Communicators Anonymous

Under Construction

2009-10-02T10:54:55-05:00

All of you know, I love to start my morning with a quote. Actually, the quote chooses me. Last week, this is the wisdom that jumped out at me:

“Change, when it comes, cracks everything open.” –Dorothy Allison

Have you ever taken a psych analysis? The form asks if you have undergone any of the following list of life changes and then gives a laundry list of events, such as marriage, household move, job change, etc. If completing form now, I could check almost every major life change within the last month. I am not complaining. I chose to make these changes…I just wasn’t prepared for the onslaught of emotions post decision time.

Now this is where the conversation gets dicey. When have I crossed the line and said too much on this blog? This used to be the place where I could vent and get constructive criticism for the chip on my shoulder. I thought by sharing my stories, others may learn from my mistakes and I could learn from the wisdom of others. I made myself vulnerable.

This isn’t to say I have never had filters. I have, but in the past month, I have had to reevaluate those filters and put tighter restrictions on myself. This was my choice. Thus the dark blog…taking time to reflect.

Ironic, but when I worked for the federal government I felt more free to discuss my personal and professional trials than I do now. Taking the gig with Radian6 made me realize how many filters already existed. I responded to hierarchy, intense structure and made every move in socmed space aware the military was already on shaky terms in the space and I wasn’t about to rock the boat…just push the edges.

I had to find who Lauren was beneath the filters and the layers I had built while serving the government to fulfill my new role…only to discover all the new filters I would need to layer on because of a space where people take advantage of vulnerability. Where learning is not valued, but considered a weakness. Where one is ripped apart by anonymous attacks and is helpless to defend self, because if we do…well, we know what happens. Where pariahs are waiting and assisting those who are at the top fall so they can tweet about the infamous #fail.

I work, live and breathe in social media. I wouldn’t trade this job for anything, but I have had to reflect and mature the past month about what I am willing to share and with whom. I am grateful for my experiences for they have molded me into who I am. For now, I remain under construction.

Education: To succeed, just be good enough

2009-08-04T13:34:16-05:00

My head is spinning....I am sure if you were to step inside my office, you would see a scene from The Exorcist!

Why am I so on fire today? With the direction from David Mullen (@dmullen) (H/T), I read the CNN article, Alumna sues college because she hasn't found a job. To sum up the article, a 27 year-old woman (ONLY one year younger than me) is suing her school for cost of tuition plus an additional $2,000 for the stress of an unsuccessful job hunt. Instead of taking initiative to find a job, the woman is expecting the school to do it for her.

Please...take a minute to read the article and the fabulous quotes from that bright young mind.

At least she learned to pass the blame.

dmullen: @vargasl The obvious entitlement that seeped out of her quotes was pitiful. I couldn't stop shaking my head. I had no idea what to say.

I am not flabbergasted by this entitlement attitude. I encounter this phenomenon every week in my classroom. Students expect for texts to be regurgitated, answers to exams given before test...basically, instead of earning an education, these students want it handed to them on a silver platter.

I don't think so.

What happened to hard work? Responsibility?

LindsayMAllen: @vargasl It's especially offensive to someone like me; I gave nearly 7 yrs of hard work to an employer and have been jobless since May 1.

This is not a Gen-Y isolated problem...this is an epidemic across all demographics. Nor is the attitude isolated to education. Turn on the television and find out what the government will do for you because you deserve it.

Is deserving the American dream?

seakisst: @libbykrah @dmullen @lindsaymallen @vargasl What is this world coming to? The American Dream should not equal entitlement, but hard work.

I don't remember where Martin Luther King Jr. talked about deserving anything.

shawnthinks: @vargasl @libbykrah @dmullen sad part is that this is same attitude that's working through biz world. Dot com boom started it IMHO

With all this rant...what is my solution? Solve for YES, right?!

I am only one person and cannot control others, but I can control myself. I would be hypocritical if I did not admit that a time or two I have been resentful about not receiving something because I thought I deserved it. But I recognize that dangerous line of thought...and I back away.

I am only one teacher. In my class, I will not give you the test answers and I will help you to the ends of the earth if you, the student, show me due diligence in solving problem on one's own.

It will take many single individuals to rebel against entitlement. This attitude is not evolutionary thinking. This is how a race becomes extinct.

What will you do to combat entitlement?

UPDATE 8/5: It appears our class act former student has been offered a job by SkiChannel.com.

"Either Ms Thompson is a cunning out of the box thinker and we want her," said Bellamy "or she isn't, and her position would not last long. Either way, the law suit would no longer be clogging up the courts because there are now no damages. She now has a bonifide job offer. She just needs to call us and go over the details. But it is real and valid. If she is this feisty, we'll try her out. But if she is playing the victim card and pushing her problems onto everyone else - then her job wouldn't likely last long."

Feisty? Is that what people are calling this behavior?

Interestingly enough, as my daughter was sitting with her reading tutor last night, I was reading The Traveler's Gift. A fascinating book about the seven decisions that determine personal success. So far, I am wowed by this book!

"The words It's not my fault! should never again come from your mouth. The words It's not my fault! have been symbolically written on the gravestones of unsuccessful people ever since Eve took her first bite of the apple. Until a person takes responsibility for where he is, there is no basis for moving on. The bad news is the past was in your hands, but the good news is that the future, my friend, is also in your hands...the buck stops here." -President Truman via The Traveler's Gift

As a teacher and also a parent that may be the one thing I can teach and make a difference...maybe not immediate, but one day...the buck stops here.

Consultants: Love 'em or Hate 'em

2009-07-13T12:13:07-05:00

At some point in your career you may have to work with consultants. You or the company is likely to pay them a good sum of money for their services. The last thing you want to do is place a consultant's recommendations on the shelf to gather dust. Yet, in my current position, this is what I have seen happen with the majority of reports. Why bother hiring consultants, if no strategic thinking or actionable items result? Why waste such an investment of time and money?

I am currently struggling with how to best work with consultants from the corporation side. Recently, my company hired consultants to evaluate our overall corporate branding and standards. A 30-day first impression report was issued last week. Prior to the report being released, the consultants spoke to my team Chief for a total of 20 minutes...that generated two pages of bullet points in the report.

I applaud my company for taking the necessary steps to build a consistent corporate image and voice; however, the limited information provided to the consultants for their preliminary review is disappointing and incomplete. We were excited about the constructive feedback we had hoped to receive form the consultants after they understood our social media strategy and place within the community. Many of the points in the preliminary report do not account for the restrictions we face within our space or any of our strategic plans, objectives and up-to-date analysis.

Needless to day, my team and I were frustrated with the results at first blush. So, I asked my peers on Twitter, what is the best way to work with consultants? Should consultants be integrated with the team? How do you get best results?

Of all the consultants, I have worked with, there are only a handful I would work with again or recommend. I am eager to learn how to work with consultants better from an in-house position. Also, I would like to know what are the best practices from the consultant perspective (next post topic). After all, I will be in that position soon...

So, here is the feedback I received via Twitter:

adamcohen @vargasl having been a cons my career, the best client relationships are where teams are integrated w/out regard for badge to focus on goals
adamcohen @vargasl also best results are achieved when the team gets real - no team is perfect. It's not whether issues exist its how team handles em
adamcohen @vargasl much is based on establishing right relationship up front, understanding culture, ptrship based on mutual goals. Not easy to start
adamcohen @vargasl often the consultant wld request, but need a willing partner. Helps if client has a cons background too, they've lived it.
KellyeCrane @vargasl Hi! Consultants get to choose who to work with. That said, once on with a client, adjusting to their work style is part of the job.
KellyeCrane @vargasl Being an integrated part of the team is highly beneficial, but often not possible due to budget constraints. Am I answering your Q?
DebInDenver @KellyeCrane @vargasl how do budget constraints keep you from bein an integrates part of team? And is there an advantage to that?
KellyeCrane @DebInDenver @vargasl A client's budget may limit them to give you 1 tactic of a campaign (for ex), and need you to handle autonomously.
KellyeCrane @DebInDenver @vargasl Consultants are not always involved in the strategy/planning. You can opt not to take these jobs, but they're there.
DebInDenver @KellyeCrane @vargasl I think that is a huge mistake on the cos part, they miss out on the pros expertise.

Now, currently I am not in the position where I have the authority to interview the consultants before hire, but am more interested in how to work with them after contract has been established. The consultants I would hire again or recommend all took the integrated approach and adjusted to the work style and culture of our team. Does this interfere with the practical disengagement needed for end-results?

I consider a healthy consultant-client relationship to include:

Active listening: Does the consultant pay attention to what you're saying and respond appropriately – or does the consultant only talk about his own accomplishments?
Disengagement: Does it seem that this candidate will be able to provide the objectivity you need in an outside expert?
Adaptation: Does the consultant have a grasp of mission and organizational style? Has the consultant bothered to learn anything about your group prior to the interview?
Honesty/Integrity: Throughout the relationship, you must be consistently forthcoming about the problems that face your team/organization and vice versa about relationship the consultant has with team/company or about obtaining needed information.
Follow-through: Over time, your team will probably agree to undertake a number of tasks related to the consultant's intervention, such as conducting research or writing reports, that may prove demanding and time-consuming. Do not make these commitments unless you can keep them. The consulting relationship is a collaboration. You must hold up your end.
Communication: Determine early on how much and what kinds of information needs to be shared with the consultant and vice versa.
Relevant experience: How can you incorporate the consultant's best insights and techniques into your own organizational practice, so you may be able to handle problems on your own next time around.
Evolution: The consultant's work will often conclude with a multitude of constructive criticism and recommendations. Do you and organization have the energy, flexibility, and courage to take the necessary next steps. Be honest and don't just be after a tick in the box.
Letting go: Do you have the ability to end an unproductive relationship? Whatever the reason, you have a responsibility to end the relationship as soon as you're convinced that it will fail.

What would you change or add to this list?

What is the best way you work with consultants? Should consultants be integrated with the team? How do you get best results?

Reminiscing

2009-07-01T10:17:48-05:00

Since last Thursday, you cannot flip on the TV, radio or Internet without stumbling across a reference of Michael Jackson. I have tried my best to avoid the gossip and scandal about the star I admired as a young child. (My parents still have home video of me wearing a white glove and hat break-dancing.)

All the talk of drug use and past court trials overshadow the talent of this man. Recent rumors of Michael Jackson's body in a glass coffin being open for viewing to the public are just another shock-and-awe media spectacle. It is sickening and makes me strive to tune out the noise even more.

So, why am I writing a post to further the effervescent chatter?

I will remember Michael Jackson through my life experiences with his music and videos. I have no personal ties or experiences with the rampant rumors about the star. The supposed glass coffin stunt (if true) is just that...another media event. If all you offer is flash, you will never be able to connect with your consumers or evangelize a fan base.

What creates experience? Wonder. Look through the eyes of a child or go back to your childhood and view this past week's media events. Does it make you cringe? It makes me squirm in embarrassment as a human. This is how I feel about a lot of brands pushing their products and services without knowing what makes their consumers tick.

(Image courtesy of PHOTOberryTV.)

APR Process: Calling for a mulligan

2009-06-29T08:56:58-05:00

Thank you for the support all of you showed me last week in anticipation of my APR exam Sunday, 28 June. The unofficial results were instantaneous...did not pass again...and by the same number of percentage points as times past. It was not any area in particular where I came up short, but a mixed bag of scores and a total mental block when it comes to standardized tests.

Yesterday, my disappointment took hold and I vowed I would not take the exam again. Well, I can't hold that vow. It is not who I am. I have never backed down from a challenge. I am extremely frustrated that I have been unable to pass the exam when I have always excelled in education, other certifications and challenging tasks. I have a tendency to over think the case/answers and don't necessarily agree that the test best response is the best response in the real world. Well, I will need to get over that line of thought to pass this exam.

Now that I have taken and failed the test three times, I must start the APR process from the beginning. I do not regret the process nor will I talk badly about the exam. It is what it is. I am a better communicator for going through the process and by reestablishing self with the founding principles of public relations. I am a better educator. I will move on...and I will succeed. Just not today.

UPDATE: (6/30) PRSA National just called my mobile to tell me they became aware of this post after a UAB member brought it to their attention. They called to tell me, I do not have to start process over completely (i.e. Readiness Review). Once in "advanced" status, I remain there. However, I do have to pay $385 fee again and reschedule test. Wicked cool they called me.