When More is Less

Over the years I have watched CBS “Sunday Morning.” It is a unique morning program.  Perhaps it is the interviews or the segments. Or, it has only one host, so you do not experience useless chatter. Host Charles Osgood is having a conversation with you.  If you watch the show, I think you will agree with me that the segments are longer and more interesting. 

For example, the past two weeks have featured segments on communication. The first one was two weeks ago and it was about the decline of penmanship. We do not write nearly as much as we used to and it shows. When I took my certification test 14 years ago computers were not allowed. One component was an essay exam and you had to write your response in blue books.  For several months preceding the exam I would write long letters to my family so my hand would not get tired. My family loved it.  When I passed the certification exam, the letters stopped.  Now be honest, who does not like to receive a handwritten letter in the mail? Today, we send emails and texts instead. Interesting fact later.

By the way, the link to the penmanship segment is http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/01/23/sunday/main7274525.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody

The second segment this week was on thank you notes (handwritten not emailed).  We send far fewer thank you notes than ever before. I remember sending thank you notes after Christmas for all the gifts I received. When I started my career a couple of decades ago I sent thank you notes when people were very helpful.  Some notes I would receive had beautiful penmanship.  Today, it is thank you emails.  That is not necessarily bad. For those who know me and have seen my hand writing, well let me say that I could be chief of staff at the Mayo Clinic.  So emails are easier.  Thank you notes come down to penmanship and time. Frankly, writing is far harder to write a note and envelope than typing emails and texts.  Besides, you can cheat with emailing.  You know what I mean, alter part of a letter or email and send it to a different family member.  You cannot do that with a handwritten letter.  Also, Word helps you clean up you spelling and prose. I welcome the day Facebook offers that service. By the way, Twitter does.

The interesting fact I alluded to earlier? We send 294 billion e-mails and nearly five billion text messages EVERY DAY.  This is from CBS “Sunday Morning.”

I find this staggering.  As a father with two teenagers I suspect I should not be.  My son lives to text.  He has sent/received as many as 27,411in one month. To a lesser degree he also uses Facebook. My daughter uses Facebook and texting as her primary means of communication.  One tally that I read a few months ago (and I posted) is 1,460,000,000,000 messages (chats & private messages) sent through Facebook each year (yes, that's trillion). I can assure you my kids certainly contributed more than their share.

I text, post updates on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and blog.  But I ask you, has your communications improved? I posted the interesting fact on Facebook and one of my friends said yes. When her boys were babies, texting and emailing helped her feel less alone. Now she is a writer and a talented one at that. Most of my writer friends prefer email; it allows them to send longer messages. Besides, you can thumb for only so long.

Side note: blog is an interesting word. It is both a noun and a verb. As in I have a blog or I blog. Blog is short for web log and is defined as read, write or edit a shared on-line journal.  Since I started one it occurred to me I was not exactly sure what blog meant.  It is exactly like the word text, both a noun and a verb.  For example, text me or I just got a text.  Sometimes language is so interesting.

Tweeting and texting are unique forms of communication. You can only put in 140 characters in one post.  It sure makes you cut excess words.  If you want help editing your comments and getting right to the point, then I suggest you set up a Twitter account and try to get your thoughts or Tweet in 140 characters (and do not abbreviate words).   However, as we all know, sometimes you cannot get your thoughts in 140 characters. For that you set up a blog or send emails.

What bothers me about the new communication formats is younger people now talk like texts or Tweets. I am not sure this is good. If you have a teenager you know what I mean.  For example when I am in the car with my daughter and ask do I know so and so, her answer is IDK (or I don’t know).  That will not go over well in the professional world. Texts, tweets and emails are rather impersonal.  With texts, tweets and emails you send your response and may not get an immediate response. You may not want an immediate response. More importantly, texting, tweeting and emailing limit the conversation.  It is unlikely you will go too far off the discussion when engaged in these formats.  When you talk to people you gain the added advantage of voice inflection and body language.  If you are talking to someone via phone at least you get the advantage of voice inflection.  The conversation is longer and may go to other subjects.  That is not necessary bad.  The biggest advantages of texting, tweeting and emailing are mass distribution, speed and the ability to respond when convenient. The biggest drawbacks of texting, tweeting and emailing are mass distribution, speed and the ability to respond when convenient.  It is an additional communication mode, not an entire way of life.

As you read, you may think this blog post rambles. I can hear it now; you should have emailed it, texted or tweeted it.  Perhaps, but sometimes an (edited) stream of conscious exercise is more for the writer than the reader.  Hence, the advantage of a blog. 

In part I think it comes down to this, we are so busy telling everybody what we are doing, I am not sure anybody is reading/listening.  Texting, tweeting and emailing are speedy, so it is more efficient.  An increase in speed usually corresponds to a decrease in personal attention.  I sure could be wrong, but I do not think so.  Perhaps less is more. 

Wonderful Way to Spend a Sunday Afternoon

Usually on Sunday afternoons I am reading and listening to jazz or classical music, or watching an old movie on TV. The kids are with friends and seldom in the house.  In essence we are all off in different directions.   Last Sunday we did something different.  We went to a play at the Market House Theater.  It was a comedy called “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare:  Abridged.”  Yes, it is a comedy.

Please allow me to offer some background.  I am not much of a comedy fan and really don’t know much about Shakespeare.  My exposure to Shakespeare’s plays is very limited. In summary it goes back to my college days when we would go to Shakespeare in the Park in Fort Worth, Texas.  Every summer a comedy and drama would be performed for free in a local park.  Courtesy of Netflix I watched several of Lord Laurence Olivier’s Shakespeare performances produced in the 1940s and 1950s. Lord Olivier’s productions were serious plays with serious themes. 

 A word about the Market House Theater.  Market House Theater (MHT) is a unique playhouse. It does adult and child theater, and offers numerous classes.  MHT produces comedies and dramas.  My family and I have been to numerous productions and every play is a treat.  The staging, acting, and set designs are outstanding.  If you want an example of a stellar local playhouse, MHT is what you would come up with.  (Disclosure note:  My wife works part time for MHT and we have several close friends that serve on the board and/or act in plays).  This does not change my opinion.

My son, my wife, a good friend, and I went to the play.   We saw a few friends at the theater (you just have to love the way that sounds).  My daughter did not go, she was not feeling well.  I laughed, a lot. Shakespeare abridged requires only 3 actors, but they do the work of a large ensemble cast.  Each actor had a dresser backstage.  In essence, the play covers many of Shakespeare’s greatest works in 2 (yes, 2) hours.  These three men gave my family, my friend and me a wonderful afternoon. 

This essay is really about family and children growing up.  When our kids were younger, we would go see children plays. They were well done, but not overly stimulating.  The kids loved it and that was the reason to go. You shared their joy and enthusiasm.

Now, my son is 16, he studied a couple of Shakespeare plays in high school. He laughed almost as much as I did.  It is rewarding to share an adult play with your child and hear him laugh.  He laughs because he thinks it is funny and not because everybody else is laughing.  We shared several humorous moments.

I have given this a lot of thought; it occurred to me that when my family watches a movie we do not get the same effect as a live play.  I am not sure, but I seldom laugh as much at a movie as I do a play. (Airplane and Monty Python and the Holy Grail are the exceptions).   I think you experience a bonding moment, but I cannot easily describe it. Perhaps it is because plays do to have distractions like phones or computers (or my Kindle).  Perhaps it is the live aspect of a play.  Perhaps at a play you see firsthand how hard actors work.  When you watch a movie at home you can stop it, wait for a commercial or text. When you go to movie plex you can get up to get refreshments and I have seen kids texting.  Of course in my family takes a diplomat to determine a movie we all can agree to.

I could be on to something about live productions.  To this day my daughter remembers seeing the Rockets in New York City several years ago.  She may vaguely remember a movie we saw during the same time.  However, her Rockets experience is vivid.  It also reminds me of the time I took her to Swan Lake in Columbia, SC.  She stared at the stage throughout the entire production. Now I thought she had a bad time. My wife told me she was intensely watching.  My entire family thoroughly enjoyed Spamalot (based on Monty Python materials).  We saw it twice. My son and I are Pythonites.  My wife and daughter enjoyed the play.  We saw it in St. Louis and talked about it on the way home.

Just remember the last time you went to a movie.  It appears to me most movies today are shown in a large multi-screen theater. This theater can house 8 or more screens. It is loud, crowded and somewhat detached.  You go to the ticket takers when the name of your movie is called (like a cattle call). People rush to get the best seats.  The refreshments are expensive.  In fairness, some productions are destined for the big screen. Movies that come to mind are Star Wars, Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Citizen Kane, Gone With the Wind, and Airplane to name a few. It is not a highly personal experience.   Several movies rely on special effects.  By and large most movies, in my opinion, are designed for an almost pure entertainment purpose.  In fact, family members can go to separate movies and meet in the lobby when it ends. 

Contrast this to a play. At the theater seats are reserved. You have an usher to help you to your seat. You have an intermission and can mingle with family and friends in the lobby. Nothing feels rushed or hurried. It can be a calming experience.  I even dress better when I go to a play (no tennis shoes).  A play is dependent on good dialogue, acting and directing. Sets add to the story. No second takes.   A good play will stimulate thought and conversation.

I am very grateful to the MHT staff and volunteer actors. MHT offers a highly enjoyable and different entertainment opportunity.   Family members have the chance to ask each other what was the best part of the play.  It is amazing how similar the answers are and how different. 

Plays are more expensive, but well worth the money.  If you have a choice between a movie and a play, I suggest you occasionally go to the play.  You may have a memory building (as my wife calls it) experience with your kids.

How a Smart Phone Made Me Less Smart

I recently got a smart phone. It is a Droid and I love it.  The phone calls are clear. We bought a data package so I have internet service and other advantages.  It was quite a change from my previous phone. In fact, both my business and personal phones were mainly for telephone conversations, but both had internet/email service.   

My Droid opened up a world that I knew existed, but not experienced in real time and 24/7.  Before that I relied on my laptop or business computer.  You see my old phone required me to log in and access all my accounts, in other words I to take the initiative. It was not touch screen so maneuvering various sites was cumbersome and time consuming at best.  My smart phone brings all my accounts to me 24/7.  I received constant notifications, and posting updates and Tweets are simple.

Before I go too much further, some background. The phone I am writing about is for personal use. I have three Twitter accounts (an economic development account, a business account and a personal account).  The business and personal accounts are more like news feeds.  I track my favorite companies, think tanks, writers, and columnists.  In fact, Twitter reminds me of the old stock ticker tape machines.  For those of you unfamiliar with a ticker tape, it was a machine that communicated changes in stock prices via the telephone lines.  I tried to include a photo of a ticker tape, but ran into "user error". My apologies.

I follow 1,318 people, columnists, economic  development professionals, companies, organizations, and authors.  It is an invaluable tool that allows me to catch up on headlines and breaking news.  Now please understand, I do not read every post, but do take a brief glance from my computer via TweetDeck or on my smart phone. Incidentally a new app came out that puts TweetDeck on my smart phone.

In addition to all three Twitter accounts, I have a LinkedIn account for professional purposes, a Facebook account for personal use, a Plaxo account for professional purposes, and texting.  My phone does not have any games, but I do have numerous news outlets I access like Bloomberg, the New York Times, Fox Business, CNBC, BBC, the Politico, and The Hill.  For a news/political junkie like me, this is nirvana. 

As I alluded to earlier, with a smart phone, I can manage all social network accounts, keep track of updates, and post relevant comments.  All email accounts go into a universal inbox so account switching is unnecessary.  Many news organizations are formatting stories for a smart phone. 

My family thinks I am addicted, and I agree with them.  I used to laugh at Crackberry addicts, now I experience the same thrill.  When standing in a line, I will check my phone. When I am at a stop sign in my car and my phone buzzes, I will take a look at it (not while driving).  My battery would last one day and that includes power consumed for phone calls. You feel you may miss something so you keep checking it or glancing at notifications.   It just reminds me of what my response when I was asked about the internet. It is a big library without Dewey decimal system. Every day more and more information becomes available and formatted for a smart phone.  Trying to track, add, read and organize is a monumental task.  By the way, if you do not know what the Dewey decimal system is, google it.  Better yet, visit your local library.

The result? On Sunday I decided not to use my smart phone, except for phone calls. I accessed only LinkedIn and Facebook once during the day from my laptop, did not access TweetDeck.  In addition, I greatly curtailed my smart phone use on Monday, a holiday. What a difference it made. First, I my smart phone went 2 days, 10 hours, and 58 minutes before it needed a charge.  I usually set my battery for maximum savings.  Second, I really enjoyed time with my family. Third, I enjoyed really reading a book and magazines. 

As I stated earlier, I am convinced my wife and kids are right, for a while I could not let it go.  It is hard to concentrate when the phone goes off or you think you may miss an interesting post. A more valuable lesson for me, my smart phone affected my reading habit and ability to concentrate. I know and always knew , at least for me, that a smart phone does not replace a book or magazine article. If you are not careful you can just read the highlights and not the entire article.  My smart phone beckons and teases me.  I think I relied on my smart phone to keep me entertained and stimulated.  It also means I can avoid human interaction by “checking my phone.”  Upon reflection, that is a really weak crutch.  In one respect, we are more connected than ever before and in another sense we are less connected on a face-to-face level.  

A side note. My previous personal phone had the best ring I ever had. It was a one beep. If someone was in my office and my personal phone beeped once, I knew it was family contacting me about something and I would call them as soon as I could.  Even the vibrating mode is distracting, it just keeps going.  The single beep is my choice for a personal phone.

So what is the answer to my growing addiction? Put my smart phone down for a reasonable length of time (yes, a couple of hours) and silence most of the notifications, which I have done.  Twitter has taught me that if a truly interesting post or article goes up, it will be retweeted, again and again. My social networks (LinkedIn, Facebook, and Plaxo) let you check updates going back several days.  These are important, but not critical.  Smart phones are a technological marvel, but like with new technology, I must discipline my use and remember I do have a whole world that does not require technology to communicate.

Finally, something for you and me to consider.  Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana schedules an hour a day to read, write and concentrate. I think this is something we should all consider. No phones, TVs, or anything else.  Just classical or jazz music and my Kindle.  I will try it. 

Wall Street Journal Essay on Chinese Parents vs. Western Parents

A Facebook friend read the following essay in the Wall Street Journal and asked me for my thoughts.  The article is by Dr. Amy Chua and is very thought provoking.  The link to the article is http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704111504576059713528698754.html?mod=WSJ_Books_LS_Books_2

I was not actually shocked. I heard Chinese parents are far stricter than Western parents, but had no idea it was such a stark difference.  It was an absolutely fascinating read and one I will give great thought to. 

I think I am most surprised at the reaction of Western parents to Dr. Chua’s parenting skills. She was severely criticized and viewed with considerable skepticism as noted in her essay. It is unfair and certainly not warranted.  First, it is very hard to argue with her success.  Second, who bears the wisdom to pass such a harsh judgment on another parent’s choices?  I suspect her daughters respect elders, are intelligent, curious and kind.  Is that not the goal of almost every parent? So why question her method?  She and her husband can take great pride in her kids and celebrate their current and future successes. 

You must congratulate Dr. Chua on her laser devotion and work toward her goal. I greatly respect and appreciate all the sacrifices she has made for her children.  After I read that I consider Dr. Chua part warrior and part drill sergeant. I admire anyone, any culture or organization that can instill a warrior ethic into people and it continues to succeeding generations.  Her column reminds me of the Whig Party platform (just read a very interesting article in the National Review) and parallels I noted to the teachings of Gov. John Winthrop and the New England Puritans.

Dr. Chua’s section about working with Lulu is quite touching.  She shows a great love and concern for her children.  She reinforces a belief that I have long held, a mother’s love for her children is unchallenged by any force in the universe, including a husband.

Of course you must accept that achieving the highest grade is THE most important achievement of a child. Perhaps this is the most significant difference between how Western and Chinese parents view success and she eloquently details in her essay.  I cannot speak for all Western parents and would never presume to.  But from my perspective, I want my kids exposed to many activities, sports, and disciplines.  As a parent, it is important to me that my kids learn not only basics, but soft skills as well.  Sometimes you have to let a child discover his or her passions and pursue them to whatever the end maybe.  You offer help and guidance and try to provide some level of structure. But I think that life offers more than just achieving the highest grades and work.

As a parent, I am a product of my family and upbringing. My mother is an artist. I do not use that term loosely, she was a successful commercial artist for decades. My father also has a creative streak and an athlete. I am not creative like my parents or sister nor am I an athlete.  However, I want my kids to experience art and music. Soft skills are an essential part of a child’s upbringing. So dating and sleepovers are encouraged. It exposes my kids to other parents, kids, and cultures.  My wife and I encourage my children to participate in sports.  My son earned a black belt and lettered in cross country. He also runs track. I think that builds a sense of teamwork. My daughter dances.  She competes as a soloist, duo, trio and troupe.  My son participates in forensics, goes to speech tournaments, and has acted in plays. He has a talent for it, but perhaps not a strong passion.

I agree with Dr. Chua on two key and important points.  I too roll my eyes (and sometime shake my head) when I hear "Everyone is special in their special own way," It makes me think of the best lines from the Disney movie “The Incredibles”. The mother tells the super fast son that he really should not run track because he is so fast.  She adds that everybody is special. Her son’s response is that if everyone is special then no one is special.

The second point I agree with her on is that Chinese parents dearly love and cherish their children. They choose a different method child rearing.  It makes me admire the U.S. when I think about what that means.  So many interesting cultures, each one contributing to the great amount of knowledge, and available to each U.S. citizen (yes, I know that is naive, but I stand firm). Equally wonderful, Chinese parents and Western parents are both right.  We both seek to raise a generation superior to ours.

Dr. Chua and I could have a stimulating and rewarding conversation about the way each of us parents our children. I know I could learn a lot from her and perhaps she could learn one or two minor points from me.

POSTSCRIPT:   I emailed Dr. Chua my essay and included a paragraph about my family.  She sent me back a kind and generous response.  I learned that her essay is based on her book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, It is not a book about parenting, but rather a memoir.  She describes it as deadpan and makes fun of herself.  She goes into great detail about her successes and mistakes as a parent.  Interestingly enough, in the last third of her book she writes about her decision to be less strict with her daughter Lulu.  But, most importantly, the “Wall Street Journal” editors selected the title of her essay, not Dr. Chua. After receiving her email, I can see it is not a title she would write or endorse. Shame on the "Wall Street Journal" editors for generating such unnecessary controversy.

Reflections on Judging a Speech/Forensics Tournament

On Saturday I volunteered to serve as a judge at the high school forensics invitational tournament.  In the past I ran the extempt room.  After several years of that, I asked to do something new.  The speech coach graciously agreed. I thought I would judge extemporaneous speaking. That is what I did at Midland High School in addition to lettering in debate two consecutive years. 

First some background.  When I went to high school the debate team and theater team had different teachers. This was back in the late 1970s. As a debater/extemporaneous speaker, I practiced with other debaters.  We did not practice with the theater students. In fact, the only time we really interacted with the theater team was at tournaments.  Hence, I cannot recall watching a storytelling or poetry event.  On reflection I think that was a loss on my part. You will see how this relates later.

Current day.  As noted earlier, I asked for something different and the speech coach readily agreed. Round one I judged storytelling. I have watched it a couple of times at various events with dozens of other people, but frankly did not give it much thought.  You know how that goes, it is entertaining, but you also have distractions like kids whispering, people coughing and chairs moving on the floor,

The storytelling round was so much fun and so enjoyable. I saw several talented kids and could tell how much work they put into their piece.  The selected stories were different and really highlighted the strengths each kid has.  The body movements and voice inflections were so impressive. You knew who was talking in the story by the voice. The body movements just added to the storytelling.  I laughed. Alot (so did the timekeeper).  One note of clarification, when you judge a forensics event, your distractions are minimal. Few people are in the room and it is very quiet. You intensely pay attention to each kid because you have to assign a rank and complete a ballot. 

The second event I judged was interpretive poetry. Now I have not read much poetry in my life so I was not necessarily looking forward to this. I did write a couple of poems years ago, which was a big mistake.  Just like storytelling, I thoroughly enjoyed each performance. Unlike storytelling, a contestant cannot move around much.  A reader must rely on the poem, performance, and voice inflection.  In this round all the contestants were female.  Each young lady demonstrated considerable poise.  I could see they put considerable thought and practice into their poem or poems. Like storytelling I laughed, but also teared up during one reading.  I discovered that we have some absolutely beautiful poems that can be quite moving.  Both of these events prove that the writing is the foundation, but the reader can truly make it his own piece.

The last event I judged was impromptu finals.  Unlike the previous events, this one had three judges.  More on that later.

First side note.  During the interpretive poetry round we had a lag time waiting for a contestant.  Some kids are entered in two or three events so it is not uncommon to have to wait for one person to perform.  Unless a contestant has another event to go to, usually they stay after they perform.  In this case I had Carly, Jordan, Tonya, and Sara in the room.  From what the young ladies told me, boys do not sign up for interpretative poetry. I learned a lot about these young ladies. One wants to study linguistics and enter the military.  Each contestant is taking a foreign language and they started talking French.  Each one is giving serious thought about what college to attend. One had not one, but two songs written for her.  One wanted to take Latin, but the teacher retired.  These are intelligent, articulate, and talented young ladies. 

Second side note. During the impromptu finals, I got to talk to the other two judges and time keeper. Both judges graduated from the local high school and were attending college in Kentucky. One is a theater major, one is a communications major that is now leaning toward law school and wants to specialize in entertainment law.  That would be a fascinating discipline.  The timekeeper was a freshman in high school and is thinking about law school.  These are well educated, serious minded people with serious and challenging thoughts.  We swapped war stories about extempt speaking competitions and I found out not much has changed from my decade to their decade. 

The reason I tell you this is I also judged forensics last year in another Kentucky county invitational tournament.  I was traveling with the local team and volunteered as a judge. I was assigned extemporaneous speaking.  An older gentleman was with us.  At one point he looked around the school lobby, which was filled with students, and asked me can you believe these kids are our future?  I responded I think it is wonderful, look at them and how creative they are.  It is one year later and I am more confident given what I saw on Saturday.  Talented kids taking stories and poems, giving the story or poem a creative interpretation and entertaining an audience.  The creativity of these kids was refreshing and invigorating.  We are fortunate.

Finally, and most importantly, I gained a new appreciation of poetry and storytelling.  I doubt I will ever read or listen to a poem in the same way again.  As for storytelling, it is a unique form of art, and one that is underrated.

Comment on Economic Development Report Issued by Good Jobs First

I was asked by a fellow economic developer via LinkedIn to comment on a report issued by Good Jobs First, a non-profit organization. The link to the report is http://www.goodjobsfirst.org/sites/default/files/docs/pdf/powergrab.pdf

My commentary/review.

Well, I read the report and frankly was not surprised. It is very much like other reports prepared by the organization’s staff.  I enjoyed surfing the Good Jobs First website and found several useful tools and analysis.  On the other hand, the report raises very few valid points and indicts the privatization of state economic development efforts.  What I read was a biased report designed to create conflict and confusion. 

First, some background.  I worked for two state ED organizations. In fact I was in VA when the agency made the transition from a public agency to a semi private non-profit entity.  What the Good Jobs First staff cannot appreciate about state government is the lack of tools to available to managers.  For example, most state agencies offer employees the same percent increase in salary, thus weakening the value of an employee review.  In addition, a manager’s discretionary spending cap is very low and state purchase regulations are cumbersome.  When we decided to purchase a color copier back in the mid 90s, it took a couple of months to work through the state procurement rules.  By “privatizing” the state ED office, managers could reward stellar employees for outstanding work and make purchasing decisions much quicker.  When we bought a newer color copier, it took 10 days from the day we started evaluating new copier to the day it was installed and utilized.  By privatizing personnel and procurement procedures, managers exercised more control and a greater responsibility for their budget and staff.

As noted earlier, this report goes out of its way to disparage privatizing state economic development efforts. However, it fails to drive the point home that several of the “privatized” ED programs received state funds and thus were subject to legislative oversight. In addition, most of the economic development organizations noted in the paper were called to testify before a legislative budget committee and justify expenditures.  Whether oversight was done or not is not the issue, the point is that the means exist for a full legislative review. 

If anything, this report proves that when rules are broken, a legislative review follows and then, and if appropriate, punishment.  The paper is full of examples.  Perhaps the most damaging part of this entire report is a basis assumption that the private sector is untrustworthy and always trying to rip off the public sector. The main reason for not forming a private state ED organization is because private sector board members will take advantage and get special consideration not merited. Rather weak reasoning.  Again, the Good Jobs First misses the point. Private sector companies evaluating a state or community for investment want to talk to other private sector CEOs. 

One point I found humorous. The paper criticizes Enterprise Florida for helping complete an incentive application. I find this strange. In my last job I drafted as much of the application as I could and all corresponding documentation.   A good economic development organization has a laser focus on customer service.

As a high school debater I noticed several tricks the authors used. For example, the authors make a big deal about the amount incentives Embraer received, but never told the readers the current and projected employment and capital investment in Florida.  The author neglected to mention that Embraer is the world’s 4th largest aircraft manufacturer.  My research tells me the company committed to build a $51 million facility and create 200 jobs.  Given the industry, I think we can reasonably assume the jobs will pay very well. 

The Good Jobs Website offers an excellent step-by-step process in researching the background of a company receiving a subsidy.  Step 3 says find the names of people associated with the company in question. This is a very good idea. You look at the officers and board of directors. You are trying to link company people with elected officials and establish some level of possible favoritism. Step 5 suggests reading the company’s annual report and 10K. This tells you stock ownership, ect. The web page offers excellent sources for people starting this exercise.

Now allow me to apply it to Good Jobs First. I looked all over the website and I could have missed it. I could not find any annual report or listing of board of directors.  So my first question:  who funds your operation?  Why is this important? To see if the Good Jobs First has an ax to grind. Page ii of the report offers “strong accountability principles”. However, the last bullet calls for states to respect the rights of employees to organize a union.  This is not necessarily a state concern; it is a company/employee issue.  Also, the report suggests adding labor union members and non-profits to state economic development boards.   It took me awhile to find on this on Good Jobs First website, but if you access the list of allies, you will find several labor union organizations.  This leads to my second question.  For an organization that screams for accountability and oversight; who oversees the staff of Good Jobs First?

Best Economic Development Salesman

Recently I was asked who was the best eco dev sales man I have known. It is an interesting question.  I have known several effective salesmen during my time in economic development.  Bob Gibson, Frank Newman and Brent Sheffler come to mind. All three impressed me with their skill and wisdom.  They listened to the client’s needs and tried to match them with resources.  Most importantly, they all sought win-win conclusions.

However, the best is Wayne L. Sterling. He taught me decades ago to identify the client's needs and wants. Needs are usually well documented.   A true economic development pro can identify the client’s wants.  To find these out you first (and most importantly) must listen. 

He also believed that economic development professionals must justify a client's decision.  Clients are committing a significant amount of capital; it can run into the millions.  An effective salesman endeavors to understand his client's requirements and prepare a customized response.  He knows his product. In essence, how do you differentiate yourself?

As he would say before marketing missions, if you talk more than 20 percent of the time during a sales meeting, consider it a failed call.  The goal is to listen, learn and observe.  An effective salesman talks less and listens more. After all, economic development is a relationship business. You are building relationships.  If you are really good, you are not necessarily viewed as a salesman, but as a resource that helps clients solve problems.

Community Development and Economic Development

My entire career has been spent in economic and community development.  Economic development has always been the priority.  What is the difference?  In the broadest definition, economic development is the creation of net new wealth.  This is most commonly accomplished through the creation of new jobs and capital investment by attracting and retaining basic industry.  This effort essentially brings new money into the local economy. 

Community development is defined as improving the area for the residents. Community development involves all aspects of improving community including organizational or resource capacity, business development, education and workforce development, development of markets, investment in infrastructure, efficient and attractive commercial and downtown areas, gateways, business parks, speculative buildings and the coordination of public/private partnerships. It is broader in context when compared to economic development.

From a different perspective, one can consider economic development as the sales component, and community development is the product development/improvement component. 

It begs the question, which comes first, economic development or community development?  It is the old chicken or the egg question. My answer, it is irrelevant and dwelling on it is unproductive.  A vibrant and growing community needs both.  Net new wealth is required to provide resources to community development efforts. Economic development needs community development to work to improve the local product and to sharpen the community's differentiating advantages.

Economic development brings in new people, new ideas and new leadership.  Community development needs an influx of new people and innovative ideas to continue building the capacity and ensure that the area remains progressive. 

Community development needs to be on the cutting edge of ideas and trends.  It means involving as many of the community leaders as possible, listening to their ideas and concerns, and then formulating a plan of action.  Lately, community development efforts at the local level center on workforce development, poverty, and education.  Dialog, consensus, and action are the keys to success. 

Often community and economic development are transposed or mean the same thing to people. This is like confusing sales and marketing. Sales and marketing are not the same. Sales is closing the deal for either a product or service. Marketing is creating an environment that makes the sales component easier.  Marketing encompasses far more activities than sales.

Community development is very much like marketing.  In the best sense, community development requires public and private leaders to take stock of the community, prioritize activities and goals, determine the resources necessary and implement a plan.  Once the plan is in place, it requires ongoing measurement on how well it is accomplishing predetermined thresholds and milestones.

A major difference between economic development and community development is community development usually has short and long term objectives.  Economic development does not. Consider it like a corporation where the research and development department resembles community development and the sales department resembles economic development.  A research and development department has short and long term objectives with focus on both. The sales department has mainly short term goals, usually measured daily, monthly or quarterly. 

Another difference is the work environment.  A traditional economic development program has a board, but usually rotates people and expertise as needed for specific projects and/or prospects.  A community development program requires a sustained and consistent commitment by various stakeholders including public and private local leadership.

In summary, a good economic development program is part of a comprehensive community development initiative.  Both economic development and community development activities are interdependent, working hand in hand to support a community's overall economic well being.

Economic Development Research - DRAFT

This is a draft I am working on. It is about the importance of research in economic development.

Economic development has numerous definitions and goals. One of the simpler ones is the creation of wealth.  For an economic development agency with the goal of creating wealth, it requires a strong and vibrant research team. 

When I say research I do not mean the people that cannot match socks and live to create spider graphs.  Research in economic development is more of an applied science. In other words it must support the goals and objectives of an agency.

Lately, several ED organizations view research as a cost center.  ED organizations ask how does research add revenue?  That is an overly simplistic question.  If you consider a project manager as a knight ready to do battle (and let us remember, economic development is a zero sum game), the knight needs someone to put him on the horse, arm him, and identify the strengths and weaknesses of his opponent.  This is basic economic development research.  At its best good research helps an economic development agency determine what makes the service area unique.  Or, what are the key differentials.

If you accept the preceding paragraph, then the next questions are what skills are needed and what resources are necessary. 

Skill Sets

First let’s look at skills.  A good researcher understands the importance of deadlines and the value of quantitative analysis.  Ideally a researcher needs the following skills:

·         ability to design a survey instrument and conduct original research

·         verbal and written skills

·         take dense data and distill it into a document that is easily understood

·         ease with statistics and empirical data

·         find answers

·         improvise

·         patience

·         and above all, a sense of humor.

A good researcher can translate a prospect’s questions and concerns to the most appropriate audience.  They can help a stakeholder frame an answer to maximize the benefit to the prospect.

In general, economic development is a deadline driven business.  It takes a good researcher to find the answers.  What is not greatly appreciated in responding to a client’s questions and concerns is the ability to talk to the correct person in a company or utility.  In days of lean management, it helps to know who to talk to.  Site selection (new plant locations or expansions) are in large measure a business decision.

The next part is how to present the information to a client.  Most people take the simple way and give PDFs to a client with a brief explanation. A good researcher will summarize the information in a way targeted to the client and customize the supporting materials accordingly. 

A good project manager develops a relationship with a client. A good researcher helps the project manager justify a client’s decision.

Resources

Research is resource driven.  Today researchers have numerous resources at their disposal. In fact, more resources are available now than ever before. The researcher’s best friend used to be a good public library with a strong business section.  Now, we rely heavily on the internet.  Some resources are free, some cost money.  It can include a several government sources, national comparisons, numerous websites and national associations.  It actually is almost an embarrassment of riches. Among the most significant challenges, it is generally not finding the information; it is which source is best. 

I could list numerous resources, but that would be cumbersome and surely I would miss several good ones.  Rather, the best resource is the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). C2ER is a national association compromising of economic development researchers.  The website is www.c2er.org. 

The second resource is International Economic Development Council (IEDC) data standards. The standards were developed several years ago by a committee of site consultants and professional economic developers.  The link is http://www.iedconline.org/?p=Data_Standards.  For any new economic development organization or an existing one that is trying to ramp up its ED program, this is a good start. The data standards are comprehensive, covering subjects over 25 excel spreadsheets. A PDF guide is also available that gives excellent tips and sources.  Please note the guide was published in 2002 and some of the sources may have changed contact data and websites.  These standards also require an ED organization to conduct primary research.  Should you go ahead and complete the data standards, I suggest not putting up the spreadsheets up on your website.  It borders on raw data. Hence, you are limited as to the amount of analysis you can add.  Rather, I recommend that you seek to be data compliant. By that I mean you have the data standards fully completed and house the information internally.

How Technology Changed Sounds We Take for Granted

Technology offers us many unique benefits. It allows us to keep in better contact with friends and family. Post photos, keep track of kids via cell phones, entertainment, instant news, see where we are located on the globe, instant mapping and directions, and discover alternative sources of news/information. The list is virtually endless and the apps grow exponentially.

As I was thinking about this it also occurred to me what we have lost. I do not mean privacy or other issues. That is for more intelligent people to discuss and debate. Specifically, I was thinking about sounds. Yes, sounds.

Listen to what you hear today. Everything is tapping. Tapping on keyboard. Or, if you have a recent smart phone, no sound. When you scroll through a page, you literally hear no sound. If you have Kindle or Nook for book, newspaper or magazine reading, just clicking.

You are thinking, so what? Yes, I can understand that. So consider this. When you dialed a phone (touch or rotary) you had a sound. For those of you unfamiliar with a rotary phone is, ask someone over 45 years of age.

Over a decade ago my wife bought me a Bose to play CDs on. Before that I had a record player (again ask anyone over 45). She played for me a CD and a record. When the record was played it was really loud and scratchy. The CD was as clear as could be.

Please allow me to digress for a moment. CDs miss this inventive marketing technique of the old vinyl records. Monty Python Flying Circus fans remember the show and the records. However, one record stands out. It is titled “The Monty Python Matching Tie and Handkerchief” was among the most unique. After I listened to side two for the fourth time, an entire new record played. The record became known as the Monty Python 3 sided record. For those of you still asking what a record is, here is a layman version. A record is a two sided, thin vinyl product. It is about a foot in diameter. The record has grooves cut into it. What the Python production team did was cut a new set of grooves deeper in the record. Try doing something like that with a CD. I freely and happily admit to being a Monty Python fan. I am such a fan that when my family took me to see “Spamalot” I laughed before the punch line because I practically knew the dialogue by heart. For those that know me may recall I can have a rather loud laugh.

Back to noise. When you activate your cell phone, you do not get a dial tone. You may or may not hear a beep with every number you dial. When you read a magazine it makes a sound when you turn a page. When you buy a new hard back book and begin to read it, it makes a wonderful crunching sound when you first open it and the soft sound of paper moving every time you turn a page. When you read a newspaper you hear paper rustling when you try to quietly turn the page.

When you write, you start by finding a pen, either by opening a drawer or lifting the lid of a fine wooden case. You are looking for a high quality fountain or ball point pen. You begin writing and you can hear the pen moving across the paper. It is a scratching sound, and it is quite beautiful. After you have written a page on a pad, you hear the sound of the page tearing as you pull it off the pad. Old typewriters had a very distinctive sound when you pressed a key (hard) and it hit the paper that was held in place by a roller. It was the sound of metal tapping on metal. And when you reached the end of the line, a bell would ring and you would push a lever on the right and move the carriage holding the paper in place back to start a new line. All these are sounds we will hear less of and sounds I will miss.

How Many Females Does it Take to Talk Some Sense into One Male?

Before you get any bright ideas or draw the wrong conclusion, this is not about some feat of strength or any brain game. It also is not remotely related to any light bulb joke. However, it is about the wisdom of mothers and the analytical ability of females.

First, some background. My daughter plays in the middle school band. She plays the obo. We upgraded her instrument on a promise that she would play at least until high school. A couple of days ago she hinted that she did not want to play anymore. She then revised it to say she did not play in the marching band.

Needless to say, I was frustrated. We also got her a guitar that she quickly lost interest in. My first reaction was to make her play, but I knew that would lead to resentment. My second reaction (about 5 minutes later) was to cut our losses and turn the obo in so we could stop paying for it. My wife suggested that she talk to the band leader and to our daughter. This is typical, I want a decision/conclusion and to move on; my wife wants to spend time analyzing the issues and talking to people. Frankly, I thought my daughter made her position quite clear so I thought we should stop it after the current school year ends.

This took place on a Saturday. The next day we went to Sunday school. My wife and I walk in and one of our fellow classmates says “Oh, a man has arrived.” At the time, eight women were in the class and on this particular Sunday, none were accompanied by their husband. Most members of our class have children ranging in ages from 2 to 20+. I think you should know about the women that attended this particular Sunday. All are intelligent, creative and interesting ladies with significant accomplishments, my wife included. Two are accountants, two are teachers, two are writers, one started a business with her husband and volunteers as a part time teacher, one is an attorney, and one is a professional counselor. All are mothers of well behaved children.

We were studying “The God of Second Chances” by Erik Kolbell. The lesson this Sunday was redemption, very appropriate. A key point about redemption is remembering where you come from so you can see where you want to go. It is a process.

What makes this class unique is sometimes people use examples of their lives and children. It makes the lessons far more real and usually makes me think. We talked about the obo issue with my daughter. First, I was surprised how each Mom said almost the exact same thing my wife told me the night before. One even pointed out it could be viewed as an investment. Several gave excellent and relevant examples pertaining to their children. A few of the stories just made me laugh. You know why, we have experienced it and you are experiencing it now.

It is why I sometimes think men perhaps make better judges (make quick decision), but women better jurors (listen better and process information more deliberately). As my wife often points out, when she talks to me about a problem, I immediately want to fix it. When I talk to her, she listens.

In a nutshell, I learned that my quest to save money is nothing to the experiences my daughter may gain. They were right, perhaps later my daughter will play the obo and enjoy it. One mother pointed out that our kids live in a highly social world with computers, the internet, cell phones and texting. So doing an activity like practicing an instrument can be isolated and lonely. I benefited from their wisdom. My wife said the same thing, but I just focused on saving money. In hindsight, I should have listened more carefully to her. So to ladies all over who ask the essential question, do men listen? I can answer, yes, it just may take a platoon.

My Life In Five Weeks

What do a college frat brother, a man I have known my entire life (since before I turned 1), a childhood friend, a high school friend and an old girlfriend all have in common? I visited with all of them within a 5 week period and in 3 different cities.

Before I begin with how wonderful it was to see them, I think it is only fair to describe the means. I still occasionally talk to my childhood friend and the man I have known my entire life. The other three were all initially contacted through a social network, either LinkedIn or Facebook. For this I am ever grateful to my kids for introducing me to technology I initially found useless. All of the people listed except one have stayed in the same city for over 20 years. In my profession, I move every so often.

Perhaps this is not entirely unexpected. Each one has children with a very demanding life and career. It makes it hard to keep up with people that you knew years ago. A summer vacation and holidays are usually committed to family.

Social networks allowed me to find each one or for them to find me. It certainly helped that social networks allow you to post information about yourself and let others see it. So when you talk to old friends you are way past the standard question: “So what has changed with you over the past 25 years?” You know the question, usually asked at high school reunions. In all honesty, I thought social networks were a big waste of time. The only reason I got on Facebook was to monitor my kids’ activities. I was wrong. It is enjoyable to catch up with old friends and see what they are doing.

Now to the main point. If you look at any person’s life, I think it is a book. The book starts with your birth and ends with your death. It comprises of many chapters and characters. Some characters start early and strong, but grow slightly dimmer in far later chapters, ie parents. Some characters are present throughout your life, ie a sibling. Some characters come in a certain part and are bright and strong, but later fade, ie friends made at work or school. Some come later and burn bright for decades, ie spouse and kids. Each major character contributes to your life in some form or fashion. Each of the five I noted in the first paragraph all played a significant part in my book and I am grateful for what I have been given and somewhat disappointed that I did not offer enough. Perhaps that is a sign of individuals that influenced your life; you recognize how they helped you and that you may not have done enough for them. With each one I shared many wonderful memories.

What I could not appreciate then is each of these individuals did not focus on my weaknesses (which are numerous), but rather chose to enjoy my few strengths. In all honesty I have found people’s imperfections are what make them interesting. In hindsight, I think knowing each one of these individuals softened my weaknesses and magnified my strengths. Each one had a positive impact on me before I started my professional career. I think that is an understated point. Each relationship was a choice as opposed to a necessity. You know what I mean by a necessity, people you must tolerate or interact with due to work or some other obligation.

A brief note on each one (just my observations). One recently retired and he earned his retirement, he is now turning his attention to more philanthropic actions. One has a precocious daughter, he is a very smart man, and as she gets older, he will soon meet his match (I hope I get to see it). One has three boys and a stunning and very kind wife, his life at this point is quite busy with the boys’ activities. One has three children and can take great pride and joy in how they have turned out, she made a choice and her children have benefited. One has two boys and a girl and you can see how strong the family is, he is a Boy Scout leader and from my experiences with him, the troop is very fortunate (no boy will get away with anything because he knows or tried every trick in the book).

They all are or were in interesting professions. One was in the oil business, one works for an important branch of the federal government, one is an immensely talented writer, one trades stocks, and one is a buyer for a multinational corporation. Four of the five are Republicans and conservative. 

In many respects I am not a nostalgic or sentimental man. When my parents sold my childhood home my wife asked me if I would be sad. My answer was I hope a family enjoys it as much as we did. About the only items I place any value on are old photos, letters, campaign buttons, a few books, a couple of pieces of furniture, and any artwork by my parents or children. Most other things I keep because it sparks a happy memory. Sometimes I look at what I value and realize if anyone tried to sell any item, it likely would not get much money. But the letters and art really mean a lot to me. I suspect that is where the phrase priceless comes from.

Each one of the five people is in essence priceless to me. Each one helped me become a better man. I may not have recognized it then, but I do now. Each one is a unique individual and our paths took us different ways. But we certainly share something I still cannot adequately describe. Perhaps it is unique experiences in a less complicated time. It could be reinforced as I watch my children grow up and seeing them interact with their friends. I now know if I am in the city any of these people live, I will call to see if dinner is a possibility. Perhaps I am more nostalgic than I thought. I just did not know it.

Extended Family

The Gov. Sanford scandal and Jenny Sanford’s recent TV appearances got me thinking over the past few days. Be advised, this is not a note about marriage, that may come later. Rather, it is about a support structure. What got me thinking was Ms. Jenny Sanford’s statement and comments. My heart went out to her and I hoped she had a strong support structure available, especially family close by.

About 20 years ago I went to hear Kurt Vonnegut speak. I was living in Columbia, SC at the time. He was asked what is the most serious problem facing the US. I thought he would say poverty or nuclear weapons. His answer surprised me.

He said it is the death of the extended family. I dismissed it then, now I realize he is absolutely right. When I was growing up in Midland, TX I had family living in the city. We would visit them or they would visit us. I realize now that when my parents needed help in some way, my aunt and uncle were always there. My aunt and uncle had two children and I loved it when we saw them.

In my adult life pre and post C (before and after children) I did not or do not live close to my family. Numerous times I wish they were closer. Not to babysit or anything like that, but learn from them and see them as people. My Sitie (Lebanese for grandmother) would come to visit us during Christmas and spend almost a month with us. She was a wonderful listener (a trait my mother, wife, and sister share). I did not realize it at the time, but it made that holiday very special. Our Thanksgiving would be spent in Fort Worth with my father’s parents and his siblings. It was quite a change. Very loud, but that happens when you have so many people in a home. It also is a very big football gathering. My male cousins and uncles loved to watch football on Thanksgiving Day and they were not shy about voicing an opinion. It also let me see a side of my father that I will always cherish.

Somewhat infrequently we get offers to go to places with friends or visit them in distant cities. I always appreciate the invitations, but it is hard to do. We usually spend what free time we have visiting family. I don’t regret it. Anyone who knows my parents would probably agree that they are interesting and talented people. My sister is one of the sweetest and the best hostess you would ever hope to know. She is also just a lot of fun. Her daughter is an absolute delight. Her husband is always gracious. When we go to visit my parents, we stop and see my wife’s family. They are very kind and entertaining people. It gets to be quite loud when her whole family is together, but that because of the number of kids.

When we visit my family, it is just valuable spending time and sitting down to share a meal. Or going to fun activities with families (for example picking apples in an apple orchard) creates memories. I want my kids to have so many memories of their family that they struggle to remember all of them.

Yet something is missing. In an era of easy communications and a multitude of choices, it seems we are more distant. I think it is because we have several options, but they feel almost cold.

As my kids grow, I regret that we do not see our family more. I want my kids to know everything about their grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Each one offers an insight to the family. The more time I spend with the family, the more I am amazed. Sometimes one of my children do something and it reminds me of one of my parents or my sister. The support structure I took for granted is something I dearly miss today. If you have it, cherish it.

Beach Vacation - Not Needed but Greatly Appreciated

We took a family vacation during fall break last year with another family. We went to the beautiful Seacrest beach on the Florida panhandle. The beach had fine white sand and clear water. The other family we went with is talented, kind, intelligent, and alot of fun.

I was hesitant when this trip was first suggested. Usually we see family on school breaks. In fact, I am not a big fan of beach vacations, I prefer cities with alot of history, like New York City or Washington DC. I like going to museums and art galleries.

However, I think the beach vacation was an excellent idea. The last time we took a vacation like this was in 2003 and the kids were much younger. We went to Edisto Beach in South Carolina and my family thinks that was one of the best vacations we ever took.

While I do not consider myself a coastal or sea person, I forgot how much I love the sound of the waves and the feel of the salt water air. The water was cool and refreshing. The waves were not overwhelming. THe waves have a very calming effect. When I look out and see the vastness of the sea, I am humbled.

The one lesson I learned is that the success of a trip is dependent on the mothers. They set the tone and the mood. While I could list numerous examples, I will merely write nobody wants to leave. Time and time again I am reminded of a line from "Criminal Minds" during a case in Mexico. "A home is not built on ground, but on a woman." The two mothers give so much so the rest of us can enjoy every minute of the trip.

For me, the keys for a vacation like this is to appreciate the lack of a schedule and the company of family/others in an environment outside a busy family life. It was enjoyable for me in that sense. I learned alot about the other family members. No schedule, just went to the beach and came back when we wanted to. The kids were somewhat on their own, unlike our SC trip in 2003. I finished two books and three journals, and for me that is an accomplishment I am pleased with. One morning I took a walk on the beach with my daughter. Later I will post photos of our trip.

Perhaps most surprising, my expert shopping daughter passed up a chance to shop and instead chose to spend time with a friend. Never thought I would see the day she would pass on a shopping opportunity.

Finally, this trip had a very relaxing effect. Of course I had to work some on this trip, but it was short in duration. As this trip winds down,it occurred to me that when you live a highly scheduled life due to work and kid activities you sometimes forget to slow it down. My family wants to do this again, and so do I.