Scott Monty | Timeless Wisdom

The Cracks Are Beginning to Show

The Cracks Are Beginning to Show

An Eruption of Vesuvius by Johann Christian Dahl, 1824 (public domain - The Metropolitan Museum of Art) There's something in the ...

Fame and (Mis)Fortune

Fame and (Mis)Fortune

The Lady of Shalott by John William Waterhouse (public domain - Wikimedia Commons) How much do you value the close relationships in yo...

The Ethics of Ride-Hailing

The Ethics of Ride-Hailing

The Oath of the Horatii by Jacques-Louis David, 1784 (public domain - Wikipedia) The ride-hailing industry—Uber, Lyft, and their count...

How to Solve the Conundrum of Tech's Pandora's Box

How to Solve the Conundrum of Tech's Pandora's Box

The Birth of Pandora by James Barry, 1804 (ArtUK - Creative Commons ) The Birth of Pandora brings to life the mythological story of ...

Why Businesses Need to Prepare for the Gathering Storm

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_fzbubbeljo/XWiamJPLnDI/AAAAAAABHWg/YCfvsYYtkdI5rYVno50FYNUeABsjd0z4wCLcBGAs/s1600/Jacques%2BLouis%2BDavid%2B-%2BTennis%2BCourt%2BOath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="1400" height="420" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_fzbubbeljo/XWiamJPLnDI/AAAAAAABHWg/YCfvsYYtkdI5rYVno50FYNUeABsjd0z4wCLcBGAs/s640/Jacques%2BLouis%2BDavid%2B-%2BTennis%2BCourt%2BOath.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Tennis Court Oath</i> by Jacques-Louis David, 1793 (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tennis_Court_Oath_(David)#/media/File:Serment_du_Jeu_de_Paume_-_Jacques-Louis_David.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>, public domain)* </td></tr>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">“It is always more easy to discover and proclaim general principles than to apply them.”</span></i></b> </div>
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― Winston Churchill, <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2L5hKZz" target="_blank">The Gathering Storm</a></i></div>
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<br />
There's a backlash coming.<br />
<br />
We've all seen talk about the tech backlash, with firms like <a href="https://amzn.to/2UiFjkB" target="_blank">Amazon, Google, and Facebook</a> in the cross-hairs of pundits and government officials. That's centered around their consolidated power and use of data. And it's a topic that deserves consideration.<br />
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The backlash I'm predicting is a different one. It's rooted less in operations and more in culture.<br />
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The origins of this backlash are many, and I'll outline some of them below.<br />
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<h2>
<b>This Time, It's Personal</b></h2>
The era of social and digital media was supposed to draw us all together. We were tired of being treated like just another number or a cog in the system—we were told w'd be able to talk directly with brands and get our voices heard!<br />
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What's happened in the interim is that brands have continued down a well-worn path and have simply rolled out all of the old advertising styles on new platforms. What are we left with? Feeds that are choked with ads.<br />
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Meanwhile, misinformation is growing and we don't know where to turn. We use the buffer of a screen between us and other netizens to unleash caustic and vitriolic attacks. We experience many emotions online, but anger seems to be the one that gets the most traction.<br />
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Then, perhaps we pause and look out the window, wistfully and <a href="https://www.scottmonty.com/2019/01/the-kinds-of-interactions-that-grow.html" target="_blank">hazily recalling the days</a> when the bank vice president knew your parents' first names and would greet them at the local branch. When a firm handshake and eye contact could tell someone a great deal about your character. And when your word was your bond.<br />
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But we're far removed from that world now. And we'd do anything to reclaim it.<br />
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<h2>
<b>Trust Buster</b></h2>
Trust (or lack of it) is a significant issue with many people, all around the world. There's a wide difference in the level of trust that the general public and the informed public have in business, NGOs, government, and the media, according to the <a href="https://www.edelman.com/trust-barometer" target="_blank">2019 Edelman Trust Barometer</a>.<br />
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There are fears related to job loss (both general anxiety over the economy as well as over automation and A.I.), people don't believe the system is working for them, and they see opportunities for certain classes of people that aren't available to them.<br />
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Mike Isaac's <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2LkConh" target="_blank">Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber</a></i> makes it clear that venture capitalists are playing a very different investing game than the rest of us. All of the early investors are seeing massive returns, even though Uber isn't profitable. Anyone who invested in the I.P.O. on the first day of trading won't see the same kind of return, however.<br />
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So V.C.s have a very different goal than other investors: they hope to successfully bring a company to market. There's less concern with ensuring a company is profitable than there is about the process of taking a company public. Their fiduciary duty is focused on their shareholders (those who invest in their funds) rather than on the future shareholders of the public company's stock.<br />
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With this kind of arrangement, it's easy to see why the average person would feel that the system not working for them.<br />
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<h2>
<b>Business Roundtable Turns the Tables</b></h2>
Last week, Business Roundtable, a business association made up of CEOs, dropped a bombshell on the industry with a change in their Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation.<br />
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For decades—really, since 1970, when Milton Friedman penned a commentary in <i>The New York Times Magazine</i> that <a href="http://umich.edu/~thecore/doc/Friedman.pdf" target="_blank">the social responsibility of a business is to increase profits</a>—businesses have placed their focus on the benefit to shareholders.<br />
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It should be no surprise to anyone who follows the path of CMOs, who now have the shortest tenure and are constantly under scrutiny for short-term growth. Nor anyone who follows the market following the reporting of quarterly numbers. Wall Street hammers companies that don't perform well quarter to quarter. When in reality, <a href="https://www.scottmonty.com/2019/01/if-youre-committed-to-transformation.html" target="_blank">companies need time to absorb the massive changes</a> that customers are demanding, thanks to the expectation of cheap and fast services and goods that non-competitors like Uber and Amazon have created.<br />
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Now Business Roundtable says that businesses need to reexamine their priorities. Their new <b><a href="https://opportunity.businessroundtable.org/ourcommitment/" target="_blank">Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation</a></b> says that shareholders are now part of a collective that also includes employees, suppliers, and customers.<br />
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It would seem to be common sense: if you treat your employees, suppliers, and customers well, it's good for business and the bottom line.<br />
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This assumption was already embedded within Friedman's work; it's just that greed and the prioritization of short-term growth overtook things, and in interviews, he focused on the profitability.<br />
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Friedman wrote that the responsibility of a corporate executive<br />
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"is to conduct the business in accordance with their desires, which generally will be to make as much money as possible <b>while conforming to their basic rules of the society</b>, both those embodied in law and those embodied in <b>ethical custom</b>." [Emphasis mine.]</blockquote>
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We've seen bursts of this in the last two decades, with corporate social responsibility efforts, and with recent forays of brands taking social stands on societal and political issues. And <a href="https://bcorporation.net/" target="_blank">B Corporations</a> have proved that businesses can do well while doing good.<br />
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However, some of these efforts have felt too transactional—riding a wave of popularity rather than being embedded in a company's culture. Perhaps it's time to hire someone to help <a href="https://www.scottmonty.com/2019/08/conscience-for-hire.html" target="_blank">examine the corporate conscience</a>.<br />
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It's something that as a former Classics major and someone who has devoted time to studying history, literature, and philosophy, I have come to embrace in my consulting work. It has given me the ability to understand the consistency of human nature and the cyclical nature of society and culture.<br />
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<h2>
<b>Regulate This</b></h2>
Regulations exist for a reason. They're meant to allow the government to put in place restrictions that curb what would otherwise be immoral, illegal or unethical behavior by companies.<br />
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Why can't we trust companies to do the right thing on their own, you might ask? Simply put, because human nature, which is prone to the temptations of greed and expediency, takes hold. The larger a company gets, the easier it is for individuals to think they might flaunt customary behavior and get away with things.<br />
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Case in point: between 1947 and 1977, General Electric polluted the Hudson River by discharging PCBs into it and devastating the environment. In 1972, Congress passed the Clean Water Act and GE has since cleaned up the river. GE's argument was that the practice was perfectly legal at the time. But ask the average person if littering was acceptable, and they might have a different answer. Because it was a large entity, there was less moral responsibility.<br />
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Today, as the government is rolling back regulations to make business practices easier—from allowing more methane emissions by energy companies to lowering fuel emissions standards for vehicles—we're seeing companies taking a stand and adhering to the cleaner level of previous regulations rather than accepting the newer, lower standards.<br />
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Imagine that! Large organizations, whom many might otherwise look at cynically, are respecting the environment, not because they have to, but because it's the right thing to do.<br />
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But there have been certain activities that companies have taken in the last few decades that were legal and unregulated, yet were done in such a way that they might be opaque at best or deceptive at worst. Example: as margins got squeezed in the CPG industry in the 'Nineties and early 'Aughts, they were forced to find profits in crafty ways. So rather than raise the price of orange juice, they slyly changed the half gallon container (64 ounces) to 59 ounces.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kK33YcF8ZIE/XWiXofUnQWI/AAAAAAABHWM/5hfBA4GivX82rHNsrlHQVqsL0GC6QFCPQCLcBGAs/s1600/1904-Standard-Oil-octopus-cartoon-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kK33YcF8ZIE/XWiXofUnQWI/AAAAAAABHWM/5hfBA4GivX82rHNsrlHQVqsL0GC6QFCPQCLcBGAs/s640/1904-Standard-Oil-octopus-cartoon-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Standard Oil octopus (political cartoon, <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Standard_oil_octopus_loc_color.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a>)</td></tr>
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<h2>
<b>Playing Clean-Up</b></h2>
In some ways, this phenomenon is nothing new. What we're witnessing from the last 50 years, with a shareholder-first (or -only) mentality, is simply the natural evolution of business practices, given the conditions they existed in.<br />
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In <i>Physics</i>, Book IV, Chapter 8, Aristotle wrote of <i><b>horror vacui</b></i>, or as we commonly know it, "Nature abhors a vacuum." And that's exactly how business behaved: it filled a vacuum.<br />
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We've seen this happen before. When Ida Tarbell wrote her nineteen-part series <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2NGxy6K" target="_blank">The History of the Standard Oil Company</a></i> for McClure's Magazine, which was published in book form in 1904, she was exposing the activities of John D. Rockefeller's convoluted empire. Rockefeller was one of the smartest industrialists of his time, and he managed to do everything within the bounds of the law at the time.<br />
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But exposing Standard Oil's business practices made it clear that antitrust laws needed to be passed and that the company needed to be broken up.<br />
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Similarly, Upton Sinclair's <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2NIXIpt" target="_blank">The Jungle</a></i> exposed the operations of the meatpacking industry, to the horror of Americans. The unsanitary and unsafe conditions, health violations, and other poor working conditions he described gave rise to public concern and the eventual reforms, such as the Meat Inspection Act.<br />
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It seems like it would have been common sense to operate the above businesses in an ethical manner, but absent the proper laws and thanks to public backlash, changes were made under Theodore Roosevelt's presidency.<br />
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Roosevelt was particularly concerned with the greed of sheer profit-chasing, and white-washing by philanthropy.<br />
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"Too much cannot be said against the men of wealth who sacrifice everything to getting wealth. There is not in the world a more ignoble character than the mere money-getting American, insensible to every duty, regardless of every principle, bent only on amassing a fortune, and putting his fortune only to the basest uses ... Such a man is only the more dangerous if he occasionally does some deed like founding a college or endowing a church, which makes those good people who are also foolish forget his real iniquity. These men are equally careless of the working men, whom they oppress, and of the State, whose existence they imperil. There are not very many of them, but there is a very great number of men who approach more or less closely to the type, and, just in so far as they do so approach, they are curses to the country." – "True American Ideals," <i>Forum</i>, 1895</blockquote>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DUujJIVNF5A/XWiZ8nw6_WI/AAAAAAABHWY/Dx6T2EEVyjEshKQeApgFwvbG2E8cdWi1QCLcBGAs/s1600/John%2BSinger%2BSargent%2B-%2BTheodore%2BRoosevelt%2B1903%2Bcropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="955" data-original-width="1405" height="434" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DUujJIVNF5A/XWiZ8nw6_WI/AAAAAAABHWY/Dx6T2EEVyjEshKQeApgFwvbG2E8cdWi1QCLcBGAs/s640/John%2BSinger%2BSargent%2B-%2BTheodore%2BRoosevelt%2B1903%2Bcropped.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Theodore Roosevelt</i> by John Singer Sargent, 1903 (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Roosevelt#/media/File:Theodore_Roosevelt_by_John_Singer_Sargent,_1903.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a>)</td></tr>
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While Teddy Roosevelt is remembered for his trust-busting, he was also fair-minded in his approach and he appreciated capitalism. But he wasn't a pushover. In his <a href="http://stateoftheunion.onetwothree.net/texts/19021202.html" target="_blank">State of the Union Address</a> in 1902, he issued a warning that is one not unlike Business Roundtable's statement last week:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Our aim is not to do away with corporations; on the contrary, these big aggregations are an inevitable development of modern industrialism. ... We are not hostile to them; we are merely determined that they shall be so handled as to subserve the public good. We draw the line against misconduct, not against wealth."</blockquote>
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And therein lies the core of what I believe the public is clamoring for: drawing a line against misconduct.<br />
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We want ethical companies.<br />
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We want leaders with a moral compass.<br />
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We want to feel like we're on a level playing field.<br />
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We want to be able to trust again.<br />
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The new direction from Business Roundtable is nod toward the past. We'd like to think that businesses will do their part in this effort in the future.<br />
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But it's going to take time and trust.<br />
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I'll have other thoughts on this topic in the weeks ahead. I hope you'll <a href="https://www.scottmonty.com/p/subscribe.html" target="_blank">subscribe</a> to get updates.<br />
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*<i>The Tennis Court Oath, shown at the top, was a foundational event of the French Revolution. David captured the gathering of the middle class, who had sworn an oath for national unity regarding individual freedoms.</i><br />
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<i>Links may include Amazon Affiliate links.</i><br />
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Why Businesses Need to Prepare for the Gathering Storm

The Tennis Court Oath by Jacques-Louis David, 1793 ( Wikipedia , public domain)* “It is always more easy to discover and proclaim ge...

Conscience for Hire

Conscience for Hire

Image credit: School of Athens by Raphael, 1510. Fresco, Vatican City (Wikimedia Commons) Who's the corporate conscience of a comp...

When Narcissus Meets Dorian Gray

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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BYHhyNcOPMk/XTEm4mzRuEI/AAAAAAABGe4/jbfFW09GLdEa-7ONwFgLqYc8AgD-4kRlACLcBGAs/s1600/Ivan%2BAlbright%2B-%2BThe%2BPicture%2Bof%2BDorian%2BGray%252C%2Bbefore%2B%2526%2Bafter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="877" data-original-width="1350" height="414" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BYHhyNcOPMk/XTEm4mzRuEI/AAAAAAABGe4/jbfFW09GLdEa-7ONwFgLqYc8AgD-4kRlACLcBGAs/s640/Ivan%2BAlbright%2B-%2BThe%2BPicture%2Bof%2BDorian%2BGray%252C%2Bbefore%2B%2526%2Bafter.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>"In this world there are only two tragedies. </i></div>
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<i>One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it."</i></div>
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<i>–Oscar Wilde</i></div>
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If you want to get someone's attention, it's simple: ask them about themselves. </div>
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It was one of the most important premises behind Dale Carnegie's <b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/2JZsbMK" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">How to Win Friends and Influence People</a></i></b>.</div>
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And that's exactly what FaceApp did last week. It tapped into two powerful strains of human nature: curiosity about our own future and narcissism. It's as if Dorian Gray met Narcissus.</div>
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In <b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/2LETIWI" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Picture of Dorian Gray</a></i></b>, Oscar Wilde introduced us to Dorian Gray, a handsome young man who had his portrait painted. Afterward, he wished that he could remain the same age forever, but that the portrait would age. He soon finds out he made a Faustian bargain: he retains his youth but has lost his soul. The portrait, stored in an attic, takes on grotesque features as Gray embarks on a life of debauchery.</div>
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In the Roman myth, Echo fell in love with the beautiful <b>Narcissus</b>, who was desired by men, women and gods alike. But Narcissus, on seeing his own reflection in a pool of water, became infatuated with it and consequently rejected Echo. She then pined away until only her voice remained.</div>
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Social media has always fed the narcissistic side. We thrive on likes, shares, and comments. We hope to "go viral." We keep pressing the refresh button in an effort to get that hit of endorphins that attention brings.</div>
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In an image-obsessed culture—particularly one that values youth over age—many people maintain fine-tuned feeds of photos that flatter themselves.</div>
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So when FaceApp came along (again - this isn't our first rodeo with them), the lure was irresistible: upload a photo and see what you'll look like in 20 years. Many people fell for it without realizing <a href="https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/security/a28424868/faceapp-challenge-security-risks/?fbclid=IwAR2tYjzgFXrj01tIbIM6Cvz31r1C5WbqaFg0xaZBhleXL4cLLh9HnrnQtc4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">it's a Russian company with loose privacy standards</a>.</div>
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Even more terrifying: this isn't the only place it's happening. More likely than not, your data is for sale <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/07/18/i-found-your-data-its-sale/?utm_term=.a8d4f6ee8713" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">because of software you probably installed yourself</a> on the internet browser of your choice. It's likely that this kind of data collection is <a href="https://onezero.medium.com/is-faceapps-data-collection-any-worse-than-facebook-s-96153774575e" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">already happening on Facebook too</a>:</div>
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"FaceApp and Facebook are clearly two very different beasts. One is an opaque tech company operating under unclear privacy regulations and with little oversight on how it uses its technology, and the other one is FaceApp."</blockquote>
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The point is: we're warned about situations like this time and again. And yet <a href="https://amzn.to/2Y3MgGz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">we still fall for it</a>.</div>
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Humans will always take the shortcut, if given the option. But unlike our ancestors or animals, we won't be vigilant about the wild boar waiting for us in the woods.</div>
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Especially if we're walking around with a phone in front of our faces.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OSysKjAOxQQ/XTEmvpIq-2I/AAAAAAABGe0/9ZYqimvlua0vSSCrMNcDmrzl0_XE5QgbQCLcBGAs/s1600/John%2BWilliam%2BWaterhouse%2B-%2BEcho%2Band%2BNarcissus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="913" data-original-width="1600" height="364" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OSysKjAOxQQ/XTEmvpIq-2I/AAAAAAABGe0/9ZYqimvlua0vSSCrMNcDmrzl0_XE5QgbQCLcBGAs/s640/John%2BWilliam%2BWaterhouse%2B-%2BEcho%2Band%2BNarcissus.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echo_and_Narcissus_(Waterhouse_painting)">Echo and Narcissus</a> by John William Waterhouse, 1903 (Wikipedia - public domain)<br style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;" /></td></tr>
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When Narcissus Meets Dorian Gray

"In this world there are only two tragedies. One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it." –Oscar Wilde...

A Gift for My Children

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Have you noticed how quickly life moves? It’s nearly impossible to capture the totality of the daily and weekly cadence of updates we make digitally, and the clock keeps moving forward.</div>
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Currently, we create approximately <strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">2.5 quintillion bytes</strong> of data each day. That’s 2,500,000,000,000,000,000 bites. And 90 percent of data that’s been created has occurred <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://iorgforum.org/case-study/some-amazing-statistics-about-online-data-creation-and-growth-rates/" href="https://iorgforum.org/case-study/some-amazing-statistics-about-online-data-creation-and-growth-rates/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">in the last two years</a>.</div>
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Our digital musings are here one second, and gone in the next. It’s hard to keep track of your own content (even the stuff you maybe remember creating) when you try to search for it. Did I post that photo on Facebook? Or was it Twitter? No, wait — did I use Flickr? Or was it Photobucket? All of those bookmarks on del.icio.us? Gone.</div>
<div class="graf graf--p" name="17d2">
<br /></div>
<div class="graf graf--p" name="17d2">
The boards you create on Pinterest, the magazines you curate on Flipboard — even the blog you own and create — all of these will be a faded and forgotten part of your digital history, foggily known to you but completely nonexistent to your progeny.</div>
<div class="graf graf--p" name="c018">
<br /></div>
<div class="graf graf--p" name="c018">
At some level, we all want to be remembered. No one wants to live their life and feel like it didn’t matter. Whether you achieve something remarkable in your industry or raise an honorable family, you want your name to be in the minds and on the lips of future generations.</div>
<div class="graf graf--p" name="ca49">
<br /></div>
<div class="graf graf--p" name="ca49">
But with so much ephemeral digital effluvia, there’s no telling what will stick and what won’t, thanks to changing sensibilities, platform shifts, and more data.</div>
<div class="graf graf--p" name="ca49">
<br /></div>
</div>
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</section><section class="section section--body" name="fde9"><div class="section-divider">
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</div>
<div class="section-content">
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<div class="graf graf--p" name="8765">
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<div class="graf graf--p" name="8765">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://amzn.to/2l9741y" rel="nofollow" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tuX31iGHSng/XSyJ_KbBHKI/AAAAAAABGa0/uM4cRmiCDY4rAqP71odqftAw_TmJrHXNACLcBGAs/s200/journal.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
With that in mind, when my first child was born — and for the subsequent two — I made a purchase that only grows in value each year. In addition to securing them their own domain names and Gmail addresses, I bought each of them <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://amzn.to/2k1STLr" href="https://amzn.to/2k1STLr" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank"><strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">a leather journal</strong></a>.</div>
<div class="graf graf--p" name="8765">
<br /></div>
<div class="graf graf--p" name="9b90">
Each week, I spend some non-digital time writing to my kids in their journals.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="graf graf--p" name="e5ca">
Aside from writing in a leather journal with a <b><a href="https://amzn.to/2lwz7s0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">fountain pen</a></b>, I make time each week to step away from WiFi. Whether it’s reading or simply reflecting, I get recharged by creating <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://www.scottmonty.com/2019/05/the-need-for-serenity.html" href="https://www.scottmonty.com/2019/05/the-need-for-serenity.html" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank"><strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">moments of serenity and tranquility</strong></a>. </div>
<div class="graf graf--p" name="7494">
<br /></div>
<div class="graf graf--p" name="7494">
Serenity is a precious compound because it only exists in the present. It is fleeting. It is hard to capture in the imagination. It’s even more difficult to capture in daily motion.</div>
<div class="graf graf--p" name="9a07">
<br /></div>
<div class="graf graf--p" name="9a07">
Which brings us back to the journal.</div>
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<div class="graf graf--p" name="c3a8">
I jot down thoughts, observations, and life advice. Maybe it’s something cute they said or a heart-to-heart conversation we had. It could be a passage from a book I was reading or an online article or quote that someone shared.</div>
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</em></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong class="markup--strong markup--pullquote-strong"><em class="markup--em markup--pullquote-em">Request</em></strong><em class="markup--em markup--pullquote-em">: what are some sources of wisdom and advice that you’d recommend?</em></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="graf graf--p" name="cae1">
My goal is to create a customized handbook of life, with moments unique to each child and fundamentals that I duplicate across each journal. When they leave home, I’ll give them a journal filled with my handwritten notes.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="graf graf--p" name="2b36">
Odds are they may think it’s a little corny or too sentimental when they’re 18 (or 22, or 25…). But this is a gift that they’ll grow to appreciate over time.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="graf graf--p" name="9bf0">
Who knows? Maybe they’ll start their own journals for their kids one day. If so, it’s a tradition that will catalog and curate our family values, and be a permanent record of how we lived while we were here.</div>
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If not, then at least the historians will be able to read some of my thoughts beyond Facebook, Medium and WordPress.</div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
</section><br />
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A Gift for My Children

Have you noticed how quickly life moves? It’s nearly impossible to capture the totality of the daily and weekly cadence of updates ...

Prolific and Pensive

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xpxOOc1mcGg/XSyUeud8AiI/AAAAAAABGbA/u_PLC1ebkdQBrOkr3nLWbcPDB1gQc2IRgCLcBGAs/s1600/John%2BTrumbull%2B-%2BAlexander_Hamilton%2B1806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1101" data-original-width="1600" height="440" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xpxOOc1mcGg/XSyUeud8AiI/AAAAAAABGbA/u_PLC1ebkdQBrOkr3nLWbcPDB1gQc2IRgCLcBGAs/s640/John%2BTrumbull%2B-%2BAlexander_Hamilton%2B1806.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I recently mentioned having finally seen the musical Hamilton. Now I'm in the midst of the biography <b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/2XCBLP4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alexander Hamilton</a></i></b> by Ron Chernow. It's a hefty tome (818 pages!), which is up there with Chernow's other biographies of <a href="https://amzn.to/2XVIjb3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rockefeller</a> (832 pages), <a href="https://amzn.to/2XIse9h" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Washington</a> (928 pages) and <a href="https://amzn.to/2XIIqm5" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Grant</a> (1104 pages).<br />
<br />
It got me to thinking about proflicacy. (There's a word for you!)<br />
<br />
Chernow marveled at Hamilton's prodigious output, calling him<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"[A]n exuberant genius who performed at a fiendish pace and must have produced the maximum number of words that a human being can scratch out in forty-nine years."</blockquote>
<br />
He was a genius. But also flawed. His brilliance was the type that made him impatient, and he must have known his time on Earth was limited, as he ran roughshod over all who didn't agree with him.<br />
<br />
Ultimately (and I'm over-simplifying here; this is a blog, not a Chernow-length opus), it led to his duel with Aaron Burr and his resulting death on July 12, 1804—exactly 215 years ago today.<br />
<br />
It's taken me a few years and some hard lessons, but I've learned that even when you're the smartest person in the room on a subject, humility will get you much farther than ego.<br />
<br />
There's nothing wrong with sharing your knowledge about a topic; but bringing others along and acknowledging their contributions is equally as important.<br />
<br />
May your ego and proflicacy move in opposite directions.<br />
<br />
<i>Image credit: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Hamilton#/media/File:Alexander_Hamilton_portrait_by_John_Trumbull_1806.jpg" target="_blank">Alexander Hamilton</a> by John Trumbull, 1806 (Wikipedia - public domain)</i><br />
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Prolific and Pensive

I recently mentioned having finally seen the musical Hamilton. Now I'm in the midst of the biography Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chern...

Say What You Do and Do What You Say

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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZxzSk_n5UtI/XRJscOvFe_I/AAAAAAABGBE/efkKGEeHtUoYzN0AknhpG6RwDOzBMmzLgCLcBGAs/s1600/Thomas%2BGainsborough%2B-%2BMrs.%2BRichard%2BBrinsley%2BSheridan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="1200" height="416" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZxzSk_n5UtI/XRJscOvFe_I/AAAAAAABGBE/efkKGEeHtUoYzN0AknhpG6RwDOzBMmzLgCLcBGAs/s640/Thomas%2BGainsborough%2B-%2BMrs.%2BRichard%2BBrinsley%2BSheridan.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Want to make it easier to have loyal customers? It's all about consistency—consistency in your actions and consistency in experiences.<br />
<br />
Being consistent means that you create expectations and you deliver on them repeatedly.<br />
<br />
You've likely heard the trope: "Your brand is not what you say it is; your brand is what other people say it is."<br />
<br />
And it's true. You can't advertise your brand a certain way and then give people an experience that doesn't live up to what you've promised. Brand and reputation go hand in hand, and your reputation is the result of the things you do and the way you're perceived.<br />
<br />
So if you want to build trust—and trust builds loyalty—you need to do the things that you say your brand stands for.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<b>Examples of off-brand experiences</b></h2>
<br />
<h3>
<b>You're on the hook</b></h3>
When I visit hotels, I like the option of reusing my towel. It just feels so wasteful to have them launder my towel after a single use. Most hotels have a card in the bathroom that asks you to think about the environment and reuse your towels (although let's face it: it also helps keep their costs down).<br />
<br />
They position themselves as pro-sustainability ("We're going green!") and give you two options:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>A towel hanging up means "I will use again."</li>
<li>A towel on the floor means "Please exchange."</li>
</ol>
<br />
So far, so good.<br />
<br />
But—when there are four towels, ostensibly for the family of four staying in the room, and there's only one hook—what message does that send?<br />
<br />
Now I have to get creative, looking for doorknobs, chair or other things around the room to—ah, forget it. I'll just throw my towels on the floor.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Do you really want to talk to me?</b></h3>
Pretty much every brand has some sort of social media presence, if not for branding, then for customer service. Some even encourage customers to "Tweet us for customer service." The unspoken brand promise is that they're present on social media to engage.<br />
<br />
But here's the thing with social media in recent years: It's become just another place to advertise. Social platforms are supposed to be about <i>conversation</i>, which Merriam-Webster defines as an "exchange of sentiments, observations, opinions, or ideas."<br />
<br />
If you end up ignoring customer service requests or feedback about how you're doing business, you're telling your customers they don't matter. So why put your social handle out there in the first place—to make the masses aware of how great your service is?<br />
<br />
If you make your communications channels visible to the public, then use them. After all, you wouldn't publish an 800 number and not pick up the phone.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>What's the deal?</b></h3>
Auto manufacturers are some of the most advanced in digital marketing and are among the largest spenders in advertising. From online influencer programs to virtual reality test drives and online configurators, they test the edges of modern marketing.<br />
<br />
But if you step into an auto dealership when you're ready to buy, you're likely transported back to the 1990s (or earlier). That online configuration you just completed? You need to start all over again. The finance pre-qualification form you filled out on the web? Here's a stack of forms you need to fill out and sign in triplicate. And sadly, some dealerships treat women as second-class citizens and will talk to their husbands when the wife if the one buying the car.<br />
<br />
And when I happen upon an online discussion among dealer-types who are ninety-eight percent opposed to letting customers test drive a car on their own ("feelings don't matter" and "control control control" peppered the discussion), I realize that the dealership portion of the auto industry is utterly, horribly beyond repair.<br />
<br />
If you're spending untold amounts of money on building your brand online and at the corporate level, and an in-person experience tells the customer they don't matter, you don't have a brand. You have an agglomeration of questionable experiences.<br />
<br />
<br />
None of this is rocket surgery, if you'll permit me a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malapropism" target="_blank">malapropism</a>. [Oh, this might be a good moment to explain the significance of the painting above: That's Elizabeth Ann Sheridan, the wife of Richard Brinsley Sheridan, who wrote <i>The Rivals</i>, a play that included Mrs. Malaprop, the famous mis-speaker.] <br />
<br />
If your brand is about sustainability, then it's your job to ensure that everything you do makes sustainability possible. If your brand is about customer-centricity, then spend time with your customers and experience the process through their eyes.<br />
<br />
An uneven and inconsistent experience is going to tell your customers one thing: that you don't know what you're doing, despite what you say in your advertising campaign.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">"What you are screams so loudly in my ears I cannot hear what you are saying." – Ralph Waldo Emerson </span></i></b>[<a href="https://ctt.ac/pu865" target="_blank">tweet this</a>]</div>
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<br />
<i>Image credit: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Thomas_Gainsborough_-_Mrs._Richard_Brinsley_Sheridan_.jpg" target="_blank">Mrs. Richard Brinsley Sheridan</a> by Thomas Gainsborough, 1786 (Wikimedia Commons, public domain)</i><br />
<i><br /></i>

Say What You Do and Do What You Say

Want to make it easier to have loyal customers? It's all about consistency—consistency in your actions and consistency in experiences...

How to Turn Customer Woes into Customer "Whoas!"

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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CoJaOeOlrQ0/XQKLxer2OmI/AAAAAAABFbk/CNoyeqd69i42v2RX5OPBHWeB5F7tIfIEgCLcBGAs/s1600/John%2BSinger%2BSargent%2B-%2BGassed%2B1919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CoJaOeOlrQ0/XQKLxer2OmI/AAAAAAABFbk/CNoyeqd69i42v2RX5OPBHWeB5F7tIfIEgCLcBGAs/s640/John%2BSinger%2BSargent%2B-%2BGassed%2B1919.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I'm a Frank Sinatra fan. (That much shouldn't be a surprise.) The lyrics from his song "<a href="https://amzn.to/2Rm9oys" target="_blank">It's Nice to Go Trav'ling</a>" include this line:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"It's so nice to go trav'ling, but it's oh so nice to come home."</blockquote>
Travel is a double-edged sword. It can be a sheer delight, with discoveries of new <a href="https://amzn.to/2WKYkMh" target="_blank">foods, smells, and sights</a>. Or it can be a burden, with late-night flights, delays, missed connections, and other unplanned hiccups that otherwise prevent you from reaching your destination in a timely manner.<br />
<br />
Part of being able to survive business travel in particular is to <a href="https://www.scottmonty.com/2019/05/the-need-for-serenity.html" target="_blank">get in the mindset</a> that this is part of what you signed up for, and to try to make the best of any situation. It also helps when you do business with travel and hospitality brands that go the extra mile.<br />
<br />
I found myself in just such a scenario recently.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<b>Delta Positive</b></h2>
I was flying from Detroit to San Jose (SJC), with a connecting flight through Salt Lake City (SLC). While I usually prefer direct flights, this was arranged by Adobe (a client), so I showed up early and settled into the Delta Sky Club. I already had a notice from <a href="https://tripit.com/" target="_blank">TripIt</a> that it was going to be a tight connection, with about forty-two minutes between flights in SLC.<br />
<br />
It was then that Delta notified me that the flight was delayed by about thirty minutes, making the connection even more tenuous.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--1BsNWeCKQY/XQkMypl8duI/AAAAAAABFp0/1uUgmm2BkBscWFKl-NQp30RGXVqbOWsywCLcBGAs/s1600/Delay.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="724" height="149" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--1BsNWeCKQY/XQkMypl8duI/AAAAAAABFp0/1uUgmm2BkBscWFKl-NQp30RGXVqbOWsywCLcBGAs/s400/Delay.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
So, I scrambled to see what the options were: the agent at the SkyClub said there was a direct flight to San Francisco leaving in thirty minutes, the travel agent looked into additional flights from SLC to SJC (spoiler alert: there were none), and I went with my go-to move: a tweet to <a href="https://twitter.com/Delta" target="_blank">@Delta</a> on Twitter. I'm only a Silver Medallion SkyMiles member (their lowest tier), so I didn't have high expectations with the last maneuver.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vE_DTJf25Jg/XQkMpVqigFI/AAAAAAABFpw/7cakEnLmnKITE88QxvheQYkEUmYUx5NMACLcBGAs/s1600/Delay%2B-%2BDelta.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="805" height="618" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vE_DTJf25Jg/XQkMpVqigFI/AAAAAAABFpw/7cakEnLmnKITE88QxvheQYkEUmYUx5NMACLcBGAs/s640/Delay%2B-%2BDelta.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
After about fifteen minutes, the travel agent got back to me with  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ and a recommendation that I just go on a wing and a prayer (yes, I know). And the SFO flight was sold out by that point.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Delta had already replied to my tweet and took things to direct message, with an unexpected level of service:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oZg8TBRXCsw/XQkM4e_aw9I/AAAAAAABFp4/NV2iPlQSfYsSWKoQmHw9tDbptuowFqcaACLcBGAs/s1600/Delay%2B-%2BDelta%2Breponse%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="179" data-original-width="753" height="152" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oZg8TBRXCsw/XQkM4e_aw9I/AAAAAAABFp4/NV2iPlQSfYsSWKoQmHw9tDbptuowFqcaACLcBGAs/s640/Delay%2B-%2BDelta%2Breponse%2B1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
All I can say is: wow. (Or whoa, if I'm being consistent with the title above.)<br />
<br />
The flight was indeed delayed, and by the time we arrived at SLC, there was an eighteen-minute gap between flights. With doors closing fifteen minutes before a flight is scheduled to depart that left—check my math here—only three minutes to make the connection. I notified Delta of what was happening during our terminally slow taxi:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c2LozA4_z3o/XQkTixdJjLI/AAAAAAABFqI/Yt00gpjs7-sCoMTeO6TPqJcpdBj22uudQCLcBGAs/s1600/Delay%2B-%2BDelta%2Bresponse%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="858" height="422" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c2LozA4_z3o/XQkTixdJjLI/AAAAAAABFqI/Yt00gpjs7-sCoMTeO6TPqJcpdBj22uudQCLcBGAs/s640/Delay%2B-%2BDelta%2Bresponse%2B2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Even better than Delta's stellar customer service was their choice of gates. We landed at C5 and the connecting flight was at C6. Talk about luck!<br />
<br />
As the flight to San Jose departed, I took the pilot's advice to "sit back and relax" (have you ever seen anyone sitting forward?) and breathed a sigh of relief that I was nearly there.<br />
<br />
But that feeling wasn't to last for long. Things were about to go sideways.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<b>Not HHonored to Be Here</b></h2>
The flight landed and I caught a ride to my hotel, the <a href="https://hilton.com/" target="_blank">Hilton</a> San Jose. I'm an HHonors member with gold status, and I usually opt for the digital key when I check in—where you can unlock your room with your smartphone.<br />
<br />
When I approached the front desk to check in, the manager told me that there were no more rooms available. My head began swirling. It was 11:15 p.m. (which translated to 2:15 a.m. back in Detroit).<br />
<br />
I immediately questioned the reality: "Are you sure? I had a reservation." No, all rooms were occupied. There was nothing they could do. But they did make arrangements for me at another hotel.<br />
<br />
"Oh, well that was kind of you. At least I'll have a room—FIFTEEN MILES AWAY!—what?"<br />
<br />
"We're sorry sir, but all of the other hotels nearby are booked as well. We do have a room reserved for you at Dinah's Garden Hotel in Palo Alto."<br />
<br />
Trying not to hyperventilate as I imagined Silicon Valley traffic and trying to get to my 8:15 a.m. meeting that was literally across the street from the Hilton, I went through my mind what the options were.<br />
<br />
So I pulled out my phone and opened <a href="https://www.hoteltonight.com/" target="_blank">Hotel Tonight</a>, one of my favorite apps for handling last-minute travel plans. It showed the La Quinta San Jose Airport with availability, which I showed to the hotel manager. He seemed confused, but I told him I was going to book it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a4Wcuru61y8/XQkfCo8lvhI/AAAAAAABFr8/r644Ls1hYLY7RBwzLc9pJyPMhtzHSR-ZQCLcBGAs/s1600/hoteltonight.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="802" data-original-width="869" height="295" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a4Wcuru61y8/XQkfCo8lvhI/AAAAAAABFr8/r644Ls1hYLY7RBwzLc9pJyPMhtzHSR-ZQCLcBGAs/s320/hoteltonight.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
A quick push of the button later and a thumb slide across their logo—a movement so satisfying that it's second only to sliding into a soft comfy bed after a long trip—charged my card and notified me that I had a room.<br />
<br />
Only I didn't.<br />
<br />
The Hilton manager called ahead to La Quinta to verify they had my reservation before paying my cab fare to get there. As you've surmised, the manager at La Quinta didn't have a record of me, and insisted they didn't have any rooms either. After an exasperating conversation that seemed like it was straight out of <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T2GmGSNvaM" target="_blank">Seinfeld</a></i>, I hung up and resigned myself to an evening in Palo Alto.<br />
<br />
Oh, did I mention that the flight crew from Salt Lake City had arrived and checked into their <i>four</i> rooms? It doesn't seem right that a Gold HHonors member would get stiffed when checking in <i>before</i> four other guests.<br />
<br />
The Hilton staff assured me that I'd have a room the next day and that they'd take care of the cab fares to and from Palo Alto. I thanked them and got in the cab to head northwest. Along the way, the cab driver told me that there was a power outage at the Marriott, and they unloaded all of their guests onto the other hotels. Hence the state of non-vacancies.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Tip</b>: If you communicate clearly and transparently to your customers, they're likely to be much more understanding. Lack of communication invariably will lead to frustration, anger and resentment.</span></div>
<br />
Meanwhile I had tweeted <a href="https://twitter.com/hoteltonight" target="_blank">@HotelTonight</a> (foolishly thinking that I'd get a Twitter two-fer on customer service), but their canned response was to contact their team on the phone. I had neither the energy nor the composure to call the customer service number at that hour, so I just replied to their non-reply reservation email and let them know that I didn't have the room that they charged me for.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6LYgR3_fp94/XQkiG2DXiiI/AAAAAAABFsI/1NlFX9kmfzMPSCH6fWXoVw__NmRunwGfACLcBGAs/s1600/Dinah%2527s%2BGarden%2BHotel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="342" height="410" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6LYgR3_fp94/XQkiG2DXiiI/AAAAAAABFsI/1NlFX9kmfzMPSCH6fWXoVw__NmRunwGfACLcBGAs/s640/Dinah%2527s%2BGarden%2BHotel.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinah's Garden Hotel, Palo Alto</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I arrived at <a href="https://www.dinahshotel.com/" target="_blank">Dinah's Garden Hotel</a> just after midnight and was greeted warmly and with empathy. It was a lovely retro-looking establishment with a lush pool area and well-reviewed restaurant. The facilities were updated and modern, and the management had a plate of apples and a couple of Ghirardelli chocolates waiting for me in the room.<br />
<br />
The next morning, I was out the door at 7:15 a.m. and had an uneventful ride back to the Hilton in San Jose. The good news was that I discovered that Hotel Tonight had answered my email overnight and would be refunding my money. So far, so good.<br />
<br />
The front desk staff back at the Hilton was welcoming and expressed their apologies for the disruption the night before. They took my email address so the manager could get in touch, and they whisked me upstairs to my room, which was available that early.<br />
<br />
In the room, I noticed this placard, with Hilton's brand promise:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z52BKOLyYas/XQkjaiKKm6I/AAAAAAABFsU/xTzEltjYrnsMuQwDVBjWrfqVvODVx9IEwCLcBGAs/s1600/Hilton%2B-%2Bmake%2Bit%2Bright.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="851" height="474" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z52BKOLyYas/XQkjaiKKm6I/AAAAAAABFsU/xTzEltjYrnsMuQwDVBjWrfqVvODVx9IEwCLcBGAs/s640/Hilton%2B-%2Bmake%2Bit%2Bright.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you're not satisfied with your stay, let us know and we'll Make It Right.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Knowing as I did that the hotel had its hands full and made arrangements for me before I arrived, I didn't really have any complaints that morning (other than having to relocate so far away the night before). I was simply grateful to have a room.<br />
<br />
But imagine my surprise when I arrived back at the room after a day of meetings, to find this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7sHD88HChcM/XQkj7-RiAFI/AAAAAAABFsc/QuP0Xr0T5y4ckqKapcXnFC7bxVCpQlopQCLcBGAs/s1600/Hilton%2B-%2Btreat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="1134" height="478" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7sHD88HChcM/XQkj7-RiAFI/AAAAAAABFsc/QuP0Xr0T5y4ckqKapcXnFC7bxVCpQlopQCLcBGAs/s640/Hilton%2B-%2Btreat.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
This was a nice gesture to try to smooth things over. But here's the thing: did this gesture Make It Right?<br />
<br />
I don't think that it did.<br />
<br />
An HHonors member getting stiffed over a reservation, no communication about the situation before or after (the manager never reached out as promised), and watching other guests check in while I was being exiled to another city: Does a cheese and wine make this right?<br />
<br />
No, what would make it right would be to do something commensurate with the lost night. A bundle of HHonors points, a complementary stay—something, anything to make it clear that I'm valued.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>UPDATE:</b><br />
The manager of the San Jose Hilton got in touch to say that he had written a personal note with an apology and 25,000 HHonors points; it evidently did not get delivered with the amenities. He was thorough and thoughtful in his email, and demonstrated the kind of hospitality that I have come to expect from Hilton (which is why I was shocked that they didn't seem to have met that in what I recounted above).<br />
<br />
I hope to make the San Jose Hilton my hotel of choice upon my return to San Jose.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<b>Three brands, three experiences</b></h2>
Summing up the interactions, here's how I'd rank them:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Delta exceeded my expectations.</li>
<li>HotelTonight met my expectations.</li>
<li>Hilton fell below my expectations.</li>
</ol>
<br />
Delta made me feel the most cared about. They knew what I'd be going through and were helpful, going the extra mile without me having to ask. While Hilton made sure I wasn't homeless for the night, their communication was less than stellar and their snack tray didn't make anything right.<br />
<br />
And this is the difference between brands that want to ensure they keep good customers and those that don't care and would rather chase new customers.<br />
<br />
Brands that show empathy—that care enough to take care of you the way they'd take care of their own family when traveling and anticipate your needs—these are the brands that create better customer experiences. That build trust. And ultimately, loyalty.<br />
<br />
When a brand is able to turn a <i>woe</i> into a "<i>whoa</i>," you'll see that the customers they took such good care of will come back again and again.<br />
<br />
Returning to Frank Sinatra, he recorded the Cole Porter song  "<a href="https://amzn.to/2IqqlF4" target="_blank">I Concentrate On You</a>" three times in his career. As an entertainer whose star shone bright and faded many times, it's no wonder, as the lyrics indicate the value of someone who was there for him, especially through difficult times:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
When fortune cries "Nay, nay" to me<br />
And people declare "You're through"<br />
Whenever the blues become my only songs<br />
I concentrate on you<br />
        On your smile, so sweet, so tender<br />
        When at first my kiss you do decline<br />
        On the light in your eyes when you surrender<br />
        And once again our arms intertwine</blockquote>
<br />
May we be so lucky to have people and brands that inspire that level of devotion from us.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Top image credit: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gassed_(painting)">Gassed</a> by John Singer Sargent, 1919 (Wikipedia, Public Domain) </i>

How to Turn Customer Woes into Customer "Whoas!"

I'm a Frank Sinatra fan. (That much shouldn't be a surprise.) The lyrics from his song " It's Nice to Go Trav'ling &...

C-Level Executives Should Lose the Attitude When Communicating

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EaFKbO4iJH8/XPlw9ElIJsI/AAAAAAABFWc/5kuqO_pOQTUSQgSoYRJbUsP25LgAIhwzgCLcBGAs/s1600/James%2BCambpell%2B-%2BNews%2BFrom%2BMy%2BLad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1400" height="364" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EaFKbO4iJH8/XPlw9ElIJsI/AAAAAAABFWc/5kuqO_pOQTUSQgSoYRJbUsP25LgAIhwzgCLcBGAs/s640/James%2BCambpell%2B-%2BNews%2BFrom%2BMy%2BLad.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Every external-facing executive has had this challenge.<br />
<br />
You're working diligently on advancing your business, growing your customer base, expanding your products and services, improving your bottom line, and telling your story. But there's someone — or even worse, a <i>group</i> of someones — who aren't interested in your best efforts; they won't be satisfied until you shake up your business and bend to their requests.<br />
<br />
When someone like that has a platform to make their voice heard, and they don't take into account any of the talking points or convincing conversation you've shared with them, it can be frustrating.<br />
So frustrating that you just want to unleash on them and give them a piece of your mind.<br />
<br />
Don't.<br />
<br />
Whether you're a CEO, chief communications officer, or a public relations executive and you're dealing with public-facing entities (customers, the media, shareholders, employees, etc.) who haven't quite gotten the gist of your message — or who seem to have an agenda of their own — don't let your feelings of annoyance color your communication.<br />
<br />
Because you know what doesn't look good on any public-facing executive? Contempt.<br />
<br />
Two recent communications from Fortune 10 executives gave me pause.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<b>Walling Off Support</b></h2>
The first is from Dan Bartlett, EVP of Corporate Affairs for Walmart. In the lead-up to the annual shareholders meeting at Walmart, Dan had a series of tweets that took aim at Senator Bernie Sanders (who has been overly critical of Walmart):<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
We welcome <a href="https://twitter.com/BernieSanders?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BernieSanders</a> on his campaign stop to Northwest Arkansas. Here are a few facts I’m fairly certain he won’t acknowledge while describing his outdated view of Walmart. (1/4)</div>
— Dan Bartlett (@danbartlett6) <a href="https://twitter.com/danbartlett6/status/1136288798990655489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-conversation="none">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
No other company in the U.S. is making debt-free college education accessible to more than a million people for about $1 a day. No other company has opened 200 training academies, providing enhanced workforce skill-building for hundreds of thousands just this past year. (2/4)</div>
— Dan Bartlett (@danbartlett6) <a href="https://twitter.com/danbartlett6/status/1136288801997893632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-conversation="none">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
No other company has hired more than 225k veterans in the last 5 years. No other company in America has pledged to avoid emissions in the supply chain by 1 BILLION metric tons by 2030! (3/4)</div>
— Dan Bartlett (@danbartlett6) <a href="https://twitter.com/danbartlett6/status/1136288804497756160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-conversation="none">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Oh, and we’re one of the largest federal income tax payers, recently contributing nearly 2% of all corporate taxes! (4/4)</div>
— Dan Bartlett (@danbartlett6) <a href="https://twitter.com/danbartlett6/status/1136288807328915457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
Now, I get that Sanders has been a thorn in Walmart's side for quite a while. And I also get that Walmart has done all of the things that Bartlett notes (disclosure: Walmart was once a client of mine). It must be dismaying to not get credit for the positive developments that demonstrated a move in the right direction.<br />
<br />
But Bartlett's attitude comes off as snarky and scornful, which results in two things: 1) it makes him (and Walmart) less likely to garner praise from anyone who might have been sympathetic to their cause; and 2) actually makes him (and Walmart) seem like he's turning a deaf ear to the initial complaints.<br />
<br />
The "welcome...to Northwest Arkansas" was about as sincere as "with all due respect." He may as well have ended with "Bless your heart."<br />
<br />
If an executive wishes to engage someone in a debate or make a point about valid progress, an open, respectful and upbeat tone will win over detractors, rather than firing bullet points of rebuttals with a flippant attitude.  <br />
<br />
<br />
<h2>
<b>Generally a Little Better</b></h2>
Tony Cervone, the SVP of Global Communications for General Motors, didn't appreciate the coverage that <i>The New York Times</i> was giving to the shuttering of GM's Lordstown, OH plant. In his view, the paper was focused only on doom and gloom and the Times published his letter:<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Tony Cervone, <a href="https://twitter.com/GM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GM</a> communications chief, calls out the <a href="https://twitter.com/NYT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NYT</a> for failing to find "optimism" despite job cuts and idled plants.. "You are fixed on seeding doubt and despair." <a href="https://t.co/ETDdcxGWZI">https://t.co/ETDdcxGWZI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/freep?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@freep</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/freepautos?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@freepautos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/UAW?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UAW</a></div>
— Phoebe Wall Howard (@phoebesaid) <a href="https://twitter.com/phoebesaid/status/1135912473872125953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2019</a></blockquote>
The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/03/opinion/letters/general-motors-lordstown.html" target="_blank">letter</a> was balanced in that it acknowledged the struggles that the workers, community, and the industry is facing, and showed the way that GM worked to find options for employees and for the facility itself (although that is still uncertain). It opened with the observation that "What has been missing is any sense of optimism."<br />
<br />
But along the way, a creeping sense of disdain began to rise. It concludes with Cervone telling the paper how to do its job, insisting that the narrative that he has shared "should drive a sense of optimism, not despair."<br />
<br />
When a company works so hard to show how it's trying to make the best of a bad situation and that effort is ignored, it's disappointing when a publication misses the mark. But if you allow antagonism to seep through while making your point, it can seem off-putting.<br />
<br />
Haughty.<br />
<br />
Disdainful.<br />
<br />
Contemptuous.<br />
<br />
Scornful.<br />
<br />
Prideful.<br />
<br />
Supercilious.<br />
<br />
If you're a public spokesperson of any sort and your communications invoke any of the above adjectives, it's disrespectful. It shows that you don't understand the other side, that you believe their position is invalid, or that your view is the only view.<br />
<br />
It's human to have emotions — especially negative ones. And it's a struggle to keep them in when you're thwarted. <a href="https://amzn.to/2KvRh7K" target="_blank">Heliotropism</a> takes practice.<br />
<br />
Communications executives who demonstrate patience, optimism, empathy, and show their best selves will be respected by those with whom they seek to influence and will reap the rewards in the long run.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<i>Image credit: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:James_Campbell_-_News_from_My_Lad_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg">News from my Lad</a> by James Campbell, 1859 (Wikimedia Commons - public domain)</i><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br />
</i>

C-Level Executives Should Lose the Attitude When Communicating

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