MaryAnne Harmer MaryAnne Harmer

Home is Where the Heart Is: Families Reinvented

Ah, the holiday season…a time to reconnect, catch up and celebrate holiday cheer. It’s also about getting together and sharing food, drink and good talk with family.  But the definition of family has evolved and represents more than just the traditional nuclear family or blood relatives. Today, families come in all shapes and sizes. Family can mean shared love and kindness with folks that have common values, beliefs, and experiences, not just DNA.  And hopefully unconditional non-judgmental support too! 

"The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, 
but of respect and joy in each other's life." 
- Richard Bach
 Families – Reinvented
Ah, the holiday season…a time to reconnect, catch up and celebrate holiday cheer. It’s also about getting together and sharing food, drink and good talk with family.  But the definition of family has evolved and represents more than just the traditional nuclear family or blood relatives. Today, families come in all shapes and sizes. Family can mean shared love and kindness with folks that have common values, beliefs, and experiences, not just DNA.  And hopefully unconditional non-judgmental support too! 

These “brothers and sisters” may range from colleagues at work, veterans who served together, buddies who find themselves away during the holidays, friends who share their stories at book clubs,  to homeless people gathered at a certain point of time in a shelter. Family is about reaching out and touching the hearts of people close to you by connecting emotionally. Family is about caring and being there for one another. It’s showing vulnerability and taking risks knowing it is safe. And it’s about tears and laughter, debate and play. Family is about creating a space called home. And as stated in one of my favorite sayings…

“Home is wherever my bunch of crazies are.”  
- Anonymous

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MaryAnne Harmer MaryAnne Harmer

The "Power Tool" of Branding

OK, the jury is in. Community outreach has now been deemed one of the most powerful ways to brand and promote your program and your services. Developing relationships with organizations in your community will not only help create customer affinity but gets people to start promoting your business for you!

But the secret is not that you do outreach, but HOW you do it.

OK, the jury is in. Community outreach has now been deemed one of the most powerful ways to brand and promote your program and your services. Developing relationships with organizations in your community will not only help create customer affinity but gets people to start promoting your business for you!

But the secret is not that you do outreach, but HOW you do it.

I’ve learned many lessons over the years in my marketing career, but one of the fundamental truths I’ve experienced is that you need to do outreach with the community on their terms.

Whoa, this is different you say. Why not just invite community leaders to your place, send out a nicely designed invite, and do a show-and-tell. Give them a tour, invite your executives to present and…Voila…Community outreach accomplished.

NOT! This is outreach strictly on your company’s terms. Here is a better approach:

Step 1: Create your list of organizations or communities you want to target

Step 2: Set up a personal one-on-one meeting with a leader in these organizations or communities

Step 3: Listen and ASK THEM, “what is the preferred way to connect with their members and customers, as they  serve as the entry point to reach these individuals and families.

Step 4: Be prepared for a very different approach. This may include:

  • Being a part of one of their forums, by utilizing their local meeting venues and forums. Don’t expect people to come to you.
  • Using community leaders as facilitators–or let them make the introductions. Their endorsement is critical.
  • Ensuring presentations are made by staff who are members of the community or with ties to it. Not necessarily your leadership team.
  • Practicing cultural competency. Understand the values of the community and honor them. For example, with Latino communities, don’t be Anglo time driven, rather serve food first, allow people to socialize and when there is a lull, begin the meeting.
  • Being showcased not in a forum, but via a word-of-mouth referral by leaders.
  • Creating mini-articles for their community publications, and then being open to placing an ad, usually at a nominal amount.
  • Following up with leaders one-on-one throughout the year. Don’t forget them after you do your initial outreach engagement. Otherwise you won’t be considered sincere.
  • Supporting their local causes and fundraising events. Your presence and participation shows you are committed–not just throwing money at them.
  • Including your own family in community activities. This humanizes the company and puts a face on it.

Outreach is all about branding and extending your own community to others, who may look and act differently with contrasting values and styles. These  organizations and individuals can be powerful advocates and evangelists  and create word of mouth goodwill….if you show respect and meet them where they are, on their terms.

To get our book, "25 Building Blocks To Create a Conscientious Organization" FREE, go to HCollaborative.com for an instant download.

 

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Tom Hering Tom Hering

The Dangers of Status Quo: How Organizations Become Extinct

If you worked in ad agencies during your career (as I have), you quickly learn about being different.

Building a brand, developing a strategy, creating an ad is ALWAYS about differentiating.

Doing things as usual is almost never a good idea.

So why is it we see so many businesses and organizations not clearly setting themselves apart in the "how" or "why" they do what they do?

If you worked in ad agencies during your career (as I have), you quickly learn about being different.

Building a brand, developing a strategy, creating an ad is ALWAYS about differentiating.

Doing things as usual is almost never a good idea.

So why is it we see so many businesses and organizations not clearly setting themselves apart in the "how" or "why" they do what they do?

I think it can be summed up in two words: comfort zone.

We all love our comfort zones.  We feel safe, confident, and it's easy to lead when we can fall back into the familiar.

Going out and exploring the unknown is scary. It's not a predictable investment of your time or money.

Yet, today with a global economy, an internet driven world of social media being increasingly led by Gen Xers and Milliennials, classic business thinking may no longer be a sacred cow. 

Organizations, at their very core, change rapidly. You see it every day as new models make old businesses extinct.

Think Uber, Airbnb and Netflix.

So how is that so many organizations and their leaders continue to practice the status quo? More importantly, how do you recognize the "trappings" of favoring such thinking?

Ask yourself these questions:

  • Do you find yourself becoming more defensive than usual  when staff suggest new ideas?
  • Do you find yourself taking more "air time" at meetings and sharing the merits of your own ideas?
  • Do you find yourself retreating into policies and procedures when a different opinion is expressed?
  • Is your open door policy becoming more closed door as you retreat?

If you answer yes to any of these, you definitely need to rethink things.

To get you started, here are 5 tips from Stillettos on the Glass Ceiling, a site whose mission is to unite, empower and support women. 

1.  Learn to Ask Good Questions:  Asking the right questions can lead to eye-opening insights that are right there waiting to be found but that no one has taken the time to find out.

2.  Embrace Golden Silence: After you’ve asked a question and the person responding pauses in their answer, don’t jump right in with your next question. Give the person space to add more

3.  Check Your Assumptions at the Door: Assumptions can be some of the most detrimental thoughts we have because they limit our potential for growth and change.                                                                            

 4.  Shift Your Perspective: Like with assumptions, if we never change our perspective we will never grow. Building a project team with different and unique perspectives is one of the easiest ways to accomplish this. Just make sure to give all the people on the team a chance to voice their thoughts and insights.                                                                   

5.  Be Firm, but Don’t Be Antagonistic: Driving change with any group of people can be difficult. It is sometimes easier to give in to someone with a vice grip on the past than it is to deal with the pain of change. Many people fear change will lead to a loss of a job. Be firm about the need to move forward and how it will reap more rewards in the long run.

Today's successful organizations never got there by maintaining the status quo. Their leaders recognized that doing things differently whether it is a business cause or social cause was essential.

And if anything should remain the same, it should be that kind of thinking.

To get our book, "25 Building Blocks To Create a Conscientious Organization" FREE, go to HCollaborative.com for an instant download.

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Tom Hering Tom Hering

Phil Knight's One Word for Millennials: Lesson from "Shoe Dog"

www.hcollaborative.com | Never lose sight of your calling or passion. Stay the course even when there are detours.

I just finished reading Phil Knight's autobiography "Shoe Dog." In the last five pages, he shares what I believe to be the most inspiring words of the 380 page book. It is aimed for Millennials specifically. After finishing the book, I sent that advice on to my 20-something sons.

But I don't believe his thinking is reserved for Millennials only. In fact, it makes no difference whether you're a Boomer, Gen Xer, Millennial or Gen Yer, because you will find a spark from the Nike titan's narrative that might guide your life for the rest of your days. 

I’d tell young people not to settle for a job or a professional or even a career. Seek a calling. Even if you don’t know what that means seek it. If you’re following your calling, the fatigue will be easier to bear, the disappointments will be fuel, the highs will be like nothing you’ve ever felt.”

- Phil Knight, Nike Founder

 

To get our book, "25 Building Blocks To Create a Conscientious Organization" FREE, go to HCollaborative.com for an instant download.

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Tom Hering Tom Hering

How an Evolved Organization Bares Its Soul To the World

You know your organization stands for something special in the world.

But do your stakeholders?

Do they know about your plan for a better product and better world? Can they feel the passion that fuels your fire which is making the planet a better place to live?

If you're uncertain about that, I have one word for you:

You know your organization stands for something special in the world.

But do your stakeholders?

Do they know about your plan for a better product and better world? Can they feel the passion that fuels your fire which is making the planet a better place to live?

If you're uncertain about that, I have one word for you: manifesto.

Conscientious Leaders know that a brand manifesto differs from your mission statement. Their intentions may be the same. But their language is not. While the mission statement is very left-brain and logical, the manifesto is right-brain and emotional. Well-crafted manifestos can last for decades if not centuries.

Think Martin Luther King, Junior's "I Have a Dream Speech," the Declaration of Independence and the Ten Commandments. A manifesto is your bold plan for a better world, a moral compass that will guide and define your brand to both external and internal audiences.

Is a manifesto right for your organization? To answer that, consider the following criteria we believe must be a part of one:

1.       Communicate Deep Emotional Principles. What is your organization's reason for existence?

2.       State Your Core Values. What is it your organization stands for? Protecting the environment? Embracing equity? Promoting justice?

3.       Speak the Truth. Are you authentic? Does your language and ideas reflect that?

4.       Relate to Your Audience. Are you using emotion to touch your audience's core?

5.       Differentiate. How does your organization differ from others appealing to your audience?

The manifestos we admire and that resonate with us all share some things in common. These elements include:

1.       Speaking in the Collective Voice.

2.       Speaking in the Active Voice.

3.       Looking to Change the Status Quo.

4.       Serving as Compass for Future Decisions.

For contemporary examples of well-crafted manifestos, we happen to be particularly fond of  Albertina Kerr's "Army of Angels" here in our hometown of Portland, OR. And if we may toot our own horn, we also like our own HCollaborative manifesto here.

If you feel the time is right in your organization for a manifesto with 2017 just around the corner and you need some guidance, let us know. We'll show you the next steps.

To get our book, "25 Building Blocks To Create a Conscientious Organization" FREE,  go to HCollaborative.com for an instant download.

 

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MaryAnne Harmer MaryAnne Harmer

"Chill Baby, Chill" (How to Deal with Leadership Anxiety)

Boy, I am guilty here.. In fact, this blog is written for me and all those other individuals who practice the art of being a conscientious leader, and then stress out.

Not good for any one!

Anxiety.  That feeling that drives those around us crazy, and keeps us from generating the calm needed as a leader.   Now some stress is good. It can keep us on our toes, alert, vigilant and attentive to circumstances around us.  Helps ensure we function in an optimum way.  But too much stress or anxiety about the future, the past, mistakes made or concerns that maybe coming our way, is just counterproductive.

And anxiety makes us sick.  It can produce extra cortisol in the body which impacts the immune system and our health. 

So what makes us turn into worry warts?

Truth be told, some of us are just wired toward more anxiety.  And if you are one of them (like me and my mother ) we need to be aware of this predisposition and work even harder to counter it.

Too much anxiety may also be generated by:

ü  High work ethic, that becomes compulsive in terms of doing everything for everybody, at all times

ü  Perfectionist mentality – everything needs to be done exactly right – with the belief that A+ work is the only option for ALL work, when sometimes A- is just fine for the situation

ü  Desire to keep everyone happy – women especially prone to this- so we feel pressure to try to fix everything

ü  Desire to be well liked by everyone – with anxiety generated when something we do may tarnish that image

ü  Lack of trust with others --- that they can’t do their job or function without you

ü  Operating from a mindset of “the worst that can happen” vs the best that can happen. What if we assumed the best rather than worried about the worst?

ü  Lack of confidence and belief in self – doubting our own capabilities

And of course Anxiety can be aggravated by poor nutrition, lack of sleep, and inactivity!

So what is the antidote to anxiety?

1.       If anxiety is severe and debilitating, it is important to seek a professional to help you learn coping skills.

2.       Slow down – in walk and talk.  Taking the time to be in the moment, experiencing the here and now, instead of listening to chatter in your head.

3.       Breathe deeply and count your breaths for 2 minutes, to calm down when you feel anxiety increasing.

4.       Download a meditative App, like Headspace https://www.headspace.com/ (It’s what I use… but there are many options available),  and start a daily practice of stilling the mind, to counter anxietyproducing thought.  Recent studies show meditation and mindfulness can have a positive impact on stress, anxiety, focus, creativity and even relationships.

5.       Journal in the morning or night, and get your worries out on paper.

6.       Laugh – watch a comedy.

7.       Take time to walk in nature – and observe the little things as you walk and listen to the sounds of nature.   Walking doesn’t always have to be destination oriented.

8.       Do something for someone else… focusing on another, can stop anxious thoughts.

 Your team, your staff, those you interact with, need a conscientious leader who is both confident and calm. 

Believe in yourself and chill baby, chill!

To get our book, "25 Building Blocks To Create a Conscientious Organization" FREE,  go to HCollaborative.com for an instant download.

 

 

 

 

                                                              

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Tom Hering Tom Hering

The One Powerful Trait Every Conscientious Leader Possesses

If you asked me to define a Conscientious Leader in one word, I look to Steve Prefontaine. While the great American distance runner from the University of Oregon left this world over four decades ago, he lived and breathed the most important trait of what we see in today's evolved leaders.

In a word: grit.

It was the heart and soul of Pre.

If you asked me to define a Conscientious Leader in one word, I look to Steve Prefontaine. While the great American distance runner from the University of Oregon left this world over four decades ago, he lived and breathed the most important trait of what we see in today's evolved leaders.

In a word: grit.

It was the heart and soul of Pre.

I was fortunate enough to see the majority of his incredibly inspiring races in Eugene.  At 5' 9" and 139 pounds, he would always leave everything on the track. "Somebody may beat me but they are going to have to bleed to do it," he said in one of his more famous quotes.

No matter what event he ran, no matter who he competed against, he always raced the same way. Pre led from the starter's gun and rarely ever looked at another singlet in front of him as he ground the field's legs into rubber by increasing his speed lap after punishing lap.

Now this thing grit is something my business partner and I see regularly in the inspiring and conscientious leaders we've met with over the past 9 months. People dealing with equity issues, social challenges and global environmental impact problems. They most definitely display a powerful combination of passion and perseverance.

In spite of the hurdles facing them, in spite of budget challenges, in spite of dwindling government support, these incredible women and men pursue their goals of "changing the world" with talent for sure.

But what separates the Conscientious Leader from others  is what author Angela Duckworth concludes in her book "Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance" after studying high achievers in business, sports and entertainment. "Talent is not enough. It is grit that matters most if you want to achieve something spectacular."

In other words, there is simply no slowing down, no quit, no finish line in them. They continue to grind down the challenges they face as they practice day in and day out Benjamin Disraeli's belief that the secret to success is the constancy to purpose.

Just as Pre did around that oval track at historic Hayward Field.

To get our book, "25 Building Blocks To Create a Conscientious Organization" free, go to HCollaborative.com for an instant download.

 

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Tom Hering Tom Hering

How Grand Central Station's Black Spot Improves Your Content

You make your content sticky when you use the power of curiosity. It is a subject we discuss here often. And on my recent trip to NYC, it was yet again underscored while standing in the center of Grand Central Station.

Here's the story...

My youngest son lives in Norwalk about an hour north of the city. He, my oldest son and I rode the train in on Saturday morning to celebrate a birthday weekend.

You make your content sticky when you use the power of curiosity. It is a subject we discuss here often. And on my recent trip to NYC, it was yet again underscored while standing in the center of Grand Central Station.

Here's the story...

My youngest son lives in Norwalk about an hour north of the city. He, my oldest son and I rode the train in on Saturday morning to celebrate a birthday weekend. After getting off the train, I remember walking up into the "palace" and felt my jaw drop at all the splendor greeting my very wide opened eyes. The three of us just stood there not saying a word and letting it all...soak...in.

After a minute, Ross pointed out a very small black brick in a corner on an otherwise perfectly pristine and breathtaking ceiling. I looked at him and felt an immediate need to know why and now not later. Curious, indeed. He said that during the station's mass restoration in 1988, the team transforming this historical American icon decided to leave a nod to what the ceiling once looked like.

Initially, I thought it was the result of decades of soot from the trains chugging in and out of tunnels below. Wrong. Research proved it was mostly nicotine and tar and the result of the cigarette smoke swirling inside the terminal in earlier times.

So what does this all have to do with sticky content you're asking?

Well, research has proven time and again that when curiosity gets used in a well-crafted title, a post always gets more eyeballs and engaged minds. We've said it before and we will say it again. Curiosity is an itch that must be scratched. It's what well-known content marketing company Upworthy calls the curiosity gap. It basically piques human interest so much that we want to close the gap between what is known and what is not known.

Needless to say, they use the strategy day-in and day-out as the foundation for the volume of engaging content they craft and produce. In terms of how they approach that content, these brilliant marketers sum it up in one sentence:

Simply write a headline that is tantalizing enough to get read to click through but does not give away the whole story.

Centuries ago, English philosopher Thomas Hobbes said, "Curiosity is the lust of the mind."  No argument here as I lusted to know why that "black spot" was on the beautiful ceiling of Grand Central Station.

To get our book, "25 Building Blocks To Create a Conscientious Organization" free, go to HCollaborative.com for an instant download.

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Tom Hering Tom Hering

Why NYC's Oldest Bar Is a Content Writer's Dream

Picture Abe Lincoln. Babe Ruth. Teddy Roosevelt. John Lennon.

Can you imagine their conversations over a beer or three? The heated discussions about politics? The talk about America's favorite pastime? The words about Dylan, the Stones and McCartney?

Well, these icons at one time patronized the Irish establishment pictured above (circa 1937).

Picture Abe Lincoln. Babe Ruth. Teddy Roosevelt. John Lennon.

Can you imagine their conversations over a beer or three? The heated discussions about politics? The talk about America's favorite pastime? The words about Dylan, the Stones and McCartney?

Well, these icons at one time patronized the Irish establishment pictured above (circa 1937).

It's better known as McSorley's in the East Village. And it is said to be New York City's oldest bar dating back to 1854.

Two Saturday nights ago, my sons and I sat at the table in the foreground. We shared the joint with a loud and lively crowd of men and women of all ages, from 21-year-olds to octogenarians and everyone in between.

Talking, laughing, yelling and yes, drinking beer. No doubt many offered their own solutions to the world problems of the day.

No fancy IPAs, Stouts or Lagers served here.

Just your choice of a white or dark ale. And because two beers are better than one, suds are served in pairs of seven to eight ounce glass mugs. Simply remember two words: light and dark. It’s the only type they offer. And cash only, please.

You want an appetizer you say? Sure, how does an unadorned platter of white cheddar slices and a sleeve of saltines sound?

Because that's what you get. 

Everything's stripped down to the bare essence of a good time.

I thought about the stories the dark wood walls of McSorley's could tell.

Stories of love and joy.

Stories of anger and hate.

Stories of betrayal and revenge.

Stories of life.

Very compelling content, indeed.

In fact, enough ideas for a content writer to engage their audience for awhile. Make that a good...long...while.

Think about that the next time you struggle for an idea or angle into a story.

What things do people feel strongly about?

What keeps them awake at night?

What makes them laugh so hard they snort?

What brings joy to their daily grind?

Ask enough of those questions and you get unstuck quicker than the Great Bambino's swing at a pitch.

It's something skilled content writers and conscientious leaders already know. Not to mention the patrons frequenting McSorley's over the past 162 years .

To get our book, "25 Building Blocks To Create a Conscientious Organization" free, go to HCollaborative.com for an instant download.

 

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Tom Hering Tom Hering

Why the Conscientious Leader Loves the Electric Bike

Never ever underestimate the power of curiosity.

I was reminded of this last weekend as my oldest son Cam and I visited my youngest son in Connecticut for his birthday. Ross works for Cannondale, one of the premiere bicycle manufacturers in the world. He took us on a tour of his very cool corporate HQ and showed us the latest and greatest in the cycling world.

Touring, mountain, hybrid---pick a style of bike and you will find it inside the Cannondale labs,

Never ever underestimate the power of curiosity.

I was reminded of this last weekend as my oldest son Cam and I visited my youngest son in Connecticut for his birthday. Ross works for Cannondale, one of the premiere bicycle manufacturers in the world. He took us on a tour of his very cool corporate HQ and showed us the latest and greatest in the cycling world.

Touring, mountain, hybrid---pick a style of bike and you will find it inside the Cannondale labs, along with all kinds of memorabilia from the Tour de France and other world class cycling events.

This particular Saturday, we tested two bikes in the company's empty parking lot. One was a cutting edge new trail bike called "Bad Habit" with an uber suspension system. Thanks to its design and the fat 3-inch wide tires, you can climb over parking curbs and feel...no...pain.

We also tested a Cannondale E-Series model (pictured above), better known as an electric bike. Basically you pedal real fast for a few seconds and then feel the electric current kick in and power you along for a ways. (Ross said that a lot of employees use it at lunch to run out for a quick pastrami and rye pickup.)

Let me be totally honest with you. I had no idea what to expect. But my virginal ride on the E-Series was a total blast.

I felt exhilarated and energized (pardon the pun) as it was a new experience for me.

Then I got to thinking how the whole exercise reminded me of what every conscientious leader knows about the value of curiosity and a willingness to step out of the box to try new things. Not only does it make you happier, research show curiosity to be associated with higher levels of positive emotions, lower levels of anxiety, more satisfaction with life and greater psychological well-being.

What's more, curiosity has been proven to improve on the job performance. Yes, it's obvious to most of us, but when we're more curious and interested in what we are working on, it's easier to jump in, do the time that a project needs and see success in the process.

In fact, we've talked before about how smart marketers and companies know that curiosity is the key to engaging their audience no matter what form of communication is crafted.

So what's the point of all this?

Just a simple reminder to keep things interesting in the workplace.

Keep an open mind and don’t settle for the same old routine.  Find ways to pique the curiosity of your teams. Give them opportunities to try new ways of learning, brainstorming, communicating.  

It's what the evolved conscientious leader already knows. And it's why they love the idea of bringing an electric bike into their work environment.

To get our book, "25 Building Blocks To Create a Conscientious Organization" free, go to HCollaborative.com for an instant download.

 

 

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