Work In The Tech Industry? 7 Tips To Help You Describe It To A Lay Audience

I have asked my friend Emilia, a senior executive at a national technology consulting firm, what she does for a living on no less than 10 occasions, probably more. I have asked my brother, who has a great job at Google, Inc., the very same question so many times he has taken to giving me a ‘you better not ask me again’ stare every time we see each other. As for my brother-in-law, who I so adore and admire, I have stifled my natural curiosity and don’t dare ask him again what kind of work he does in his capacity as Founder and COO of a successful, fast-growing technology company.

Why? Because each time Emilia, my brother and my brother-in-law give me a description of their tech-y company, and the work they do there, I understand exactly none of what they are saying. The conversation generally goes like this:

“So, what type of work do you do?” 

“I am a [position name I have never heard of], & I [description that makes no sense to me].”

“HUH???”

While I wouldn’t call myself brilliant, I am reasonably smart, highly educated and feel at home engaging in high-level, what some might call ‘heady’ conversations about almost anything. Yet, the blurb they give me about their work goes in one ear and out the other. From my vantage point, their description is fragmented and filled with acronyms and tech-y terms that no lay person would comprehend, which leaves me confused and, at times, even annoyed because I feel stupid. I would be quick to consider this my own shortcoming were it not for the fact that so many other non-technos share my experience.

Do you work in an industry that requires highly specialized, industry-specific skills and knowledge? If so, it is understandable that you may be so adept and immersed in your industry that, like my friend and family members, you also struggle to simplify, or in many cases don’t even realize that the way you are describing your work and your company is lost on us lay folk.

So, what’s the big deal? Why does it matter if you don’t effectively describe what you do, where you do it, why it’s important, etc., to your family, social networks, even the man in line behind you at the grocery store who strikes up conversation?

You are missing a great opportunity to strengthen your professional brand, garner greater respect and acknowledgement (which we all need, by the way) and potentially open doors through an unlimited network of lay people. If you, along with my friend and family members and countless others, gave lay folk like me a readily accessible explanation of the amazing work that you and your company do, and the way in which it positively impacts my life, I will not only feel good that I actually understand it, but I will likely be compelled to share and excite my social and professional networks about you (and your company). Not surprisingly, your company also benefits, having its visibility raised and its reputation strengthened because you are serving as such a fine ambassador for the company – part-educator, part-salesperson, part-advocate, part-loyal employee.

I’m referring here to the casual, on-the-fly conversations you have with your extended family members, social and professional networks, even the random stranger. With an easily understood and provocative spiel, those with whom you speak can then easily describe your company to their networks, who can then mention it to their networks, and so on. Without question, embedded within these endless networks of people are your existing and prospective customers, clients, even your next career move should you be interested.

Here are a few tips to help you develop a readily accessible and compelling description of your work:

• Above all, your goal is to generally educate and excite the layperson about your work, and your company. You want the person to walk away so clear and intrigued by what you and your company do that they actually wantto share it with others.

• Don’t worry about the nuts and bolts of what you do. When someone asks you what you do, don’t take their question too literally. With the exception of those you are closest to, and your peers in the industry, people are not especially interested in the specifics of what you do on a day-to-day basis. We really just want a general understanding.

• Adhere to the 3Cs rule when composing your description: Clear, Concise and Compelling. Given the lite speed at which we can send and receive texts, Tweet, compose hashtags and engage in other forms of social media, and the fact that we can do most of these things simultaneously, it is not surprising that expectations of brevity and efficiency, and ready permission to multi-task, have permeated our verbal communications as well. With our attention span limited, our time compromised and our capacity to maintain interest all too fleeting, your listeners only want you to give them ‘soundbites’ (i.e., brief, compelling, simple, short sentences). Also, given the fact that the brain generally absorbs things in 3s, keeping it to 3 (or 4 if you absolutely must) sentences will increase the likelihood that your lay listener will not only understand but also remember what you say and be able to share it with others.

• Begin by making it clear how your company and your work is relevant to your listener. The bottom line is that all of us are most likely to pay attention and actually remember what someone tells us if it is abundantly clear right off the bat how it directly relates to or, even better, benefits us. You may get my partial attention, and maybe I’ll even remember some of what you say if you tell me about the positive impact your company is having on the world at large. But, if you clearly convey what your company does that directly relates to my everyday life, I can almost guarantee you’ll capture my full attention, and I’ll remember it.

By way of example: I mean no offense to extermination companies, but it seems safe to say that if you simply tell me that you develop the technology that exterminators use to kill termites, bees, cockroaches and other yucky bugs, I would be hard-pressed to get excited. But, if you opened with a sentence that tells me, in a light-hearted manner, that you work for a company that enables me to go to sleep each night with assurance that my bed (and my whole house and neighborhood) is free of creepy, crawly things, you are going to get my ear, and I’ll probably repeat your simple, witty and factual description of your work.

• Ensure your script suits your personality and communication style. While it is important to use words that your listener is sure to understand, this doesn’t mean you need to be robotic in your delivery. Personalize your delivery so it reflects your personality. If you’re generally a light-spirited person who incorporates humor when speaking, do just that when explaining what you and your company do. There is no need to be bland or, even worse, downright boring when giving a simple explanation of what you do.

• Be authentic in your delivery. While you may feel you are being overly simplistic, verging on patronizing in your description, don’t let it show. You need to be authentic. Your listener will understand that you are purposefully ‘dumbing it down’ for their benefit. If they detect sarcasm in your voice, or embarrassment in your facial expressions or body language, they may think you don’t take your work seriously or don’t respect your company.

• Strike a confident pose. You have every reason to be proud of your career and, hopefully, you feel a strong sense of pride about the company you work for as well. Let this confidence and pride show through when sharing this information with others.

I hope this is helpful. Please let me know!

In A Rut? Feeling Bored By The Same-Old, Same-Old? Need A Mood-Boost? Adopt A ‘Do It Different’ Mindset For A Day.

Most of us are creatures of habit, and it serves us well in many ways. We create basic routines and habits that help guide our daily lives, maximize our productivity and give us the sense that we will have the emotional and physical energy we need to fulfill our home, work and other responsibilities and hopefully be able to tend to our own needs as well.

• We get up at the same time during the week and often on the weekends too.

• We take the same route to work, the grocery store and other places we frequent on a regular basis.

• We have a convenient, tasty coffee shop that is our one and only.

• We have a particular genre of TV we like and rarely venture from it.

• Many of us have a style of dress we adhere to, much like a firm dress code. My husband, for example, describes his self-imposed professional dress code as his ‘Garanimals for adults’.

At a deeper level, in our quest for a sense of certainty and predictability in a world that is anything but certain and predictable, we tend to form perspectives on people, events and ideologies and rarely if ever call these perspectives into question and open our minds to alternative ways of thinking and behaving.

Without realizing it, we often gravitate to a certain personality type and surround ourselves almost exclusively with the people who fit ‘our type’. When it comes to the people we’re closest to, we tend to believe we know everything there is to know about them and don’t think to probe for something new, something that can broaden our understanding and excite us about them in a new way. How often do you say to your partner, best friend or sibling, “Tell me something I don’t know about you”?

In his book, The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, investigative journalist and New York Times writer Charles Duhigg points out that our inclination to develop and stick to habits and fixed thoughts is natural. Habits are the “result of the brain’s constant mission to save effort. The number of impulses, functions, operations and outputs the brain must calculate and create just to execute an action as simple as brushing our teeth or backing our car out of the driveway is stunning…to have the opportunity to rest or to think about other things while we’re moving through our daily lives, our brains are constantly unconsciously on the prowl for ways to save effort.”

While there is a vast body of research that explains why we tend to establish fixed routines and form firm opinions and default behaviors, brain science experts also underscore the need for us to switch things up on occasion as a means to keep our brains nimble and strong and gain the greatest fulfillment from our lives.

According to Temple University psychologist, Frank Farley, Ph.D., “It’s easy to get comfortable with your usual way of behavior…But research shows that people who embrace change – not run from it – are happiest.” Michael Roizen, MD, author and Chief Wellness Officer at the Cleveland Clinic further notes that “following the same routine every day will not stimulate your hippocampus-the part of the brain most responsible for memory. To keep your mind active, simply try to vary your routine at work or at home.” Even the slightest variations in our routine and typical thought patterns exposes our brain to new information, interactions and environments, which causes the brain to release ‘feel-good’ neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, and enables us to:

• Interrupt our negative thought patterns and give us the mood boost we need
• Prevent or overcome a general, often unexplainable sense of malaise
• Spur greater creativity
• Fuel our sense of adventure and our excitement about people, places, events & life in general
• Build our capacity for resilience when undesirable changes in our lives occur without warning

I refer to it as my ‘Do It Different’ mentality, and I call upon it when I’m feeling stuck in a rut, or like I need a quick shot of new energy. Sometimes I ‘do it different’ for just a few hours, other times I try (not always successfully) to hold onto my open mindset for an entire day. The ways in which I shift my routine and challenge my rote thought patterns vary, but they are generally always very simple and the effects are almost always rewarding.

Here are some of the variations that have worked for me:

• Get up 15 minutes earlier or later and do your best not to get stressed by it.

• Take a different route to work even if it means a slightly longer commute.

• Don’t look at your phone for a full hour after you wake up.

• If you walk to walk, make a point of smiling and saying hi to everyone you pass.

• Push yourself to be curious instead of judgmental when you find yourself judging someone’s behavior or appearance. Instead of thinking, ‘Eek, how could she wear such a ridiculous outfit?!’, try replacing that thought with, ‘Hmmm, what a curious style of dress she has. Oh well, to each their own…’

• Trying diluting your frustration with a sense of wonder when something doesn’t go your way on a given day. If someone steals your parking spot, which is understandably frustrating and makes you angry, see if you can temper your negative emotions with thoughts like, ‘I wonder if he was late for an interview for a job that could keep his family from being evicted’, or ‘I wonder if she’s rushing to get to the hospital down the block’.

• Take a moment to appreciate the things you generally take for granted in your daily life, e.g., your mail getting delivered; your trash getting picked up; the train or bus being on time; people working hard on a cold day to clear ice from your city sidewalks; etc. If you’re feeling especially bold, take a moment to say thank you to these folks or others.

• Ask your spouse or partner, sibling, friend or close coworker to tell you something you never knew about them.

These may appear all too simple and even feel meaningless to some of you, but please give them a shot anyway. You will be pleasantly surprised by the positive effects on your mood, productivity and interactions.

Please let me know your experience and also share any additional strategies that have worked for you.

Some Advice on Taking Advice (From Leadership Development Professionals)

Looking for advice on honing your leadership style, making a career change, stress management, dealing with a difficult boss or almost any other career-related topic? Your timing is perfect. Online publications, such as The Daily Muse, Forbes.com’s Work In Progress, Fast Company and so many others, as well as the Blogs of top of the line career and leadership experts, are chockfull of articles with the latest research, interviews with experts, tales from the field and practical advice.

Just a few clicks of your keyboard and there they are, some online articles that are right on the mark as far as your work-related questions are concerned. They crystallize your issues in a way you never thought possible. They offer legitimate reasons for why you (and so many others) are feeling the way you do, which you find very validating. And, most important to you, they include advice that you find easy to understand and seems fairly simple to put into practice.

Are you feeling inspired and ready to put your newfound, seemingly easy strategies into action starting tomorrow? Please Wait! The advice that experts (myself included) give you is never easy or quick to put into action.

The rest of this article can be found on The Daily Muse: https://www.themuse.com/advice/what-to-do-with-every-piece-of-career-advice-you-read

 

Your Professional Persona is Not Your Position, Seniority, Salary or Reputation.

In my early twenties, when I was just getting started in the professional work world, my concept of my professional identity was, quite simply, the position I held within the company that was kind enough to employ me. Who am I? I am an Associate with ABC, Inc. That, to me, was the long and short of my professional persona, my professional brand. 

Then, in my late twenties, as I was given greater responsibility and some nice salary increases at the company that was not only kind enough to keep me on but also apparently saw some value in my contribution, my sense of my professional persona broadened just a bit. My concept of myself as a professional was no longer that of an entry-level staff person with no redeeming skills and value beyond being a willing learner. I started defining my professional identity as someone with a limited set of industry-specific (hard) skills and a decent position and salary. At this stage, the equation in my head was, My Professional Persona = Position, Seniority, Industry-Specific Knowledge.

Fast-forward to my mid-thirties, and I began to see my professional persona in a whole new and much healthier light. Thanks to my own often-challenging efforts to self-reflect and rewire the always-critical-of-myself tape in my head, and some fabulous executive coaching, helpful feedback and advice from my bosses over the years, and input and support from friends and family, I came to understand that my professional identity/persona/brand is NOT my position, power, money or reputation.

My Professional Persona IS the way in which I shape, combine, apply and continually hone my:

• Relationship, communication and listening skills;
• Breadth of both industry and life knowledge;
• Personal and professional experiences;
• Personality traits and styles, behaviors, attitudes;
• Emotional intelligence and ability to read people;
• Professional values;
• Professional missteps and the ways in which I have grown from them;
• Understanding of my strengths and not-so-strong areas;
• My professional achievements, to include ones I consider achievements as well as recognition I have received from others, and the extent to which I don’t them define my sense of my professional worth;
• Constant efforts to be kinder and much less critical of myself;
• Maintain reasonable expectations of others;
• Desire to continue to work on and strengthen my professional persona;
• Commitment to being authentic in my professional relationships; and
• So much more that I couldn’t fit on this page and have yet to realize!

Just to be clear, I am not always confident, nor am I fully in touch with my Professional Brand. I have ‘off’ days just like we all do, and I aim to evolve a lot more. This whole Professional Persona thing is not a riddle that I have solved and crossed off my ‘to-do’ list. On the contrary, identifying and capitalizing on your professional persona is not a riddle at all. It is your unique, non-linear, never-static and never-ending path that is, at times, exhilarating, rewarding, burdensome, frustrating and everything in between.

My hope is that you have or are on your way to developing a strong sense of your professional self, and that it fuels you. If you currently define and attribute your professional worth to your position, salary and/or status, or just your industry-specific knowledge and skills, or in a similarly limited way, then this article is meant for you. If you don’t feel clear and/or confident about your professional persona and its value, then I hope I have encouraged you to tend to this critical part of yourself. You deserve and will be all the better for it.

Here are some takeaways from my ongoing journey to develop a fully actualized professional persona that I hope will be helpful to you:

• There is no finish line. Just like our personal growth, our professional self-concept and brand should also be constantly evolving and embraced as a life-long endeavor.

• Be patient with yourself. Developing or reestablishing a clear, confident sense of your Professional Persona takes time and hard work. Try your best to take pride in the fact that, by virtue of being human, you will always be a ‘work in progress’. 

• Don’t bury and hide from your missteps at work. Embrace and learn from them. An inspiring article by Fast Company, called Failure Is The Only Option, If Success Is The End Goal, so aptly notes that “if learning happens through trial and error, then you need to try and, more importantly, you need to err”. The article further states that “real failure doesn’t come from making mistakes; it comes from avoiding errors at all possible costs, from fear to take risks and from the inability to grow.”

• Establish an ongoing support system of trusted peers who provide you with unbiased, non-judgmental feedback and advice, pep rallying and creative inspiration and expect the same from you. For so long, I was one of the millions who believe that to be a standout professional, to achieve my definition of professional success and be recognized as such by others, I had to figure it all out on my own. In my mind, turning to others for what was without a doubt a much-needed level of support, advice and creativity meant that I wasn’t a genuine professional; I was a fake because I needed ‘help’, another anchor besides just my own mind. Sound familiar? About a decade into my career, I finally realized that both gaining and giving encouragement, candid feedback and work ideas to a group of trusted peers is a sign of strength and essential to professional development and self-awareness. Harvard Business School Professor and former Medtronic CEO, Bill George, and Founder & CEO of the True North Groups Institute, Doug Baker, have been benefiting from their True North Group, which is the support system they created almost 4 decades ago.They describe their True North Group as“at various times a nurturer, a grounding rod, a truth teller, and a mirror. At other times, the group functions as a challenger or an inspirer. When people are wracked with self-doubts it helps build their courage and ability to cope.” While my support system is a little less formal, I am proud that I have one and hope to keep it forever.

• Know your ‘anxiety trigger points’ and take a moment to acknowledge and tend to them when they occur. Like it or not, regardless of what a strong sense of our professional brand we develop, there will always be certain situations, types of personalities, environments, work projects, etc. that prompt a sudden jolt of anxiety without warning and can cause us to behave in ways that are not in keeping with the professional persona we have worked so hard to establish. Being in touch with what I refer to as our anxiety trigger points and pausing for a moment before taking action (out of anxiety) when they are activated without warning will be very helpful.

• Know the types of interactions, quick work tasks, non-work-related activities, etc., that reinvigorate your ‘I’m competent, I’m great’ feeling and seek out those opportunities during even your busiest workdays. We all have those times when our internal pep-engine seizes up, and we lose sight of our competence and our confidence plummets. Identify the types of interactions, mindless (or not) work tasks or quick activities that restore your confidence and sense of competence. A former colleague runs at lunch, which makes her feel incredibly capable (and also provides that fabulous endorphin release). A friend of mine seeks out a colleague to see if she can help them with something. At the risk of losing all credibility with you, one of my favorite positive distractions is folding laundry (I work from home). It’s easy. It gives me a sense of order. It has a definitive start and end-point (which my work almost never does). It gives me immediate gratification.

What other advice would you like to offer?

 

Returners: Be Proud. Be Confident. You Have More to Offer Than Ever Before.

Are you nervous about reentering the workforce after what might feel like a lifetime away? Do you feel you have lost touch with your former professional self, your professional persona, and as such you are reentering the work world as an entirely empty slate? Do you view your time away as a time capsule of sorts, a period in which you have been completely closed off from any growth that could possibly be relevant and benefit you in a work context?

It is understandable if these anxious thoughts are crowding your frontal lobe as you entertain the notion or actively begin the process of reentering the workforce. But, I have some good news for you: These are just your thoughts; they are not your reality.

You have not been in a time warp since you left the formal work world. You did not stop evolving in ways that will benefit you as a professional. On the contrary, you have more to offer than ever before. Regardless of why you left and what you have been doing since that time, there is no question that you have grown and developed new perspectives, attitudes, behaviors and life skills that make you an even stronger professional.

The rest of this article can be found on The Daily Muse at https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-surprising-experience-you-gain-when-you-take-time-off-from-work

 

 

Celebrities & Their Vacation Homes: Is It, or Can It Become Common Practice for Celebrities to ‘Give Back’ to the Places that Welcome them with Open Arms?

Last summer, I went to the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island, Bahamas, just minutes from Nassau, and it was a blast. I delighted in the water slides; I marveled over the incredible sea-life; I will be forever touched by my afternoon with Atlas, the dolphin; and the list goes on and on. Thousands of other people were also there, presumably having a grand time as well.

One evening, my husband and I decided to venture outside of the walls of the Atlantis Empire into downtown Nassau for dinner. What we observed on the cab-ride to and from the restaurant, coupled with what our cab driver shared with us, was disturbing, to say the least.

Just a half-mile from the Resort, the poverty was palpable. Housing that shouldn’t be considered housing. Schools that I couldn’t believe were schools. We passed a home for homeless infants and toddlers that had no less than 5 broken glass windows.

The fact that there are plenty of other locales across the globe where people are living in far worse conditions did nothing to quell my discomfort. What we were seeing and hearing about was (just a dose of) the reality of poverty in the Bahamian City of Nassau, and it was upsetting.

We learned from our cab driver that night (and heard it again from another cab driver as well as our boat-guide later in the week) that residents of the City of Nassau (and surrounding areas) who are not employed by one of the resorts or upscale hotels in the area generally live in poverty, some making as little as $55/week and supporting a family of five.

For many residents employed by Atlantis and the other resorts and hotels, it is not their hourly wages that keep them out of poverty. Rather, it’s the tips we give them for their efforts on our behalf, combined with their wages that enables them to make ends meet. The kind woman at the concierge desk; the people we see scouring the massive waterways filled with sea life; the people who clean our sometimes very messy room; those who serve us dinner; etc.

Low-wage jobs, and a very high cost of living (because everything must be imported) combine to make life a struggle for many residents of Nassau.

*****

Later in the week, we left the Resort again, this time to rent a boat and tour the island from the vantage point of the sea. Much to my husband’s disappointment, the camouflaged shallow waters and the reefs deceivingly close to the surface meant that we had to let someone else drive our boat and guide our journey. The disappointment vanished as soon as we met our jovial guide, Bally, who was born and raised in Nassau.

Bally was not only a kind man with a great sense of humor and an inspiring passion for his island. He was also generous (but not at all overbearing) in sharing his deep knowledge of the island’s history and current situation from a social, political and environmental perspective. With statistics and other hard facts, coupled with stories of his family and friends’ experiences on the island, we learned so much about the physical assets of the island and the extent to which so many are withering beyond repair. We learned about the area’s social and economic challenges, political structure, etc. He also told us about several local leaders who have done so much for the community, as well as those who have used their power and influence in damaging ways.

Bally was careful not to weigh us down with the struggles of the community, making sure to share fun island lore and excite us with the natural wonders of the area as well. The mood was light, with jokes and silliness in abundance and excitement about all that we were learning running high.

Then, everything changed for me. What Bally shared with us next sent my compassion into overdrive and also perplexed me beyond measure.

Towards the end of our boat ride, Bally took us on a tour of some of the celebrity vacation homes that abut the shoreline of Paradise Island and the Cays nearby. Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, Sean Connery, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Eddie Murphy, John Travolta, Chuck Norris, and many other celebrities have vacation homes in Nassau. Some celebrities actually have two.

It stunned me to see such extraordinary wealth sitting so comfortably against a backdrop of a City in which poverty is so high. But, my stunned feeling was a cakewalk compared to the feelings that hit me when Bally told us that less than half – he thinks it’s more like a quarter – of the celebrities who own homes on the island support the local community through direct financial donations.

Bally was quick to tell us that some celebrity homeowners in the area have been very generous, mainly letting their name be associated and in some cases attending special charity events. But, according to Bally, most celebrity homeowners in Nassau don’t ‘give back’ in the form of financial support to their host community.

*****

It would be foolhardy for me to take one person’s perspective, a sample of only one, as fact. It could certainly be that many celebrities with vacation homes around Nassau, and other Cays in the Bahamian Archipelago, give generously to help the community. It is absolutely the case that celebrities with homes in other locales support their host community in a substantial, lasting way.

The question I was left with, however, which still lingers in my mind more than 6 months after my trip to Atlantis (and which compelled this post), is whether or not it could somehow become standard practice for celebrities – from any industry, anywhere in the world – to ‘give back’ in a financial way to their vacation home community. Can celebrities who already have a demonstrated commitment to philanthropic giving in their vacation home communities encourage thousands (millions?) of other celebrities to do the same?

Imagine the multiplier effect if even just a handful more celebrities started giving (or, for those who already give, opted to award more) to their vacation home community. It would unearth millions in additional philanthropic dollars directed to meet the needs of communities the whole world over.

Based on my novice research, it appears that a growing number of celebrities are not only building vacation homes but also buying entire islands throughout the Bahamian Archipelago. It’s exciting to think about the positive impact that celebrities could have on social and environmental needs in just the Bahamas alone. Add to that the many other communities where celebrities own homes (or so adore vacationing) and, well, you can do the math at this point.

*****

This piece is not meant to imply that celebrities, from all different industries and all over the world, are not already incredibly generous with their philanthropic giving. So many are, and they deserve our praise. My point here is to draw everyone’s (celebrities as well as the rest of us) attention to yet another, exciting opportunity that celebrities have to make an even greater lasting, positive difference in the lives of millions.

The good news is that this opportunity is not just for celebrities. All of us who own vacation homes and/or go on vacation each year can have a lasting positive impact on the communities we come to care about, the places that welcome us with open arms and ask for little in return. While my discretionary resources pale in comparison to celebrities, and I don’t happen to own a vacation home, I am emboldened to give a modest donation to each of the places I visit on vacation, not just because I see the multiplier effect that is possible if others do the same, but also because it feels good.

On a final note if, upon reading this piece, you – celebrities and common folk alike – are inclined to give (even more) to your vacation communities, you should know that there are some great on-line resources you can use to identify high-performing nonprofit charitable organizations in the communities you visit, and you can make your donation safely through their site. My favorites are GlobalGiving and Kiva Their search engines allow you to search by locale, and then by a particular cause you care about (homelessness, adoption, hunger, the environment, education, etc.). They will also keep you updated on the impact of your gift.

 

Can Hugh Jackman & Debora-Lee Furness’ Relatively Modest Grant to a Montreal Hospital Unearth Millions in New Philanthropic Capital?

Dear Debora-Lee Furness and Hugh Jackman,

I am writing to thank you for the generous grant you awarded in September 2013 to the Montreal Children’s Hospital on behalf of the entire X-Men: Days of Future Past film cast and crew while you were in Montreal, Canada shooting the movie. It was such a genuinely kind effort that will invariably help very ill children served by the Hospital.

While your $10,000 grant clearly benefits the Hospital, equally exciting is the potential your gift holds to unearth millions more dollars and benefit countless other nonprofit organizations in countless other communities the whole world over.

You see, by giving a grant in your film shoot location, and on behalf of the entire film making cast and crew, you have role-modeled for the rest of the motion picture arts industry just how easy and also how meaningful it can be for the entire film making team to say ‘thank you’ with a modest financial gift or, as I have dubbed it, to offer a ‘give back’ to their host community.

What if other actors (and/or producers, directors, other members of the film crew) followed your lead and awarded a however modest ‘Give Back’ grant the next time they are on location for their latest film?

Imagine the multiplier effect.

If even a third of all of the films that are shot out on location each year made it standard practice to award a relatively modest grant to a local nonprofit organization in the main location in which the film was made, it would unearth millions of dollars in new philanthropic capital, money that would be spread across the globe and help address countless different social and environmental issues. Even better, the organization that receives the grant in each film-location community will be able to use their high-profile ‘Give Back’ grant to leverage funding from other sources, thus making the pool of new philanthropic dollars even greater.

From Zimbabwe to Philadelphia, Mumbai to New Orleans, Cambodia to the Alaskan Frontier, so many places, people, natural habitats and causes could benefit in some way from the motion picture arts industry’s philanthropic investment in locales in which movies are made.

The types of investments could be as wide and varied as the places they touch: the introduction of fiber optics in a remote, resource-scarce village in Papa New Guinea; an international social media campaign to draw attention to the need to improve the conditions of orphanages in Australia; replication of the telemedicine model for providing healthcare to medically underserved rural communities in the Southern Plains States in North America; a sustainable water quality improvement project in Uruguay; etc.

It doesn’t have to be a complicated or time-consuming process to select the cause and the nonprofit and make the gift. It’s understandable that cast and crew may not be able to participate given the long hours and pressure to get to the finish line as soon as possible when out on location. If the film team doesn’t have the time or know-how, there are experts out there (myself included) who can do all of the legwork, engage the film cast and crew as their time allows and make the entire process efficient and meaningful for everyone involved. Regardless of whether they participate directly, without question the entire film cast and crew still gets to walk away (after days, weeks, or months of exhausting work) with their heads held high, having left an indelible positive mark on the community that just hosted them without asking for too much in return.

Mr. Jackman and Ms. Furness, I applaud you for helping address the needs of very ill, vulnerable children in Montreal.  At the same time, I am excited by the prospect your thoughtful effort holds to make a ‘Give Back’ grant in film locations across the globe common practice within the entire motion picture arts industry.

All My Best,

Dara

What If Appreciation Always Accompanied Expectation In Our Daily Lives?

I just returned from a brief trek through the snow/ice/thunderstorm we’re having in Philadelphia, PA. I had no choice but to face the elements because I was out of coffee, and the headache was already raring its head.

The first person I saw was a man working very hard to free our sidewalks of what was clearly a very deep, very thick and very heavy combo of snow, ice and slush.  I said, ‘thank you’ and continued on my journey to the coffee shop.

Minutes later, I saw a woman outside a highly populated office building shaking the ice and snow off of what I’m certain were extremely cold and heavy doormats. She was clearly working hard to ensure that no one slips on their way in or out of the building. I made a point of catching her eye and smiling as I passed her.

Fast forward a few blocks, and I arrived at my beloved coffee haunt and purchased my latte. With fuel in hand, I was about to use all of my weight to exit through the shop’s ultra heavy door when a random passerby, who had no intention of entering the store, stopped and held the door for me. I gave him a huge smile and thanked him twice for his kindness. I am fairly certain we both walked away feeling a little lighter from our brief encounter.

When I returned to my condo building, one of the women who normally sits behind the desk in our lobby had stationed herself outside in the zero degree weather because the front door wasn’t opening automatically like it should, and she wanted people to be able to get into the building as quickly as possible. Yes, you guessed right. I thanked her.

With the exception of the man who held the door for me at the coffee place, all of the people I have mentioned here are paid to do what they were doing. In this way, it’s reasonable for us to expect it. But, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t also be grateful to them for their efforts, which in these instances must have been less than enjoyable. And, by grateful, I don’t simply mean we should feel it. I mean taking the millisecond that it takes to outwardly express your appreciation. A smile is certainly great, but to say thank you (or some variation thereof) is even better. If you make eye contact and direct your words at them, they will have no choice but to realize they are the intended recipient of your appreciation.

Having these moments during my 20-minute journey made me think about how often I spend my days in a state of expectation and forget to allow feelings of appreciation to enter my mind and, moreover, to express them. I’m referring here to the things that are so regular and so ingrained in our course of daily living that it is easy to take them for granted.

My mail being delivered to my door each and every day (with the exception of holidays, of course). My trash picked up every week (with the exception of holidays and massive snowstorms, which is understandable). My streets cleared of snow, litter and goodness knows what else on a regular basis.

We are quick to get annoyed – and often feel our world is being rocked – when the things that are part and parcel of our daily lives don’t happen the way we expect them to, but how often do press the pause button on our over-cluttered, often racing and high expectation-oriented minds and take a moment to let ourselves feel genuine appreciation for ordinary things when they do happen? How often do we skip right over a well-deserved level of appreciation due to our (over-heightened?) expectation that something will be done?

What if we all operated with the mindset that appreciation should always accompany expectation, that there is, without a doubt, a naturally occurring symbiotic relationship between expectation and appreciation? I have no doubt that our individual and collective frame of mind would be all the better for it. Moving forward, I aspire to live much more fully in this manner and hope that upon reading this ever so simplistic piece I have encouraged you to follow suit.

Can the Clinton Global Initiative Showcase for the Rest of Us the Philanthropic Power of Special Events?

 

The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) held its 2013 Annual Meeting at the end of September 2013. By all accounts, it was a spectacular event, drawing more than 1000 people from across the globe. According to the CGI’s Blog, over the three days of the 2013 Annual Meeting, an array of Heads of State, CEOs, non-profit leaders and other global luminaries made over 160 new commitments, valued at more than $10 billion and expected to impact nearly 22 million lives.”

In case you’re not familiar with it, former President Bill Clinton established the Clinton Global Initiative in 2005 with a mission to ‘turn ideas into action’. The Initiative’s hallmark is its Annual Meeting, which is held in New York City each year, and convenes leaders from across the globe to work together to create innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing issues.

The Annual Meeting provides a safe, neutral and stimulating forum for people from diverse backgrounds and professions, and vastly different, in some cases conflicting interests and ideologies, to come together. Many of those who attend the CGI Annual Meeting would not have the occasion or, in some cases, the inclination to come together otherwise to discuss and work together to conceive shared goals and strategies and a common plan for action to address a wide range of issues.

Through the CGI Annual Meeting, leaders learn from both panel experts and from each other; engage in healthy, hearty intellectual debate; forge new relationships; and create new and also determine how to build on existing promising strategies to address problems plaguing our world. From each Annual Meeting comes a series of both macro- and micro-level initiatives that are ready for implementation.

Without question, the CGI Annual Meeting as it stands now deserves our attention and praise. It is, at its core, a philanthropic endeavor, one that seems to be making a difference.

But, what if the Clinton Global Initiative took its Annual Meeting one simple step further by harnessing and in turn showcasing the philanthropic power of special events at the event itself?

What if part and parcel of the CGI Annual Meeting was a philanthropic gift that was collectively generated by, decided upon and awarded at the time of the event by the event’s attendees, speakers and organizers to a high performing nonprofit organization that is addressing a major social or environmental need, either in the event’s host community, or in another locale decided upon by the event’s attendees?

The significant pool of philanthropic funds could be generated through a modest add-on to the event’s registration fee (as little as $50-$100), and an entirely voluntary ‘grant committee’, composed of event attendees and speakers, would be established to decide the social or environmental need and the high performing nonprofit to receive the grant, and then the award would be presented as part of the exciting conclusion of the event.

Isn’t that a win-win-win?

You, the event attendee or speaker, are not only all the richer for the knowledge you have gained and the insights you contributed at the event. You also get to walk away with your head held high, knowing that your relatively modest donation, pooled with the modest donations of the event’s hundreds of other attendees and speakers, leveraged a sizable pot of philanthropic funds that wouldn’t have been generated otherwise. You (along with your fellow attendees and speakers) then get to personally award the funds to a carefully vetted, high performing nonprofit organization that is addressing a high priority need.

Event hosts and organizers will benefit in myriad ways, depending on the type of event (educational or industry conferences, award ceremonies, corporate retreats, membership association meetings, among others). They may garner positive media attention that the event would not attract otherwise; membership organizations may cultivate greater loyalty among members and expand their membership base; individual companies, and in some cases industries as a whole can further build a reputation for having a strong social conscience and ‘giving back’; etc.

The nonprofit organization that receives the grant will not only benefit from the generous pool of funds you and your fellow event participants leveraged through relatively modest donations from individual participants. It can also use your grant to leverage additional funding from other sources, thus making the grant dollars you leveraged exponentially greater.

A key question, however, is whether those of us paying the already steep registration fees for events (whether we are an individual, a company, a grant making foundation, or another entity) would resent the additional fee, regardless of its charitable purpose. Would we also take an exception to the registration fee add-on when many of us already have specific charities that we support on our own each year and don’t want to feel ‘pushed’ to support another?

What do you think?

As a consultant to nonprofits, philanthropies and companies for the past 25 years, I’ve certainly attended my fair share of professional conferences, association meetings, annual retreats, award ceremonies and the like. I’ve paid for many on my own and also had many underwritten by clients. Whether I’m writing the check myself or giving the event billing information to my client, either way I often grimace at the cost of the event.

And, yet, I’m 100% in favor of seizing what I consider an incredible opportunity for events of all different types, which take place by the thousands each year, to help us unearth a significant level of additional philanthropic capital and truly maximize the power of collective philanthropic action. It makes sense from both a business and a social conscience perspective.

With just a modest donation, I can become part and parcel of generating and awarding a significant pool of philanthropic dollars, most likely more money at just one event than I could afford to give in my entire lifetime. The multiplier effect of each of our modest donations is palpable. If just 25% of the events held each year generated a pool of funds and awarded a philanthropic gift, it would increase the level of philanthropic dollars committed to address social and environmental needs literally by the millions.

Especially for events that are already organized around a social mission, such as the CGI Annual Meeting, the National Council on Foundations Annual Conference, etc., it seems only logical that they would use the event itself as an opportunity to showcase their social values and commitment. But, it is also logical, not to mention the right thing to do for all kinds of conferences, conventions, corporate retreats, award ceremonies such as the Motion Picture Arts’ Academy Awards, among countless others, to do the same.

Now back to the Clinton Global Initiative.

Given its high-profile, excellent reputation, the diversity of human talent and intellectual capital it draws, and its philanthropic mission, the CGI Annual Meeting is especially well positioned to showcase for the rest of us the role that events can have on addressing social and environmental needs.

My hope is that the Clinton Global Initiative will embrace this role at its 2014 Annual Meeting and, in so doing serve as a game-changer when it comes to unleashing and capitalizing on the power of collective philanthropic action through events. Let’s learn from CGI’s Annual Meeting how it could work, the positive imprint it could leave and the fabulous ripple effect it will (hopefully) have with special events the whole world over.

Caution: Don’t Let Anxiety Drive Your Next Presentation

Many of us have had this experience. We get so nervous about a presentation – a pitch to a major investor prospect; a keynote address at the foremost international conference of your industry; your first board meeting as the company’s new CEO; and so on – that we decide this particular presentation is the performance that defines whether we are great or not, the performance that will make or break our career. We don’t sleep because of it. We get blocked when trying to compose it and help from others feels useless.

Our nerves takeover, and then the worst happens: We get so hyper-focused on addressing our nervousness that we go on autopilot during our presentation. We let our adrenalin lead the way. We become fixated on just getting through the presentation.

Why is giving your talk in autopilot mode such a problem? Because several of the strategies that are essential for a stellar presentation will likely be missed. If your (private) goal is simply to get through the presentation, you will lose your capacity to:

• READ YOUR AUDIENCE IN ADVANCE. It is essential to make every effort possible to interact with your audience members before you give your presentation. This may sound silly and obvious, but it is neither.

Especially when the audience is substantial, but even when it is just a small group, presenters often reserve informal conversation for after their talk. Even those who do interact with audience members beforehand often limit it to the people they know. If you don’t speak with your participants right before your presentation, you won’t know their mood, expectations, concerns, distractions, etc., on that particular day. Getting a read of your audience just moments before you go on stage gives you the opportunity to ensure that your presentation style is in keeping with the ‘pulse’ of your audience. Reading your audience members, in this context, refers to both verbal and non-verbal cues, e.g., the look in their eyes, their tone and posture when speaking with you, their negative or positive attitude when speaking, etc.

Informal conversations with individual audience members immediately prior to your presentation can also substantially reduce the adrenalin running through your body and help prevent you from going into autopilot mode during your presentation. Even a small amount of familiar, relatively light-hearted interaction has the power to distract you and lower your anxiety before all eyes turn to you.

• BE FLEXIBLE. Flexibility is essential, yet nervous energy can make us inflexible and diminish our capacity for spontaneous creativity during our presentation. 

You need to be flexible and open-minded to be able to read the tenor of your audience. Flexibility positions you to adapt your presentation style prior to going on stage and/or at any point during the presentation. Be flexible in your responses to questions and comments. Give the impression of flexibility and comfort through your body language, tone and inflection in your voice, eye contact, etc. Your audience will pick up and may respond negatively to both verbal and non-verbal cues, in some cases without even realizing it.

• LISTEN, NOT JUST WITH YOUR EARS, BUT ALSO WITH YOUR EYES, BODY LANGUAGE AND FACIAL EXPRESSION.

In the same way that our nerves can impede our ability to craft and prepare for our presentation, they can also limit our capacity to pause, take a deep breath and listen authentically to the questions people pose once we have finished our song-and-dance. More than anything else, people need to feel heard and that you deem their question important. They may be as nervous asking their question as you were before or during your presentation.

Use eye contact, an open posture and a warm (never speculative or judging) facial expression to give affirmation (even when you think their question is completely off the wall). Repeating their question is an especially good strategy to make them feel heard. It also gives you the opportunity to sharpen and crystallize their question in a way that makes them feel especially smart and also ensures the rest of the audience understands it.

• NOT KNOWING THE ANSWER IS FINE. GIVING AN OFF-POINT OR SHALLOW RESPONSE SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU WANT YOUR AUDIENCE TO THINK YOU KNOW THE ANSWER IS NOT.

Given your role as the resident expert on your presentation topic, it’s natural for you to feel you need to have an immediate and incredibly provocative answer to every question posed. I’m here to tell you that this is not the case. In fact, just the opposite is true. A lofty or even slightly off-point answer can leave a lasting negative impression and diminish your credibility.

By the same token, you can earn more credibility and gain greater appreciation (and increase your likability quotient) if you pause for a moment to consider their question, affirm it was a good one and then tell them (and the rest of the audience) that it deserves more thought and you would like to get back to them at a later point. You can use such lines as, “That’s an interesting question. Thank you for making all of us think about it. I don’t want to give you a shoot-from-the-hip answer. Let me think about it and get back to you.” You can commit to speaking with them right after the presentation or get their email to respond in writing, which obviously buys you more time.

• SILENCE WHEN YOU INVITE THE AUDIENCE TO ASK QUESTIONS IS NOT A SIGN OF FAILURE. 

You may have an especially shy audience. You may have captivated your audience so fully with your presentation that they didn’t dare get distracted with generating their own questions. Who knows why they are not deluging you with questions. It doesn’t matter.

Simply have some questions at the ready to throw out to your audience. Posing questions to them will transfer some of the power back to your audience and encourage them to use their voice. It will also help keep your anxiety down because you will be in control, at least to start, of the scope of the questions asked.

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Below are some strategies to help control your anxiety on the day of your presentation. These may sound obvious or like ‘fluff’ to some of you, but I promise you they are neither.

• While it is certainly fine to review your notes on the day of, you also need to set a cutoff point to your prepping efforts that is well in advance of stage time. Your mind needs a break so it can regenerate and give you fresh energy for your presentation. Go for a walk; do something you excel in (professionally or personally); call someone who makes you laugh; or whatever works for you.
• About 30-60mins before (or preferably even closer to the time of) your presentation, force yourself to sit down for 15mins, close your eyes (or, for those of you who think that’s too hokey, focus your eyes on something in the room), and draw on the mental ‘toolbox’ of effective distractions that you have established for yourself when you’re at the height of anxiety. Effective distractions vary for each of us, depending on our personality, anxiety level and the types of thoughts about people, places or things that bring us joy or at least some positive energy. Distractions may include: the award you won last year that made you feel so proud; the new business deal you just closed; how much all of the kids on your daughter’s soccer team love having you as their coach; the vacation you have coming up with your loved one; the hilarious thing your dog did yesterday; etc.
• Definitely don’t engage in anything professional or personal on the day of that heightens your anxiety. I know that some of you are thinking that this suggestion is shortsighted on my part and unachievable on yours. But, even if you’re the CEO and your schedule is overloaded with critical decisions, meetings and tasks, you still owe it to yourself and to your company to lighten your work schedule and/or limit it to only meetings and tasks that makes us feel especially competent, confident and accomplished on the day of a big presentation.

Have any more suggestions to offer? I hope this post has been affirming and also helpful to you. Most of all, I hope it helps you realize that it is not only okay but actually human to feel anxious, and that your anxiety doesn’t need to dictate the fate of your presentation, or anything else in your life for that matter.