Category: Thought Leadership

Business, Health care, Thought Leadership

Boost to best practices was time well invested for Week Two of COVID-19 “in place”

by gshorkeyblt2Leave a Comment on Boost to best practices was time well invested for Week Two of COVID-19 “in place”
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Brother Mike was originally going to be at home on two-week rotation – now kitchen is his office.

The premise of “picking against homeys” question on my landing page, with a Final Four date in April for CDTalent Enterprises to write 1,200 word Leadership Thought blogs for two readers, has been extended. If you still want to leave a comment, feel free.

As a mostly remote worker, and someone who does a number of physical, outdoor activities solo, this world-event virus hasn’t changed that level of lifestyle, nor my operational effectiveness on a contract basis. Personally and professionally, there are still any number of effective projects to go forward with. Case in point:

During Week Two of “staying in place,” I edited a 73,000 word previously self-published book onto the wattpad application over six days, and adding pictures! I pushed my favorite project, CARDS & CONSEQUENCES: Return of Marlena the Magnificent into a much better orbit.

What would jumping awareness of your corporate being 500% mean for your “operation?”

Work at home, THAT’S legit “Deal with it” bone

Saying it didn’t affect my active lifestyle or professional effectiveness, which has been primarily an electronic vs. site specific operation for several years, there’s still no doubt that COVID-19 is the overriding topic of the times. (Mulvaney who? but yes, deal with it.)

While often quoting Stephen Covey (7 Habits of Highly Effective People) about how much energy we spend on worrying about things we have no control over, I’m believing that doing what you can, worrying can’t be 24/7.

I’ve done the plan on wash, wipe down, minimal contact-no crowd events, have food in the house, gas is like a buck-eighty, but the whole country is about to be in semi-deep freeze. Speaking for myself, I’m informed and still worried. That stock market screaming in the background, I don’t have a dog in that reallllly serious fight to worry about.

Please, I have toilet paper, but those front line medical people need protective gear. Things do not work out well if there’s less personnel.

I’m generally considered very fit, a Boomer who decided to keep on right side of Nature with eating and exercise. Might not get to show that off at 45th reunion, scheduled for October, but it also means being in upper age group most effected by virus.

I’ve relied on ACA for two major events – bicycling accident, knee replacement – and am beyond satisfied with the health care I’ve received. Part Two, yes, I’m worried about whether this bringing down the curve will help as much as necessary.

Doesn’t it sound like any kind of success when all sports leagues, the NCAAs, NASCAR, (eventually) the Olympics, *CHURCHES* in Charlotte, the buckle on the Bible Belt, two of the most populous states, have said “stay put,” and have the political will to do what’s best ASAP?

How many people KNOW Cuomo is doing a helluva job, or that Trump won’t allow that Dr. Fauci to say he was wrong too many times, even when Trump spreads mis-information in the most dangerous ways. World pictures show famous places with nobody in sight – so we’re maybe doing something right?

Yeah, I know, and then there’s Spring Break. That the Spanish Flu was primarily spread by all the soldiers coming back from WWI is a fact, and another is that a LOT less concern for social distancing on the beaches by millions of relatively young, is going to be equally dramatic in terms of the communities they return to.

First shot at tracking

One company tracked the location of cell phones in use from ONE beach during that period, and how those blips redistributed across most of the East was enlightening. Somewhere along the lines, you’re always taking a chance. Early scourges for my generation were herpes and AIDS, and certain behaviors mattered. Right now, almost nothing does. Not apocalyptic, but LOTS to think about, right?

Will that invalidate the safety factor I tried for by staying close to home for over three weeks, or how much longer beyond 6-8 weeks? Puts a dent in the idea for sure. A certain poll shows 81% to 8% NO WAY people go back to work “just because.”

Back to the idea of The ONE Thing

Recognizing that I accomplished the rejuvenation of a major project, elevating ‘Cards’ from bargain bin status to a platform with a terrific array of potential outlets – links with publishers, movies! – is still only two-thirds of an actual achievement. Admitting the look and feel of the online product surpasses even having first 60 copies in hand a while ago, is easy though.

Its also important to me, because the days after I put everything right on that site as a “creative,” the What’s Next? marketing persona took over. A number of options have been uncovered, one of which requires having a second 50,000 word book completed on the site. Long-form informational blogging and time on creative all put Writing back in prime slots of my schedule.

Which is an essential part of ONE Things – While you do an array of tasks in pursuit of the overall plan, your effort is on the result, not just movement. Putting minimal spin on the idea of “in place,” sending request for proposals information is part of the remote worker process, and time on task (creative) moves the overall project as well.

I don’t actually need to get out of the house for food, and I just picked up another video interview. Cap’n America slugging it out with Iron Man, “I can do this all day”? Might have to.

There’s been an immediate, dramatic change in these United States. We’re going to find out about having flattened any curves pretty soon, and no, not everyone is going to make it safely to “the end of this.” Realistically, the Spanish Flu was even more deadly when it came back around the winter of 1918-19.

But, just in case you haven’t got anything great to read socked away, come on back here, or check out that link. For now, my ONE Thing can be good for both of us.

   
Glenn Shorkey – Creative eDitorial Talent Enterprises 
(704)502-9947
Health care, POV - Content Creation, Thought Leadership

Agape -The taking care of those we love, Mom still loves pretty flowers

by gshorkeyblt2Leave a Comment on Agape -The taking care of those we love, Mom still loves pretty flowers

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Mom isn’t a Leap Baby, she’s a March 1-ster, but we called her 86th on Sunday “birthday,” and celebrated in common with Steve’s (62!!) at dinner the week before.

Having often opined that other three bros can fight for the wood-working title, handling the creative aspect of flower arrangements turned into some extra Mom joy getting spread around.

Mom’s favorite is daffodils, so that’s finally available for thoughtfulness, and there always has to be a rose.

Dad was great with flowers, and Mom still knows she likes them, so its a little agape, a Greek word I learned from a commercial, about being of service,”the highest form of love, charity.” 

Mom was a little weak with holding on today, commented about how far she’d walked, was half-stepping slower than usual, and that glass of wine probably contributed to being so tired mid-afternoon, but the flowers, ahhh, the flowers. 

Gotta give a shout out to the younger nurse at Carmel Hills who found a nice clean vase while I rummaged for a second one for Mom, and put a bucket worth on display at the nurses station. She was cool on knowing-telling anyone who wanted a pretty flower was welcome to it.

Personally, my Dad is thought of while taking care of his girl. Simple stuff still counts, like flowers anytime, as far as Mom’s concerned. Agape, you can look it up.

Mom’s been on assisted living side a year and a half now, and its good to know our elders are being treated right. Elder care will continue to be part of any national picture, including us Boomers, OK? but the day to day living, that isn’t political. Mothers birthdays, being the good son with flowers, that stuff is still personally important.

At church and having a donut with people afterwards, the promise of spring in Carolina blue sky, sunshine, and faked out trees already bloomed, she’s a happy camper.

We didn’t shake most hands or have the chalice available this week, that seems a reasonable precaution healthcare-wise, a word to the wise. We’ll see how often is seems reasonable to put Mom in what has become a very popular time (10:45) and crowded situation. She is the most vulnerable, apparently not the ton of kids she watches while having a juice-donut.

Our groups annual Fish Fry (#33?) is still on for the 13th. We usually serve over 600, we’ll see how things work out.

I might be doing a lot more take-out serving, the success of our late-January pierogi dinner in that area was an indication of how  people feel about supporting our popular community events. Our Men’s Club has an excellent reputation for food and friendship, and yes, a full cafeteria of people, often with a line waiting for seating, is something to consider at this point in healthcare.

I’m already a part of the remote work force, and deaths or not, there simply isn’t going to be a lock down of 100 million Americans.  Strap it on America, and lets not be stupid or outrageously afraid of this.

We didn’t shake or use chalice in church, that seems reasonable.

“Locking down” 100 million ain’t happening, but wash your hands, use YOUR sanitizer, even if that doesn’t appear to be strong enough to matter.

And to-go service, I’m not kidding, that might be an option people really buy into. You won’t be able to hear the band at home though, and Don’t forget the clam chowder. 

 

#leadership thought, Community based pr, Thought Leadership

Scholarship essay writing – CIS event, vols put focus on “Better,” 500 words at a time

by gshorkeyblt2Leave a Comment on Scholarship essay writing – CIS event, vols put focus on “Better,” 500 words at a time

There were three important factors for my joy in participating in a Communities in Schools program Saturday morning, one of which has something to do with the view from Grandfather Mountain.

20190630_131300That I’m contacted for this is optimal “Social Capital” (time, effort, “being”), and to utilize my professional skills for a specific four-hour gig, working with already accepted HS students to write better essays as part of scholarship money applications, is right at the top of Satisfying.

I’m not a parent, but seeing my suggestions immediately and directly acted on, is affirming. That those changes *will* make a difference, that floats my boat.

The short time commitment shows both the respect CIS has for professional availability, and is a testament to how focused on the difference they recognize this time – essentially 1.5 hours online – can make.

The two dozen or so students who attended  the Access Granted Workshop at Philllip O. Berry – Academy of Technology, also learned about online sites that described available scholarships for another important aspect, “Where?” such money might be.

Essays often ask for response to ‘catastrophic’

The standard 500 word essays scholarship applicants are asked for usually focus on some catastrophic event in their lives, and what they did about it. The standard throughout my long writing career has been “a good hook” in your first paragraph, and that’s more important in essays than the click value that emphasizes titles and subheads for readability now.

One simple step to improve almost everyone’s letter writing is to break up huge blocks of print. Yes, reading train-of-thought style for 26 lines will always look daunting, and people who have to do it LOTS of times for their jobs might miss what’s in the sauce…

It’s just a good idea to start a new paragraph for visual relief, and its not a bad thing to even add an extra line. Knowing how ‘real world’ applications for company sites can be very unfriendly to submissions that are less than pro forma, be willing to go back through and edit.

The extra effort to go back and change 6-comma, run-on sentences into two real ones with periods, plus that comment you thought of after finishing, usually feels like a small reward.

New thought, new paragraph, even if its only a significant one liner.

“I intend to go to Howard or some other HBC (Historically Black Colleges), because several people I respect a lot have talked about what it meant to them.” -Kai.

Confidence in the communicating

Having discussed the last line of the business card I gave three kids, they were amused about https://cdtalententerprises.com/a-writer-whos-smarter-than-average-bear/  my “Smarter than the average Bear” Writer branding, a tone explained at the top of my Landing Page.  Matt Damon in “The Martian” is my high-end example of competence and knowledge into results, but I’m confident about being better than Yogi – the one-trick, picnic basket stealing cartoon Bear never considered upskilling like I have. 

The ‘catastrophic’ change for Kai was the mother he’d always lived with, taking a job in Maryland when he was twelve. He stayed in Charlotte with his Dad, who he’d seen frequently, but only stayed with periodically. The change in parental styles was a very different world, affecting him to the point where he got his first ever C’s before  finally figuring things out.

So how long did that take? “Like a whole semester!”

I told him about going from Catholic grade school to public school in 8th grade, also getting my first C’s ever. I sloughed off instead of excelling, because I was way ahead at that point. The challenge had been going against a peer group for better grades – get one wrong on a quiz, they had a better A.

In Kai’s case, he didn’t recognize the strength of having gotten BACK to all A’s so quickly. I was not the same student in that environment, but in his self-grading, he’d messed up. In describing how he put together a booklet for National Honor Society, he breezed past the fact 1) He did the app early, so it wouldn’t be hanging over him and 2) once he knew what they were looking for and how the process went, he began helping others put their stuff together.

Those he helped referred him to others, sometimes he gets paid for tutoring.

There HAS to be room in any essay for something like that.

Note to others: Just because you’re writing *about* yourself, doesn’t mean you need to include extraneous material that causes readers to think negatively. Keep any story simple, centered.

Something to help everyone

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This is the schizzle as an aid to all essay writers.

A Scoring Rubric for Scholarship Essay Questions was such a good, specific thing to have handed out, I don’t think there can be anything wrong with including it here.

There are four categories, based on point values (10,5,1,0).  The “quality” of the content is considered in terms of progressive excellence in structure and story-telling.

’10’ is for what would be considered an Exceptional answer, based on five criteria, such as having a strong central focus to the answer, with sentences clear and varied, using appropriate vocabulary, complete sentences, and minimal mechanical errors.

5 point “qualities” would include using appropriate details, with clear and correct sentence structure and revealing some “character,” again with few mechanical errors.

0 Points, not meeting expectations – Not answering the question, little development of the topic (short answers), the POV is confusing instead of recognizing the sense of “audience” they might be writing to, and punctuation, slang, text style, undeniably not proofread.

While consistently making myself available for events like this and some elementary school reading programs, it still feels great to impart long-term expertise so cleanly with a one-one focus.

A personal philosophy is to not try lifting all of society a gazillionth of an inch, but when kids put in extra time to improve their skills – and its the reason I love Hugh O’Brian Youth’s three-day leadership program – I’ll try passing along some best practices.

In Yogi’s words, “Hey hey, Boo-Boo, now you’re smarter than the average writer too!”

 Glenn Shorkey – Creative eDitorial Talent Enterprises 
Community based pr, Thought Leadership

“Smarter than…” a simple line easily remembered

by gshorkeyblt2Leave a Comment on “Smarter than…” a simple line easily remembered

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START posting meaningful articles, videos, podcasts, or blog posts. Put them on LinkedIn, your blog site, link to them from your FB and Twitter accounts, etc. Again, to qualify as meaningful, in this context, they need to display that you are a good person AND you have valuable professional knowledge and skills that will benefit others.

This message implies that your skills and knowledge will benefit potential employers. Some of your posts may tell stories from your work history where your past employer benefited greatly from your exploits. (Tom Sheppard – Playing Hard to Get, 11/07/19)

Periodically, with alllll the possibilities that doing even a little online surfing can provide, there is a “thank you” moment for tapping a YouTube environmental piece, learning exactly all you need to know about a specific something, maybe reading the rest of what wrapped around the essence of being a better blogger, according to Mr. Sheppard.

If its not ‘Good to Great’ (Collins) or ‘The ONE Thing’ (Gary Keller) management theory writ strong, Sheppard is around my mantra that pretty much everything that goes online or is presented in response to any gig is a small referendum on my abilities.

SEO content writing doesn’t have to be above eighth grade level, but whatever the purpose, my regular job is hitting the voice a potential client wants. Yes,  bloggers will tell historical stories that match well with situations where “fixing” similar pain resulted.  Readers want “meaningful.”

That is elemental marketing – I’ve got what you need. Just lookie here.

A simple line everyone remembers

The last line on my business card is “Smarter than the average bear” writer, and everyone I’ve given it to knows the basics – Yogi stole all the picnic baskets in JellyStone Park. The variety of situations I’ve adapted “writing” to is far less than Matt Damon’s creativeness with technology in ‘The Martian,’ but I’m confident about being ahead of the one-trick bear is the explanation I lock in.

Does everything I do have to glow with imperial splendor? Naaah, but it does represent me. I’ve just recently started working with video, and you can Google how to do anything, right? That’s another line everyone remembers, “You can Google that.” My youngest brother hits sixty this year, over the last three years, he’s relied on that in becoming a damn fine worker on BMWs. Just sayin’…

Capturing the simple makes a difference

In a couple weeks, the second time around with a Communities in Schools program, I’ll be helping high school seniors who have already been accepted to a college write better letters for scholarship money.  This is about passing on the idea of how capturing the simple makes a difference.

We all know people skim instead of read, right?

Readability counts. How shorter paragraphs break up large blocks of print, give the readers eyes a break, that’s easy to impart. “Use periods” is obviously useful to remember, and stopping the 6-comma, train-of-thought-OMG! run-on sentence is ALWAYS better writing.

Yes, one liners and subheads can be effective.

The Communities in Schools program where imparting some nuggets of editing and making things work better word-wise is a Keep It Straight, Simple moment for me. Getting tapped to help goes directly to my expertise, and its a four-hour session with these kids that includes hot breakfast during meet-and-greet. Last year, about two dozen showed up, and there were enough volunteers that we could double up. 

One scholarship my person (Rachel) picked as a possibility was LAWA (Latin Americans Working for Achievement) – and I knew I had the Executive Director’s business card on my desk. Watching my suggestions being immediately incorporated into her standard letter, hearing how this super-smart girl wanted to eventually lead a Doctors Without Borders unit, it was elementary to write a letter of recommendation for her.

That’s how simple things can be. Mr. Sheppard struck a chord for me. If the possibility of volunteering is what you got from this piece, that’s worth thinking about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Business, Political, Thought Leadership

Content Analytics – Site measurables, behavior, politics, environmental activism

by gshorkeyblt2Leave a Comment on Content Analytics – Site measurables, behavior, politics, environmental activism

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I’ll admit being a little late to the party about website analytics. How measuring what matters – traffic sources, interaction with content (ie. Clicks) signups, purchases, ROI, demographics (age), by channel (YouTube) searches, and the grail of TIME ON PAGE – and how customers use your site and what can be adjusted to increase impact are righteous nuggets.

The time-honored concept this follows is “You have to inspect what you expect,” and that includes surveys, checking yourself against other sites and traffic analysis, KEYWORDS,   website analytics, website terminology, tools, and RANKING.

If you’re not paying attention, or got wrapped up in the necessary creative efforts for business and doing RFPs without actually money-tizing your blogging, take credit for production, that always counts. 

GOP political events in D.C. showing a refusal to entertain actual facts aside, accepting those Google Analytics now is because you should know what you’re looking for in professional blog analytics. 

  • Predictive – Is using statistics and modeling to determine future performance based on current data. After Iowa unscrambles itself from an informational snafu, there will be extrapolating and predicting on the numbers au nauseum. Through Tuesday evening, the (62%) numbers looked like Mayor Pete slightly ahead of Sanders, Klobachar with 13% of the delegates.
  • Behavioral analytics – Geared toward providing insight into actions of humans. The Senate “trial” was brutally bad right off the rip. Activism has been re-engaged. 
  • Site Analytics – to make conclusions about information. What changes can- will move my rank onto Pg.3? What words are peers using in their being selected? 
  • Algorithms – Are a set of instructions for solving problems or accomplishing a task, like assembling the physical elements of ‘dinner for six mac n’ cheese’ recipes. Computer trading relies on algorithms to buy/sell at a pace humans couldn’t process. Users set the parameters and events go to resolution, with desired functional output, when securities meet specified “this AND this AND this…” criteria.

Engagement and what people do NEXT is the #1 measurable.

Reworking my site’s top fifty keywords, upping a click factor or checking what the using public thinks of my professional offerings is more productive in terms of time and effort than tuning in to DJT’s blather. Didn’t watch his or Bloomberg’s Super Bowl ads either.

While this was actually a short – only seven weeks – process from impeachment charge to today’s window on US process, with “four more years” political crowing during State of the Union event, it’s doubtful Trump will have any awareness of having dodged a well laid-out bullet of impeachable facts. Like fixing the environment, any next times will be tougher to deal with.

“Don’t confuse progress with results” is a reminder from my real estate days, and if you’ve signed on as “Blue No Matter Who,” then just keep working the process. Admitting to a measure of interest about “Mayor Pete’s” numbers in Iowa will only require – well,  they’ll be in New Hampshire, and Sanders just became the rhetorical 500 lb. gorilla, so we’ll see what Pete’s got for game.

Thanks for visual of how Iowa caucuses work, Katie

The analytics of how the Iowa caucuses worked was a journalistic gem done by MSNBC’s Katie Tur. She dove deep and enthusiastically with the people sitting courtside in candidate corral areas, showed candidate areas with on-screen balloons, explained ‘not viable’ (less than 15%) and moving to another group, a process that proved problematic in what was supposed to be a three-stage operation of moves. 

Knowing things didn’t work right, owning up to it and keeping the bright lights on the situation, how can there be anything less important, when data security is on everyone not named (insert GOP name) list re: upcoming electoral processes? Had a long time to make sure? Yep, yesterday’s news now. Today isn’t ‘Groundhog Day.’

NOTHING indicates this extended hoo-hah was due to hacking, just a newer, incredibly never stress-tested process. There was-is a paper trail, the results will be accurate, that’s the word from the guy at the mike, repeated again and again. This system was trying to improve over the caucus in 2016, when data from Bernie-Clinton split  49.6% to 49.4%. This time it went seven candidates deep.

Working it slower-right will mean looking hard at what clunked so badly. Fixing gaps and examining alternatives is what legitimately comes from post-event review, and like site reviews, the answers may not always be warm-fuzzies. Yeah, physical site-ing (cinder block basements) could’ve caused trouble, yeah the ‘Pubs will slap that “disorganized, just like…” thing around.

Whatever Dems might’ve put up with for three years, taking lumps your people brought on themselves definitely beats not having any, or just not regular, ‘circular firing squads’ thus far.

Duke Energy rate hike, environmental factor involved witnesses

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Using optical analytics between two events as something measurable and that matters, let’s consider the difference between “the fix is in, with full facial slaps for the Constitution” Senate white-wash, and a simpler, very American event many remember from earlier days – Civil protest against a monopoly regarding environmental badness and corporate economics. 

After going to an environmental meeting led by Sanders people on Sunday, Thursday involved going to a well-attended hearing about a proposed rate hike for Duke Energy and $8 billion in coal ash cleanup costs vs. THEM paying. There was more than a whiff of environmental activism in the air, and just like the first time around, lots of AMERICANS remember fighting for “better” and a fundamental right that might require even more effort this time, because the clock is ticking.  

Why is Sanders favored so heavily by first time voters? He’s got a long term streak of consistency about caring for the world they’re going to get handed. The analytics say they’re the biggest bulge in the snake now, but there were silver foxes aplenty at the Duke hearing, people swearing in about truth in testimony, about the public not getting tagged for previous bad management decisions by Duke being data to pay attention to. 

It seemed inevitable, when those Stoneman-Douglas kids amped a large chunk of America two years ago, to say the demographics of what’s likely a two-issue group – guns and the environment – which still hasn’t been seriously counted, may be announcing itself in Iowa. 

The Senate ‘trial’ chose not to pay attention to massive data about public support for witnesses – safe_image

79% of anything is a HUGE slice of plurality and common cause

in an impeachment trial. Both public knowledge and recognition of some particularly troubling FACTS should have gotten additional comment on. 

Duke rate protestors handled their public duty 

“Think global, act local” isn’t just about recycling, it IS the Bigger Picture

They did it three minutes at a time, as often as not with documentation, filling all the bench space in a room on the 5th floor of the County Courthouse, with cops at the downstairs entrances, a metal scanner, four or five TV vehicles, and directions to the correct room from those polite cops. 

People got there at 6:00 to sign in. I stayed until after 8:30, watching them make their thoughts 100% known in open court, hand on the Bible about the environment and that $8 billion in cleanup Duke Energy should be paying for, not regular people. 

The coal ash situation is big-time costly and un-legal, and people kept testifying after I left. That outside of Washington  we’re *talking* about genuinely BAD events, with a more desirable outcome, it made me feel things should STILL work a certain way in America. 

The audience waved strips of green paper, forty or fifty giving a good shake of approval for certain thoughts expressed  

There was a white-haired woman with a doctorate in Ecology, several had red armbands saying “Extinction Rebellion”; a long-haired and bearded (just a fact) deep-thinking guy had copies of a multi-page document. A gentleman spoke from a Presbyterian minister’s view, noting the taxes on the 100-year old family farm, and solar being an under-utilized asset by Duke Energy.

You had to pay attention to another gentleman, a past chair of the Sierra Club, who used Dicken’s “Best of times, worst of times” intro, and yes, especially to the one who stated straight up that the specific pipe breakage that caused the whole coal ash situation to lay waste along the Dan River when it failed, had been cited every couple years since 1988.

That, to put an extra fine point on it, is hard core “oppo-research” from people who care, and are willing to plant a flag about it. The behavior analysis looked like 100% against the rate increase, as the commissioners occupied the 10-12 seats in the middle of the area and listened.

“Think global, act local,” this is a situation to physically get involved with, especially when it’s a right here effective option. You can’t think one meeting with a five person panel of Sanders people and voting to ban plastic straws constitutes commitment. 130,000 tons of poisonous coal ash went into the Dan River-eastern North Carolina in 2014. 

Shining all possible light on this goes to the core of corporate environmental responsibility.

Community based pr, POV - Content Creation, Thought Leadership

Practical communication makes a point – for politics, pierogis, poker, and pooches

by gshorkeyblt2Leave a Comment on Practical communication makes a point – for politics, pierogis, poker, and pooches

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While his destroying three sleeping pads by tearing them apart and distributing the insides like this was uncool, getting into my salad bowl required direct messaging.

Perhaps I’m working the P’s a little hard, but historically its one of the things (along with Q’s) we’re supposed to pay attention to.

The point is, whether you’re a communications specialist, content creation writer, blogger, or pet owner, its legitimate to be aware of how any messages are coming through for the intended parties.

While his pushing a bowl around the kitchen like Snoopy, or positioning himself near the front door for immediate petting works for CharlieToo, the swat with a folded newspaper was a simple, hopefully received and understood message I sent yesterday.

Yes, that set off some loud “messaging” with my brother, but I didn’t need to hear about a beagle’s acute sense of smell (again). I’d left the room for thirty seconds to get a beverage, and returned to find several spinach leaves outside the bowl, left well away from the edge of the kitchen table. My message to both was I wasn’t allowing such behavior with my food, and if the bro needed to get discipline classes for his dog, I could still handle some baseline corrections right then.

Poker night and commitment

Having decided to restart Hold ’em poker nights with two subsets of friends, notices were sent to twenty guys about the timing, BYOB and chili situation, cost ($20 to start, re-buys, and chip-up), and directions embedded. All information, starting three weeks before the event, was sent by e-mail and followed up with by text several times.

Two days after the stated deadline for confirmation, there were only four “can’t make it” responses, which is when my ‘no-go’ decision was made.

One ‘yes’ indicated he’d pick up an outlier (who had bailed), one said (at pierogi dinner Friday) he’d come, but I’d already decided to wait and try again next month. One was upset he’d driven by the house – and left three phone messages – without knowing it was canceled, although he hadn’t confirmed when we worked two nights on the prep and pierogi dinner.

While statistically that’s *about* a 30% response, the reality is most similar events will die without a predetermined level of positive commitment. This was easy to track, doing so with blog results is what makes it a business.

Pierogi pickups, oompah! band, and networking

For the first two hours of our group’s second hugely successful pierogi dinner, I worked the take out table. Unfortunately, once I’d gotten through a first pan of those slathered in butter Polish delicacies filled with cheese and potato, and fried onions aplenty, there was a period when the product didn’t come regularly enough to diminish the line of customers.

Although I sent messages with group members who came by, only drips and drabs came though for about half an hour – and somehow it wasn’t a problem

The great part of communications came with the realization that the 15 people standing in line understood I’d done what I could. Every single one was happy when the pans started flowing regularly and they got hot, tasty containers of food – including sauerkraut, garlic bread, kielbasa – and some had never tried a pierogi before!

Did giving the last klochy cookie to one little girl, just before another tray appeared, work out righteously? Yep, it showed we cared, as did giving a piece of kielbasa to anyone who wanted to munch it waiting in line.

Doing my usual “schmoozing” around the tables a little later, it was great to learn that everyone appreciated the evening at all levels – not a single cross word, even though some had waited in a line around the cafeteria before getting served and seated.

When asked, “Did everyone get enough to eat?” smiles and “Great job, you guys!” and testimonials about how many of our (St. Gabriel Men’s Club) other community feedings they’d attended were gratifyingly glowing. Okay, “free beverages” and dancing to a lederhosen-garbed oompah band might have a little to do with that glow, but a $36 family price works wonders, too.

The best communication for me though? The very last couple I talked with went 20191214_200810exceptionally well. She was a physical therapist, so we discussed my two year old knee replacement, and her husband had done a little knocking around for two years before establishing himself as a management efficiency expert with restaurants. When I gave him my card, and explained some of what CDTalent Enterprises did writing-wise, he asked if I’d tried using a particular agency and recruiter, who had kept him busy during his knock around days.

THAT is the essence of networking, finding a commonality and helping each other with additional contacts. If you’re still worried about just talking to someone at a gathering, networking doesn’t have to be in a suit with your name plastered on a lapel.

POLITICS

For what its worth, Trump’s impeachment trial starts today, and IMHO, a *lot* more people will be dissatisfied with how that’s handled than how my lack of pierogies Friday night affected them. While I heard one of our guys pontificating that, “He’s going to be re-elected, you guys are wrong, case closed!” I’ve learned that its impossible to get a reasonable message through to some people, and walking away from situations is the best way to handle negative communications.

Unfortunately, the option of swatting them with a folded newspaper probably won’t get the intended message through.

Business, POV - Content Creation, Thought Leadership

AI or 1 million chimps on computers creativity aside, ‘Real Writers’ still the best option

by gshorkeyblt21 Comment on AI or 1 million chimps on computers creativity aside, ‘Real Writers’ still the best option
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Artificial intelligence and computers can do amazing things based on previous analysis, but can they imagine a perfect David without that?

After being fed a trillion-gazillion bytes of previous human blood, sweat, and tears involved in artwork or literature, Artificial Intelligence is becoming/has begun to be judged capable of original production.  Professionally speaking, that sounds more reasonable than a million (or 10 million?) chimpanzees on keyboards knocking out even a couple verses of Bill Shakespeare-worthy prose by accident.

At the current time, I’m a way better writing alternative

Without going deeply into whether its a good idea or not, the AI future has been coming almost 70 years,  and the chimps haven’t produced anything noteworthy.  Read on LinkedIn about AI knowing how to make hiring decisions though, that’s not a belief I get on board with.

Having a ‘presence’ – something that results in a tah dah! magic button for a potential user of my talents – HAS to be better, because its worked that way before. Sites still don’t recognize MSOffice includes Word, or journalism as somehow lacking ‘media and communications,’ or Writing as splintered possibilities – I note seven on my business card.

AI Hiring and SUITS

Could the Zen of Harvey Specter and Mike Ross coming together on the basis of – well, a busted drug deal – and Mike’s statistical memory out-dueling Harvey’s ego on trivia happen with AI? I think not.

Far above the vast area between accidental genius and synthesized, analytical material becoming heart-breaking romance, discovering the answer to someone’s pain about any number of factors is what INTERVIEWING is about, and where writers of all stripes wear the sales hat.

Sports writing v. content creation

Sports have their own voice, and quotes are usually the most compelling part. Of course there are the numbers, stats, win-loss conclusions, and opinions of moments in the result. If we have or haven’t seen the event, can you appreciate how a journalist presents it, accurately and colorfully?

That’s part of what interviewing does for ‘client voice.’ Putting them together, with the proliferation of websites and blogs that require on-going production, is what long-form informational blogging has become.  Although not as direct as words from a winning coach, corporate voice is THE voice.

From high school journalism on, the need to set the hook with readers in the first paragraph was considered paramount. Now its the click value of the headline, because people scan vs. read.

Relative to value, while Charlotte pays writing persons above the national rates (as reported by Indeed, Glassdoor, Payscale), the job title-category is usually a primary determinant.

Copy writers at $26.38/hr, content writers,  and writers generally are close to $50k (Payscale says $47k is 10% above national avg., Glassdoor pegs avg. @ $55k), while content creation, including editors and social media types, are only in the middle-upper teens per hour. Indeed puts these North Carolina rates at 15% below national averages.

Of course there are ranges.  ‘Freelancers’ is a relative term ($22.46/hr., Payscale), tutors average $23/hr. (I usually bill at $30) and technical writers lead the overall pack at $32/hour. While descriptions for all have terms in common (white papers, blogs, SEO), writers seem to involve more interfacing with other creatives. Content creation is often  list-cicles or amalgamated research and rehashing as a group effort, with the focus on Google positioning.

*Everyone* wants copy/blogs/thought leadership that ‘meets and exceeds customer expectations.’

Technical Writing

Thought Leadership style has become a strong part of long-form informational blogging via social media. Contrasting previous projects with a sketchy client description highlights the importance of interviewing.

According to a Thumbtack lead, the client had an ESL (English Second Language) situation, and to his credit, knew he needed additional expertise to make business proposals ‘read righter.’

In hearing the project was between 2,000-10,000 words represented an awful lot of territory to consider overall pricing. My blogs are often 1200-1800+ words, saying 10,000 was a lot, a concrete example of both parties understanding what a project entails. Whether this business plan was going to include enough budget for technical writing was also a consideration.

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Parts Management Process as Example

On the other hand, writing procedures for Parts Ordering and Returns was for ‘guys in the pits’ using industrial laundry equipment (driers, folders, belted delivery systems, timing), not front office people.

Two pages of specific information, straight up wording, with well-defined primary points, like how plucking a part off a machine and reading the number was actually the third best option when ordering.

That it also addressed the issue of returns, so extra junk didn’t clog up the back dock area, was gravy.

Interviews as sales calls

Because client-facing verbal understanding is at the core of all successful work interactions, my mantra is that to be most effective, Q&A is about determining those factors most important to clients. Good information makes for better decisions.

During several other career stages, interviews were more accurately sales calls. I provided the information aspect, and how other people reacted was a measurable outcome.  ‘Interviewing’ with the lawyer of someone whose property had a billboard I represented was another slice of interpretation – most would consider that negotiation though.

In scholastic fundraising, there was essentially 40 minutes to build rapport, present information and possibilities, (hopefully) get the green lights and signature that meant putting it on a calendar.  Most interviews focused on ‘fixing’ a sponsor’s group problem in tough economic times.

That (fix some pain) remains the central theme for all kind of ‘gigs’ now, and Writers should understand that every RFP (request for proposal) type of content we send should  be intended as a statement of what we bring to the table.

— #cdtalententerprises.com It’s a core belief.

Without denigrating foreign competition on the content front – getting ideas across in writing is not bound by location or time zones – language differences when I’m speaking to make a point with outsourced service operations are multiplied in complexity when clarifying a corporate voice or tone.

ESL clients require extra attention, and grammatically and professionally, some corporate material reads like its been put through a Google translator called ‘English’ that comes off as stilted in ‘American.’ That’s where AI has already made inroads.

Community based pr, Thought Leadership

Day 1 as Christmas tree volunteer, cheery family event, plenty of sales, Scouts were super

by gshorkeyblt21 Comment on Day 1 as Christmas tree volunteer, cheery family event, plenty of sales, Scouts were super

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Yanking a decently big one through the baler was earning your spurs. Its a dang poor job that can’t afford a supervisor, this one has two.

Post-Thanksgiving and upcoming-Christmas have a grand meeting the day after Turkey Day, and beyond super deals on 55″ wide screen splendor, getting the family Christmas tree acquired extra ASAP priority because of the “late start” on that part of the season. We (St. Gabriel MC) had a splendid, even optimal first day – ideal weather and easy to say ‘yes’ to product and pricing, the Scouts and a bunch of HS kids getting service hours were consistently good workers, the families we served excited.

This is our 35th year of selling trees at St. Gabriel, and as a challenge to working your verbal skills and keeping projects moving positively, volunteer activities count. The ‘crew’ spans from 13 to 93 years old, cash table and wreaths and chainsaws. Everyone was on the same page in getting the show on the road, and it turns out, several of those Scouts can actually SELL.

I believe how well things operate goes directly to work-force education programs, giving concise instructions, getting  actions described and checked on (stocking trees, picking up branches), shaking branches to open things up was instilled as best practices. I sold and chainsaw-trimmed the first two customers myself over an hour before we officially opened because people showed up.

Getting young workers filling racks with trees by size was task one, cutting blue string-bound trees (especially junk around the top), and expecting two carriers taking trees to cutting area was procedure. You can’t help smiling when strong young men tell you they can handle the White size themselves.

A sense of humor works great. Scouts were *death* on tying knots for trees on roofs after I reminded customers, “We haven’t lost one in 35 years, nobody wants to be #1 on that list.” 

Cutting loose and having fun, selling Christmas trees is a joyful no-brainer. You KNOW people are there to get that tree *now,* and while mentioning that $$$ raised stays in Charlotte for a variety of community projects, the fact that PRICING barely even registers for the vast majority of Day One customers is a lock. With no hourly wages for our workforce, how much tree you want gets easier to accomplish.

We’ll sell 900-plus trees in less than three weeks, and having an A-1 supplier (I usually say “4-time Grower of the Year” when people ask where we get the trees from) certainly counts. It’s an old school relationship, built on time, and whatever big (9′-10′), big-based trees we received, not everyone else is selling those. Tree size availability goes back to the recession years, when many tree farms going out of business didn’t plant what would now be the popular 7-8 footers.

The last family on Friday, the little girl with her princess dress and lighted sneakers, had brats for dinner and then bought the tree that had the fat bottom Dad liked, with a yellow tag price. Bingo, memories for everyone.

They’re not customers, they’re people and families

Having previously mentioned the opportunity to work your communications skills, we can all become teachers and leaders. On a hustling, eight-hour day, some scenes and ideas stick in my mind.

The collegiate VBer (center hitter) on crutches, three days after surgery, six people had input on how BIG a tree on that. We talked about upcoming therapy because I had a knee replacement two years ago.

The middle school kid who was able to explain the difference between 7-point-8 and 7-dash 8 on our size chart (hey, that he spotted it was something to start) – giving him an attaboy, a small, positive affirmation that cost me nothing.  Proud Mom, and maybe her smart kid helps on a future Men’s Club project.

Lead by example

There are always safety concerns at work, but at a tree lot during early set up, I let my experience inform their work efforts, like lying the tree down instead of stretching to cut something at the top of a 7 footer.

Early on, a HS volunteer who took directions about cutting open a tree, getting better all the time.  Telling guys its okay to press into the tree branches enough with a cardboard cutter to pop the strings, going from bottom to top is the most efficient.

Making sure at least one guy in each group had a blade increased efficiency by a ton.

Being able to yank a tree through the baler was a rite of passage. Give the lightweight20191128_144148 freshman credit for turning down the chance to try – he’d seen it wasn’t easy even for a 220 lb. wrestler. Hey, even two guys pulling a tree through qualifies for getting spurs. At some point, the guys want to see you tug a sort of big one through, and that was fine.

Technology. Even, or especially, our oldest members benefited from clear, picture-labeled products in a lightweight unit, like “10” decorated wreath’ and ‘7 ft. tree.” All sales stats could be brought up immediately, and knowing the actual Day 1 totals was affirming. (Yes ma’am, we can do debit cards.)

The first customers arrived about 9:30, we weren’t officially supposed to start until 11:00, but the customer is essentially right – they came to buy a tree, so find the one they want.

About Thanksgiving dinner

It was super successful, especially for Mom, because there were plenty of older women who were willing to talk with her. The funny part was a LOT of North Carolina lovers watching their #6 Tarheels get thumped by unranked Michigan 73-64. They’d all been looking forward to dissing Duke fans after the  Blue Devils lost on a tip in by Stephen F. Austin at the end of overtime the night before.

It was great that a deep-fried drumstick was reserved for me. Ahhh, tradition.

With all the college age kids around, none seemed at all concerned about politics and 2020 elections.

Business, Thought Leadership

Content collaboration as a successful business model – Pierogi Dinner Study

by gshorkeyblt21 Comment on Content collaboration as a successful business model – Pierogi Dinner Study
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Men on a mission: 1200 kolacky cookies.

In the overall success of the internet, the ability of not-in-the-same-place talents to be immediately and easily incorporated into the creative flow ranks high, especially for those who are participating in the booming sector called ‘Remote work.’

Cell phones, laptops, Skype, time-task tracking software, of course, texting, are the norm and eminently useful. Communication should never be lacking with real world clients. 

Time zones? Pssshhh! California is always going to be three hours difference.  You signed up for that when you responded to the online Looking For.

Bringing resources together

With content creation, there’s always ‘The SEO People’ who drill managers in must-have markers in getting material created. There’s always a director, a corporate or personal ‘voice’ is determined, ideation becomes a product through a process of submissions from sources tasked to websites, blogging, and media-click counts.

There isn’t a room full of Mad Men-style creatives down the hall any more. Whole operations are dedicated to the proposition of lots of people doing pieces, with a use ’em and lose ’em financial philosophy.

Pierogi Dinner Study

Anyway, the Pierogi Dinner Study. A community group I work with does several primarily eating events a year that maximizes our manpower. We also have an annual Christmas Tree Sale that starts the day after Thanksgiving. There are about 85-90 active members, across wide age range, with most having a significant amount of professional expertise of one kind or another.

Last year, a member originally from Cleveland (Stephen Fogg), suggested a pierogi dinner as a late-January replacement for a less-well attended spaghetti dinner. His pitch was, “Every church in Cleveland does pierogi dinners in Lent, same with Pennsylvania, even New York. It’s relatively cheap, great family event, week before Super Bowl. There are plenty of non-Southerners around who know the deal with pierogis.”

Without any track history in Charlotte, NC on this particular Polish culinary item – a shredded cheese and potato-filled ravioli is the common description – the original goal was 450 paying customers. On the bottom line, it was an exceptional success; people started coming down the steps and into the cafeteria at 5:01, and it was 2 1/2 hours slamming time for our workers.

We served about 800, and not an unhappy camper in the lot. The planned dancing area wound up taking ten more tables instead. We have established a terrific foothold in a dynamic niche market. Our biggest problem might be handling any Year Two increase, a subject for another day perhaps.

The time logistic

The time logistic, from original idea presentation to a client (the club officers) to killer event as a scheduled, documented success was four months. The analogy of how its similar, and possibly even easier, to gain consensus with remote workers on any  creative projects is where I’m going. It’s the software, baby!

The ideation was transmitted to the necessary work group months in advance of the post-Christmas event by an obvious product evaluation: He made the dinner, including slivered sauteed onions, kielbasa, and sauerkraut.  BIG success, everyone buys into the project, its recognized as comfort food from many of their early years.

Sound like where you’d want a project to be on the enthusiasm meter? Right, and the KPI people will be tracking enthusiasm.

The simplest idea became a central force in the success. The project director’s knowledge and previous expertise (“every church in Cleveland”) was an A-1 asset, the group history in scaling up became an ‘all you can eat’ invitation in area church bulletins, and as noted, huge success on that communication front.

The product itself was exceptional, including 1200 kolacky (jelly filled-folded) cookies. The notion of “too many chefs” in a creative kitchen as a negative still translates, you can only follow one strategy. It’s still a fact, however many workers it takes, the product has to be there when scheduled-necessary.

The empirical A/B, more-most effective way

There was a test-firing of the process a week prior to the event dinner attended by about 15, factors from time necessary for outside cookers to grilling and adding trimmings were nailed down. Making the cookie dough took four countertop mixers. Our expertise used the empirical A/B  more-most effective way to get desired outcomes, pragmatic without techie-ness.

The steering committee understood how kitchen and service roles needed to be handled, including the facility prep, launch (5:01) and overall capabilities of volunteers. The addition of secondary support people (middle/high school students doing service hours) ensured downstream reaction and course correction were highly linked. Challenges like garbage removal from tables directly in front of you.

Our community projects are considered “good duty” service hours by students, fun and fulfilling, a good rep to have.

Its easy to see how current online collaboration possibilities simplify a project director’s ability to see any and all associated materials. They can know what they want changed, and connect with specific writer-vendors about that. Any piece or person in a project is within a couple clicks and keystrokes of any content coordinating person.

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Few things are more satisfying than a project done well, with all the parts contributing as expected. Pierogis were hard core “content creation.”
Business, Community based pr, POV - Content Creation, Thought Leadership

That one, crucial, must-have piece that moves projects forward

by gshorkeyblt21 Comment on That one, crucial, must-have piece that moves projects forward

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I might have thought I had problems with a camera, but Mike was the boss with heat all around him before Oyster Roast.

Before packing up the laptop  and sending it to Memphis over a camera not functioning – and recognizing I’m sometimes behind the curve tech-wise – there was recently a quantity of angst over getting a specific video off my phone and attached to a Google document that needed to be sent for a proposal.

After performing the operation three times myself – then tapping Librarian #1’s understanding for forty minutes – I’d expected a $99 visit with the Microsoft people would move things from “Does not recognize camera” error message to productive asset again. Being able to move forward because I stayed on the problem until it was resolved, that’s what I call my Matt Damon in “The Martian” moments.

Sweating further delay regarding that proposal made the relief of getting some necessary help a moment worth sharing with others. Anyone who has been on group calls where a certain person – with the element that everyone is gathered to learn about – is late, knows both the feelings of frustration and relief.

Your patience factor definitely counts

Trust me, people who have dealt with someone who gets frantic about a computer snafu and wants to make it *their* problem too, probably won’t be gracious by a third time around. That two different library workers tried their darnedest, and eventually found an effective option, is also a (small) credit to submerging my often squeaky wheel style.

Journalistically and as a content creator, my expectation is that equipment should do what its supposed to – I require a keyboard and access to information. Getting many, many things in-out of electronic media daily, even as a realtor, the message was always, “Make sure your technology works.” The least gratifying thing I hear when enterprising a solution is, “Well, that should’ve worked.”

While “should’ve worked” is an affirmation that my being stymied was perhaps appropriate, it still involves a dammit! because its a sticking point unhandled.

Searching for help works best without extra attitude. Bitching about the inconvenience to you isn’t going to motivate others to provide answers or assistance. Getting to the point is like using your Elevator Speech, or that first paragraph in any article – give potential helpers a reason to keep listening, or maybe point you in a right-er direction.

After a steady extra examination with Librarian #2, the BINGO! moment came with his suggestion to utilize YouTube to download the phone, and copy the link from that into my document instead of Google Pictures/video.

After three previous attempts, bam! that simple option-change was The Right Piece, with the focus on getting a crucial detail handled a very real result. No telling how things roll now that I’ll have to use library for a couple weeks because I don’t have a backup at home, but I’m not scared they’ll consider me a dummy for asking why my machine doesn’t work.

FYI – Backed up and packed up

Sending 99% of everything a potential client asks for with position descriptions might not even be enough, so paying attention to details counts. That video I wanted so bad? It was :58 because the gig description said “No longer than 1:00 video.”

Reviewing the proposal, and recognizing some notes for a social media element hadn’t been turned into specific post samples. While stating the importance of getting that one, crucial piece handled, its always a good idea to check the details one last time.

While this unit goes into the box right after this blog, its contents have been backed up. Tomorrow I’ll go back to that refurbished library in SouthPark and thank Ed again.

Oh yeah, saying Thanks! is still a simple courtesy that makes helpers happy. My tutoring in reading and writing keeps a positive attitude about sharing expertise to carry forward, so there’s no reason not to send that outward when you’ve gotten the necessary results.