As my father would say {note: he has some strange sayings}: I've let my skimmer leak. How? Well, I recently discovered that I have not consistently followed my tried-and-true process when meeting a new contact: 1. Record the business contact into Outlook (or other CRM) database 2. Write a few key … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #20: It’s simple! Expanding your LinkedIn network…
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Scarlett Letter #19: Take a chance on a face…
I've never been good with names OR faces. Lately, I've had to reckon with this deficiency more than ever, as I've placed myself in many professional networking scenarios that are outside of my typical AEC-industry circle. For example, as I expand my own understanding and comfort with social media, … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #19: Take a chance on a face…
Scarlett Letter #18: ‘It causes me to consider multiple options,’ says she.
Last week, in the middle of volunteering for a St. Jude's benefit, we had some downtime during the event. I sat there, smack in the middle of two other women, both of whom started playing with their handhelds (iphone and blackberry, respectively). They struck up a conversation about Sudoku, the … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #18: ‘It causes me to consider multiple options,’ says she.
Scarlett Letter # 17 Part III – AEC team building in tough times: It also goes side-to-side
Parts I and II of AEC team building in tough times spoke to 1. productive, practical team building alternatives; 2. a leader's attitude to keep team building on the forefront day to day. This final entry on the topic is about how team building can be solidified side-to-side...meaning: connect your … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter # 17 Part III – AEC team building in tough times: It also goes side-to-side
Scarlett Letter # 16 Part II – AEC team building in tough times: It starts at the top….
Hopefully, you’ve given serious consideration to the ‘what if’s’ team building suggestion that I mentioned in Part I. Yet, here’s a question: who facilitates those ‘what if’ dialogues? Listen, if you are a leader, then you need to be involved with these team building efforts—either as the primary … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter # 16 Part II – AEC team building in tough times: It starts at the top….
Scarlett Letter #15: Part I – AEC team building in tough times
With another round of layoffs recently (and covertly) ‘announced’ at a few prominent Chicago A/E firms this month, and with 2009’s NEOCON festivities dialed down like never before, I empathize with the professionals that have held onto their positions—their morale; career development; and level of … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #15: Part I – AEC team building in tough times
Scarlett Letter #14: Do you know who’s got your back?
Last week, I went to see Keith Ferrazzi--best selling author--speak on his new book “Who's Got Your Back?” Because I had heard a RainToday podcast with a Ferrazzi interview just two weeks prior, I was moderately prepared for what I would learn in his session. Yet, I wasn’t prepared for my emotional … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #14: Do you know who’s got your back?
Scarlett Letter #13: Keep your good ideas from slipping away…
“When you want to get something done, write it down.” How often have we heard this piece of advice, or something similar? Recently, I’ve been getting more eyebrow raises and questioning looks from those who see me whip out my tiny notebook (in public) and start writing something down. I could be … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #13: Keep your good ideas from slipping away…
Scarlett Letter #12: Part II – Vyying for change in your professional services firm? Even small improvements add up…
In the Scarlett Letter #11, I spoke about the (sometimes) sloth-like execution process when it comes to marketing and business development activities within an AE firm. My colleague, Rana Lee of SmithGroup, had shared a recent story about the process her firm went through to execute an unusual … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #12: Part II – Vyying for change in your professional services firm? Even small improvements add up…
Scarlett Letter #11: Part I – Vyying for change in your professional services firm? Even small improvements add up over time, and they keep the momentum going…
Last week, I attended a Green Symposium in which a colleague of mine (Claire Wooley, Howard Ecker) mentioned a concept that I have not thought about for some time: Kaizen. According to Wikipedia, Kaizen ("improvement") is a Japanese philosophy that focuses on continuous improvement throughout all … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #11: Part I – Vyying for change in your professional services firm? Even small improvements add up over time, and they keep the momentum going…