Talking out of both sides of Microsoft’s Mouth

Microsoft’s new ad campaign, People Ready, is now trumpeting what most of us have known for years – the old mantra…’It’s not personal, it’s just business’…. is a bunch of malarkey. In what first appears to be an editorial filled with typical CEO mumbo jumbo, Microsoft uses a red highlighter to cut through the BS leaving just a few words that emphasize Microsoft’s new marketing message…’Because it’s everybody’s business’.

Interesting that this marketing campaign coincides with Microsoft’s announcement they are laying off 1400 people today and 5000 over the next 18 months. Now that’s what I call personal.

Guess it’s only ‘everybody’s business’ at Microsoft when sales are strong.

16 January

Paying to Unplug… and the Sad Future of Lettuce

I love to read AdAge. For me, it’s like a match that ignites that “What if…” place in my brain. For instance, in Lenore Skenazy’s January 12th article, Extinction, Innovation and the Sad Future of Iceberg Lettuce, futurist Richard Watson, author of Future Files: The Five Trends That Will Shape the Next 50 Years, discusses what’s new and what’s quickly becoming extinct – like paternity cases, careers and iceberg lettuce.

One emerging trend is the desire to drop out of the wired world. Watson predicts that more and more people are going to seek out places where they can unplug, enjoy the quiet and rekindle personal relationships without technological props. Skenazy writes, “Dropping out from the technological world may become the ultimate luxury.” My friends at the International Spa Assocation are smiling. Cell phone free properties and quiet rooms have long been a hallmark of the best destination spas.

Here’s my prediction…. It’s actually going to become cool to close your door, turn off your Blackberry, put your phone on voice mail and get some uninterrupted work done. I can feel it. Brain shrinking multi-tasking is going to fall from grace like the socially unacceptable iceberg lettuce. And not a minute too soon… Imagine what kind of real work we could done….

Posted in: Color Commentary,Finding Satisfaction Tags: AdAge, Future Files: The Five Trends That Will Shape the Next 50 Years, International Spa Association, Leadership Effectiveness, Lenore Skenazy, Richard Watson, Work Life Satisfaction, work-life balance — | Comments (0)

15 January

It’s a Great Time to Up the Talent of Your Team

Just this week I’ve talked with three highly talented professionals that find themselves unexpectedly searching for a job due to the economic crunch. For those companies that want to raise the talent level of their team, don’t be shy. Now is an excellent time to do it.

Posted in: Leadership Effectiveness | Comments (0)

It’s time to wake up and smell the truth. Like gas guzzling relics, traditional Type A’s are becoming passé. In the good ole’ days, with their steely-eyed focus and turbo-charged tactics, Type A’s could dominate the game by slicing, dicing and sacrificing. That pricey party is over. Award-winning executive coach Kay Cannon offers a funny insider’s look into the secret world of top performing Type A individuals and redefines how these talented and smart superstars can get great results without collateral damage.