As you may have noticed, there hasn't been much activity here as of late. Have no fear! The new blog is located at http://blog.crt-tanaka.com
Mark's whatcanbe
whatcanbe can be a strong motivator. It challenges. It offers hope. And, it is a BIG IDEA.
Will we rise each day to seek new possibilities for our lives and for each other? Will our personal and collective efforts propel us toward Goodness, Genius and Greatness? Will we support each others’ journey towards fulfillment? Will our relationship with CRT/tanaka make us better people and better professionals?
Yes. It is our mission.
I think we have been “called” to this mission. Take time from your busy schedule to review our Web site
About Goodness: We are not simply doing the Good and right thing. We find Goodness in every situation. We seek Goodness in our clients. We find solutions that support Goodness. We realize that Goodness is stronger than any adversity. Seeking Goodness is a BIG IDEA.
About Genius: We have been focused on “what’s next” and “the abundance mentality” since 2002 when we formed the Lumin Collaborative, our industry’s first think tank
About Greatness: The hope that whatcanbe offers pushes all of us towards Greatness. There is nothing mediocre about you and your dreams. We make no apologies: Greatness is our destination. And, we like to work with people and companies that share our same path.
CRT/tanaka has a history of great people with BIG IDEAS. Be proud……
And, keep sharing your BIG new IDEAS.
Mark (theblognovice)
Chairman and CEO
CRT/tanaka
Will This Dog Hunt?
A good old boy in the South might refer to an idea that is apparently unworkable by saying “That dog won’t hunt.” We are again at one of those times in our nation’s economic life when the saying might get applied rather liberally. Economic stimulus checks, for instance, had some waiting eagerly by their mailboxes even as the TV pundits were declaring the idea a non-hunting canine. There’s been a debate about elimination of the federal tax on gasoline as a way to ease the pain of $4 pump prices.
Economic literacy is not a strength of our society, but we sure are being given a heavy dose of Econ 101 with gas prices, food prices, corn shortages and the like stalking our every move. Makes it hard to enjoy a vacation.
Debate about economics will break out in earnest in coming months, and we’ll be hearing about plans to change income taxes, increase capital gains taxes and even add a national sales tax . We’ll also probably hear about the flat tax, steep progressive tax and many other measures to address the ills of our economy.
These two charts illustrate and interesting point to those of us who work in an industry that supports the consumption machine that is the U.S. economy. The top to bottom income disparity in our society is about 15 – to – 1. When it comes to consumption, though, the gap declines to 4 – to – 1. This all-over spending by each segment of society is what has lifted us for many years (see “How Americans Spend Their Money”).
Some will argue that the differences in income among our wealthiest (the folks who might buy a high-end vacuum cleaner, for instance) versus others in the economy allows for great savings and investment and regeneration of the economy. Others will argue that some of that money not used for consumption should be sent to the government so that it can be more equitably shared.
While one can take either position, perhaps, and make it work, I think it’s interesting to look at the second chart and try to figure out how to make a rising tide lift all boats in our economy – a whatcanbe idea for sure. In fact, it’s an idea that is essential to our livelihood in PR (and a very capitalistic notion). Just look at how many people didn’t have a microwave in 1975…
The rising tide that makes home ownership possible for single moms, that encourages corporate citizens to invest some of their profits in communities and that funds our charitable causes is a critical fixture of the US economy. Let’s not allow a recession to convince us that this rising tide aspect of the American Dream is one of those dogs that won’t hunt.
Credit: The New York Times – Nicholas Felton (artist), Michael Cox and Richard Alm (Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas)
Michael Whitlow
Senior Vice President
CRT/tanaka
Did You Just Call Me A "Twit"?
whatcanbe represents possibilities. Taking an idea and making it real. The services I talk about here were mostly created by small teams with a vision, a great idea and the ability to put it into the stream to see if it would float. These are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
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30 years ago it was hard to get information from outside your immediate area, greatly more difficult was getting information from across the globe. The globe itself was in the way... Now you can send and receive information on a global scale at little cost. We now have information available from more sources than you could count.
The problem is that now, the information itself is in the way. There is just so much of it that separating the signal from the noise is the greatest barrier.
There are some valuable tools that can help you sort, share, find and deliver this information. More and more pop up every day, but here are some of the ones I either use or am thinking about using.
iGoogle: RSS reader Lite
http://www.google.com/ig
Like many others out there, this can be your default page in your browser. Fill it with RSS feeds from stuff you like and stay informed.
Google Reader: RSS reader
http://www.google.com/reader
Once or if you outgrow iGoogle, step up to the Reader. This is THE way I keep up with all the blogs and other RSS-enabled information I care about.
Del.icio.us: Social bookmarking
http://del.icio.us
A great way to keep and categorize bookmarks from home and work or wherever!
It can also be used as a group bookmarking tool. The PR2.0 group and the Interactive department both have unique tags we use to bookmark things worth sharing with the group.
Check mine out here: http://del.icio.us/johnrhopkins
Twitter: Micro-blog
http://twitter.com
This is a micro-blog… this is THE micro-blog. At first you might wonder why you or anyone would use this. I know I did. After seeing the power users like @zeldman and @guykawasaki I understood. The casual user like myself isn’t going to have over 13,000 followers like Guy has, but it works well to stay connected with distant and nearby friends. Then you realize that it can have many uses.
For some creative examples, take a look at http://www.jakebouma.com/2007/12/04/tweet-better-9-unconventional-and-slightly-badass-ways-to-use-twitter/
Follow me on twitter @johnrhopkins
Summize: Twitteer tracking/monitoring
http://www.summize.com
In my opinion, this is the best twitter monitoring site. The advanced features save you from learning all the boolean functions. Even if you know what Boolean functions are, this is a nice feature.
Plurk: Micro-blog
http://www.plurk.com
This is seen as a twitter clone, but it has some additional things to offer. The plurks are viewed in a timeline. You can link media live video and photos to the posts. Has same 140 char limit that twitter has. Has “Karma”, which is a system that gives you points for various types of plurktivity. I believe the Karma points will unlock further features… I felt this was a great idea that will help users grow into the features and not overwhelm.
Check me out on Plurk: johnrhopkins
Stumble It!
Stumbleupon: Find new stuff
http://www.stumbleupon.com/
This is a system that lets you opt in to categories of web content and will try to give you a site that it thinks will be of interest to you… the more you use it, the better the results should be.
Technorati Browser Buttons: page popularity tracking?
http://technorati.com/tools/favelets.html
See who's linking to the page you're on
And last, but by no means least
Friend Feed: social media glue?
http://friendfeed.com/
This is a great (the best I’ve found so far) way to keep track of your friends that use the above (or most any other) services. Once you are doing the social media thing and have friends that are as well, and trust me, you do. You will want this to tie it all together.
The tools above are an entry point to getting the message, the pull, and while some will get you started in sending message, my next post will be about the push and our individual presence on the web.
John Hopkins
Senior New Media Designer
CRT/tanaka
Breaking The Faith
Keep the faith. Trust in others. Believe it and you can achieve it.
These are a few of the things well-meaning friends and self-improvement gurus often pepper us with when we’re trying to achieve a goal or make a dream come true. But what do you do when the thing—or person—you’re putting your trust and faith in isn’t delivering for you?
Sometimes, achieving your whatcanbe means having the courage to break the faith and trust, and start anew. In what now feels like ages ago, I wanted desperately to start a family. After years of trying, I got pregnant—and then lost the baby at 15 weeks. I got pregnant again—and then had another loss. And another. And yet another.
My doctor, a specialist in this field, couldn’t find a reason. Like many people, I poured over Internet articles and books, trying to find something that might work. But my doctor dismissed each treatment option that I found, finding all of them “too untested.” Still, I trusted that he knew best.
After the fourth loss, my doctor’s nurse approached me and gently suggested that perhaps I should consider trying a different doctor. Even then, it was difficult to break that trust in one person and place it with another—but eventually, I did.
A year later, I was pregnant again. At the time, I was living my career whatcanbe running my own business. I did a lot of sitting alone in my office and obsessing during those early weeks of pregnancy. One day, I got a call from Brian Ellis asking me to consider coming to work for CRT. It almost seemed too much to think about. What kind of agency would want to hire a freaked-out pregnant woman? This time, it was my husband who gently pushed me to change direction and put my trust and faith in what might be at CRT.
After seven years, I wish I could say that I never need pushing to pursue whatcanbe for myself, my agency or my clients. I sometimes do. But I now know that breaking the faith isn’t always bad, and that choosing the untested can bring unexpectedly wonderful results.
As for my personal whatcanbe, my son is now almost seven. He is my miracle. And my five-year-old daughter—who came totally unexpectedly—well, she’s my gift.
Natalie Smith
Vice President
CRT/tanaka
whatcanbe Defined By M.O.
I define whatcanbe by looking at the possibilities of the future. My three year old son Wes developed an ear infection in his first year that had him admitted to the hospital for three days. He had tubes surgically inserted into both ears and has been infection free since. The main problem with this is that we had to keep his ears out of water until cleared by the doctor.
Many of you know that I made my living in the water for over 20 years as a Navy diver in the Marine Corps, commercial diver in the Gulf of Mexico and Master SCUBA Instructor here in Richmond, so It concerned me that he may never find the love of the aquatic environment that I have been blessed with.
Wes was cleared by the Doctor last March for water operations. Hurray! It then occurred to me that his experience in the water has been short and limited. To prepare him for his first swimming season I decided to get him some formal training in the pool. We figured from his previous behavior in water that we would be happy with him simply being comfortable and maybe putting his head under.
The course we chose came highly recommended by some CRTTr’s and promised results. It is a tough love class called the eight day blitz in which Wes met with an instructor for thirty minutes over an eight day period without parents. There was crying at first then the light came on. By his last lesson, Wes was able to jump in to the pool fully clothed and float or get to the side for help.
Now it is hard to keep him out of the pool and his confidence and skills grow everyday. It has been the most rewarding time that we have spent together and keeps me thinking about what I can do for him to succeed in life. Baby Shane is next but will have to wait a couple of years to get on board.
Mark Owen
IT Director
CRT/tanaka
Safe and Social
A few years ago, my four-month-old son and I were having dinner with some new parents and their babies, all approximately the same age. After dinner, someone brought up SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). I said, “Let’s not talk about it.” One and half weeks later, my son died of SIDS.
Looking back, I don’t recall not wanting to talk about SIDS that night. I consider myself open-minded, so it is hard to believe that I would have changed the subject. But I did. With time, I discovered that the reason I couldn’t discuss SIDS was because the thought of losing my child to it was horrific. It scared me so much that I did not want to think about it. So I ignored it. I pretended that it could not happen to me.
When it did happen, I felt lonely. Scared. Angry. Sick to my stomach. I was vulnerable. Everything was so surreal. This could not be real. But it was. My beautiful baby boy who laughed loudly when I danced Big Bird in front of him was not with me anymore. My son was gone forever. In this state of loneliness, I felt the need to talk to someone who understood. I needed answers. How could someone understand unless they had lost a child? An infant. At the same time, I wanted to hide. I wanted to be far away.
I somehow mustered up the strength to begin looking online. What I found was that I was not alone. I was in the midst of so many others who felt lonely, scared, sick, angry, and vulnerable. I was able to reach out and tap into an entire network of wounded, aching parents. I was able to see that someone else knew my pain, and I felt embraced by people I did not even know. I welcomed this embrace, because I was able to remain anonymous. I could be exposed and remain hidden, all at the same time. It felt safe. If I did not want to talk, I did not have to. If I wanted to cry, I could. At anytime.
The discovery of a network of “friends” allowed me to feel accepted and heard. Social networking using online resources has become a trusted source of support for those who grieve. I started a foundation supporting the research and awareness of SIDS, (www.hayesfoundation.org). Had the social networks not been there for me, I don’t know that I would have felt compelled and empowered to share my story, in hopes of someone listening; potentially saving the life of an infant and the turmoil of a family. But through sharing my story and engaging with others, I have become more confident about the positive outcomes it has brought forth.
And I hope that other parents will have the courage to answer differently than I did.
“SIDS is scary, and I don’t want to think about it. But we have to, so what can we do to prevent it?”
Links for SIDS Information
http://sids-network.org/maillist.htm
http://www.griefnet.org/
http://webhealing.com/forums/index.php
http://www.compassionatefriends.org/
Other Organizations:
First Candle - SIDS Alliance
CJ Foundation for SIDS
Hayes Hitzeman Foundation
SIDS Mid Atlantic
American SIDS Institute
Kyra Oliver
Vice President Interactive Practice
CRT/tanaka
Cancer
Reading Joe’s blog posting last week about the young man from Pittsburgh dying from terminal cancer definitely brought a tear to my eye.
You see, it was only a week earlier that my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Soon to have a lumpectomy followed by five weeks of radiation, our family was now dealing with a new challenge. You hear about cancer all the time, but until you experience it first hand, it’s just not the same.
And along came Jon Lester.
If you’re like me, you probably have never heard of Lester.
In 2006, he was a 22 year old baseball player for the Boston Red Sox, who was diagnosed with a rare form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a blood cancer. After battling through chemotherapy, he fought the cancer into remission and worked himself back into baseball shape in the summer of 2007.
Only four months later, he was wearing a World Series ring.
And last night in Boston, he pitched a no-hitter.
So for all the people who have cancer, and particularly those who have recently been diagnosed, remember the Jon Lesters in this world.
They beat cancer, and you can too.
Jeff Thomas
Chief Financial Officer
CRT/tanaka
Living example of whatcanbe
You might already know about John Challis, but last night was the first time I had heard about him. He’s an 18-year-old from Pittsburgh who has terminal cancer. But if you looked only at his smile and listened only to his message, you’d never have a clue as to his misfortunes. This is because he radiates positive energy.
Since first seeing him on TV last night during the Penguins/Flyers game, I have been unable to get him out of my head. After meeting Penguins owner and hockey great, Mario Lemieux, as well as Steelers chairman, Dan Rooney and Steelers quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, among others, he said with a smile and distinct Pittsburgh accent akin to Myron Cope’s, “I felt like a king of the city up ‘ere with those guys.”
When asked what the one thing is that he wanted to tell America, he said (and I’m paraphrasing): Focus on the positive. There are so many positive things happening on a daily basis, but we tend to focus on negative things. Please think of all the positive things that take place in our lives every minute.
This is a kid who knows he is dying, but who’s truly happy. He was happy yesterday because it was Mother’s Day and he got to take his mom, dad and sister to a Penguins game in a limo and show them a good time. He said making her smile makes him happy. He’s happy today because his message is being heard and embraced by so many across the nation.
In my opinion, John’s ability to turn a negative and ultimately tragic situation into a celebration of life that moves men and women to tears is a prime example of whatcanbe from a personal standpoint. How does this relate to our work? Not sure it does, except for in cases when we think nothing is going well for us. I hope this story reminds me for a long time that no matter what issues I’m dealing with, things could be much worse. And, if I focus on all of life’s positives, virtually everything is better than it seems.
Please check out the articles and video contained in the links above, as this little blurb about John certainly does not do him the justice he deserves. And be on the lookout for John in upcoming TV shows on ESPN and, if you’re in Japan in upcoming weeks, on shows like “Amazing People.”
Joe Horvath
Account Executive
CRT/tanaka
whatcanbe and the Power of Setting an Intention
Like so many of us here at CRT/tanaka I believe in the power of whatcanbe – an optimistic approach to life that involves envisioning and manifesting a bigger, brighter, better future for ourselves and loved ones, the agency, our clients and the community-at-large.
For me, a big part of a whatcanbe approach to business and life involves setting an “intention.” Even more powerful than just “mentally” setting an intention is “verbalizing” your intention to others and actually “writing” it down. Both of these acts help to “materialize” mere thoughts into actions.
About a month ago, I spoke before a New York Women in Communications audience (www.nywici.org) and mentioned for the first time in a public forum that I was thinking about writing a book entitled, “From Ballroom to Boardroom.” In this book, I said I would share some of the lessons I’ve learned in the ballroom world and show their application to achieving success in the seemingly unrelated world of business. When the panel discussion ended, a woman in the audience approached me and asked if she could interview me for her blog, which she did last week. The resulting post appeared yesterday. My interview with the blogger, Daylle Schwartz, led her to asking if she could interview me for her upcoming book, “Nice Girls on Top.” Through our conversation I learned that she had written nine books, including several that she co-authored with people who needed help in telling their stories.
I realized immediately that Daylle might be a great person to help me with my book and so we brainstormed excitedly about this at the conclusion of our interview. Later that afternoon, I discussed this book idea with CRT/tanaka’s Chief whatcanbe Officer, Mark Raper, who immediately and wholeheartedly voiced support for the endeavor. I explained to Mark that I believed this book was very topical given the explosion of interest in dancing due to the popularity of TV shows such as “Dancing With the Stars” and because of the ongoing interest in new and novel books about how to succeed in business. This book, I said, will allow me as CRT/tanaka’s whatcanbe ambassador to even more widely communicate the power of a whatcanbe approach to business and life and, of course, to talk specifically about a highly successful public relations firm which exemplifies that approach.
Over the weekend, I started to jot down some notes on “From Ballroom to Boardroom,” fittingly, in the black leather whatcanbe journal that we received at the company retreat a couple of years ago.
I have another meeting with my co-author in a few weeks, after she completes a manuscript for the book she is currently writing, to discuss how we will put together our book proposal. Our goal is to finalize the book proposal for shopping around to publishers this September.
I share this story to illustrate how the simple acts of verbalizing and writing down an intention can help to “materialize” mere thoughts into action by inviting God/the Universe (whatever your belief system) and others to support us in our whatcanbe endeavors. I will keep you posted on this project.
Thank you for your support,
PT
Patrice Tanaka
Co-Chair and Chief Creative Officer | whatcanbe Ambassador
CRT/tanaka
Feed Your Mind
At CRT/tanaka, we talk about the notion of “what can be” all the time. We urge everyone to open their minds to new possibilities for themselves, for their clients, for the agency and for the communities we live in. We push ourselves to explore the boundaries of what we can do, to keep peeling the onion and continually ask the question “why.”
But let’s face it, sometimes it’s hard to keep those juices flowing. How do we keep the brain tuned up? How do we keep the ideas coming? How do we feed our minds? Here are some things I like to do to keep firing on all eight cylinders:
Read – All the time and all kinds of things. The act of reading not only exercises your brain, but gives you new ideas, new ways of seeing, new connections. Reading plants ideas you can call upon later. You never know when or where, but I guarantee that you will use what you’ve read to create something new.
Listen to Music – Classical to Salsa, Afro-Blues to Country (any country). Listen to a new station on the radio.
Look at Art – Get off your butt and go to a museum or an art gallery. Don’t attempt to walk the entire museum in one day. You’ll be overwhelmed, you’ll be confused, you’ll get hungry. Pick one or two galleries. Select a favorite piece. Sit and meditate on it. Then go to lunch and talk about what you’ve seen and how it made you feel.
Move your Body – Move your body like you did when you were a kid. When was the last time you skipped? Tried a summersault? Ahem, touched your toes? Try it. You will feel younger.
Go to the Movies (or Cinema if you are feeling particularly Continental) - See a foreign film. See an old film. There is nothing like a shared experience in the dark. In a movie theater.
Eat Something Different – I’m not kidding. And it’s not just because I’m Greek and we eat everything (octopus to dandelions – delish). Open your mouth to open your mind.
Go Somewhere New – Get on a plane and go. Or just go to a new neighborhood. Take the subway, a bus or, if you must, your car and explore a new area. There’s a block in New York City (West 32nd Street) that always makes me feel like I’m in Korea. I love going there to feel immersed in a different culture. We eat Korean BBQ, shop at the Korean grocer, sing in the Korean Karaoke Club. I’m a tourist in my own city. I love it and it stimulates my mind. So does the Korean Sake.
I’m curious to know what you do to keep things fresh. Let me know! MK
Maria Kalligeros
Executive Vice President | Director, Consumer Practice
CRT/tanaka
Remembrance
I start the morning by popping open my laptop. Five more emails. A 10am meeting at Starbucks, and I really hope I get that internship with CRT/tanaka this summer. My grant presentation is Thursday, and I haven’t even started my final paper for management class.
I meet my classmate Sarah in the Starbucks parking lot. It’s snowing. Before we start our meeting, I get one more email. It’s from the university: A gunman is loose on campus. Stay in buildings until further notice. Stay away from all windows
After that, CNN counted. Two turned into eight turned into thirty-two, and our disbelief into anger, grief and paranoia. It was impossible to focus on any of the goals that I considered so important that morning.
The gentle snowflakes from that morning gave way to howling wind that night, shaking the apartment siding. It was eerily appropriate. That night all 32,000 of us, along with so many others, slept (or didn’t sleep) with a horrific possibility. It could have been your professor. Your friend, who hasn’t answered their phone. That person from your psych class. And unsettling even now, that it could so easily have been you.
After scouring facebook or watching CNN’s story on a loop, we uncovered their names, their passions, and the last message they sent to a friend. Thirty-two people started that day the same way I did, perhaps the same way you started your day today: Looking at goals, short-term and long-term, living by Virginia Tech’s mantra to invent the future and planning a whatcanbe kind of life. I’ve been asking myself what I could impart about the experience, maybe supporting each other or appreciating our loved ones… but before it’s about a shocking tragedy or a community coming together, it’s about 32 individuals.
My whatcanbes that I thought about that morning seemed so small by the afternoon, but they are not so small. whatcanbe is easy to find when it’s a bold idea, but if you pay attention, you’ll find whatcanbes to celebrate every day. Take a moment to read about these incredible students and professors and take a piece of them with you this week—and live out the whatcanbe extra for them.
http://www.remembrance.vt.edu/
April Sciacchitano
AAE, and Hokie
CRT/tanaka
Puerto Ricans from the Projects in da Bronx!
Close your eyes and say the title three times. Is your vision a stereotypical vision?
- Location – has to be ghetto since it’s in the Projects
- Puerto Ricans – dysfunctional family; father isn’t around, mother is on welfare, eldest son is locked up, the other son is a drug dealer, the youngest daughter is a crack head, and the other daughter has four kids from different daddies, also on welfare.
- Location – Projects in the North Bronx - middle class neighborhood
- Puerto Ricans – well respected family – Familia Fontanez
I am very proud of who I am and where I come from. I don’t hold shame that I was raised in one of the “Projects” from the Bronx. Ghetto – I never knew what that was until I became an adult and opened my horizons to different areas of New York City. Growing up, Eastchester Gardens (actual name of the development where I grew up) was clean and consisted of families who lived off one income.
My parents were modest and charismatic people who taught us about love, respect, pride, and responsibility. My father started working at the age of six, shining shoes. By the age of 14, he had to drop out of school to support his foster parents. He was the smartest and wisest man I’ve ever known. My mother was a housewife with many creative talents (seamstress, hairdresser and interior designer). She loved to learn so she continued her education through college. Their whatcanbe was, “It doesn’t matter what you want to be in life. As long as you give your best and are able to prosper in areas that we have not.” Did the whatcanbe dream of Mr. & Mrs. Fontanez come true? Let’s see:
As first generation Americans, all four children are homeowners, have great careers and are the most wonderful people that you will ever meet.
The eldest son, Norberto – has his Associates Degree, is a Homestead Fraud Investigator and lives with his family in Cape Coral, Florida.
Edgar – has his Bachelor’s Degree, is an Architect and licensed contractor owning several properties, and resides with his fiance on a lakefront home in Tampa, Florida.
The youngest, Arlene – works for the City of Dobbs Ferry, has a choice of driving her Mercedes Benz or Lexus truck, and lives with her family in Somers, NY.
And finally, there’s me - Jasmin – an HR/Personnel Manager for a well respected PR (as in Public Relations, not Puerto Rico) agency, living with my family in Middletown, NY and currently working towards my Bachelor’s Degree.
My heart is always filled with joy and pride of our accomplishments. Our family is a team. Although we are separated by distance, we are continuously supporting each other to reach the next whatcanbe. My parents aren’t here to share the joy of whatcanbe accomplishments with us, but I know in my heart that they are proudly watching us from up above.
Jasmin Case
HR/Personnel Manager
CRT/tanaka
There Are No Training Wheels for Managers
Being a parent of two young girls has taught me a lot about being a manager. In many ways, these jobs are very similar – both require you to educate and train young people to accept new responsibilities and “grow-up.” They also require lots of coffee. The good news is that being a manager is only a 9-5 job. Being a parent is more like joining the military -- a 20 year commitment, filled with sleepless nights and lots of hard work. But I wouldn’t change that for the world.
Here are some things I’ve learned over the years:
• Take Advantage of Teaching Moments
Even thought you may feel uncomfortable giving constructive criticism, you need to take advantage of teaching moments to help young people develop the skills and ethics they will need later in life. The same way you make your child go back to the sales clerk to return the pack of gum she took without paying, you need to tell junior employees that they behaved in an unprofessional manner when they showed up late for a client meeting or failed to meet a client deadline. It may not make you popular, but it will make them a better employee. Remember, “I don’t have to be your friend, I’m your mother.”
• Celebrate the Little Successes
Learning how to do something new can be tiring and frustrating. As a manager, you need to celebrate successes, even the small ones. Just like when you’re teaching your child how to get dressed or when they finish all their dinner, everyone needs to hear applause. Take the time to tell junior employees they did a great job on a project and encourage them to take on bigger tasks.
• Admit Your Faults
It’s not easy being a parent – or a manager. Too often, you find yourself in the position without really being prepared. I don’t care how many parenting books you’ve read, when the nurse hands you your baby, you feel a moment of panic and think to yourself, “Now what do I do?” The same way, a lot of us become managers because we’re good at doing our job, not because we’re good at managing people. Knowing this, don’t hesitate to read books on the subject, talk to other managers and learn as much as you can. Managing isn’t something that comes naturally to most of us, but letting junior employees know that you will always be looking out for them goes a long way.
• Focus on the Task at Hand
As a parent, it doesn’t matter if you’re making dinner or writing the great American novel, if your child comes crying with a skinned knee, you stop what you’re doing to find out what happened and administer first aid. By the same token, as a manager, when junior employees come into your office asking for help or needing reassurance, you need to stop what you’re doing and see what you can do to help. Remember, your job is to give junior employees the tools they need to do their job. If you hold off on helping them until it’s convenient, you will stop them from being productive and create a bottleneck.
• Foster Independence
Just like when you teach a child how to ride a bike, you eventually have to let a project go and let junior people take on tasks by themselves. Of course, they are going to fall and make mistakes, but this is the only way they can grow. You need to assure them that you will be there to brush them off and help them get back on their feet if they fall. And if there’s blood (and sometimes there is), you will have Barbie Band-aids to make them feel better.
• Remember the Big Picture
When you’re a manager, you actually have a two-pronged goal – to get the work done and to help your junior employee grow into a seasoned professional. The second goal can sometimes get lost when you’re deep in the trenches trying to meet a deadline. But don’t let that happen. Your goal should always be to train junior employees to eventually assume your job so you can move on and take on new responsibilities. Their success becomes your success and everyone wins.
• One Size Doesn’t Fit All
You can’t treat everyone the same way. And while that isn’t fair, it’s actually a good thing. My daughters are like Ying and Yang, complete opposites and yet perfect in their own way. One is an extrovert with a feisty temper and the other one is quiet and focused with a penchant for procrastination. I’ve learned to treat each differently so that each gets the support and love they need. The same is true at work. Different things motivate people and they all have ways they work best. As a manager, you need to recognize how your employees work best and adjust your management style to meet their needs. If someone isn’t performing well at work, you first need to look at yourself and determine whether you have given them the support and guidance they need.
One last thing -- Have faith that your child (or employee) has taken to heart all the things you have taught them and they will do the right thing. Being a parent (or manager) is a lot like joining the Peace Corps – “it’s the toughest job you’ll ever love.”
Jennifer Riggle
Associate Vice President
CRT/tanaka
whatcanbee
Most of you probably don’t know that my husband and I are beekeepers. We are relatively new at this very interesting, very necessary hobby.
I have been attending a beginning beekeeping class on Saturday mornings. Every class so far has been filled to capacity, with a waiting list. There is a growing concern that the honeybees are disappearing at an alarming rate. You’ve probably seen stories in the news about honeybees and CCD (Colony Collapse Disorder). Scientists still aren’t sure what is causing the disappearance of the honeybees. You probably don’t realize how much you depend on honeybees.
Honeybees play a central role in our food supply. The disappearance of the honeybees is putting $15 billion worth of fruits, nuts and vegetables at risk. Pumpkins, oranges, apples, peaches, blueberries, avocados, almonds, cherries, cranberries, and strawberries are just a few crops that cannot grow without honeybee pollination. “Every third bite we consume in our diet is dependent on a honeybee to pollinate that food,” said Zac Browning, vice president of the American Beekeeping Federation. Honeybees also pollinate alfalfa, which is one of the main sources of food for America’s cows. Without alfalfa, we would have a reduced milk supply. With less milk available, the cost of the milk and the products made from milk would increase significantly.
If there ever was an example of whatcanbe – it’s the honeybee. The worker bee is a slim-lined, flying machine. She works non-stop for her entire life, whether taking care of the young, guarding the hive, looking for nectar & pollen or making honey. The average life span of a worker honeybee is five weeks during the summer. The colony raises special “winter worker bees” that live long enough to get the new workers started in the springtime to take over the many tasks necessary for the colony to survive. Then the winter workers die off – this is a cycle that has gone on for millions of years.
During the summer, June through August, worker honeybees travel about 55,000 miles to gather enough nectar to produce one pound of honey. Each worker will produce ½ tsp. of honey and 1/180th of a tsp. of beeswax. However, an entire colony can produce up to 200 lbs. of honey annually. Honey also has medicinal benefits. Honey has natural antiseptic and anti-bacterial properties. Honey purchased from farmers in your local area may help prevent seasonal allergies and tastes great too … whatcanbee!
Burt’s Bees and Häagan Daz have joined the fight to save the honeybees. They
realize their businesses are dependent on the survival of the honeybees. Burt’s Bees created a PSA bee video – it is shown in theaters before the feature presentation to raise awareness of how important the honeybees are to all of us. You can check it out …
Häagan Daz has donated $250,000 for research to Pennsylvania State University and the University of California at Davis. Every time a honeybee-dependent flavor of Häagan Daz ice cream is purchased, a portion of the profits are donated to honeybee research. You can learn more at www.helpthehoneybees.com.
You might ask “what can I do to help save the honeybees?” Some things that you can do - plant a variety of flowers & vegetables, use chemicals only as a last resort in your yard or garden and apply only when the honeybees are not flying (they only fly when the sun is shining and the temperature is above 50 degrees), and support your local organic farmer - buy your produce and honey locally.
Next time you see a honeybee … remember to thank her. We need her more than she needs us. Let’s all work together to save our honeybees … whatcanbee.
Gayle Kelly
Office Manager
CRT/tanaka
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