Ritz Communications
AIRtime
Action, Interaction and Reaction from the Ritz team
Finding my voice
Posted: February 9, 2012 - 4:00 PM ET - by Elisabeth
Some time ago, I wrote about “finding your voice” in response to a blog by Seth Godin on “quiet customers who are unhappy but not making a big deal out of it.”
It reminded me that sometimes I am the quiet customer who has left a store, restaurant or even a relationship with a service provider without voicing my displeasure. I may have vowed never to return! As a business owner, I hate to think of my own clients doing that.
The question I asked my readers was “are you listening to what customers are saying to and about you?”
The question I need to ask myself is “why aren’t you speaking up?”
Why is it sometimes so hard to find my voice? I could blame context – one meal in a restaurant is different than the years-long relationship we establish with clients and there are thousands of restaurants to choose from. I could blame complacency – it stunk; it’s over; I want to go home and forget about it. I could even admit that sometimes I’m kind of a wimp about complaining.
But the truth is … sometimes I don’t know what I want and, therefore, I’m not clear and direct about my expectations.
Some of my clients are a great example of how important it is to know what you want. My team and I spend time with them before we begin a project to ensure that we understand what “moves the needle” for them. The best clients give us a balance between good direction and room to be creative. They have a sense of what they want to achieve and the sense to let us help them achieve it. We’re trusted to help clarify – even quantify – objectives; we’re given the latitude to bring our knowledge and experience to the assignment; and we develop a plan based on our capability and insight.
And there you have it … from the very people we counsel on communications comes a critical lesson! Lucky for me, I have this blog to speak up and share it.
Do you have an attitude?
Posted: January 26, 2012 - 5:30 PM ET - by Elisabeth
“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” - Winston Churchill
Maybe I’m a pessimist, but I’ve been thinking about:
The opportunity to be “connected” all the time, from anywhere … and the difficulty connecting to what really matters.
I’ve written before about meetings and events where everyone is so busy checking their smart phones they don’t talk to the people in the room with them. And in the last couple of weeks I’ve read three separate stories about telephones ringing during live performances. Can’t we disconnect long enough to recharge our minds? Are we so important that we can’t turn off our phones for a couple of hours? I can only answer for myself. Yes, I’ve learned I have to, and yes (you knew I would say that, right?), but I will.
The opportunity to access any information anytime anyplace … and the difficulty, with all the information and ideas vying for our attention, in really thinking.
I keep a “read” file on my iPad for when I have downtime; it grows by hundreds of articles a month and eventually I delete a lot of it. Sometimes I “zen” through the headlines and pick the article the universe must mean for me to stop and read. But I wonder what I’m missing … besides the quiet reading time that I used to enjoy. And I know the only time I’m really thinking – creating an idea or solving a problem – is when I am not in front of a piece of technology.
The opportunity to spend our time, money and attention on anything … and the difficulty, with so many options, in making a choice.
There’s a lot written about the perils of too many choices. People become paralyzed by the number of choices, the potential for failure and the pressure to achieve unattainable standards. Well, I think that last part freaks a lot of us out, but that’s another blog post.
So how do we connect with what’s important, take the time to think about what really matters, and choose wisely? Well, there’s another Churchill quote for that:
“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.”
What three qualities are most important in a successful leader in healthcare communications?
Posted: January 12, 2012 - 8:53 PM ET - by Elisabeth
Today’s blog post is a reprint from Communiqué. Last year the magazine posed the question, “What three qualities are most important in a successful leader in healthcare communications?” I shared my thoughts on a balanced approach to leadership, and I think it applies to many industries:
While all successful leaders need qualities that engender trust and respect – integrity, sense of purpose, vision, experience and confidence – leaders in today’s healthcare environment may be more successful by achieving a balance in three key areas: determination and flexibility; practicality and idealism; and expertise and a willingness to continue learning.
Determination and flexibility
Determination to lead an individual or a group toward a goal in the face of challenge, criticism or any number of unforeseen events should be balanced with the flexibility necessary to “pivot and turn” when a plan or goal needs to be adapted. For example, today’s crossroads of media and technology have revolutionized the pace of communication, requiring industry leaders to think quickly, navigate skillfully and communicate effectively with their organizations’ stakeholders.
Expertise and a willingness to continue learning
The previously mentioned advances in social media and information technology have spurred rapid and dramatic change, inspiring breakthroughs in health and medicine and transforming the way information is delivered and exchanged. Leaders in healthcare communications must understand these new resources and processes in order to assess their effects. Experience is invaluable, but it can generate bias. A successful leader needs to be open to new ideas and approaches.
Practicality and idealism
“There must be a better way to do this,” is a popular sentiment among leaders. That thought stems from the practical experience of having created or done whatever “this” is and the idealism that inspires and drives a vision. The most successful leaders – in our industry and outside of it – seem to derive this balance from an understanding of their stakeholders’ needs and expectations.
Congratulations to our contest winners!
Posted: January 3, 2012 - 8:00 AM ET - by Elisabeth
The winner was “World peace of mind” by Jennifer Newman. Since she’s a member of our own team, and we don’t want anyone to think the contest is rigged, I’ve also picked an honorable mention award winner. “Love, creativity, strength from peace” by Elysabeth Alfano. I guess peace is on my mind … And one of my favorite places to restore my strength and “peace of mind” is Elizabeth Arden, so both ladies will be receiving a gift certificate.
Stay tuned to find out our contest winner!
Posted: December 29, 2011 - 4:30 PM ET - by Elisabeth
Thank you to everyone who entered our “2012 in six words (or less)” contest. Your hopes and dreams and grand plans for 2012 were inspiring! We’ll be announcing the winner – and his or her special prize – on Tuesday, January 3.