BUSINESS COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY

Three times in three days I experienced and heard how relying on technology has caused missed appoints and disruption in communication. Upon experiencing this, it has made me even more committed to keep training and speaking on how to improve business communications.

I just returned from an extended absence in my community. The road trip home helped me decide how I want to design my life and with whom I want to spend time.

My two main criterion:

1. Person is positive.
2. Person is engaged in life.

The first coffee appointment was set up. I arrived a bit early, as I normally do, full of enthusiasm and looking forward to an interesting exchange about our careers.

Time went by and my normal 15 minutes of waiting time was up---I was out of there. Went home and send an email. Missed you. Reply came back “I’m so sorry. My Blackberry did not back up correctly with my computer and our coffee date didn’t show up on my calendar. How can I make it up to you?”

The second coffee date (by the way it was the next day) and I arrived a bit early. Fifteen minutes went by and he didn’t show up. Went home, sent an email “Missed you.” Reply, “So sorry we made that appointment through Facebook and I didn’t put it into my calendar”.

The third coffee date, the CEO related how a staff member had sent him a note through Facebook about how he was going to miss the meeting that was scheduled. CEO hadn’t gotten the message and staff member was ticked because CEO hadn’t read his Facebook.

Once I stepped back and thought about these three incidents, it made me think about how technology is affecting our time and relationships. In all three cases, it was the very devices that are supposed to help expand our ability to communicate broke down human interaction.

My final reaction……Going to keep making coffee dates, but going to use the telephone to confirm in person that the meeting is actually going to take place.

HONESTY MAKES DOING BUSINESS EASIER

While working on a recent project, my role was to get the lay of the land and make recommendations to enhance a major project. Every networking skill I ever learned has been utilized.

I was plopped down in a community that I had only visited. Now I was integral part of a project that has major impact on the economy of the community. Questions needed to be asked, the answers collected and combined to make congruent recommendations.

Guiding principles that have been reinforced working on the project.

Ask questions and listen closely to the answer.
Not everyone will like you.
Not everyone will agree with you.
Honesty remains the guiding force.

No matter how difficult it may be to reveal information you have discovered, it is right that you do. It is only through trust that great things can be accomplished.

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION TIP:

Make sure you have scheduled time in for yourself each day. Burn out results in errors.

ATTENDED TAPING OF THE ELLEN SHOW

Now that I am living in Palm Springs working on the Palm Springs West Fest http://www.palmspringswestfest.com, I am in within easy driving range of a number of interesting destinations. Since it was August and the new Ellen season was approaching, I went to her website http://www.ellendegeneres.com to see if there were any tickets available. My friend, Kim, who I wanted to take with me, has Tuesday and Thursday off so I aimed for one of those two days of the week.

October 7th and 8th were available, so I choose the 7th. I used my Washington address feeling that might give me a leg up on tickets. Two days later, I got a call from her office asking if I would be able to go on the 8th instead for we would be guaranteed tickets instead of being on the Stand-by list. No problem.

Two weeks before the date, the letter arrived. Interesting, it said to wear “nice casual”, no Ellen logos, or logos of any kind and no matching shirts and no flip-flops. Anyone who has seen Ellen have people in some of the games knows why.

We arrived at the assigned time 1:30 p.m. and were given a number. We were 20 and d 21 and as we suspected it meant the order you entered the studio. After sitting in a non-descriptive holding area for 2 hours --- they showed the Ellen show that was on TV that day. We learned the staff was watching us like a hawk and chose 15 people to go a trailer. These 15 people were the ones that were being considered to play the game.

We were ushered into the Riff Raff Room—quite the impressive place, that also houses the Ellen Store that was stocked with things to support Breast Cancer. We were there for about 15 minutes and then Kim and I were ushered in – front and center five rows back.

The set is exactly as you see on TV – really beautiful and no fake walks. Tony was the first one to come out AND he looks exactly like he does when we see him on TV. A crew member was excellent at presenting the rules and explaining what was going to happen. He led us all into lively dance routines. We were pepped up to welcome Ellen.

She came out and much to our great joy, not only did Ellen look as we expected, her personality radiated throughout the room. She took the microphone and talked directly to the audience after the taping was done.

Reflections

If anyone thinks a talk show host job is easy, think again. We watched Ellen change topics with each guest. She was phenomenal with a nine-year old who is sure to be a singing sensation for years to come.

During commercial breaks, she talked with the guests until a staff member urged her to move on. Then it was on to directions for the next segment. She was constantly on for the entire hour, and all the while, her famous smile was there. We also commented on how nice her staff was to everyone. Not the slightest hint of frustration and always smiles. Terrific customer service.

At the end of the show, we were told we could pick up our gifts: A CD from Joe Perry of Arrowsmith, IHome earphones/speaker for our computer, an accessory kit for the new Netbooks, and a new game “Bop” that taking the country by storm.

We went out the backdoor and hopped the cart to the Warner Brothers' gift shop and coffee shop. A word of warning when you go to tapings, be sure to take a sweater, it is freezing in there. Coffee warmed us up and then we marveled at seeing so much “stuff” related to TV shows that we were familiar with over the years.

The cart was waiting for us to take back to the entrance…the guide was terrific and drove us by many studio stages…one that sticks out is where the Mentalist is filmed. Alas, they were out on location for a shoot.

On the two hour drive home back to Palm Springs, Kim and I finally had time to talk about the day. The best way to sum it up is “There were no disappointments. It was day of relaxing, and learning how television tapings are done.”

PS We watched the show the next day on television. The only glimpse of us was the back of our heads at the beginning of the show—stardom obviously was not to be this time.

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION TIP:

Networking means you are ALWAYS on your best behavior. You never know when the person you just met will become a big help in our profession or an opportunity to develop a new friendship.

EXECUTIVE COACH, SPEAKER AND AUTHOR PRESENTS AT HEALTH COMMUNICATORS OF OREGON CONFERENCE

Friday the brilliant sun came out in the Northwest. I was pleased for I needed to make the journey to Woodburn, Oregon to present at the Health Communicators of Oregon Conference.
http://www.hcoregon.org

I got there early and was warmly welcome by committee members. The energy in the room was high and people were intent on collecting the information being presented so that they could take it back to their respective organizations.

Ken Cole, Director of Public Relations for the Southwest Washington Medical Center had asked me to meet with me before the conference. We brainstormed some ideas and then today was the day for me to bring those ideas together for a one-hour presentation.

My presentation was entitled "It's All About Communication." I reminded participants that that there are three things necessary for communication: Help people feel important, ask questions and listen to the answers.

It was a good day. As I drove home, I thought, again, how fortunate I am to have a career that I totally enjoy.

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION TIP:

Often one sends handouts ahead of time to an organization so they print/and pay for your copies. When you travel to a destination, be sure you take a clean copy just in case there has been a mix up and your handouts are not on site. That way you can run out to the nearest copy place and no one will be the wiser.