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December 29, 2006

Beware: Your Company Could Be "YouTubed"

In August 2006, Senator George Allen got burned by a scandalous videoclip posted on YouTube. Up next, the video takedown of a major corporation. Are you prepared?

Corporations, brands and executives should brace themselves for the brave new world of global, viral visuals. Corporate dirty laundry can be captured by a cell phone video, posted on YouTube, and then spread like wilefire in the blogosphere, on social networking sites and by word-of-mouth emails.

Here are a few scenarios to keep you up at night:

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Posted by Greg Spotts at 9:15 AM | 2 Comments

December 28, 2006

Gen Y v. Boomers: Generational Differences in Communication

I just got off the phone with Jim Blasingame, where I was a guest on his daily radio program for small business. Jim was curious about what my take was on some of the communication challenges occurring between the most recent generation to enter the workforce, Generation Y, and their bosses, most of whom are members of the Baby Boom generation.

My mostly Boomer clients, and, to some extent, older Gen X'ers, are going nuts about this. They are throwing up their hands in frustration. On the one hand, they have all been in business for a long time, now, and feel they have a pretty good grasp of how the business world works. On the other, they are acutely aware of the fact that they desperately need these young people to staff and help grow their businesses. Problem is that there seems to be a big disconnect when it comes to standards of communication and behavior.

There are a few parts to this problem. One part is that there are always conflicts between generations. Another is that the level of workplace formality has been declining for some time. Think dressing down and tele-commuting. Still another is the way this generation has been raised. In general, Gen Y has been the most privileged and child-centered generation in history.

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Posted by Ruth Sherman at 12:03 PM | 5 Comments

December 27, 2006

Feedback

def. knowledge of the results of any behavior, considered as influencing or modifying further performance.

Are you acting on it or parking it?

Leadership is changing from 'power based' to 'human based. I see organizations move towards interactive dialogue as opposed to bosses dictating what the staff will do, i.e. 'no ifs ands or buts'. When people in management roles aren’t managing as well as they could, they are often asked to do a 360º feedback exercise to determine their strengths and weaknesses. All too often the results are a surprise, if not shocking. What’s done with these results will determine how successful leadership is.

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Posted by Donna Karlin at 6:42 AM | Add Comment

December 26, 2006

Social Inequality Threatening India's Economic Stability

Can a country where a third of the population is illiterate be an Information Technology superpower? Can a country where 78 million rural homes have never seen electricity be an economic superpower? Can anyone feel safe living in islands of prosperity in a sea of poverty? While India’s educated elite are reveling in their new found status on the global stage, inequitable distribution of wealth and opportunities are shaking the very foundation of India’s new economy. Will the Indian government’s apathy towards the rural poor bring India’s party to an abrupt end?

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Posted by Anupam Mukerji at 6:32 AM | 6 Comments

December 22, 2006

Eight Ways to Enjoy “Meet the Press”

NBC is getting aggressive on the digital front, giving net-savvy viewers new ways to watch TV. Earlier this month, NBC began offering the Sunday morning news show “Meet the Press” as a stream and a podcast. Right now “Meet the Press” may be the most multi-platform program in all of television; I was able to watch the December 17th episode using eight different methods. (Post a comment if you’ve tried streaming or downloading a TV show, and let us know how you liked the experience.)

The earliest I can watch “Meet the Press” in Santa Monica is at 8am Pacific on Sunday, when the show airs on KNBC. My Time Warner Cable DVR automatically records the show, and I usually watch it later in the morning, skipping the commercials and fast-forwarding through some of the guests.

The newfangled digital options do not become available until 10am Pacific, giving KNBC a brief exclusive broadcast window. When the clock hits 10am Pacific, I can get the show via the Internet in several different ways.

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Posted by Greg Spotts at 9:00 AM | 2 Comments

December 21, 2006

Holiday Greetings

A few days ago, I received my annual holiday greeting card from my friend and colleague, Diane Gargiulo. Diane owns Gargiulo + Parners, a strategic communications company in New York. As usual, the card was very cleverly designed. This year's graphic was understated and clean, the colors neutral with a splash of red to herald the season and the font (I think), the same one that is used in the company's marketing materials. Most significant, however, was the message, which was consistent with and reinforced the business's mission and brand while being fun and festive at the same time. Finally, it was signed by each member of the staff and Diane added a personal note to me.

When I say that I can't wait to receive Diane's holiday cards, I am not kidding. In fact, this year, it seemed the card arrived a little later than usual which had me drumming my fingers wondering what was taking so long. Every year the card is a delight. Although I certainly enjoy receiving cards from the many others who send them to me, there is nowhere near the level of anticipation and excitement I feel when Diane's card arrives in the mail.

So I thought it would be a good idea to think more deeply about this skillful use of aesthetics and design in business communication and how it can be applied to add tremendous value.

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Posted by Ruth Sherman at 1:49 PM | 4 Comments

December 20, 2006

Can women executives have it all without DOING it all?

Among one of my professional idols is a woman I met several years ago while I worked in management consulting. She was a hot property--the kind of executive-level consultant that you bragged about having on your team. Word was, she'd signed a sweet deal with the company and why not? she'd built her own consulting business to great heights and then sold it for (I presume) millions. She could now take whatever jobs excited her, not just whatever would pay.

Her task with our company was to do what she loved and was good at--build a major new practice area within the firm. Though I didn't have anywhere near her experience I remember being jealous that she had the distinction of having an entrepreneurial position in a corporate setting. It seemed like she had the best of both worlds.

I had heard so much about her professionally, but When I met her I must confess I was shocked: she was a departure from the vision in my head. She was, well, colorful, wearing a bright, celery sweater-suit-set and an eye-catching necklace that I wondered if she borrowed from MOMA--it was a work of art. I wondered if this woman had ever worn a navy pantsuit, or her long hair back in a bun, or a neutral shade of lipstick.

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Posted by Jory Des Jardins at 9:18 PM | 3 Comments

Jumping Into: Yes...No...Maybe?

How many work for leaders who can’t make a decision come love or money? Unfortunately that seems to be a state of affairs way too often, especially in smaller businesses. In the corporate world, a leader who can’t make a decision won’t last long enough to waffle, but in smaller businesses, where leaders second guess where they should be and where they need to go, the staff flounder and eventually (sooner than later) leave.

Many wait for direction, for the markets, professional trends and the trades to give them some sense of what’s to come in their marketplace however in these days of constant change, that’s not necessarily a wise move. Stop looking for direction and just get on a path. You have to start something to finish something and paralyzing yourself without choosing direction isn’t any way to go. It’s more like stop! Either you’re going to create your vision for the future or circumstances will dictate what it will look like. As a leader which do you want?

Take that first step. See it as if it’s tangible and ask yourself "What will it look like"? The moment you can answer that question watch the energy and momentum increase. Those that follow you, will be jumping right in.

Donna Karlin • Executive and Political Shadow Coach™ • Ottawa, Canada • donnakarlin@abetterperspective.com •www.abetterperspective.com

Posted by Donna Karlin at 4:27 PM | Add Comment

Leading Ideas: Acknowledge Your Responsibility

"No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible." -- Voltaire (1694-1778) French Enlightenment writer

The first question I often ask leaders who are facing tough issues is, "How did you contribute to them?" I push them to reflect on this question because if they can't acknowledege their hand in creating the current situation they won't be able to affect change going forward. A majority of the time the culprit is what they DIDN'T do. Perhaps they didn't raise questions early enough. Or they didn't support the effort effectively. I encourage them to share these insights with their team. "One of the most powerful ways to get others to take responsibility for their actions," I always tell them, "is take responsibility for yours."

Consider this:

When something's not working, it's uncomfortable to consider your role in creating the problem. It's easier to look elsewhere for a scapegoat - perhaps another person, another team, or an outside influence. You may even have a good case - other people or circumstances may be large part of the problem. However, they're rarely the whole story. When a system breaks down, everyone in it is somehow complicit.

Try this:

1. As tough issues arise, review them with your team.
2. Starting with yourself, have everyone acknowledge what they've done well and what they haven't (ask them to prepare this in advance).
3. Be supportive of everyone's honesty (have individual conversations offline afterwards if needed).
4. Brainstorm processes that the team wants to put into place to prevent the issues from arising again.
5. Practice, Practice, Practice - this process isn't easy, but it's at the heart of change.

Question - What processes do you use to ensure people in your organization acknowledge responsibility?

Doug Sundheim • Executive Coach • New York, NY • dms@clarityconsulting.com • www.clarityconsulting.com

Posted by Doug Sundheim at 9:00 AM | 1 Comment

Usability in India, Usable Everywhere

If you thought, India is just about techies writing code and agents taking calls, think again!!! Indians with a diverse set of competencies are helping American technology firms make their products look better and feel smarter. While the tap of the keyboard marked the arrival of the previous Indian wave, the current wave is being drawn in the form of strokes of very fine Indian paint brush.

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Posted by Anupam Mukerji at 8:51 AM | 6 Comments

December 19, 2006

Experiential Marketing: A Rose By Many Other Names

I'd like to introduce my presence at Fast Company with a few thoughts about my blogging focus, Experiential Marketing, a fairly new term with an incredible range of definitions. Rather than attempting to pin down the correct Experiential Marketing definition or to align myself with a particular school of thought, I plan to make use of the proliferation of definitions to explore the possibilities for Experiential Marketing as a concept and as a practice.

In academia, such proliferations of terminology tend to occur when a discipline is in flux and marketing can certainly be considered a discipline undergoing rapid fluctuations. In the case of Experiential Marketing, the current array of definitions sometimes appear only peripherally related but they offer a great deal to consider.

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Posted by Clyde Smith at 6:48 PM | 5 Comments

December 18, 2006

Facing Up to Face-To-Face

A couple of weeks ago, Steven Johnson, an author who blogs for The New York Times, discussed the issue of virtual communication and social connections. His jumping off point was a column by Thomas Friedman in the same newspaper that lamented the fact that due to the proliferation of technology, we don’t speak to each other as much as we used to. As a result, Friedman said, social connection is on the decline, blocked by technology, and not a good omen for the future of the world. Johnson argued that in his view, technology has made us more connected and he was less worried than Friedman about the effect on civilization.

Toward the end of his blog entry, Johnson said something that really perked up my ears: “But the Web gives us more of those opportunities, and for the most part, I think it gives us better opportunities. What it doesn’t directly provide is face-to-face connection. So the question becomes: how important is face-to-face?”

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Posted by Ruth Sherman at 9:00 AM | 1 Comment

December 15, 2006

Requiem for a Record Store

My love affair with Tower Records began in 1985 when my family moved from suburban Connecticut to Manhattan.

Tower's flagship store at Fourth and Broadway was a mecca for musicians, scenesters, bizzers and fans. Yeah, there were all kinds of underground indie shops in Manhattan dedicated to various musical genres and subcultures. But Tower stocked nearly everything, and the prices were quite good.

Hang out at Tower for a while, and you saw that hiphoppers also rocked, and yuppies dug R+B. Tower was truly a big tent, celebrating the diversity of man and the breadth of every woman's record collection.

Well this week you can buy a piece of the big tent for a song, because the Tower chain is in the last stages of liquidating.

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Posted by Greg Spotts at 10:00 AM | 1 Comment

December 13, 2006

Jumping Into: High Performance Culture

How do you define true leadership? Many define it as a position within an organization, though that more defines a level of power rather than someone others will follow. Leadership can be found at every level of an organization by virtue of a person's way of being. It's a matter of paying attention so you discover these individuals and then do something to grow them into their level of excellence.

The concept or term of leadership is bantered about, debated and dialogued from more perspectives that I can count, but as an Executive Shadow Coach™ a major focus is to identify leadership capabilities in every level of an organization, and who the rising stars might be. It's also figuring out the dimensions of leaders and followers and who needs to get out of the way to make sure that evolutionary flow happens. Leadership is not defined by position of power. I know way too many people in powerful positions that paralyze an organization. From an Executive Coach's point of view, and in order to look at the dynamics that will help evolve both the organization and the individuals within it, I have to look at what will develop a high performance organizational culture and that is determined by it's leaders.

A piece of that puzzle is stoking a fire within people, not under them. Once I help them align with their passions, that fire is lit and nothing will stop them. The resulting energy and momentum automatically creates a high performance culture. If that isn't the status quo within your organization, what are you doing to change it? How often have you seen someone shine and didn't acknowledge them or do anything about it? Staff retention is one thing, but what caliber of staff do you want to retain? Those who fly or those who coast?

Donna Karlin • Executive and Political Shadow Coach™ • Ottawa, Canada • donnakarlin@abetterperspective.com •www.abetterperspective.com

Posted by Donna Karlin at 6:13 PM | Add Comment

Mingle Well, Mingle Well

'Tis the season to mingle. Office parties and other business/social events abound. Many of us find this kind of exercise excruciatingly painful. It's tough, especially if you're running a business, to carve out the time to go to the many functions the season imposes. There is usually a mountain of year-end tasks to take care of. Our eye is on the prize -- those precious few days between Christmas and the New Year when the phones are not ringing off the hook. Who wants to be stuck in the office finishing up paperwork then? Better to get it done now and if that means no going out, well so be it.

Time, or the lack thereof, isn’t the only problem. More people than you might imagine are uncomfortable with the whole holiday party scene. A lot of effort is involved. Questions like "Do I have to dress up?" and "Who's going to be there?" are top of mind, not to mention, "Do I have to bring a gift?" Just entertaining these energy-sapping questions is enough to make some people want to crawl back into their office, lock the door and throw away the key.

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Posted by Ruth Sherman at 5:16 PM | 1 Comment

Leading Ideas: Inspire Yourself

"I write when I'm inspired, and I see to it that I'm inspired at nine o'clock every morning" -- Peter De Vries (1910-93) novelist and short-story writer

Consider This:

Inspiration doesn't "hit" you haphazardly. It's an intentional process born from paying attention to the world around you - and putting yourself in situations where it's likely to happen. What wakes you up? What makes you smile? What gives you comfort? Where do you find beauty? These are sources of inspiration. They surround you everyday. Let them in. Reflect on them. They have the power to shake you from your ruts and bring you to life.

One of my clients has commuted to work through Grand Central Station in New York for the past twenty years. Ten years ago he started to notice how inspired he felt when he was there. "I can remember standing in the station, waiting for my wife at the end of a tough day," he recalls. "I should have felt tired, yet somehow felt really alive. I think it was the mixture of the awe-inspiring architecture and the energy of the people passing by. The experience struck me. Shortly afterwards I began taking five minutes each morning to pause in the station - to feel the energy. Ten years later I still do it two to three times a week. I find it's an inspiring way to start the day."

Try this:

1. What inspires you?
2. Is it a certain location, book, person, activity, or type of music?
3. Why does it inspire you?
4. What can you do to keep it present on a regular basis?
5. Take the time to inspire yourself everyday - it's a small investment that has a huge return.

Question: How do you inspire yourself everyday?

Doug Sundheim • Executive Coach • New York, NY • dms@clarityconsulting.com • www.clarityconsulting.com

Posted by Doug Sundheim at 9:00 AM | 1 Comment

To What Extent This Autonomy?

How much workplace flexibility can we handle?

I help run an organization that is almost entirely virtual. My partners and I live on opposite ends of the Bay Area, so we plan in-person staff meetings only once a week, in the middle of the day, so that one of my partners can pick up her son from school and so we all can avoid rush-hour traffic. Our employees work from home and call in regularly for staff meetings, and we have occasional in-person check-ins at local coffee shops. One of our team lives in Canada. Thank god for Skype.

We have a bricks and mortar office, or "meeting place" is more like it, but the time that it would take commuting to it on a daily basis is just not efficient. Just commuting to one meeting takes roughly 2.5 hours out of my work week--frankly I can't afford to give up more. I'm a huge proponent of face time; sometimes you simply have to do business in person. But with all the built-in hassles of gridlock, high gas prices, airport security, klugey wireless, and new carry-on requirements that force me to spend more time figuring out how to get my myriad toiletries into a teeny weeny baggie, travel just isn't that efficient anymore.

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Posted by Jory Des Jardins at 7:49 AM | Add Comment