My Start to 2008

Life the last few weeks has truly been extraordinary. I started my 08 with a trip to LA, where I had the pleasure of working with a wonderful group of Ad Sales planners. The focus was on Maximizing Your Presentation Impact……and we had such fun doing it. I particularly liked the Presentation HOOK that one of the participants came up with, who was selling True TV, which is the rebranding of Court TV. He said that reality TV was less enjoyable because it had become so contrived and staged, and that Tru TV, was the original version of actuality and reality. What I love most about these sessions, is that we get to really share ideas that can then be implemented in an upcoming presentation.

I flew straight from LA to NY, where I had the pleasure of sitting next to a renowned scientist who partnered with Al Gore on his Global warming research.But it was in the cab line, that my real story lies. As I stood in the line I realized I had a limited amount of cash, and that a car from JFK would be expensive, so I mentioned to the gentleman standing in front of me, that if he was going to Mid-town we should share a car, and split the fee. At first he looked at me very suspiciously…..and so would you I suppose, if I accosted you at the taxi stand at JFK. Realizing he was a bit unnerved I withdrew the offer; however, he seemed to reconsider, and asked me where I was going. While I fumbled for my itinerary, he announced to the driver that he was going to Le Parker Meridien. “So am I,” I said in disbelief. If he was suspicious before, he was now positively shaken. “Look,” I said, and showed him my crumpled travel details. And so it was that Brent and I got into the cab to the exact same destination on a cold Wednesday afternoon in New York. It turns out that Brent works with Allegan, the drug company that manufactures Botox and Breast Implants, and so, as you can imagine we had lots to talk about.

Teaching Professional Presence to a group of already Professional and Present New Yorkers was a challenge. But to their credit, and that of their boss, we explored how we could kick our careers “up a notch” by becoming more conscious of every aspect of our behavior both verbal and non verbal.

The real highlight of my NY trip was meeting the very famous and quite brilliant author of Tipping Point and Blink. Well if you can call giving Malcolm Gladwell my card, and telling him how much I appreciate his work, a meeting. So for those of you who have not read either of those masterpieces, they are really worthwhile. For me, Mr. Gladwell was the very proper English gentleman, a yuppie well dressed intellectual. So you can imagine my total surprise when he turns out to look more like an out of work musician with baggy, disheveled clothes and spiky unkempt hair.  And that just endorses how we often make assumptions about things and people based on no evidence at all.

And no the week did not end there, next was a morning seminar with Plum Creek, the biggest landowner in the US at Chateau Elan. I decided to get there really early so I could be totally relaxed and get a much needed wax at the magnificent spa. I parked outside the spa, and when I was done, took a leisurely stroll to my car, and drove my car up to the hotel. I got out of my car and after much frantic searching and total disbelief realized I had left my suitcase at home……Has that ever happened to you?And so it is that we come to realize how very little we really need…….and how a moment of distraction can cause a great deal of inconvenience.

After Plum Creek I was off to Peachtree City and the vibrant group of Post Properties managers and associates. If you ever need a conference facility, while not fancy, the Wyndham in P.C is fabulous. The conference rooms are large and well equipped and the chocolate fountain was as good as the Ritz Carlton in NY.

So many talks and great interactions later, I am having a moment to reflect on a wonderful week. I loved what the CEO of Post Properties said, it all comes down to the one thing in life we cannot do without…in Latin…the SINE QUE NON …..and that is RELATIONSHIPS……

At the end of it all, it is about the people we meet and connect with, the people we converse with and then the people we collaborate with…….

November Newsletter

Please click on the link below to view the November issue of my newsletter:

http://www.greaterimpactcommunication.com/Newsletter/November2007.htm

Today, I got this wonderful email, I thought it would be great to share.

Nadia,

I very much appreciated your presentation at yesterday’s Hartford Real Estate Exchange.  Your comments clearly validated many of my own practices.  I am often told that my energy sells and that I am passionate about what I do but frankly, I could not appreciate that until I was in your company yesterday to hear and see your passionate delivery and motivation.  In my work and life I am “business yenta” and the power of the network is wonderful and yet on the spot, I was unable to give a great example yesterday.  I do have one for you today….

I am working on a major development project in our region.  The developer, who is out of Florida, called frantic this morning because he had four “super loads” of equipment to be delivered to a site in another state for another project. They needed to pass through Connecticut and Rhode Island to the site in Massachusetts.  He had 4 trucks rolling and 2 were stopped at the Connecticut border. Connecticut only permits passage on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday and they were not given all the permits until today.  The state police did not believe that the two trucks at the border would get through the state by the end of the day so they were stalled to sit there until next Tuesday.  Meanwhile, the developer’s permits for Rhode Island and Massachusetts for tomorrow and Friday would expire and there is a sizeable cost for a huge crane waiting to lift them off the trucks at the ultimate site.

Through my network, I was able to identify the key person who was not so senior that would result in political rumblings but someone in a position that could sign a waiver and permit them to travel through Connecticut tomorrow morning beginning at 9:00 am.  In addition, my client will be able to continue for a couple of additional  hours in the event they are not completely through by the regular 4:00 deadline. 

Result:

My key contacts were called to hear about their success and my thank you notes are out;

My client is relieved and pleased. I have better credibility with them.

The State employees and my contacts are all feeling successful.

And I am so appreciative to work with such wonderful people and frankly VERY relieved.

To share one of my tips with you, I always say that in marketing and networking there are two considerations:   ”What’s in if for them?” and “How do you make them feel?”  You covered that in your presentation yesterday. 

Thank you for the inspiring talk at the CREW meeting on 10/11.  I truly enjoyed it!  You are funny and very wise.

My firm is only 2 years old and I have called, emailed, faxed, and written prime consultants looking for subcontracting opportunities.  I am an urban planner, civil engineer and attorney – very transactional (smile).

I think I could have made a lot more headway if I had have asked to meet with them over lunch or tea.  In fact, the opportunities that have come my way have been made during lunch meetings.

Mass letter and email campaigns cannot replace face to face meetings and relationship building.

Networking Is Critical

If you ever visit Hartford, CT, you should stay at the Goodwin hotel. It’s a boutique hotel with 2 level suites and a very friendly staff, who go out of their way to please.

My presentation to the Real Estate Exchange was on Networking, with a focus on “clubbing with the boys,” very pertinent since the program took place in the famous Hartford Club, the meeting place of many state senators.

Women in Commercial Real Estate often find themselves being the “only woman” in the board room or as Sandra Fitzpatrick, from Land America, told me “the only woman on the golf course”. Sandra says golfing is a great way to bond with the men in her life. I have asked Sandra to comment further on her success in navigating a company that does due diligence for commercial real estate investors. The one thing I find all successful women have in common is that they are aware that networking is critical. They are as comfortable talking to their male counterparts about politics as about talking about their kid’s college application. One of the audience members made the excellent point that connecting others has been pivotal to his success. And indeed we can never underestimate the power of “paying it forward.”

After my talk, I rushed to the airport to see if I could get on the earlier flight. It looked hopeful…..I was first on the standby list. I was about to get my ticket issued when a very frantic Mr. X came rushing up to the counter. So, with 2 seconds to go I lost the chance to get home two and a half hours early. Has that ever happened to you? I was disproportionately crushed. I literally had to take a moment to regroup, which made me think of attitude, and how we let life’s setbacks, be they big or small, upset us.

So, I ask, what has happened or is happening to you that is disappointing, and how are you dealing with it?

I decided that I would use the time to write this blog, rather than drown my irritation in a margarita. So if there is something in your life right now that is not working out for you, how are you dealing with it? I know missing a flight is minor compared to most obstacles we all face, but the point I want to make is the momentary frustration and disappointment I felt reminded me of frequent disappointment that is so much part of the human condition and of Stephen Coveys words:  10 per cent of life is what happens and 90 per cent is how we deal with it.

Tomorrow I give a presentation to CREW ATLANTA…….I look forward to Hearing from you

Turner Workshop

It is always wonderful to present a program for Turner because everyone works for different companies under the Turner umbrella. In today’s workshop there were people from CNN, Court TV (soon to be TruTV) TNT, TBS , Gametap, etc, etc. It’s great because it provides such variety in terms of networking.

We also spoke about the fact that I am South African, one of the participants, Nndike, is half Nigerian and another, Chris, could trace his ancestry back to England. The true melting pot, that is America, represented right here at CNN Center.

After the program, I rushed to the airport to go to Hartford for the CREW event. As much as I travel, stripping off my over garment and taking off my shoes will never be routine. As someone who has only lived in this country for 10 years, I am still awed by the amount of traveling we do for business. I will have been on over 20 flights in September alone……. So if any of you have any great travel tips……or networking feedback ….I look forward to hearing from you.

Sanofi-Aventis

Yesterday I had the wonderful opportunity to spend the afternoon with District Sales Managers and Regional Directors with Sanofi-Aventis.It is always a challenge to speak about Networking with women who already do it so well.So, as always I spoke about how to take it to another level, how, as Emmeril says, to “kick it up a notch”It really comes down to “mindset” especially as women; we tend to feel that Networking is expedient. We also discussed that we don’t like asking.What I have discovered, after years of teaching Networking around the world, is that you should “frame” your request in a way that feels comfortable for you. An example is: “I would so appreciate your thoughts on this, or do you have any ideas as to how I should proceed?”The other part of the program that was remarkable was how much “currency” we all have.We often think if we don’t have something tangible to “give” then we cannot ask. But our giving can come in many different forms and if we think creatively we have so much more to offer than we may have originally thought.While driving home, I was struck by the fact that it really does all come down to our perceptions of ourselves and sometimes just a word can shift our view on something.

What I always appreciate about these sessions is people’s willingness to learn. Here was a group of already successful women, who were open to expanding.

I also really appreciate the variety of my career. Today I will be producing guest segments for CNNI, and while it may seem unrelated, it is in fact where I put everything I teach into practice.

I am continually looking for alternative currency that I have to offer, and continuously navigating corporate America. The journey continues………..

Next week I work with CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) in Hartford….so look forward to sharing that experience…..