It will go down in our family's text messaging history. When a simple "O.K." on a missive required hunkering down with The Lord High Executioner over the real meaning behind the scion's response.
Was there something deep and meaningful in A.'s decision this week to respond to an impassioned email with capital letters? Just a few weeks ago, A. had written "o.k." as the solo response. Now he'd written "O.K." Hmmm. Was lower case a stony shrug and upper case a celebratory high five?
It wasn't the first time that a single word response has forced me to consider the writer's feelings behind the message. And you know what, I hate it. I hate cryptic responses because it opens the door to confusion. I have a colleague who writes "Sure" a lot and I still stare at that word trying to figure out the tone -- is she writing with a sneer or a smile?
If you're going to write emails, I suggest you first look in the mirror and see how terrific and approachable you look when you smile. Now when you're in that upbeat frame of mind, start writing. My bet is that your likeability rating is going to go up (and my therapy bills are going to go down).
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Tuesday Night at the Tribeca Rooftop
It's almost like a psychological epidemic: The Great Recession is the greatest buzzkill of our generation. We're supposed to lay low, stop eating foie gras and absolutely, positively do not attend charity events that have the word gala in the invitation. So the savvy women of the Business Council for Peace did what all savvy women out to do: They listened to themselves. And threw a humdinger of a fundraiser. Because nothing, not even the Great Recession is going to stop the fine work they're doing on behalf of the entrepreneurial women of Afghanistan and Rwanda.
If you haven't been to the Tribeca Rooftop in New York City, you should beg, borrow or steal an invitation because it's utterly fabulous. The view from the rooftop is heart-stopping and it gave the party the right kind of off-hand elegance that defined the night. Rather than the ho-hum tables of eight and ten, Bpeace went with a grazing format so that you could eat the most delicious hors d'oeuvres all night long. Everything clicked especially the DJ Rolando who kept making deft segues from rock to punk to Motown. The evening's highlight: Five especially curvaceous dancers from Bollywood Funk NYC funking it up to "Jai Ho!" with the crowd mobbing the dance floor to reenact that final (mood-elevating) scene from this year's Oscar winner "Slumdog Millionaire." Yes indeedy, suffering was forced to go on a temporary hiatus.
Despite a torpedoed economy, Bpeace's volunteers outdid themselves and raised nearly $95,000 which will continue the new business development programs that have launched
at least 40 different businesses since the group formed in 2002.
If you haven't been to the Tribeca Rooftop in New York City, you should beg, borrow or steal an invitation because it's utterly fabulous. The view from the rooftop is heart-stopping and it gave the party the right kind of off-hand elegance that defined the night. Rather than the ho-hum tables of eight and ten, Bpeace went with a grazing format so that you could eat the most delicious hors d'oeuvres all night long. Everything clicked especially the DJ Rolando who kept making deft segues from rock to punk to Motown. The evening's highlight: Five especially curvaceous dancers from Bollywood Funk NYC funking it up to "Jai Ho!" with the crowd mobbing the dance floor to reenact that final (mood-elevating) scene from this year's Oscar winner "Slumdog Millionaire." Yes indeedy, suffering was forced to go on a temporary hiatus.
Despite a torpedoed economy, Bpeace's volunteers outdid themselves and raised nearly $95,000 which will continue the new business development programs that have launched
at least 40 different businesses since the group formed in 2002.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Wine (or lack of)
I should probably blame the wine.
I didn't have any.
That's a problem these days especially when you're elbow-to-elbow with the rude and clueless. No one should endure insufferable behavior without some sort of anesthetic.
Imagine this: You're at a black tie affair on a Saturday night. The hosts have spent oodles of money to entertain you with food and music, charming decor and plenty of vino. After the hors d'oeuvres you head to your table to take your seat and then hopefully, if you're a very good guest, you're on the dance floor to whirl and twirl and shimmy and shake. In-between dances, you eat and circulate, introducing yourself to strangers, smiling warmly at everyone in the room for you're all here to celebrate a happy occasion. That's what great guests do: They hold up their part of the bargain they've made to the host and hostess. They will be as gracious and hospitable as the hosts to make the evening memorable.
Nice thought. Too bad it went like this:
After the hors d'oeuvre hour, the guests head to their table and take a seat. Blackberries and Iphones are removed from the handbags and pockets and placed to the left or the right of the dinner plate. They immediate alight, announcing text messages and incoming calls. The guests answer the phones, heads bowed, feverish concentration on their furrowed brows. Damn, it's loud, they whisper to one another, a bit peeved by the noise. The choice is stark: Talk and dance and engage in some chitchat with your table mates or communicate virtually with someone across town who's checking in to see how the party is going.
Virtual wins.
No wonder we're miserable.
Actually, no wonder they're miserable.
I didn't have any.
That's a problem these days especially when you're elbow-to-elbow with the rude and clueless. No one should endure insufferable behavior without some sort of anesthetic.
Imagine this: You're at a black tie affair on a Saturday night. The hosts have spent oodles of money to entertain you with food and music, charming decor and plenty of vino. After the hors d'oeuvres you head to your table to take your seat and then hopefully, if you're a very good guest, you're on the dance floor to whirl and twirl and shimmy and shake. In-between dances, you eat and circulate, introducing yourself to strangers, smiling warmly at everyone in the room for you're all here to celebrate a happy occasion. That's what great guests do: They hold up their part of the bargain they've made to the host and hostess. They will be as gracious and hospitable as the hosts to make the evening memorable.
Nice thought. Too bad it went like this:
After the hors d'oeuvre hour, the guests head to their table and take a seat. Blackberries and Iphones are removed from the handbags and pockets and placed to the left or the right of the dinner plate. They immediate alight, announcing text messages and incoming calls. The guests answer the phones, heads bowed, feverish concentration on their furrowed brows. Damn, it's loud, they whisper to one another, a bit peeved by the noise. The choice is stark: Talk and dance and engage in some chitchat with your table mates or communicate virtually with someone across town who's checking in to see how the party is going.
Virtual wins.
No wonder we're miserable.
Actually, no wonder they're miserable.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Don't Just Sit There....
Do Something!
That's my rallying cry for today.
And I don't mean "cry" as in whine, baby. I mean my call to arms.
Listen to this: Reporter James Surowiecki wrote a piece in last week's New Yorker magazine called "Hanging Tough." In the late nineteen-twenties, two companies -- Kellogg and Post -- dominated the relatively new market for ready-to-eat cereal. When the Depression hit, Post did what a lot of companies are doing today -- reined in expenses and cut back on advertising. Kellogg did the opposite: Increased advertising, new products, aggressive marketing. By 1933, even as the economy went on life-support, Kellogg's profits increased by nearly thirty percent and it had become the industry's dominant force. As it is today.
Morale of story: Every business has two options right now -- take a "wait and see" (Honey Bunches of Oats) or "full throttle" (Frosted Flakes). Simple as that.
Right now I am seeing lots of opportunities to get in front of influential decision-makers. The reason: Nobody knows anything. We're all trying to figure it out on a day by day basis and so when an expert comes a-calling with a clear and lucid message, we're all ears. And when everyone is hunkering down in their batcave, there's something compelling about meeting with someone who's optimistic. Resourceful. And nice (don't forget to send a thank you note.)
Uncertain times are scary yes but they can also create opportunities. Take a risk. Upgrade your website. Schedule some lunches and pick up the check. Polish your narrative so you come across as focused, energized and supremely competent. Do something big, grand, exciting and different.
Think Froot Loops (Kellogg). Not Pebbles (Post).
That's my rallying cry for today.
And I don't mean "cry" as in whine, baby. I mean my call to arms.
Listen to this: Reporter James Surowiecki wrote a piece in last week's New Yorker magazine called "Hanging Tough." In the late nineteen-twenties, two companies -- Kellogg and Post -- dominated the relatively new market for ready-to-eat cereal. When the Depression hit, Post did what a lot of companies are doing today -- reined in expenses and cut back on advertising. Kellogg did the opposite: Increased advertising, new products, aggressive marketing. By 1933, even as the economy went on life-support, Kellogg's profits increased by nearly thirty percent and it had become the industry's dominant force. As it is today.
Morale of story: Every business has two options right now -- take a "wait and see" (Honey Bunches of Oats) or "full throttle" (Frosted Flakes). Simple as that.
Right now I am seeing lots of opportunities to get in front of influential decision-makers. The reason: Nobody knows anything. We're all trying to figure it out on a day by day basis and so when an expert comes a-calling with a clear and lucid message, we're all ears. And when everyone is hunkering down in their batcave, there's something compelling about meeting with someone who's optimistic. Resourceful. And nice (don't forget to send a thank you note.)
Uncertain times are scary yes but they can also create opportunities. Take a risk. Upgrade your website. Schedule some lunches and pick up the check. Polish your narrative so you come across as focused, energized and supremely competent. Do something big, grand, exciting and different.
Think Froot Loops (Kellogg). Not Pebbles (Post).
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