PR Divas

If it looks like a turd.

Non-paying clients are the worst!

They’re great at first. They act like a real client. They sign the contract and the provide appropriate information to commence the working relationship.

The work gets done – with client praise – and the invoice sent. But the check never arrives.

Each phone call and email to the client results in an apology or an excuse and a promise to send the check ‘this week’. Eventually, your emails and calls go unanswered.

There are ways of dealing with non-paying clients, but the best solution is to identify the turds from the very beginning.

Here’s how:  If it looks like a turd and smells like a turd… (heh)

If your prospective client is argumentative -- turd

If your prospective client is a loose cannon without boundaries -- turd

If your prospective client does not make eye contact when speaking with you -- turd

If your prospective client is cheap or wants to negotiate your price – turd

They walk among us. If your prospective client makes you uncomfortable, trust yourself. There is probably something wrong. The prospect could very well be a turd.

Which super hero are you?

I took a particularly interesting personality test recently that named me “SuperGirl –feminine, lean, honest and a defender of the innocent.” I feel so…..empowered!

Seriously, though. How many personality tests have you taken throughout your career? I’m not talking about the Cosmo or People versions. I’m talking about the ones that really drill down and identify aspects of your (duh) personality that are correlated with your preferences, attitudes and probable actions.

I love them. Where else can you see a snapshot of your psyche spelled out in no uncertain terms - splayed across a results page? Whether a field marshal or field mouse, personality reports render us fairly naked. It’s one of the reasons why so many companies favor them for hiring.

The American Psychological Association says they’re just as effective at predicting outcomes as medical tests, without the clinical aspect of course.  Harris Interactive® says 32 percent of U.S. workers agree that personality tests can help determine if a prospective employee will fit in with company or organization, yet 44 percent say personality tests are not fair assessments of actual personality. I believe that means they’re great for the employer, but do not for a moment think that I’m taking that test!

The law says that prospective candidates don't have to complete personality assessments as part of an interview process. Refusing, however, gives the impression of secrecy. The question begs to be asked:  is it better to answer truthfully or based on what the company needs. From my perspective, I can’t imagine something more exhausting than pretending to be an alternative personality type – for the lifetime of a job.

As for the company, could mean they just made a hire that’s not suitable. Bad news all the way around.

I say, have fun with personality tests and profiles. Here are some for fun:

Which super hero are you? 

The Dalai Lama test

Whose got it most going on? You or your dog? 

Makes ENRON Look Like Small Change

Imagine you’re a government employee of 20 years counting down to retirement. You’ve saved some money – probably not enough, with the kids going off to college – but you’re secure knowing that, in addition to your pension, your public employer will continue to pay for your healthcare and life insurance after retirement. That was one of the main reasons for working there, right?

Now, suddenly, your government employer is fudging on that deal. They’re saying that they might not have the money for those other benefits when you retire. It’s like a punch straight in the gut.

That’s what’s happening today with nearly 200 state and local government entities around the nation, because an estimated $1 trillion in “other post-employment benefits” (OPEB) are unfunded – money owed to 6 million current retirees and 16 million active employees or 12% of the workforce.

For example, New York City’s estimated unfunded OPEB liabilities total $50 billion, compared to its projected 2008 annual budget of only $57 billion for the entire city. In the state of Michigan, which may have $30 billion in unfunded OPEB liability, active teachers pay 6.55% of each paycheck for retirees now, but if the state were saving for those teachers’ own retirement, it would need to collect 16.55% each paycheck.

Clearly, this retirement benefit dilemma dwarfs the ENRON scandal, yet few outside of the financial sector seem to be talking about it. So why is it a hot issue today? A ruling called GASB 45.

In 2004, the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) issued Statement No. 45 requiring state and local government employers that provide healthcare to account for and report the cost of these OPEB benefits annually, as well as related outstanding obligations and commitments. The largest employers, such as states, are required to meet this standard beginning this year. The rule doesn't require entities to immediately set aside money to cover its long-term costs. But they will have to list the costs as a liability on their books, as do corporations, which could dramatically lower their bond ratings.

Prior to this ruling, the order of the day was pay-as-you-go, i.e. these liabilities were counted as an expense as they occurred and were rarely funded prior to the actual realization. There was no accrual accounting for future benefits promised or what they would cost in the future. Under GASB 45, there is mandated shift from cash to accrual accounting, increasing OPEB costs on the general budget significantly for most public entities – as much as two to 10 times above the current pay-as-you-go expense.

This is sending public employers scrambling for a solution. Some are even suggesting that they don’t really owe these benefits to employees. The constitutions of Alabama, Illinois and Michigan specifically prohibit that such benefits be obligated. The same may apply to California, Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, Rhode Island, West Virginia and Oklahoma.

Sage Advisory Services, a national investment management and financial advisory firm, is an expert on the GASB 45 ruling and liability funding. They currently advise a number of public entities on this issue, including the State of Texas,

Sage Advisory released a webcast on this issue, its ramifications and proposed solutions, on its website. This webcast, entitled “Gasping Over GASB 45,” can be found here. The password is “irving.” This is chocked-full of information I think you’ll find very useful. The dramatic underfunding of 22 million Americans’ retirement benefits is a travesty, and the public should be aware that it is happening.

Biotech in Austin. Where's the money?

In 2002, the Governor's Council on Science and Biotechnology Development was developed for the purpose of creating a seamless system of innovation from the laboratory to the marketplace and in 2005, the Texas Legislature established the Emerging Technology Fund (ETF) with $200M of state funds to be made available to emerging technology projects that meet certain criteria.

Over past twelve months, 43% of the ETF went towards Life Sciences. But where?

There is no doubt that Austin is rich in scientific creativity. We are home to a variety of biotech, medical device and healthcare companies. Community colleges are now establishing programs in biotechnology. A cursory search online resulted in high, double-digit science and biotech jobs in Austin.

The questions that beg to be answered are:  Is Austin really a contender in Life Sciences? And if so, where’s the money?

Austin Technology Council is putting ETF deputy director Alan Kirchhoff on the podium to answer those very questions during their Austin Life Sciences Entrepreneurs event from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Sicola’s on Parkcrest.

The PR Divas love biotech. We'll keep you posted.

On Birds and the Media

This spring, wrens laid a nest on a shelf in our garage, as they do every year. But this year, my 13-year-old daughter took notice. She started trying to “bond” with the chicks, chirping to them to make them cry back, petting their heads and placing insects and bread crumbs at the nest for the parents to feed them. The parent wrens took some of the insects but largely ignored the crumbs and continued on their mission: to feed their young properly the items they chose.

I told my daughter to leave them alone – that perhaps their folks had a plan for what they needed to do, but she was undaunted until the last day when she returned from school to find the nest empty. Her progeny had flown. Another nest that was in the process of being built nearby was never completed. I suspect because they feared the human who insisted on visiting too often.

It reminded me of working with the media. Reporters, like mother wrens, generally know what they want to do with their “young,” the stories they write or produce. You can offer them topics that support your client’s needs, but plaguing them with press releases (or worse, telephone calls) will only lead them to filter you out. You risk becoming the interloper, spoiling your chance for good press and your reputation in the process.

The remedy is to become a resource rather than a nuisance. Reporters, even when they know exactly what they plan to cover, are time-stressed. Research on particular topics can eat up the precious hours between assignment and deadline. What they need is an assistant – and that’s the perfect opportunity to build strong media relationships. I’m not talking about volunteering to research statistics for industries you know nothing about, but offering expertise in topics familiar to you where you may have existing or easy-to-obtain information that could be of use.

Yes, it may take a bit more work that doesn’t pay you a damned thing in the short run. But over time, developing a relationship where a reporter trusts you can provide them with accurate information on the topics they are interested in is the best way to ensure that when your client has a newsworthy item, it will be fairly considered for favorable coverage.

Each year, my husband and I till the vegetable garden, and I hang a shallow plastic container on the back fence. Whenever we find a grub, we put it in the container for the birds. They inevitably find it and devour our little offerings. Not because we pushed it on them, but because it was what they wanted and it was free of obligation. And I enjoy providing it.

The Jerry Maguire Model

BlabberMouth PR has always subscribed to the “Jerry Maguire” model. People over profit. Quality over quantity.

In the 1996 film starring Tom Cruise, a public revelation in the form of a mission statement transformed Cruise’s character from a successful sports agent with great clients, power, money, and beautiful women into a deeper being that embraces a fewer clients / more personalized service business model. The fact that it got him fired is tragic.

More tragic is the relevance to today’s business climate.

Last November, Yahoo senior vice president Brad Garlinghouse issued his own version of Maguire’s “The Things We Think and Do Not Say" memo calling for radical change in Yahoo's corporate focus. Garlinghouse’s “Peanut Butter Manifesto” gained instant notoriety when it was published in its entirety in the Wall Street Journal.

No doubt Yahoo’s internal strife has spilled over to its customer base. Just this week, BlabberMouth received an email from Yahoo regarding our Yahoo! Directory listing. There were several action options all leading to their Yahoo!'s Listing Management Center. What a nightmare! Not only are the site login and navigation outlandish, where the heck is their customer service? It’s non-existent. I feel so special.

Yahoo is certainly not alone. Did you know that the average organization loses 15 to 35% of its customers each year, primarily due to poor service? Talk about tragic!

Both of the “Peanut Butter Manifesto” and “The Things We Think and Do Not Say’ memos, although one is fictional, fiercely critique our capitalist society’s emphasis on financial and professional success at the expense of personal relationships. The pursuit of financial success need not be incompatible with values or personal relationships.

Don’t wait for a moral epiphany. Turn the tide. For crying out loud, write a memo, if that’s what it takes.

Relish the words of Dickie Fox, "I don't have all the answers. In life, to be honest, I've failed as much as I've succeeded. But I love my wife. I love my life. I wish you my kind of success."

The Role of PR for Technology

Disruptive technologies are positively impacting the world in which we live, creating new wealth and reshaping economic and social policy.

Having clear messages and public relations programs in place that enable technologists, scientists and other experts to distinctly articulate their vision can not only help them become industry leaders and advance their technologies, but provides organizations with a voice in the marketplace of ideas, facts, and viewpoints to aid informed public debate.

Public relations – it is the art and science of building relationships between an organization and its key publics. Its practices have the ability to take technology from obscurity to prominence - creating important visibility and generating deal flow.

Most all of today's technologies rely on public awareness and support. If people misunderstand the value of technologies, entities will struggle for support. Jobs will be eliminated, budgets cut, and support will be directed elsewhere.

Public relations campaigns have the potential to turn possibilities into favorable actions. And executives are well advised to put their words in someone else's mouth.

When a prominent scientist wants to pronounce her technological breakthrough, she may do so openly and in her own name. But it is far more effective to have a group of citizens or experts, a coalition, or the media which can publicly promote the outcomes desired by the scientist while claiming to represent the public interest.

When such relationships do not exist, one can be created by a well-networked public relations firm. Advocacy frequently involves building constituencies – groups of people and / or organizations who support a particular viewpoint. Since advocacy usually occurs in the public domain, executives must be prepared to consider the views of many people, and understand how decisions are made within a particular context. The more known about the advocacy issue, the community, and how political institutions function, the more effective the advocate.

 

The use of front groups can enable scientists, technologists and corporations to take part in public debates and government hearings behind a cover of community concern. These front groups often times lobby governments to legislate in the corporate interest, to oppose environmental regulations, or to introduce policies that enhance corporate profitability.

There may be times when a position being advocated, no matter how well framed and supported, will not be accepted by the public simply because of the messenger. Any institution with a vested commercial interest in the outcome of an issue has a natural credibility barrier to overcome with the public, and often times with the media.

Media advocacy is the process of working with the media to influence healthy public policies through shaping debate about a specific topic. Successful media advocacy ensures that issues include a public perspective, emphasize the social, cultural, economic and political dimensions of an issue, and stress the importance of participation and empowerment in promotion of the issue.

Media advocacy provides the all important third party credibility, and has means for more quickly and furthering a crucial messages.

The old saying, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” has never been so accurate as with media advocacy. It encompasses the right combination of preparation and opportunism in the strategic use of mass media to advance an initiative. Having systems and planning in place before campaign commencement is at least as important as the media work itself.

It is essential to:

Know the territory. Good media advocacy requires some surveying of the terrain and a system for tracking coverage and media outlets. Maintain an updated media list with names and track coverage regularly.

Define the issue. The issue is the overarching concern that drives the initiative. Whether it’s a problem or vision statement, the issue defines the boundaries from which the initiative is shaped. Issues should reflect the mission, core values and concerns of the organization or coalition -- and should incorporate an institutional angle.

Issues should be presented by turning facts, scientific knowledge, and analysis into symbols, pictures, sounds, and labels. As an example, as a public health advocate, it’s understood that cigarette smoking is linked to asthma in children who live around second-hand smoke. Instead of writing a story that gives only the statistics - e.g. how many new cases of childhood asthma are reported – one might present the media with the idea (or picture) of an adult trying to hand a baby a lit cigarette to illustrate the dangers of secondhand smoke.

Public opinions on technology issues are also greatly influenced by strong symbols and labels that capture a widely held, and supposedly correct, attitude. News sources often use positive images and labels to highlight viewpoints they support and negative images and labels to derogate view points they oppose.

At the center of any public debate or media outreach is a mass of information, statistics, and / or numbers. Making that information easy to understand entails making the content real and vivid. Media advocates often use "creative epidemiology" to make scientific, technological or academic information more understandable for the media and general public.

Three types of creative epidemiology:

1. Localization
Localization is presenting overwhelming statistics and numbers in such a way that the media and public in a particular community can easily relate to them. Localization illustrates a story's numbers in terms of how many people in a certain neighborhood or community are affected by a problem; it makes statistics human and local.

2. Relativity

Relativity compares the effects of one problem with those of another, usually more dramatic, problem.

3. Public policy effects

Public policy effects illustrate the potential effects of public policies in debate.

Whatever technique is used, the goal is to make statistics and numbers more understandable and meaningful so the audience comprehends the message and supports the initiatives.

Regardless of the technology or the issue, success in working with the media is most likely to occur when it is a strategically planned effort. It's the game plan for developing the influence and public awareness that will help achieve the organization's strategic goals, and furthering its technology.

In Support of Economy and Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurs are not only amazing individuals, they are vital to the stability of our economy. The U.S. Small Business Administration reports approximately 25 million small businesses in the U.S. currently employing more than half of the country’s workforce. Small businesses also provide 75 percent of the new jobs added to the economy and account for more than half of the private sector economic output.

By definition, an entrepreneur is someone who undertakes and operates a new enterprise or venture and assumes accountability (all or some) for the inherent risks. Given their enduring endeavors and innovative reputation, entrepreneurs are often highly regarded as critical components of capitalistic society. Armed with an unyielding belief in what they see as resilient market opportunities, they are the darlings of economic development.

As growth-oriented municipalities begin their planning aimed at supporting the development of economy, they turn their attention to entrepreneurs. By developing a unified vision and plan of action to attract entrepreneurs, new businesses will naturally be born within a region complimenting the industry already in place. 

Many studies have been designed to garner feedback and develop recommendations to address a number of challenges facing communities as they seek to stimulate economic growth. Recommendations that enjoy broad-based support from different regions include:

• Access to education
• A leadership role in supporting economic growth and development
• Efficient access to resources
• Workforce development
• K–12 education, especially curriculum development, teacher training, and overall policy expertise in elementary and secondary education
• Business incubation and development
• Quality of Life
• Thought leadership and idea generation

Richard Florida, who is best known for his work in developing his concept of the creative class, has a very distinct perspective. According to Florida, the key to attracting the brightest entrepreneurs lies in a region’s lifestyle options, cultural diversity, and tolerant attitude that would make it attractive to highly educated individuals with great new ideas. These traits are also attractive to the workforce en masse upon whose efforts corporate profits and economic growth increasingly depend.

Regardless of the motivation, the most successful cities, regions, states and nations will be those that employ a rich and varied mix of economic development strategies that capitalize upon local industries and assets. They will also be the ones that leverage their success stories, reach important audiences with influential messages, and continue to forward their mission and vision of enhancing and advancing the very fabric of their economy.

By positioning a municipality and its unique differentiators, standards will be set that prove that its locale can satisfy the demanding needs of companies and people interested in doing business and living in the area. The offering and the value proposition must be crystal clear and resonate with those audiences. To communicate its position, the municipality must act as a central a point of information and accessibility, educating the general and business publics via the media. By lifting the veil and building understanding among key decision-makers and broader audiences, a municipality can create an accurate and advantageous perception of itself to influential audiences, thus working to reach its end goal – in support of economy and entrepreneurship.

Trust and Profit

I read recently that employees who trust their management team deliver 108% value to their share holders. Employees who do not trust their senior executives only deliver 66% back to their share holders.

Is it really a surprise to anyone that trust is the foundation of a harmonious, synergistic and efficient work environment!?

NO – but building trust in the workforce isn’t so easy for some. It should be, but it’s not. First of all, *it* rolls down hill - which means that it all starts at the top.

It’s close to impossible to trust in a person or management team whose actions are inconsistent and unpredictable. This generates a work environment that’s fraught with secrecy, internal competitiveness, and political partisanship. I can only hope that no one has to experience an environment where it feels more important to protect your butt then getting results or serving the customer. (~shudder~)

Trustfulness - and trustworthiness - can exist only if top management sets the example through predictability, caring, and faithfulness. When an executive’s behavior is consistent over time and others can reasonably predict that behavior, trust is built.

The fundamentals of building trust are simple, but can only be accomplished over time and with sincerity.

Keep promises

Tell the truth

Communicate openly

Consider all employees equal partners

Focus on shared, rather than personal goals

Do what's right, regardless of personal risk

Is it me, or are these no brainers? They may sound a bit like Sunday school rules – as they should. These are the basic guidelines of virtue.

In business, being virtuous can equate to profits. I want to take example from a few of our most successful business leaders: Henry Ford, Lee Iacocca and Jack Welch. They built trust among their peers and subordinates, and it was this that spurred success and greatness for their companies.

The Multigenerational Workforce: Bridging the Gap

My assistant can text message at phenomenal speed. I’ve never seen anything like it! His fingers pump out words, half words and code like nobody’s business. It’s a little intimidating. It’s also a generational means of communication of which I have little expertise.

This young newcomer and his generational ideologies are the epitome of Generation X - the fourth generation to join the American workforce. For the first time in history, our workforce encompasses four generations: the Veterans, Boomers, Gen Xers and Nexters - individuals that range from those who are old enough to have fought in World War II, to those young enough to have cut their teeth on Super Nintendo.

With these four distinct generations, we are beneficiary of a multitude of talents and experiences. We are also subject to each generations’ disparate attitudes, expectations and values.

The Veterans either experienced or were influenced by two world wars and the Great Depression. They believe in the value of work and are not concerned with finding personal meaning in what they do. They will sacrifice for the common good and are endlessly loyalty to an organization. The needs of the individual come last.

Boomers are traditionalists often motivated by position, power and prestige. They want a title and authority that will commensurate with responsibilities, as well as the perks that fit the position. They prefer to work on projects and be professionally connected to their peers. They are concerned for their future, and so prefer compensation that is long term, such as profit sharing.

Gen Xers prefer flexibility. They have other priorities they juggle, such as dependent children, aging parents, or educational endeavors.  They enjoy collaboration and teamwork and are pleased with recognition of a job well done.

Nexters or (Generation Y) also crave flexibility. They are highly resistant to what they perceive as rigid schedule. They enjoy change and challenge.  They will leave a higher paying good job for the opportunity to experience something new. This generation has experienced the most adult-supervision and so have an innate trust of older people.

As I see it, the key to bridging the gap of a multigenerational workforce is having the ability to shift approaches to accommodate different styles – which is really no different than understanding and accommodating personality differences.

As I watch my assistant text his friends and colleagues at warp speed, I revel in our differences.