Tatoos, Turpentine, Tampa and the Central West End

Lynn visits St. Louis August 5-8, 2012

Terminal A is a narrow gauntlet at Lambert St. Louis Airport. United Flight 3141 is on time from Cleveland (Sunday August 5th) and Mary Lynn Morgan appears with her luggage in tow coming through the gate. She’s not sure if her brother will be there waiting. She was indecisive in e-mail and voice mail messages over the past few days. “The deal is this: If you want me to pick you up, you’ll have to put up with a tour of the Laumeier Sculpture Park. I know you are not a huge fan of art but you are in for a docent tour if you want me to pick you up at the airport.”   

Lynn is my sister. We have history, the kind of history that comes from growing up in a Catholic family with six children in the post-war prosperity. We are all baby boomers born between 1944 and 1959.  Lynn uses her given name Mary Lynn Morgan these days out of respect for our mother who passed away last May. I like to call her Zsa Zsa because she has been married three times and yet still remains hopeful for true romance. Lynn is all smiles because she has fond memories of STL and friends with whom she connected on the way to becoming a flight attendant for TWA ten years ago. Her birthday is tomorrow – she will be 60.

It’s an Olympic year and NBC has been broadcasting from London all week. Sir Paul McCartney, at age 70, performed at the opening ceremonies, reminding us all of the passage of time. Lynn marks her approaching sixth decade. She doesn’t hide it. She is quick to announce it everywhere we go. At the sculpture park; at the hotel while checking in; at the restaurant as she orders a Bloody Mary (as a follow-up to a Vodka Martini with two olives she’s about to finish) and at the movie theater while we wait for Steve Sonderbergh’s latest film Magic Mike to roll.

The tour hopefuls gather outside the Museum Shop at the sculpture park. It is a robust group that includes enthusiastic visitors, a dozen people: an engineer wearing a yellow polo shirt with his daughter and her boyfriend wearing a straw cowboy hat; a mother and her tween-age daughter; an Asian woman wearing a makeshift sash announcing her 21^st birthday with her school mate; a middle-aged woman from St. Louis with male and female aged twenty-somethings who are relatives visiting from Ft. Worth, Texas; my sister and me.  It is a good cross-section of people.  Everyone is engaged in the tour which covers a good bit of the trails, the south lawn and the signature monumental pieces by Alexander Lieberman (The Way), Mark DiSuvero (Bornibus and Destino) and comes to a reasonable conclusion at the Tree Tent by Dre Wapenaar, which is part of the Summer featured exhibit entitled Finding a Home in an Unstable World. Lynn admits the tour was fun and was glad to have been a part of it.

   

The Central West End in St. Louis is a comfortable urban mecca for Lynn. The attraction to this place is hard for her to explain. It’s at Dressel’s Public House where we find an outdoor table to enjoy a late lunch. Her two drinks, lamb-burger, my Black & Tan and seafood chowder make for a leisurely meal. There is just enough pedestrian traffic for people-watching and a warm comfortable breeze mitigates the slow service. (We are in no hurry.) The waitress manages her quirky Morgan clientele with humor, if not tremendous efficiency. She and Lynn compare tattoos. Lynn has confined her canvas to her right forearm where a colorful crest and initials celebrate her two boys, Jimmy and Philip. (Who gets a tattoo when they are 59 years old?) The waitress feels compelled to show us the artistry, a work-in-progress tattoo that covers the small of her back and her left shoulder-blade. She nearly removes her shirt to show it. (I hope Lynn doesn’t get that ambitious with her body art but she admits that she is intrigued by the prospect of permanent eye-liner.)

I am just sentimental enough to bite on the heavy-handed hint from our youngest (and best) brother Rob that Lynn might like to add to her Pandora charm bracelet as a thoughtful birthday present. This little social-media campaign started months ago.  Rob did his duty and was successfully manipulated into adding two charms to the collection. Dan followed suit with another. Sundance would not be tempted. Greg simply procrastinated until it was too late. (Rob wins again! Naturally.) I did not want to be a sucker and open Pandora’s Box. But I did. At lunch, I presented a new charm to Lynn in a gift I wrapped in such a way as not to allow her to guess what it was. To my delight, she seemed genuinely thrilled by the gift box, the card and the charm as presented.   

The waitress laughs when I cut her off abruptly as she starts to explain potential dessert options. “No Thank You, we’ll just take the check. We are headed to the movie theater at Chase Park Plaza.” Mathew McConaughey dominates the marketing for Magic Mike. (The dramatic comedy love story isn’t even about his character.) The theater is filled with women giggling in anticipation of a movie about male strippers in Tampa, Florida. Lynn finds it amusing that I am the only guy in the theater. The movie is contrived but it has its moments. I can’t help wondering how challenging it must be to make a motion picture commercially viable. Maybe to sell tickets you have to play to the lowest common-denominator. Here I am in a theater full of women, feeling a little bit like a piece of meat.

Lynn is returned safely to her hotel, a Comfort Inn on Lindell before 11:00 p.m. She insists they told her when she made her reservation that she would have a room facing the pool. (Ha – the place doesn’t have a pool.) She didn’t have a valid credit card and wanted to pay cash. This is a dilemma for any hotel clerk, especially one who speaks English as his second language.  (Ha – travel 101.) So, my credit card guarantees the room. I hope she doesn’t get any funny ideas. She asked about room-service (Ha – no room service. This is a Comfort Inn.)  There is a friendly but mysterious woman hanging out in the lobby who acts as a self-appointed tourist ambassador. “Do you work here?” Lynn wants to know. (Ha – this woman is a vagrant!)  “Can I have some ice delivered to my room?” (Ha – by now everyone in the place is trying to cater to the delusional hotel guest, Mary Lynn Morgan. She is about to turn the big 6-0 don’t cha know?) A cleaning woman fills an ice bucket and presents to Lynn. “Is there an Honor Bar in the room?” (Ha!) Well, in fact there is: it consists of a giant bottle of turpentine (an off-brand vodka) and your choice of mixer – cranberry or tomato juice. Some things you just cannot leave to chance. A trip to Schnuck’s Grocery was an essential stop between the sculpture park and Dressel’s Public House. Pleasant dreams Lynn.

TEXT MESSAGE at 7:01 a.m from Lynn Morgan the morning of her Birthday

 – thanks for making my birthday extra great xo.

Lynn must be making her way over to the Chase Park Plaza (accross the street) to be poolside. She has plans with a gentleman caller for dinner and wants to add a bit of golden color (tan) before then. Tomorrow,  a reunion with Erin and some other cronies from STL. Who would question Zsa Zsa at the pool? Who are you calling delusional?  She is a Morgan.  

Reachin’ Out - Digitally Speaking

We are all so incredibly connected these days. It is a digital world. Go on-line and just throw out a topic. You know what I mean even before I finish a message in 140 characters. Here are three examples I’ve noticed just in the past 48 hours:

1.    Scott (the nametag guy) Ginsberg likes to challenge his facebook followers with an unfinished sentence. For example he might post: Life is_____. I know I’m not alone in wanting to finish the sentence. I read some of the other responses…a bowl of cherries…a b*tch…a roller-coaster… wonderful… I want to add something clever, surprising or at least thought provoking. I don’t want to linger on this problem too long so I settle something like Cat Stevens lyrics. Life is …like a maze of doors that open from the side you’re on. I move on.

2.    I visit a LinkedIn group I have neglected lately -The Dallas Fort Worth Chapter of the American Marketing Association (DFW-AMA). A group discussion starts with a query. Does anyone know a good branding firm that can help me redesign my logo? Naturally, there are a dozen quick answers from a mixed bag of consultants, advisers, design firms and ad agencies. Ultimately the guy that started the dialogue posts: Thanks everyone, I have decided to let my web designer do it. (Ha. The answer was there all along – like Dorothy and those ruby slippers.)

3.    A new design shop in town is anxious to generate content for its website BLOG. The owner of the start-up invites copywriters, strategists and creative marketing people to contribute to this effort. In fact she has been so successful that it is almost impossible to keep up with the rolling posts. A typical BLOG is 250-300 words. The website is quickly becoming a mind-numbing source of stuff. How to write a better resume. 10 things you should do before you buy you next car. 7 most common mistakes people make when planning a vacation. (It’s kind of like that junk drawer in your kitchen that drives you nuts when all you are looking for is the take-out menu from your favorite local Chinese Restaurant.)   

Before I close this article I just have a few questions. Are we more or less connected now that these fragmented social engagements allow us to reach out and/or recoil? Are we really connecting or are we becoming more fragmented? Are we adding content or clutter? OMG. LOL.  

     

The Servant Leader

A Conversation with a CEO

July 3, 2012

You can’t help but be impressed by a CEO who is comfortable in his role as leader. Today I had the opportunity to meet with such an individual. He was invited as a guest of a small group of consultants of which I was one. The purpose of the meeting was to get a better sense of what leaders are struggling with in our current business environment and understand more fully what kinds of challenges they might be encountering. Of course, I’m listening for opportunity. I am an expert in marketing and communications with an emphasis on techniques for sustainable efforts. I am listening for problems that might be effectively addressed with improved messages, mission and shared values. My colleagues are listening for issues that might be related to personnel alignment, organizational process, effective selling or culture.

We asked the CEO what he thought a leader needed to accomplish to be successful. The question was a little awkward and maybe even a little open-ended but our CEO wasn’t perplexed, confused or bewildered in the least. He spoke in measured tone with confidence and self assuredness. He was not pompous or arrogant. In fact, he was quite humble in his manner. There was, however, absolutely no doubt that he was a man who had studied and pondered the qualities and dynamics of leadership.

His answer was concise and to the point but at the same time comprehensive. I may not do if complete justice here but in essence this is what he said:

A leader does three things.

1.       Direction – “He or she must first provide direction. That direction needs to be clear and well defined. It must be accessible to everyone in an organization and easily translated to each and every functional responsibility. If a leader does this well, people can feel a sense of accomplishment each and every day knowing that they are making a meaningful contribution to the company.” Our CEO described a process of annual strategic planning along with meaningful metrics to help the company board, senior management team and everyone else measure progress.

2.       Resources – “Once direction is set, the leader needs to make sure the appropriate resources are available to accomplish goals and achieve milestones that are outlined in strategic plan documents.”  The CEO said that the clarity in direction helps determine what skills are necessary and allows a frame of reference for personnel assessments. He said it was important to get the right people in place and provide the right tools.

3.       Break down barriers – Finally the CEO said that a leader needs to: “Be there to break down barriers.” I noted that he was not afraid to be hands-on in this area. He went on to describe the role a leader plays in creating a culture of transparency and trust. He stressed the importance of communication between departments, integrity in dealing with customers and teamwork overall. “We have great people” he added “That makes my job easy.” 

I could not help noticing that this CEO who cited The Servant Leader among those business books he’d read was the right man for the job. His company was lucky to have him at the helm.  

What is your budget?

The plan document is important and should have broad readership. The budget, on the other hand, is best managed with a smaller circulation. Budgets for marketing and communications activity can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Many companies simply do the best they can with a ballpark that has been established within in the past two-three years. Consumer products marketers often battle for a reasonable “share of voice” and budget based on best estimates of competitive spending. New products often try to obtain targeted rating points. When all is said and done, the budget should be a companion document to the marketing and communications plan. It should be realistic and fair. The budget also needs to be evaluated quarterly as the year unfolds. My experience has been within a relevant range of a wide variety of budget scenarios. Examples: I was account director at D’Arcy when they rolled out a campaign on behalf of Caller ID in the Pacific Bell territory that totaled $17 Million. Working with Crossland Construction in 2011-2012, I noted a budget for marketing and communications which was decidedly more modest. (Less than one million dollars for a company with annual revenues of $500,000,000. Needless to say, the budget did not match the ambition of that organization’s marketing communication goals.)

Your chief marketing officer (If you have such an animal in your organization) should be able to make a persuasive argument for a budget consistent with your strategic plan. More often then not, however, it is an operational decision. Don't sell yourself short. Make a budget. Build a plan. Use marketing tools to increase your chances of success.

Leadership and Ice Cream

Let’s face it, the first person in line at the ice cream truck may or may not have influenced the kids behind him (or her). What caused the crowd to gather? Was it the magic of the bell on the ice cream truck that created the Pavlovian response?  Are you a leader or just the first one down the path of least resistance? Like the kids chasing the ice cream truck, many of us are influenced by behavior around us. We like to be among the first see a blockbuster movie. We pay my taxes late. We shop the day after Thanksgiving.

The writer Malcolm Gladwell, author of best-selling books like The Tipping Point has done much to popularize the idea that marketing success might be more effectively triggered if we can understand how epidemics happen. In effect, if we can find the most efficient way to influence a kind of viral chain-reaction we might be able to unlock the key to marketing a hit product or creating a unique idea. (Malcolm Gladwell was recently named one of the 10 next thought leaders in the country by Newsweek.)

The transparency of social media tools like facebook and twitter seem to offer easy access to inexpensively influence thousands of “followers.” Can social media tactics lead consumers down a path that leads them to an informed choice?

Should we really believe everything we read? Consumers of media now have a greater challenge and responsibility than ever before. The volume of information has increased exponentially but the guarantee of accuracy, quality and authority can always be called into question. Unfortunately the market for such hearsay news is significant. Ultimately, good judgment and wisdom need to prevail. Consider the words of Rudyard Kipling in his poem IF written in1895:

IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

Be your authentic self and don’t believe everything you read. Stop and think before you follow the crowd. Be true to yourself and the crowd will follow.

I'm my own best friend.

My wife is an awesome baker. (She is an awesome person too, but that is another topic.) What she does with baked goods is magic. She is an artist. Scones, Muffins, Lemon Squares, Cookies for any occasion – you name it. The skill, as near as I can tell, requires a delicate balance of following recipes and knowing when to add a pinch of this or a touch of that. It is part art and part science. Every detail gets tender loving care. I often hear her quietly having what sounds like a conversation in the kitchen. She might be on the phone, but frequently she’s just talking her way through another culinary creation.

“Bing, who are you talking to?” I might ask.

“Oh, I’m just talking to myself. I’m my own best friend, you know.”

It’s kind of a routine banter we have but it never gets old. We are both amused in that moment and generally move on with whatever we are doing in separate rooms. Pretty soon the smell of fresh baked product is filling the air. How great is that?

My wife is on to something I think. Whatever you do and whatever you set your mind to, it pays to be your own best friend. If you follow that simple rule, soon you might just fill the room with something fresh that will make those around you smile.

I love you Bing. 

Get Some Help

Interior Design and Marketing

I met an interior designer this morning. Angie was clearly passionate about what she does. “I’ve been doing this for a long time. People are surprised how quickly I can offer ideas that will improve the design of a room or space. Sometimes it’s as simple as moving furniture, or layering elements, window treatments or unique features on wall sections. When I work with someone, it is all about them and what they want. It isn’t about creating a designer showcase. The spaces I enjoy doing the most, incorporate the personality and goals of my clients. If there is no collaboration, the design will ultimately be impersonal.” She went on to say that the greatest thrill for her is the feeling she gets when she has a satisfied customer. 

As she was talking I couldn’t help thinking about how important it is to find people like that when you are designing your marketing efforts too. You need help but you must also be willing to collaborate to get the kind of results you seek. Your business is your house and your castle…but it has to be comfortable, inviting and functional. A qualified interior designer can suggest color palates, fabrics and techniques that can make a world of difference. A marketing expert can help you understand message strategy, media and ways to differentiate your business from your competition.

You spend all kinds of time and money building your business. Doesn’t it make sense to seek professional advice when it comes to marketing? As a member of the American Marketing Association for more than 15 years I’ve met so many talented people working for companies, or as consultants or as managers of marketing communications firms. It can be a challenge finding the right fit for your needs. However, you might be surprised how much value you can gain by consulting with a professional. Don’t be afraid to suggest a budget parameter you hope to live within. Most professionals understand how to work within constraints. 

The give and take in collaboration is finding a balance. You want an optimal use of resources to accomplish your goals. Get some help.