She's Baaaaaaaaaaack

God it feels good to be back blogging. Did you miss me? Nah, only joking. I'm not that needy. Actually, I stopped blogging so I could write "The Essentials of Fabulous: A Primer", a must-read book for anyone who wants to standout and be memorable in a very virtual world. Publishing date: To be announced and announce it I shall.

A year later, I can say with full confidence: Nothing's changed. Everyone is still staring at the little screen in their hands. We're still slurring our names everytime we leave a message. We're still blathering when we leave a voicemail message. Newsflash: No one listens to the very end of any message. We look at the name and the number and when we reach you, we force you to repeat everything you've said.

Leadership is M.I.A. Either the bosses are terrified of their employees or they don't have the people skills that are critically important to running a successful company. Over and over, people tell me hair-raising stories about bosses who berate and criticize but can't muster up a compliment now and then. Poo on those bosses.

Unemployment is sky high yet there are still jobs to be had but only for the very well-connected or people who have access to personal stationery and who are unafraid of doing the drudge work of writing letters and asking for a meeting.

A while back, a potential client came in for a complimentary half hour. The guy told me his story -- lots of resumes sent out and no responses -- and I listened and took note of his demeanor and presentation skills. Let me reiterate: it was a complimentary half hour or maybe it was a full hour (I'm admittedly sloppy about the time especially if the story is somewhat interesting). Anyway, here's the point: The time we spent together was FREE yet the man never sent me a thank you note to acknowledge the gift of my time.

There it was -- the answer to the man's poignant question "how come I'm not getting hired?" He wasn't doing the maximum which is what it takes to make it today.

Then there was a client who kept missing appointments but when she did show up, she complained that business was off. Lightbulb! Maybe her clients got sick and tired of waiting for her and decided to work with someone who respected their time. I wish I could say I helped her but I couldn't. She didn't want to change her m.o. We parted ways and I wish her well.

That's why I felt I needed to write "The Essentials of Fabulous: A Primer" (I'm just practicing for when I do a tv spot...you've got to repeat the title of the book at least three times). It's a how-to for anyone who doesn't get it (Chapter Eight), who doesn't quite grasp the importance of a polished presentation. It matters. More than ever.