Month: December 2013

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Five Ways to be a Super Communicator

A lady communicating with a man while smiling

Quick—who is the most effective communicator you know? Why did you think of that person? I am guessing that this person provides a consistently positive experience when they communicate with you. Let’s think about the experience you provide when someone comes into contact with you. It doesn’t matter if they work in the next cubicle, if they know you socially, or if you are meeting someone for the first time. With a few simple guidelines, you can make each contact a positive experience.positive

Pick the right time. When do you initiate the communication? If you are waiting on people, sooner is better. Acknowledge or greet people who show up in your place of business, even if you can’t help them immediately. Otherwise, find times that are amenable to others; be it your boss, a potential client, a family member. Ask if this is a good time before launching into a discussion they might not be ready for.

Pick the right venue. Recently I traded four or five text messages with someone before deciding we could get more done on the phone. Today I received a much-appreciated phone call rather than an email with a request. Other times e-mail is actually the best way to convey information. Instead of automatically choosing the format that you prefer or feel most comfortable with, start thinking about which one is most appropriate or most appreciated by the receiver.

Be courteous. Please and thank you never go out of style. Say “you’re welcome” rather than “no problem.” Look people in the eye. Take time to greet everyone you come in contact with. Be kind to your server (and leave a generous tip if you can afford it.) Don’t slam down the phone after leaving a message or having a conversation.

Give your full attention. Whether you are discussing world events, a major initiative for your team, or plans for the weekend, respect people enough to be attentive to them. This means no checking your email while talking on the phone, no folding laundry or making dinner while the kids tell you about their day, or no talking while driving. I know, I know, we all do it. Let’s do better.

Be positive. It is easy to gripe about the weather, the boss, or what is on the news. Can you spin it around and look for the positive? Plenty of studies are now suggesting that gratitude is linked with higher levels of happiness, and we know we like to be around happier people. Focus on what you can do, not what you can’t. Find something nice to say. Be the bright spot in a gloomy day. You can’t control the weather or what’s on the news, but you have a choice in how you show up.

It is not rocket science. It just takes awareness and making better choices. Follow these five guidelines and you may well be one of the best communicators your friends and colleagues know.

______________________________________________________________

I would love to hear from you. How do you show up as a positive communicator?

Author Gail Zack Anderson, founder of Applause, Inc. is a Twin Cities-based consultant who provides coaching and workshops for effective presentations, facilitation skills for trainers and subject matter experts, and positive communication skills for everyone. She can be reached at gza@applauseinc.net.

Web site: www.applauseinc.net

Blog: www.managementhelp.org/blogs

twitter: @ApplauseInc

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The Market Impact of Reputation Crises

Business man going through crisis looking at his laptop

Knowing the potential impact of negative events can help you properly prepare for crisis management

The type of crisis you experience can drastically change the impact it has on your organization. To illustrate this point, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer conducted a study of 78 different crises of reputation, and created a chart documenting their impact on stock price:

Here are their definitions of the various crises:

  • Behavioural – crises triggered by reports of the illegal or questionable conduct of the company in general or by specific employees, such as anti-competitive conduct or money laundering;
  • Operational – crises that seriously impair the company’s ability to function properly, for example major accidents or asset seizures;
  • Corporate – crises that affect the corporate and financial wellbeing of the organisation, including liquidity issues or material litigation; and
  • Informational – crises that seriously affect a company’s IT infrastructure or electronic systems, such as customer data loss or theft of commercial secrets.

Knowing what to expect when you run into trouble enables you to prepare crisis management strategies that better suit your needs. Following the latest studies, and keeping on top of trends, is vital homework that could, quite literally, keep your organization alive.

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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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[Jonathan Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc., an international crisis management consultancy, author of Manager’s Guide to Crisis Management and Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training. Erik Bernstein is Social Media Manager for the firm, and also editor of its newsletter, Crisis Manager]

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CFC Campaign Extended to January 15, 2014

Someone marking an X on a calendar

Due to the government shutdown in October, which occurred just as many of the CFC kickoffs and charity fairs were beginning, the Office of Personnel Management has extended the campaign one month to January 15, 2014. Here’s the link to the official letter from OPM with that decision: CFC Extension

What this means for your CFC charity is that you should continue your messaging about your participation in the CFC during the holiday season and into the New Year. What methods should you use? All of them!!

Whatever methods you regularly use, you should include the fact that your non-profit participates in the CFC. And, of course, you should be using the modern methods … that include information on your website, taglines in e-mail signatures, and information on Facebook and other social media sites where you have a presence.

In addition to that, don’t forget that simple methods can also be extremely effective, and here’s an example of that:

The Calvert County Library Foundation enrolled in the CFC for the first time in 2012, and they received more than $14,000 of unrestricted funds from their CFC donors. They used multiple methods of communication, but the one that probably had the highest ROI is this 4×8 plywood sign.

Library Sign

Why did this work so well? Because the Pax River Naval Air Station is located 75 miles south of Washington DC, and there is one main road to the east coast’s “Top Gun” school – Maryland Route 2/4. And, because there are 17,000 uniformed and civilian employees that work at Pax River, and most of them drive to the base via Route 2/4 … most of them pass this sign on their way.

Here’s another banner sign, this one from the Chesapeake Cares Food Pantry.

Food Bank Sign

That sign has both CFC and United Way codes, plus the Maryland Charities Workplace Giving Campaign code; and, it can be seen by people driving in either direction. It’s just up the road from the Support Calvert Library sign so obviously these two CFC charities have found this technique to be effective.

By the way, neither sign is located at their respective facility; they are on residential lawns of supporters.
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New Head of OPM Confirmed
In the last CFC post I promised an update on the new CFC regulations. There has been no change there yet, but one important thing that had to happen was the confirmation of the new permanent director of the Office of Personnel Management.

In May, President Obama announced the nomination of Katherine Archuleta as the first Latina to head the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, and on October 30, 2013, the Senate confirmed her to lead the Federal agency responsible for managing the Federal workforce, including responsibility for oversight of the CFC.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
During his 25-year career in the Federal sector, Bill Huddleston, The CFC Coach,
served in many CFC roles. If you want to participate in the Combined Federal
Campaign, maximize your nonprofit’s CFC revenues, or just ask a few questions,
contact Bill Huddleston
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Have you seen
The Fundraising Series of ebooks.
They’re easy to read, to the point, and inexpensive ($1.99 – $4.99)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

If you’re reading this on-line and you would like to comment/expand on the above, or would just like to offer your thoughts on the subject of this posting, we encourage you to “Leave a Reply” at the bottom of this page, click on the feedback link at the top of the page, or send an email to the author of this posting. If you’ve received this posting as an email, click on the email link (above) to communicate with the author.

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Social Media Crisis Management: Know Your Demographics

Friends using social media platforms with their smartphones while smiling

“Know thy audience.”

It’s one of the core directives of crisis management, and communication in general. If you know who you’re talking to it instantly becomes easier to craft an effective message, and to avoid giving offense. Well, when it comes to communication we’re doing a TON of it on social media, so don’t you think you should know who you’re dealing with when you use each platform?

To that point, DocStoc has created a great infographic that answers the question, “Which demographics use what social media?”

Which-demographics-use-social-media

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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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[Jonathan Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc., an international crisis management consultancy, author of Manager’s Guide to Crisis Management and Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training. Erik Bernstein is Social Media Manager for the firm, and also editor of its newsletter, Crisis Manager]

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Maryland Attorney General Caught at Wild Teen Party

Lady down on her desk looking tired

Not practicing what you preach is likely to leave you needing crisis management

Maryland Attorney General Douglas Gansler, a frequent advocate of stricter laws against underage drinking, landed himself in hot water after pictures of him at a wild party full of teens toting the ubiquitous red Solo cup went viral.

The photo wasn’t the only thing that contributed to this crisis management mess, as Gansler’s response to reporters made an already bad situation even worse. According to the Baltimore Sun, he had this to say about his responsibility to put a stop to what appears to be quite a bit of underage drinking:

“Assume for purposes of discussion that there was widespread drinking at this party,” Gansler said. “How is that relevant to me? … The question is, do I have any moral authority over other people’s children at beach week in another state? I say no.”

The public clearly didn’t like that angle (shocker, right?), and Gansler tried to back out with an incredibly weak followup statement. He said he “stopped only briefly at the party in Delaware last June to see his son and left without asking the teenagers — including shirtless boys and a girl dancing on a tabletop — about the red plastic cups scattered around the party.”

Gansler also told reporters, “There could be Kool-Aid in the red cups, but there’s probably beer in the red cups.”

The pictures tell another story, as Gansler is shown repeatedly in the midst of a crowd of gyrating, half naked teens. In one shot he even has his cell phone out and is clearly taking a picture of a young girl dancing between two shirtless males, not exactly the behavior of someone who disapproves of what’s happening all around him.

Oh, did we mention this genius is vying for the spot of Governor of Maryland? Bet his PR team is just loving this.

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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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[Jonathan Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc., an international crisis management consultancy, author of Manager’s Guide to Crisis Management and Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training. Erik Bernstein is Social Media Manager for the firm, and also editor of its newsletter, Crisis Manager]

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Good, cheap and fast! You’ve got to be joking!

Man in black suit jacket making a thumbs up

You’ve heard of the old proverb: “if it’s too good to be true then it probably is”. In other words be suspicious of people offering you high returns for little investment.

Whilst that might apply to everyday situations such as when that door to door salesman comes knocking and offers you a free holiday in return for one of his garden sheds, what’s this got to do with project management?

Well, quite a lot actually. If you’ve ever been involved in those pre-project discussions with your sales team who have just offered a product to a client which hasn’t yet been designed, then you will know what I’m talking about.

The problem is essentially that you cannot deliver something well (i.e. high quality), both cheaply and quickly. Anyone who promises all three things is either deluding themself (and possibly trying to delude you too), or simply doesn’t understand project management.

Let’s think of a simple project – having a new house built for example. Could this be built cheaply? Sure it could, if you could source the materials second-hand perhaps or maybe retrieve them from a demolition site. You could even try designing and building it yourself to save on labour costs.

Could it be built to a high standard? Of course! You could build it with all the latest bells and whistles, providing you can source the components and there are people competent enough to install them. But delivering to a high standard however doesn’t come cheap. If you really need to keep costs down, you are going to have to cut out all the nice things about the house – the en-suite bathroom, the fitted kitchen etc. And whilst you’re at it, why not just have a single room? That would be much cheaper than that 4 bed house you were dreaming about.

Could it be built quickly? Generally speaking, the smaller the house, the quicker it could be built. But if you really don’t want to compromise on the size, you might be able to build it quickly using pre-fabricated panels built in a factory, but these things don’t come cheap either. You could also have a team of hundreds but it’s always going to take a certain time to complete and just having more people might actually slow things down if they’re getting in each others’ way. Just instructing the trades people to work twice as quick is no good either because they’ll just make lots of mistakes, and the result will be shoddy. A leaky roof or dodgy electrics is not my idea of a high quality build.

So, you can see the problem here. Trying to deliver a high quality product both quickly and cheaply is simply not feasible. Project managers have grappled with this conundrum for years and have created an abstraction to help them understand it. It’s what’s become known as the project triangle.

The three 3 sides of the triangle are scope, cost and time. Every project will have one side (or sometimes 2) which is fixed. For example, the London 2012 Olympic projects had the time side fixed. The side(s) which is fixed cannot be changed no matter what happens. The other sides however have flexibility. For example if you are in danger of delivering late, then a common remedy to get the project back on schedule is to add more staff to the project which of course, will increase the cost side.

So what lessons do we take away here? Well, firstly, ensure there is agreement with your stakeholders about which side of the triangle is fixed. That will help you to understand the areas where there is room to manoeuvre. Secondly, manage their expectations throughout, so that you never over-promise what you are going to deliver. It’s always best to under-promise and then over-deliver at the end. Thirdly, educate your sales staff so that they understand that you can only ever deliver two of the following – good, cheap, fast – from your project.

If you are able to achieve this, then your project has a much better chance of meeting your clients’ needs and should ensure a much less stressful project for all.

What do you think? Do you think it’s possible to deliver all three things on a project?

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BIMBO of the Year 2013

A trophy in a red background

Repeating the terms you’re seeking to avoid is a massive crisis management mistake

Merrie Spaeth’s BIMBO Awards exist to remind us of one of the most common, and damaging, crisis management mistakes out there – repeating the very negative terms you’re trying to avoid.

Here are this year’s “Dishonorable Mentions”:

“I called you crazy, not fat,” said disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong in a long, self-serving interview with Oprah Winfrey. The comment was aimed at Betsy Andreu, wife of former teammate Frankie Andreu.

KDVR (FOX 31) “Betsy Andreu told by Lance Armstrong, ‘I called you crazy, not fat,’” Jan. 18, 2013

“While we typically don’t comment on rumors/speculation, Ron Johnson has no immediate plans to resign his position as J.C. Penney CEO,” said a J.C. Penney spokesperson responding to rumors that Johnson was on his way out after the retailer reported an annual loss of $1 billion and a $4 billion decline in sales. (When news reports append the word “struggling” to you – as in “the struggling retailer tried to end speculation that CEO Ron Johnson is leaving” – you have an uphill climb.)

The Dallas Morning News, “J.C. Penney denies CEO leaving,” March 13, 2013

Those are a couple of pretty big mistakes, but this year’s winner has become a real media darling thanks to an abundance of unabashedly outrageous behavior, and might just go down in history as one of the biggest BIMBOs ever. The award goes to…Toronto Mayor Rob Ford!

BIMBO OF THE YEAR

In May, Mayor Ford vehemently insisted, “I do not use crack cocaine, nor am I an addict of crack cocaine,” after an investigative reporter from the Toronto Star claimed he saw a video of the mayor using illegal drugs. Rumors quickly circulated that two men were trying to sell the video for $200,000. (The mayor wins because the most damaging BIMBO comments do, in fact, turn out to be true. In November, Canadian police confirmed the existence of a video showing the 44-year-old mayor using a crack pipe. On Nov. 7 Mayor Ford admitted he may have smoked crack but only while in a “drunken stupor.” The mayor later added “[he] has nothing left to hide.”)

NBC Nightly News, “Toronto mayor says he smoked crack ‘in one of my drunken stupors,’” Nov. 5, 2013

Let these be a warning to you, when it’s time for crisis management, DO NOT repeat the negative terms being associated with you. Reporters will try to lead you into doing so, and a failure to practice will absolutely result in you unthinkingly doing the same, so if you care about your reputation you absolutely must put in the time to prepare and drill this bad habit out of yourself.

You can find more BIMBO info, past awards, videos and more at the Spaeth Communications website, and we’re honored to have Merrie bringing her experience evaluating bad PR moves to our Weiner Awards as a judge this year as well!

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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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[Jonathan Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc., an international crisis management consultancy, author of Manager’s Guide to Crisis Management and Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training. Erik Bernstein is Social Media Manager for the firm, and also editor of its newsletter, Crisis Manager]

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What Can Grant Professionals Learn from Legendary Basketball Coach Red Holzman?

Basketball net

When I was living in New York City from 1968 to 1976, the New York Knicks were one of the most feared teams in the NBA. With players like Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, and Bill Bradley, the Knicks were a joy to watch, especially during their 1969-1970 season when they beat the Los Angeles Lakers to claim their first NBA championship.

Although the Knicks had great basketball players, they also had a great coach and a future member of the Basketball Hall of Fame – Red Holzman. Holzman’s simple but difficult goal – “see the ball on defense and hit the open man on offense” – worked wonders for his players. Overlooked, however, was Holzman’s subtle managerial style, which has much to teach grant Proposal Managers.

I was reminded of Holzman’s coaching talents recently, when I read a stimulating article in the Huffington Post by Mike Berman, on the eve of the NBA playoffs, on Red Holzman’s leadership. I would like to use Berman’s article to distill the essence of Holzman’s approach to leadership because I think his managerial style equally applies to successful grant Proposal Managers.

Holzman’s Management Approach
• Be modest
Holzman said that “I don’t think there is such a thing as a coaching genius, just hard workers.” For Holzman, action, deeds, and credibility mattered more than words. He embodied the values he preached. Proposal managers should understand that their success depends on the quality of their proposal teams and the support of their nonprofit organizations. Because grant proposal development depends on teamwork, cooperation, and the skills of others, Proposal Managers should be modest about their successes.

• Know what you intend to accomplish when you assume a leadership role
Clearly state your goal and performance standards and reinforce them regularly from the beginning. Too many proposals begin without a clear plan and schedule, and too many grant Proposal Managers do not seem to understand that the quality of the proposal development process will determine the quality of the proposal. Establishing clear goals and performance standards will help improve your proposals.

• Maintain a focus on the fundamentals and what matters most
Avoid over-complication. There is a big different between attending to details and micro-managing.

• Monitor
Once the team has embraced your system, let go … and empower people to succeed. Good proposal development should include periodic reviews, milestones, and deliverables. This framework will enable a proposal team to succeed by creating a clear context for their activities.

• Achieve results by training, coaching, and mentoring
Help your fellow proposal team members to perform well. An important part of any grant Proposal Manager’s work should be to help improve the performance of team members and help advance their professional careers.

Sports analogies with the business world are often trite and strained or just plain silly and they seem to be a virtual monopoly of out-of-shape men. However, a great coach and person like Red Holzman has much to teach us about the essence of leadership. Apply his approach to proposal management, and you should improve your grant proposals.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Dr. Jayme Sokolow, founder and president of The Development Source, Inc.,
helps nonprofit organizations develop
successful proposals to government agencies.
Contact Jayme Sokolow.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Look for Jayme’s ebook on
Finding & Getting Federal Government Grants.
It’s part of
The Fundraising Series of ebooks
They’re easy to read, to the point, and inexpensive ($1.99 – $4.99)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

If you’re reading this on-line and you would like to comment/expand on the above, or would just like to offer your thoughts on the subject of this posting, we encourage you to “Leave a Reply” at the bottom of this page, click on the feedback link at the top of the page, or send an email to the author of this posting. If you’ve received this posting as an email, click on the email link (above) to communicate with the author.

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Do Some Rules Need To be Broken?

Woman pointing index finger giving wise advice

Stop at the red and go on the green. Wait your turn. Treat others the way you would like to be treated. Certain timeless rules are better obeyed than broken. But are there certain rules that may need to be broken?

In today’s constantly changing business world, many of the rules that guided previous generations of managers may no longer apply, or at least, be as relevant.

“If you’re not breaking rules on a regular basis, your customers and markets are going to somebody else. So look, listen and change.”

That was said by a business client during a recent staff retreat. She wanted everyone to know that the task of managers can no longer be just seeing that things get done in a timely manner. They have to do more than that!

Is It Time To Get Rid of Business As Usual

Rather, effective managers today must be committed to do new things and do routine things in new ways. It comes down to breaking some long standing rules of managing people and organizations. Here are some examples.

Old rule: Strive to maintain the status quo, but react quickly when change happens.
New rule: Don’t wait for change to hit you. Anticipate it, plan for it, and make it happen on your terms.

Old rule: Management’s job is to make decisions.
New rule: Management’s job is to facilitate decisions made by those closest to the customer or the situation.

Old rule: Avoid conflict at all cost. People can’t handle it.
New rule: Create conditions that get people to grapple with different perspectives which will lead to better solutions and results.

Old rule: Tell employees what to do, when to do it and how to do it.
New rule: Give employees the resources and support they need. Then stand back and let them do their jobs.

Management Success Tip:

Letting go of rules that have served you well can be difficult, but holding on to them can be fatal. Don’t allow yourself or your people to get comfortable with the status quo. Don’t get stuck thinking that what’s made us successful so far will continue to make us successful in the future. Also see Make Positive Change By Thinking Outside the Box and Take Off Your Blinders

Are there some rules that need to be broken or at least modified? Which ones?

Do you want to develop your Management Smarts?

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Architecting

A young lady and man architecting

Communicating the definition of architecting or ‘to architecture’ can be defined in software and technically as what is to be set up. It is the building of a configuration or an arrangement of objects; a structure.

In the software/ technical world, designing and documenting the architecture of a system is composed of planning, describing, and displaying the different relationships of various items making up the system. In other words, the architecture of any system is broken down into its components and shows how all the pieces are associated, connected, or joined (as in data modeling). In documenting the system, it is not only detailing the make-up of the system, but also includes procedures, methodology, events, actions, etc.

Many skills are required to produce an effective and valuable functional architecture. When we build an architecture, we need:

  • to collaborate among our coworkers,
  • have great communication skills, and
  • most importantly, be organized.

Without these skills, informative technical and requirement specifications, business assessments, review processes, etc. cannot be completed for the architecture.

Also, guidelines need to be set before an architecture can be built. Building an architecture (even of a document) is not easy. We can think of a pyramid or a hierarchy. In so doing, do we work from the top down or the bottom up? Do we start at the top and know what you want to end up with or do you start from the bottom up and know what you have and try to build what you want from what currently exists? It is a difficult choice and each organization has to make up its own mind and decide on what fits them best.

To help the decision process along the way, and to, e.g., help the technical writer build on the architecture of a document, here are some questions in random order:

  • What is to be the end result
  • What ideas, resources, etc. do you have to get to the end
  • Whom can you rely on for support
  • Do you have the knowledge and skills to perform the task
  • Do you have the tools to create the document
  • Whom can you get details from
  • Whom are you writing for
  • How is the document to be organized
  • Where is your information located
  • Is cost a major factor
  • What are the future plans

Think about how you will begin the document. To help, try to number the items above by priority and see what works best for the organization. Only then will you know if you will be working from the top down or bottom up. As noted, the above example can also be applied when designing an architecture of a system. There are many more questions that need to be answered. The above is just a beginning.

How would you define architecting and what experiences and solutions have you had in architecting a, e.g., document?