.” I knew her group worked hard, and I also knew the reporting was accurate. It was difficult for her to realize this wasn’t a personal attack on her management, but a business problem where we could find a solution.

After analyzing the reporting and order flow it was clear that it had increased dramatically, due to a different client of ours merging with another company, creating more orders and extending turnaround time. This was good for our business, but hurting my client’s indirectly.

“I can’t hire anyone” she said, “But maybe I can ask for some overtime for the short term.” We agreed that would be a fix to get us through this quarter and possibly the next, but it was a costly option. She showed me the paper order-load waiting, and I wondered why we weren’t using the automated technology for order processing. I asked why these orders weren’t being received electronically. She said “We’ve suggested this, but it always gets shot down. It seems the sales reps aren’t comfortable with not having a paper order to give us – but we have the technology now where we don’t need all of this paper, it takes time for us to key in all of these pages.” She was right, but tired of pleading her case and getting ignored by a salesforce that was used to one way – and the only tangible way they knew of to also manage their client and commission. They weren’t comfortable with a direct automated process, because they felt they didn’t have control of the relationship. Also, many of their own clients were not able to automate, so a manual order was the only way. However, it was surprising that the majority of my client’s customers had a known automated process, but were still sending paper orders. I knew we could change this. I thanked Nancy, and we agreed to meet again in two weeks. I explained I would start the process of transitioning the sales reps to see the benefits of electronic commerce. We would figure it out.

When I met with my client again, I explained the problem of “too much paper.” She understood and was willing to collaborate on helping the sales reps and their buyers to order electronically. She brought together sales reps and operations people on her side, and I brought in Nancy and people from our e-commerce group. We allayed the fears of the reps, which were typically: “We’re worried our orders will get lost in cyberspace, or fall down a black hole.” “We’re concerned that our buyers might make mistakes, or, won’t use the offer codes on special promos.” “How will we know that the orders actually went through?” And one of the quietest fears was “Will we still be needed if the buyer can just place the order?”

We went through each scenario and provided an answer. We asked each rep to compile a set of dummy orders for us to process – which tested through our systems fine and even special orders were priced accordingly. We processed acknowledgements and explained error reporting to catch anomalies or errors. It was a sound system. We just needed to implement it.

The next big sales push was a few weeks away, and we were ready to manage the new system. Nancy was relieved that we were able to progress and she wasn’t “the bad guy.” She was also happy to be involved in discussions that directly affected her group’s performance in a positive way. She just needed a voice of support and a team to back her up. The client was happy that we were proactive in making changes, and helping their salesforce overcome some anxieties of doing business.

At our next quarterly, we were able to show positive results that we were meeting expectations for the partnership. It was also an example of working together to meet an issue head on is worth the meeting time and effort.  We weren’t making excuses for problems, we were solving them.

This was the benefit of a difficult conversation.

 

 

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Self-Marketing for the Culturally Challenged By Carolyn J. Palo

May 16th, 2009

“Nobody likes a braggart.” It’s true. However, for those of us who have decided to be self-employed, touting your successes helps. As a girl growing up, it was almost forbidden to talk about yourself and/or your accomplishments. I attribute this to being Finnish (3rd generation even).  Scandinavians (save the Swedes, maybe) are not as self-touting as the rest of the world. We’re raised to believe that if you are smart and successful at what you do, then people will just “know.” Maybe.

Growing up, as we attended family events or outside outings, my parents and other family members would marvel at how “So and So” went on and on and on about themselves. This was a bad thing (culturally speaking). Socially unacceptable and destined for an eye-ball rolling behind their back. My Dad would sometimes say “Oh yeah, him, he’s the greatest thing since sliced bread, just ask him.” Hmmph! My Norwegian friend Bjorn agrees. He says, “We are never better than anyone else, we are all the same.”

However, in this economy – the competition is thick, and we (and anyone reading this) have to learn to polish up a few successes in order to convince someone we are worth something. We need to hone that elevator speech, prime the resume to market strengths and accomplishments, and then, if the opportunity arises, SELL ourselves. (What???) How scary. We’re too used to playing ourselves down. Shy. How do we now play ourselves up? It’s not right – it goes against our natural grain. We are quiet, honest, thoughtful, smart and strategic people. It’s why German car makers look to the Finns for strategic outsourcing. It’s about overcoming adversity when you are alone against the world. We know what we can do. We know how to succeed. You may not know it at first, but after a while, you will see how our perseverance stands out. We find the way. We just don’t talk about it as much.

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Relationship Manager or Matchmaker By Carolyn J. Palo

January 13th, 2009

I have always enjoyed attending events related to my work and continually learning. These include alumni events, association-sponsored lectures, mixers, etc…and I am always asked “What do you do?”  I used to say I’m an “Account Manager” but that response typically put me in the asker’s “sales” category – which is fine, but it is much more than that.  I decided to change my title to Relationship Manager, as it does truly identify me and what I do.  It also provokes many responses, such as “Oh, if I only knew you ten years ago I’d probably still be married!” or “Do you do counseling?” or “Is that really a job?” or “Can you manage my relationship with my girlfriend, ha ha ha…”

The answers to these questions are typically “Yes” and “How can I help you?”  I believe the concepts of Alliance Management/Partnering are very much related to our everyday relationships and can be solved by asking what is important about the relationship – why it matters and what are the goals, and who benefits?  As a successfully single woman, I don’t have the experience of marriage, but I do have experience in understanding how and why partnerships work.

A former colleague and dear friend of mine, we’ll call “Priya” was born in India, and came to the US to go to college.  She worked as a programmer and did very well, achieving a graduate degree in computer science.  She was very petite, cute and friendly.  We had lunch one day, and I learned so much in an hour, I can say she truly changed my thinking about relationships.  She had been married just one year.  I asked “how did you meet your husband?” and she told me that it was an “arranged marriage.”  I was stunned.  I did not know that the practice of arranging marriages was, well, modern by today’s standards.  Apparently, by the look on my face, Priya laughed and was very open about her experience, and explained why she was happy with the process, in fact she said “it is a good process, and can assure you security, a nice family and prosperity if done correctly.”   An arranged marriage?  “Wow”, I thought, “that is so primitive – how can anyone be happy with that?”  Yet I was all ears…

Priya explained that in her culture, pleasing your parents is paramount.  She explained how she truly and unconditionally trusted her parents and was not forced into anything.  They had carefully chosen three potential mates for her.  In her words “who knows me better than my own parents?” and I had to agree. They had raised her and wanted the best for her and a legacy to be proud of.  It wasn’t about “looks” or “chemistry” but more about relating in ways such as similar backgrounds, lifestyles, education, religion and what each could bring to the marriage for the marriage to prosper.  Did they want the same things?  What were their values?  Who would benefit?

Apparently, per Priya, all that stuff had been figured out by her parents.  It was she who would meet them and decide if it would be a good fit. She already had her parent’s approval.  She said she met the three “boys” as she called them.  She liked all of them, but she did like one the best.  The one she chose was overweight, but she didn’t mind because she said it was something that could be changed and could work on together.  She said they got along well, both had the same sense of humor and, liked each other.  “We really did like each other and each other’s company, the rest came later.”  I was intrigued.  I was so used to “American Rebellion” and relishing in our “Freedom of Choice” – to meet someone who embraced her parents views and honored their ideals, especially when it came to a potential husband, was intriguing to me.

So how does this all relate to managing relationships in the workplace?  In business, we research potential partners who can provide mutual benefit and value to the consumer. We get support from higher levels – typically C-level sponsorship who are excited and committed to the arrangement. We meet, agree and make it legal. We acknowledge the differences and manage them to work in a positive way.   We install measurement tools to make sure we are on track and keeping up with the agreement.  We meet regularly to review our progress and make changes where needed to keep the relationship alive and healthy. We might even collaborate on a product together.

With all of this in mind, I paid a visit to my parents and discussed how they could arrange a marriage for me. My dad was reading the newspaper – and just looked over his glasses and over the newspaper, gave me a nod “No” and went back to his reading. My mother lit a cigarette and looked at me. It was a look like “Are you crazy?” but also could’ve been interpreted as “Why did you wait so long to ask?” “Just a thought…” I said, as I tiptoed away sheepishly.

As for Priya and her marriage, it is thriving, and they now have a beautiful daughter.

Relationships Matter.

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The Problem with “I Don’t Know” By Carolyn J. Palo

November 12th, 2008

The Problem with “I Don’t Know” comes from a variety of experiences I’ve had regarding service.  As a person who is continuously interested in how business establishments create customer experiences, I find the latest incident to be disheartening.

This could also be in part to my upbringing and early years of employment working in a call center for a manufacturer of printed forms and products to help America’s small business.

The phrase “I don’t know” was never acceptable in my household.  Often, as a teenager, my mother would ask a question and if I were feeling lazy or decided I didn’t want to discuss topics such as school or work – I would just say “I don’t know.”  Her response most often was “What do you mean you don’t know?”  And I would reply “I don’t know, (shoulder shrug).”  Relentlessly, she would continue (annoyed) “What do you mean you don’t know?  Tell me what you do know.”  She set a precedent.

When I started my first office job as a telemarketing rep in a call center, I was required to deliver answers.  I fielded questions such as “Do your pricing labels stick to lettuce?”  “Is the paper you print on made with recycled materials?”  “When I print using my laser printer, why does it take up more than one piece of paper?” “Do your advertising labels stick to gravestones?”  And a myriad of other questions.  I may not have known the answer at that exact moment, but I was required to find out, and follow up with the customer.  That was the standard.

Sadly, that is not the standard I’m noticing lately, especially in retail establishments.  I like to frequent one establishment that is very convenient and just about on every corner – they sell everything from stationery to nail polish to cold beverages.  I was just looking for simple travel scissors.  After wandering around for many minutes, I approached a blue-smocked associate and asked “Do you sell travel scissors?”  She looked at me, nodded “No”, and then said “I don’t know.”  Then she walked away.

I stood there in mild disbelief, that the woman actually said she did not know, did not offer to help me and simply walked away.  It seemed so easy to her.

Needless to say, I left, walked a few blocks to a competitor, and approached a person stocking shelves. I asked him the same question.  He said “Miss, I don’t work here but I will find someone for you and I do think they sell travel scissors, hold on.”  And an associate happily directed me to the travel section, which was very small- but had what I needed. I made a purchase.

Maybe it is simply a willingness to help.  A certain pride that goes along with being service-oriented.  Which to me, should always be the standard.

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Getting Back to the Business of Leadership

November 3rd, 2008

By Carolyn J. Palo

During trying times – like now, we often look to the person we view as the leader and wonder if they are working for the best interests and common goals for the group or organization.  Looking back the past few years, possibly the last ten years, we’ve seen leadership disasters and disappointments.  We’ve been exposed to corporate crime and utter greed to an embarassing degree.  You can’t help but think and wonder, “who is leading this and can we trust them?”  “Are they looking out for my best interests as an employee?  If not, who is?”

These questions inspired me to revisit the definition of leadership – and although there is not one specifically, my best reference has been from a text by author Peter Northouse.  As stated in the text:

“Leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal.”

“Leadership involves influence.”

“Leadership occurs in groups.”

“Leadership includes attention to goals.”

With our next Presidential Election tomorrow – I hope that each candidate on the ballot has a definition, a value, or even a vow for themselves, on what their influence will and should be for the next four years.  I hope that their driving force isn’t so ego-based that they cannot carry out the goals this country needs to thrive once again.

Leaders are not better than followers – both roles need to engage each other for the benefit of all.

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Welcome to the crashblog!

October 30th, 2008

Thank you for visiting.  This blog is associated with CRASH communications – a communications-based consultancy founded by Carolyn J. Palo.

Please stay tuned to find a variety of topics that can help you enhance your work/life.  Comments welcome!!

Best Regards,
Carolyn

carolyn@crashcommunications.com

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