Jonathan Fitzgarrald
Forty-eight hours before Rodney, a technology executive in Silicon Valley, was to speak at a major industry conference in Las Vegas, he asked my agency to prepare press materials that would be distributed during his presentation.
In short order my team assembled the materials, and provided them to Rodney for his review. Given the tight timeframe, we suggested that he carry the materials with him on the plane, as opposed to having them shipped overnight, to reduce the risk of them getting lost or misplaced.
Because Rodney was unwilling to lug the materials himself, we contacted the conference manager for specific shipping and delivery instructions to ensure the materials would arrive on time. As is routine, we also called to confirm delivery. Continue reading
Don't be a Hater
Throughout September, controversy in the Entertainment Industry has centered on Chaz Bono as a contestant on Dancing With the Stars. Amid varying suggestions that spotlighting a transgendered individual during prime-time television programming would usher in Armageddon, I was impressed with the professional manner and decorum that Mr. Bono displayed (and continues to display) throughout the ordeal.
But, criticism toward those who are in pursuit of a better station in life isn’t exclusive to individuals in the limelight.
One of my dear friends, Sophia, is a successful businesswoman. She is smart, attractive, articulate, likeable, physically in great shape, and sought after professionally as a consultant by sophisticated organizations throughout the country. She is at the top of her game.
From time-to-time, Sophia shares with me what she perceives as negative feedback from others, mostly women. She is criticized for her appearance (professionally dressed to the nines with tailored suits, great coif, tasteful attention to hair, makeup and nails, etc.). She is criticized for her continued efforts toward professional development (she regularly attends seminars, is active in industry associations, and serves on boards for community-based organizations). And, she meets resistance when suggesting that the “status quo” isn’t good enough.
Having worked within corporations, PR agencies, and professional services firms for more than 13 years, I’ve had of associating with a varied cast of professionals, a majority of whom can be grouped into two categories.
I label the first type of professional, “Barry, the first-class passenger.” During my initial conversation with the Barry’s of an organization, I solicit information relating to their areas of expertise, clients, and past marketing initiatives that have been successful in positioning them as the “go to” person in their industry and in building their business.
Barry’s answers are typically very generic, with an air of “why are you wasting my time asking such questions…don’t you know who I am?” When it comes to networking and business development, Barry’s preference is for someone else to do all the heavy lifting, bringing him back the spoils.
Barry can’t be bothered with speaking engagements, authoring articles, or participating in social media, as they have never resulted in new business. So they obviously don’t work and are a waste of time. Media inquiries are responded to in days, sometimes weeks, if at all. Barry is critical of the organization’s marketing and business development initiatives, as they never seem to do enough to promote him and his hungry ego. He is also critical of fellow colleagues who succeed and receive industry praise for their efforts by blaming management for giving them preferential treatment.
As a member of a professional networking group, I have the opportunity to meet and form relationships with hundreds of professionals who have the ability to make introductions, refer business, and provide value to my law firm.
In preparation for a “get to know you better” lunch with another member of the networking group, Brad, I googled his name in hopes of learning more about him. Out of seven Google links that resulted, only two pertained to the Brad I would be meeting. I had to filter through a singer, a songwriter, a realtor, a race car driver, and a Minor League baseball player—all with the same name—before finding Brad. Once I did, the information on him was too basic to really get a comprehensive sense of the value he provides.
While at the agency one afternoon, I received a call from reception that my guests had arrived and were waiting for me in the office’s lobby. It was my opportunity to meet the publisher and editor-in-chief of San Francisco’s most influential business publication.
Immediately outside my office are two workstations. My marketing coordinator sat in one and Kayla, who assisted the president of the agency, occupied the other.
Making small talk with my guests as we headed back to my office, we rounded the corner from reception to find Kayla sitting at her workstation with one foot propped up on the edge of her desk. She was clipping her toenails. I did a double take…I was mortified!
As the three of us passed, Kayla looked up, smiled, and said hi, all the while continuing her grooming. My guests looked at me as if to say, “What kind of a dog and pony show are you running here?”