Ode to the Boombox’s Buttons
On April 12th, 2019, on the very day my company and I celebrated birthdays, the AARP packet came in the mail. It also was my last day with the place that paid me every two weeks. The next month, I started my own shop. My mind’s boombox buttons have never been the same.
After seeing a client in Chinatown a couple of years ago, a window display full of boomboxes at an old-school electronics store on Canal Street stopped me cold.
Then it hit me, like hearing LL Cool J’s Mama Said Knock You Out for the first time - that the boombox’s buttons - Record, Rewind, Play, Fast Forward, Stop and Pause - represent the toggled states of where my mind tends to uncontrollably wander and cycle through daily.
My mind’s boombox buttons shifted to rewind and to April 12th, 2019, the last day with my company I called home for over a decade. And a place that reliably directly deposited my check bi-weekly. It was the same day that we - the company and I - celebrated birthdays. And, it also was the day that the AARP packet came in the mail.
The next month, I started my own shop. Since then, pushing play is where life needs to be. But sometimes moving forward is hard to reach.
Looking through the window
of a vintage electronics store
Tending to the moment at hand, with focus and precision, can become tenuous or fleeting.
Sometimes, it’s hard to zero in on the task at hand. Your mind drifts and races and backpedals.
But life doesn’t have a rewind button. Hitting it, and becoming regretful about what you should have done, doesn’t always turn out so well.
Nor does too much fast forwarding, where extending too far out to plan for what may never come.
Maybe if we could regulate the fast forward button to slow it down some, in order roll out or adapt to things more thoughtfully or intentionally.
Now, pause, record and stop have its merits - and applications.
Take a well-deserved time out and pause the action. Or stop altogether and take a longer, more intentional break.
Life does not have a rewind button.
Only rewind if you’re going to hit record and playback what has occurred. At your own speed, and dissect, like game film, what has taken place so you can anticipate the next play.
If I were to associate a word for each boombox button, it would be:
Play - Focus
Pause - Break
Stop - Regroup
Record - Learn
Fast Forward - Plan
Rewind - Regret
If you need to prioritize Pause and Stop more than Play and Fast Forward, then do so. The key is, to restart, do next [something my dad used to say a lot] and continue to hit play. Four years later, I’m doing just that.
The High-Five: 5 Questions with Stacey Finkelstein, Associate Professor and Area Head of Marketing at the University of Stony Brook
I have so much empathy for what my students are experiencing. I was first on the job market during the last recession and I remember seeing job postings disappear and hearing stories of hiring freezes.
Q.. As the area head of marketing for Stony Brook's marketing department, what advice have you given to your students who just graduated, as they look to brand, market and differentiate themselves in this challenging job market?
A. This is such a great question - I have so much empathy for what my students are experiencing. I was first on the job market during the last recession and I remember seeing job postings disappear and hearing stories of hiring freezes. My advice was that students just need a job so that they can pay the bills, and, ideally, they find a boss and team that will mentor them and offer professional coaching so that they can build skills in whatever facet of marketing or business they find themselves in.
This might mean following a different career path than what the student initially envisioned, but finding the right company culture and fit is so much more important than what job title they have. While the economy struggles and businesses pivot or, sadly, close, students should build their skills in the area they eventually want to end up in. For instance, if a student wants to end up in digital marketing, they can take free courses through Google Academy and earn certifications and there are other places offering free education as well, including HubSpot. If a student wants to end up in advertising, now is the time to boost their written communication and consider MOOCs in journalism. So, generally, my advice is to find a good company culture and if it's not in the industry they want to end up in, to use their time to boost skills using free coursework or MOOCs so that when the economy DOES recover, they can transition with relative ease.
Q. Flash forward to September: What do you believe the classroom experience looks like? What learnings from the tail-end of this year are you currently bringing forward in conversations with your peers and colleagues to help shape and inform those experiences this Fall?
A. I wish I had a crystal ball as this question is on everyone's minds. I am not sure what Fall will look like. My own experience and discussions at SBU have focused on readiness and experience with technology. Many of us had experience teaching online and had time to work with instructional designers to build over months - or even years - well thought out online courses. Some of us had less experience. I've been happy to see the faculty and staff come together to promote the best outcomes during a tough time - students still learned so much in our courses and made progress towards their degrees.
As face to face instruction resumes, it will probably look very different. We might be wearing masks or be in distanced classrooms and we might rely on some of the same tools we used this Spring to promote experiential learning (such as group break out rooms in Zoom when groups can't meet face to face). There are other potential apps that can boost engagement - i've heard from some faculty at other universities that Slack channels limited to class registrants can allow for a robust real-time discussion. It's encouraging to see innovation that solves the need to connect and promote experiential learning.
“I have so much empathy for what my students are experiencing. I was first on the job market during the last recession and I remember seeing job postings disappear and hearing stories of hiring freezes. My advice was that students just need a job so that they can pay the bills, and, ideally, they find a boss and team that will mentor them and offer professional coaching so that they can build skills in whatever facet of marketing or business they find themselves in. ”
Q. As the world shifts to a new way of life in the midst of a global pandemic, marketers are facing new challenges, scrambling to adapt to changing consumer needs and experiences. What do marketers and brands need to do now to adjust their strategy in order to help ensure they will be viable in the future?
A. I think many businesses are seeing the way they do business undergo a massive revolution. The restaurant industry has to figure out how to still turn a profit when businesses reopen to reduced capacity and the retail space will certainly see massive shifts. There's certainly much room for improvement in website development, social media efforts and how to manage effective campaigns and identify new customers and messaging tactics to reach them, and to use incoming data to understand how business decisions are impacting profitability. Many small businesses in particular will grapple with all of these considerations under uncertainty and messages related to hope and community will probably resonate and cut through the cluttered media space.
Q. Healthcare decision-making and consumer behavior are just a couple of your research specialities. In the wake of COVID-19, the delivery of healthcare, and the decisions affecting it, will likely prompt an increase in virtual health platforms and tele-medicine models. Against that potential eventuality, what roles do you believe marketing and technology will play related to the shift in consumer behavior and experiences in this emerging space?
A. Funny you ask since I just spent 90 minutes today in a roundtable at the Marketing and Public Policy conference talking about exactly this! I think telehealth poses unique opportunities and challenges for consumers (in this case, the consumers are patients) and providers. Of course people might be concerned about privacy, but there are also differences and disparities in access to technology and internet service and comfort with technology and this will shape a lot of when and how patients decide to access care. Additionally, many consumers are engaging in decisions about when to see a doctor and whether or not seeing a doctor or receiving care at an ER or Urgent Care Center for something non COVID related poses so great a risk that they decide not to seek care at this time. While telemedicine can help, many physicians find that they are unable to offer diagnostic tests and so some in-person visits might be required for labs, testing etc and how risky this in person exposure is varies as a function of cases in the area, medical capacity, and individual patient risk. Privacy and how information is kept confidential is also probably top of mind for consumers.
Q. Life in perpetual BETA is essentially the notion that you are constantly and continually in the state of becoming. You’re never quite there and always are striving to improve. This concept is one I introduce when I speak about rapid organizational change and individual development and growth. I have introduced BETA as a mnemonic to explore ways in which one could bring about positive change in one’s life or organization. The mnemonic is below. Would you indulge me and share how you would apply these words as it relates to your personal or professional life?
Belief - I think people who have the ability to update their opinions and change their mind will go far in life, especially during this time of societal polarization
Empathy – I often speak to my students about what's called the fundamental attribution error or the tendency for people to under-emphasize situational explanations for an individual's observed behavior while over-emphasizing dispositional and personality-based explanations for their behavior. What this means is that if someone lets you down, instead of thinking of them as being a "mean" or "bad" person, ask what in the environment might have prompted them to act that way. Thinking more broadly about the environment and situational factors that shape behavior allows space for empathy - to put oneself in another's shoes and consider how you would react if you were in their situation. This relates to how negative rumors are spread through organizations, professional assessments/evaluations, and any number of other interpersonal issues in the workplace.
Trust – I firmly believe (and research supports) the role of authenticity in building trust.
Advocacy – I think of this in two ways. The first involves advocating for junior talent when you are in a position of power and lifting up voices that are traditionally marginalized. The second relates to advocacy in that business plays a large role in societal well-being and collectively organizations can shift to more sustainable and equitable practices as relates to how they treat their employees and also the products/services they offer to consumers.
The High-Five: 5 Questions with Client Solutions Manager Carmen Shum
Each month, I will visit with someone in my warm network who has expertise about a particular topic or industry and ask them five pointed questions related to their sphere of influence. For this month's High-Five, we welcome Carmen Shum, a Client Solutions Manager with LinkedIn. Carmen is an experienced Social Media Strategist with a demonstrated history of driving positive brand reputation results.
Q. You recently joined LinkedIn as a client solutions manager from JP Morgan Chase, where you specialized in social media content strategy and marketing. In the wake of COVID-19, in what ways has your prior experience in digital helped you pivot to working remotely while, at the same time, staying connected to your colleagues, who you have only known a relatively short time?
A. It’s definitely an interesting time for all of us in the workforce, and working from home is a fairly new experience for me since it wasn’t something that I did often in my previous job. But my prior job did require me to be on video calls daily because the people I worked with were located in different offices all around the world. As a result, I’m quite comfortable with being on camera and staying engaged through a virtual format! Because my team wasn’t always in the same office as me, I understood that communication was very important early on in helping to build relationships and trust. Always take time to check in on others on how they are doing to see how you can help and share what you’re working on to advocate for yourself because people can’t always see what you’re doing.
Q. As a client success manager, how are you setting your clients, both existing and new, for success? How and what does that look like today?
“Always take time to check in on others on how they are doing to see how you can help and share what you’re working on to advocate for yourself because people can’t always see what you’re doing. ”
A. My first step is understanding what success means for the client because that’s different for everyone. It’s also important for me to get a deep understanding of their business to understand how they can grow. It’s not about overnight success, but instead about progress and helping them to build a plan that can help them scale and grow. Success with a client looks like a strong partnership where there’s trust between us and they know that I have their back when they need help.
Q. Eight-graders and high school seniors recently received their acceptance letters for high school and colleges and universities, respectively. You went to Stuyvesant High School in New York City, and are not too far removed from that period in your life. As a way of still providing meaning and a connection to the special moments outgoing seniors have collectively, some students are building replicas of their schools in Minecraft to host proms and graduations virtually. If you were an incoming freshman or a graduating senior, what experiences would you want to create for your former self, to help bridge this unprecedented transition in your life and in the lives of your fellow classmates?
A. I love how students are making the big milestones in their lives happen in creative ways. When I was in high school, I was on the Yearbook committee and was very excited to help create something memorable that would serve as a time capsule for our future selves to revel in. If I were a graduating senior again, I would love to create a yearbook where everyone had the chance to collaborate on to help everyone feel more connected to each other by sharing their stories, positive messages, and shout outs.
Q. You have served as a member, patrol leader and adult advisor for the Girl Scouts for nearly a decade. The Coronavirus pandemic has adversely affected their cookie sales and the way in which they connect with their community. Drawing upon your own experiences, what guidance would you give the Girl Scouts themselves and its organization, as it moves through this period of separation and isolation from themselves and the communities in which they count on?
A. When I was a member, I always looked forward to seeing my friends and getting together as a troop to do a new activity every week. So although scouts and troops might be isolated at home during this time, they should still try and gather together through virtual meetings to keep the excitement alive. This is a time more than ever where it’s important to have a community that can support each other and also come together to think of ways we can help those around us who are in need. Part of the Girl Scouts promise is to help people at all times and I don’t doubt that troops across the nation are gathering together right now thinking about way they can help their communities. The values and skills that I gained from being a Girl Scout are something that I still carry with me and have shaped me to be who I am today. I would hate to see any girls be left behind because they don’t have access to the invaluable resources that Girl Scouts provide.
Q. Life in perpetual BETA is essentially the notion that you are constantly and continually in the state of becoming. You’re never quite there and always are striving to improve. I have introduced B.E.T.A. as a mnemonic to explore ways in which one could bring about positive change in one’s life, or organization. Against what humanity is facing today and how we’re going to pull through it together, belief, empathy, trust and advocacy take on new and more significant meaning. Would you indulge me and share how you would apply these words as it relates to your personal or professional life?
A. Belief: Don’t dwell. There are no mistakes in life, only lessons.
Empathy: Always be kind, you never know what others are going through.
Trust: Trust the timing of your life. You are where you need to be right now.
Advocacy: Bring the people around you up with you.
How I Grow Good Relationships
Listening is the subtle half of a meaningful conversation. Nowadays, the art of listening has taken on new meaning - one in which challenges the art itself.
In Social Media, everyone has something to say, but few are actually listening - that is, first trying to understand before responding. Social media has changed how and where many people do their listening and fact-finding, but not the fundamental need to listen.
Listening is an art that requires daily dedication, discipline and skill-honing. It is the subtle half of a meaningful conversation. For many today, with earbuds tucked into their ears, the art of listening has taken on a different meaning. Fewer conversations, it seems, take place face-to-face. For those that do, it feels like the art of listening has evaporated, and we’re left with a series of one-way exchanges.
If you’re tuned in and genuinely interested, you’ll want to visit, in-person, with [warm] social media contacts to see whether there is an opportunity to help each other.
The practice of connecting on social media can give the appearance of creating something that, on the surface is genuine, but in reality is hollow and meaningless. For many, it’s simply a cold way to name-pile, without truly knowing or understanding who the connections are, and what value or needs you can provide or satisfy - on their terms.
I created a learning mnemonic — C.R.O.P. — which helps me grow good relationships, both digitally, and in-person.
Commonality — What is the thread that unites you and the person you’re engaging - fellow alumni, shared values?
Reciprocity — Once you have the thread established, how do you provide and give, without expecting anything in return?
Opportunity — What are the ways in which you can visit with the person, either face-to-face or, if need be, via Skype or Zoom, for example, and see what it is you can offer?
Purpose — What is the underlying nature of the relationship? What does the follow-up look like? What are you trying to nurture?
Give this learning aid a go; you’ll be surprised to see how effective it could be provided you’re listening and giving first, and often.
The Skills to Pay the Bills
Skills to Pay the Bills, a Beastie Boys song from the 90s, was on my mind during a recent trip to the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn.
Skills to Pay the Bills, a Beastie Boys song from the 90s, was on my mind during a recent trip to the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn.
The museum was celebrating the subway’s 115th birthday, and part of the event’s festivities included a ride on a vintage subway car. As we rolled out from the museum’s train platform, I played back the Beastie track in my mind, as the advertisement shown below crossed my eyes.
For many looking to re-invent themselves in a rapidly-changing workforce, with fluid skill and experience demands placed on them in roles for which they have no business applying [or so they have been not-so-subtly told], the tune has become their career soundtrack. The ad’s message and call-to-action mirrors what is now taking hold in today’s evolving labor marketplace; that is, what got you here is not going to get you there.
In the 1960s, as the labor force began to see a decline in the number of manufacturing jobs — a trend that still exists today — people were figuring out ways in which to refine their skills and anticipate which professions were most in demand.
According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, computer specialists and engineers were two professions which experienced some of the highest job growth during that period.. Today, those computer specialists and engineers have become your data scientists and full-stack programmers.
“Learning and leading are indispensable to each other.”
Even against a full-employment economy, learning, acquiring and applying new knowledge and skill to remain financially viable and compete in the next wave growth is a non-negotiable. It’s simple: if you don’t learn, you don’t grow. That maxim applies to everyone.
So, where can you go to get the training and develop the skill you need to remain marketable? Here are a few suggestions, which are of little or no cost.
Your Warm Network is a great resource to tap into and see who in your trusted circle can provide insight as to the knowledge and skill you want to acquire.
LinkedIn Learning has an educational trove of courses, ranging from mindfulness training to sales training. Here is a link on how you may be able to get LinkedIn Learning for free at your local public library.
Grow with Google is a fairly new initiative to help people across the U.S. grow their skills, careers and businesses. You can explore and participate in on-site workshops and receive 1-on-1 coaching, in-person. From now through September, the pop-up learning center is in New York City, but may be coming to a city near you.
Podcasts have been recently embraced as a language and learning tool, or an instructional or inspiring activity. Podcasts on Spotify are classified around educational, comedy, and lifestyle and health topics, to name a few.