CEO Social Media Holdouts: Swim Now or Drown Later

Posted on May 8, 2012 by themarkgrimm

Many CEO’s have been reluctant to jump with both feet into the social media pond for a variety of seemingly good reasons:

1- They made it to the top without it and would prefer to rely on the things that got them there.
2- They see it as one more infringement on their admittedly valuable time.
3- It feels like the constantly changing landscape makes it impossible to have a structured plan anyway.
4- By virtue of their position, they do pay a higher price for posting something that could come back to haunt them.
5- Some feel young people have embraced it, but more senior people have not.

…And Kodak executives felt digital photography would never rival film.

There have been two revolutionary developments in mass communication in the past six and half centuries. The mid-15th century invention of the printing press created one-way mass communication. Social media made mass communication interactive, instantaneous, and global. Social media isn’t a fad, it’s the new tapestry where relationships, business, politics, and culture will be placed. And it’s not just for the young. The average age of a LinkedIn user is 44 years old.(1)

The clock is ticking. Social media is about building relationships and that takes time. Business and life is about building relationships, too. Those resisting social media now will find it even harder later to join the game. Swim now or drown later.

The real question is how to use social media. Every executive needs a plan. It must be guided by customer and prospect behavior, be full of compelling content, and subject to the same return-on-investment test that any other activity would face. It’s a big challenge for CEO’s. There’s no denying that. But isn’t meeting challenges what CEO’s do best?

The writer is a communications consultant and head of his own company.

P.S. For an outstanding white paper on convincing CEO’s to embrace social media, view this link.

No Last Page for Rubio! How to Handle a Speech Crisis

Posted on April 26, 2012 by themarkgrimm

What if you get to the last page of your speech and it isn’t there? Public speakers should always have a disaster preparedness plan. This misfortune happened to potential Vice Presidential pick, Florida Senator Marco Rubio. Have a look:

The first advice, of course, is to be better prepared. Make sure you have all your pages. Secondly, have an idea in your mind what you would do if this should occur. Engage in what I call “mind practice.”

Mistakes will happen when speaking. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. Never begin a speech without a handy one-page outline in front of you that you can refer to if you lose your place or your train of thought….or (in this case) the speech itself.

People will often judge you more on how you handle the mistake than the mistake itself. In this case, Rubio reacted pretty well initially. His smile was critical. It put people at ease because the audience gets tense when the speaker freezes up. It’s awkward for them and the speaker. Fortunately, an aide had the page. What would he have done without it? Rubio was strapped to the text, reading it word for word. That’s a practice I do not recommend. People can read on their own. They don’t need to be read to.

What was odd was how Rubio just went back to reading the last page after the incident. He seemed like a robot returning to his text. It really highlighted how artificial prepared text can be.

The incident is another re-enforcement of one of my fundamental teaching lessons in speaking — be as natural as possible. A good speech is a conversational engagement with the audience. It’s not a lecture.

Some short video clips on speaking at Grimm Academy may be helpful to you, as well as my speaking book.

The Rubio adventure does raise political questions given the Republicans have criticized Mr. Obama for being the “teleprompter president.” I’ll leave that one for the pundits.

In the meantime, count your pages!

The writer is a professional speaker and award-winning trainer.

Networking for Introverts: You Have It In You!

Posted on April 24, 2012 by themarkgrimm

A good friend recently said this about networking, “How do you get over that old feeling from your youth you’ll come across as a dork?”

Well, first off, I was a fellow dork who watched one opportunity after another pass me by because of the awkwardness of networking situations. It’s a problem that can be fixed. Networking doesn’t have to be like a trip to the dentist, a “necessary evil” for introverts. You can actually enjoy it.

So how do you break the ice? Have a plan. If you know who’s coming in advance, do a little homework. Check some LinkedIn profiles. Approach someone by introducing yourself and ask the person about something in their background that you found of interest. This mutual interest may be common schooling, a professional concern, the same organization, the same activity, etc.

If you don’t have an advanced list, be current on what’s happening that day. Your goal is to be interesting. Be prepared to share content that others care about.

Avoid the minutia of what you do. Talk about the benefits of what you do in plain English.

Be helpful. You are an expert in something. Give that expertise away to people who could use it.

Listen carefully. Try to locate the “pain” in their business endeavors (we all have some) and offer help relieving it. Being introverted has its advantages. You are more comfortable listening than talking and listeners are often a big hit with extroverts. Listening is a skill, nurture it. Ask for advice. People love to give it.

If you are really shy, consider a suggestion by career counselor Katharine Brooks: attach one phrase to your name tag: “Ask me about…” and then fill in whatever topic you want to talk about.

Have a name tag you can read. I bring my own to events because you often get scribbled tags that force you to squint at someone’s chest. That has its pitfalls. We often don’t catch the name and it is helpful to use theirs when talking to them.

Always bring business cards. I can’t believe how many people at networking events don’t have them. The excuse doesn’t matter. You come across as poorly prepared.

Communication coach Nancy Ancowitz suggests volunteering at events. A task gives you instant contact with people without an introduction.

We’ve all met people who look past us at mixers because we weren’t important enough to them. That’s their problem, not yours. Most importantly, believe in yourself. There is something special about you. Share it. No one was ever shot for saying hello. Just be yourself and stick out your hand.

The author co-hosts a presentation on introductions at the Guilderland Chamber of Commerce on Friday, May 4th. Open to everyone. See details.

Relax Moms: Raising Kids Isn’t Work: Dems’ Mommy Problem

Posted on April 12, 2012 by themarkgrimm

Another woman named Hilary has re-ignited the culture war over stay-at-home moms.

Hilary Rosen, managing director at the firm co-founded by President Obama’s former Communications Director, said Mitt Romney’s wife has “never worked a day in her life.”

Since Ann Romney has raised five kids, mothers all over are, shall we say, a little offended.

Flashback – March 1992: Hillary Clinton, when asked about her role in her husband’s campaign, snapped at reporters, “I suppose I could have stayed home and baked cookies and had teas.”

Ouch.

At first, Rosen didn’t back off her statement but later apologized because the Obama political team went ballistic over her remark. “Inappropriate and offensive,” said Obama strategist David Axelrod.

The truth is there are women in the Democrat establishment who look down on stay-at-home moms. They feel women in traditional roles haven’t carried the fight for women’s rights the same way they have. The heavy lifting has been left to them.

The resentment is misplaced. What women have always wanted was the choice to decide for themselves what “work” they wanted to pursue. And, let’s be clear, parenting is work. How many union contracts have you seen would require cleaning poop out of a diaper at 4 am?

The Obama team is furious at Rosen because it has enjoyed a huge gender gap over Romney with women. Women have had a hard time warming up to him. Now, the conversation has changed. One of the first rules of politics: if you are losing an issue, change the subject.

Ms. Rosen has done that for them.

The writer is a communication crisis expert, political consultant and former elected official.

Mike Wallace and the Legacy of the Ambush Interview

Posted on April 9, 2012 by themarkgrimm

The father of the ambush interview is dead. There is something to be said for having big cojones, especially in journalism. Longtime 60 Minutes correspondent Mike Wallace had them.

The ambush interview — sticking a camera in the face of an unsuspecting person — has always been controversial and Wallace admitted later in his career their use was to “create heat, rather than light.” They can make for good TV.

Ambush interviews (I conducted many myself) are fine if the purpose is to shed light. I always felt if you have nothing to hide, what’s the problem with the “ambush?” Sometimes, it’s the only chance you get to question someone who owes the public answers. If the interview is more about the show, than the truth, than its credibility is diminished.

A journalist has no responsibility to give someone time to “prepare” an answer. What journalists seek are unvarnished answers — those that reflect what the person really thinks and those that come before there is time to think about spin. An interviewee has every right to ask about the nature of an upcoming interview and to do the appropriate homework. But ambush interviews are usually about something that has already been done and/or something that is often being concealed.

The public does not completely understand the extent to which politicians go to conceal the truth. Our government is far more complicated than it has to be for a reason, complexity is a shield. And often times reporters have neither the time nor expertise to effectively pierce the shield.

As for Mr. Wallace, there were times his own opinions steered the path of his inquiries, resulting in some unfair treatment. I also think he did a lot of great work. Brazen is OK. We could use a little more of it.

The writer is a former TV anchor/reporter, adjunct media professor, and one-time elected official.

Al Sharpton and the Race-Baiting Business

Posted on March 27, 2012 by themarkgrimm

One thing is certain about the explosive Florida shooting that left teenager Trayvon Martin dead. Al Sharpton has no way of knowing what really happened. Sharpton has become a wealthy man exploiting racial tensions.

Sharpton rushed to the scene, and the cameras, to demand authorities “Lock him up” — a demand to arrest the shooter, George Zimmerman.This came despite the fact a close African American friend of Zimmerman, Joe Oliver, criticized these attempts to “lynch” his friend.

Sharpton’s celebrity status has led to his anchor role on a national cable news program. MSNBC should know better.

In November 1987, Sharpton accused a white prosecutor in New York State of abducting and raping a young black girl, Tawana Brawley. The charge turned out to be a hoax and Sharpton was eventually hit with a huge damage award in a defamation lawsuit (an award he never personally paid).

Then there is the Duke University lacrosse case where three white players were falsely accused of rape by a African American female stripper. The players were vilified in the media and even at their own university. They were cleared and the initial prosecutor was disbarred and found guilty of criminal contempt.

Sharpton is not the only one fanning the Florida flames. The NY Times refers to Zimmerman as a “white Hispanic.” Has the media used that term before? Is it a subtle attempt to heighten the white-black divide?

The truth is there is money, fame, and political advantage in the race-baiting business. It won’t do a thing to heal longstanding racial wounds. It only makes things worse. But we don’t have to accept it. The path in the Florida shooting case is clear — insist on a fair investigation and the let the facts tell the story.

I have no way of knowing what happened in Florida. None of us do. If Zimmerman acted improperly, he should be punished. If not, he should be left alone. If the Florida law needs revision, it should be done. None of these things will be easy to do now with the race-baiting business in full swing.

The writer is a former TV news anchor/reporter and elected official.

Kate’s First Speech: Good Start, Could Use a Teleprompter

Posted on March 19, 2012 by themarkgrimm

Speaking make you nervous? Imagine the world watching your first try at it?

The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, made her first public speech this morning (March 19th) and YouTube will be humming with millions and millions of viewers having a look.

Kate was nervous, of course, but she did a good job of keeping her nerves in check. She makes a spectacular appearance, with an unvarnished beauty and dignity. She followed one of the most important rules in speech making, keep it short. She spoke for just two and a half minutes.

To say the script was carefully crafted would be like saying Derek Jeter likes baseball. One can only imagine how many revisions went into it. The content hit the right notes — gracious, humble, a personal aside about her husband, calling the hospice a family home. Precise enunciation was a part of it, too.

The delivery offers the most opportunity for improvement. It was somewhat choppy —- look up, look down, look up, look down. Reading a speech causes that effect, of course. Some teleprompter training and the use of it would be an enormous help. The goal of any speech is to be conversational, not scripted, to appear as if you are talking with the audience, not at them.

It’s quite OK to play it a little safe in your first at bat. Kate Middleton as a speaker is a diamond in the rough. I look forward to her growth and the world does, too.

The writer is a professional speaker and Trainer of the Year.

Please share this blog with anyone who may be interested.

The Subtleties of Media Bias: Spotting Spin

Posted on March 7, 2012 by themarkgrimm

The very competitive GOP presidential primary has produced a thought-provoking dichotomy after each battle — there’s the score and then there’s how the media covers the score.

On Super Tuesday, 10 states were contested. This was the lead paragraph of the NY Times story the next morning:

Mitt Romney appeared to pull off a narrow victory in Ohio on Super Tuesday but lost several other states to Rick Santorum, a split verdict that overshadowed Mr. Romney’s claim of collecting the most delegates and all but ensured another round of intense infighting on the road to the Republican presidential nomination.

Is there any doubt in your mind the writer is hoping the race continues? It makes for good copy and sells more newspapers. But is that lead really an objective treatment of what happened?

Note the subtleties in the lead. There was a consensus Ohio was the big prize on Super Tuesday. Romney won it, yet that win is immediately contrasted to Santorum victories in three states, not with Romney’s wins in five others. The lead suggests the “split verdict” overshadowed Romney’s claim of collecting the most delegates. Who says it “overshadowed” it? That’s the reporter speaking. And what does he mean Romney’s “claim?” He collected the most delegates. The numbers are what they are.

How often are three items (the number of states Santorum won) referred to as “several?” Wouldn’t you typically refer to three as a few?

Media bias is often a thousand cuts disguised in subtlety.

Here’s a more objective description, very factual, with the appropriate emphasis on states and delegates:

Mitt Romney won twice as many states as his closest opponent on Super Tuesday, including the biggest prize, Ohio. The wins expanded Romney’s lead in the delegate count. Rick Santorum won three states, strengthening his claim he is Romney’s chief rival.

My analysis is of a news report, not commentary. The pundits are allowed to say whatever they wish and, often times, they have their own agendas. But that’s not news reporting, it is commentary. Unfortunately, the line is getting harder and harder to find.

The writer is a former TV news anchor/reporter and current adjunct media professor.

Please forward this post to anyone who may be interested.

Mitt’s Rich Guy Problem: New Message Needed

Posted on March 2, 2012 by themarkgrimm

Mitt Romney’s background is by far the best of any presidential candidate, including Mr. Obama, yet his “connection” problem may block his path to the White House.

First of all, wealth is not the deal breaker. The Senate is bursting with millionaires and it was the Democrats who produced presidents named Kennedy and Roosevelt in the last 80 years.

There is a prevalent perception Mitt doesn’t “get” everyday people. This has been nurtured by Mitt’s own mistakes and the cynical class warfare stoked by the Obama campaign (and even by Santorum and Newt).

When Mitt tries to “be like us” it doesn’t work. Driving two Cadillacs doesn’t make you closer to autoworkers and being friends with NASCAR owners doesn’t make you one of the boys for everyday racing fans. And you probably don’t know anyone who makes $10,000 bets.

Mitt’s not like us and that’s OK. Great success isn’t a curse. We don’t need a president who is like us as much as we need a president who is for us.

Mitt’s needs a new message, something like this:

I understand my lifestyle is different than most Americans and if you’re looking for a cigar-smoking Friday night poker player I am not your guy. I need to a better job appreciating how my words can be interpreted. I’ll work on that. The truth is I have been blessed with all the personal success one could ask for. No one could argue I am running for president for personal gain. I’m motivated by the desire to create the same opportunity for everyone else and my success gives me a unique perspective on how to make that happen. My charitable record indicates my altruism is sincere.

Wearing jeans doesn’t make you in touch. Mitt should directly address the connection issue often and provide more compelling personal examples of how he would help you.

The writer is a former GOP elected official and a message strategist.

PR has a PR problem: The Truth About What We Do

Posted on February 16, 2012 by themarkgrimm

Many people think of public relations as “spinning,” twisting facts or shading the truth to get people to do something —- buy a product or service, vote for a candidate, support a cause. These abuses occur every day but they no more reflect the true essence of public relations than bias reporters reflect journalism’s core values.

A true public relations pro helps build positive relationships with constituencies that matter to a business or cause. The best ones create compelling clarity for what you do and why you are the best alternative in the marketplace. They also understand the most effective and cost conscious ways to distribute your message so it produces tangible and quantifiable results. PR will always be about content, distribution, and effectiveness. No amount of technology will ever change that.

Public relations begins with a vision, seeing something clearly that your client either does not see or does not know how to express. It is about uncovering truth, not manufacturing it. It is honest storytelling. Too often, attempts are made to cover the holes in the story with slickness or omission. That’s a mistake. Core problems cannot be fixed with PR. Resolution comes from candid assessment and corrective steps that ensure accountability.

The best way to produce a good story is to build one properly in the first place.