Executive Humor at Meetings
I don't encourage managers to wear funny hats, appear in self-deprecating skits, or otherwise emulate Saturday Night Live in an attempt to manufacture an image as, "Look, folks! I'm just one a' the guys!" If clients insist, I do what I can to help. I want the money. But it's not usually such a hot idea.
I know it's done. Frequently. And I read reports of the exhilarating effects created by executives who deliver call-to-action keynotes dressed as a gunfighter or sumo wrestler. I notice, also, that these reports are usually written by those who work for the speaker, or by meeting producers retained by the speaker's company.
A field sales force may see their management only once or twice a year; usually at the annual sales meeting. They need to know that those running the store have a clear vision of where the company's going, and what it will take to get it there. And giving them Bozo the clown doesn't do a hell of a lot to convince a sales force their future is in good hands.
Conventional wisdom tells us the confident and secure executive isn't compromised by a little benign buffoonery. Well, maybe. In my experience, however, confident managers are secure enough to bypass situations that often succeed in converting respect to ridicule. It's usually the uncertain manager who clutches at these moments in an attempt to create a public charisma that personal performance has never provided.
The bottom line for the executive comic? Don't get beaten by your own shtick!
http://www.thewritingworks.com
John Mackenzie has been creating award-winning corporate communication elements for 30 years. He's also co-founder of The Writers Roundtable, a group of self-employed business communication writers who met (occasionally) at the Writers Guild of America in New York City. During 15 years of operation, The Roundtable maintained a standing door prize for any writer who had a client that paid in 30-days. The prize was never collected.
 Google News Updated : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:51:32 GMT Worth the trouble - Boston Herald Boston Herald - By Dan Duggan As Red Sox [team stats] fans shook out the cobwebs yesterday morning after yet another marathon postseason game, it would have been easy to forget some of the positive developments from the Sox’ 9-8, 11-inning loss to Tampa Bay in Game 2 ... Video: Tampa Bay Wins Slugfest on Sacrifice Fly Rays win respect, too Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:12:18 GMT Alaska ethics probe says Palin abused her power - Reuters
Reuters - By Caren Bohan CHILLICOTHE, Ohio (Reuters) - An Alaska ethics inquiry found on Friday that Gov. Sarah Palin, the US Republican vice presidential candidate, abused her authority by pressuring subordinates to fire a state trooper involved in a feud with ... Palin: Bad Guys vs. Good Guys Palin talks economic worries in Appalachian Ohio Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:10:53 GMT Manatee dies before reaching Florida - South Coast Today
South Coast Today - By AARON GOUVEIA and KC MYERS EAST DENNIS - After a dramatic rescue Saturday morning, a wayward manatee known affectionately as Dennis died Sunday with just one hour before he reached SeaWorld in Florida. Manatee almost gave them the slip Cape Cod Manatee Dies on Way Back to Florida Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:14:57 GMT Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony renew vows along with Carlos Beltran ... - New York Daily News
New York Daily News - BY DAVE GOLDINER Just four years after saying "I do," Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony reportedly secretly renewed their vows in Las Vegas Sunday - and they had company at the altar. Inside Jennifer Lopez & Marc Anthony's Renewal Ceremony J.Lo’s vows not staying in Vegas Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:39:55 GMT UPDATE 1-Tropical Storm Nana forms in Atlantic - Reuters
Reuters - MIAMI, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Nana, the 14th of the Atlantic hurricane season, formed on Sunday in the Atlantic Ocean east of the Caribbean islands, the US National Hurricane Center said. Tropical Storm Nana forms in Atlantic Tropical Storm Nana Forms Over Eastern Atlantic Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 21:29:57 GMT Television Review | 'My Own Worst Enemy' - New York Times
New York Times - By ALESSANDRA STANLEY Most people sometimes wake up on the wrong side of bed. The hero of “My Own Worst Enemy” on NBC wakes up on the wrong side of his brain. 'Worst Enemy' Just Isn't Bourne-Again Bond Spy-vs.-normal-guy premise of 'Worst Enemy' doesn't work Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:54:37 GMT Doubling of Vitamin D for Children Is Urged - New York Times
New York Times - By AP CHICAGO (AP) - The country’s leading group of pediatricians is recommending that children receive double the usually suggested amount of vitamin D because of evidence that it might help prevent serious diseases. Pediatricians double vitamin D recommendations Pediatricians double vitamin D recommendations Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 02:45:16 GMT Add RSS Feeds To My Web Pages |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... Are you ready to raise money for your startup?Leslie Mitts,... Read More Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More During a recent seminar I gave located in the suburbs... Read More If you are a business owner or a business owner... Read More Leaders and Managers often ask us, 'What do you do... Read More The Cash to Cash Cycle Part Four of SeriesNext: Complete... Read More It's been a pretty good weekend around the place -... Read More If you are like most business people, voice mail has... Read More Every parent, educator, and manager knows that "Nintendo children"--those born... Read More Imagine that you're a sports coach and you need a... Read More Recently, I attended a webinar with nearly 400 other Chief... Read More Recent studies have shown that industrial supervisors are working at... Read More How can you make the best use of your energy... Read More Wouldn't it be nice for business owners and executives to... Read More Companies are welcoming a diverse range of employees (The Sunday... Read More February 2nd, at approximately 7:30 a.m. local time on Gobbler's... Read More The Old Way ? Command and ControlAlthough workplaces and management... Read More Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More This article relates to the Safety and Working Environment competency... Read More We know character when we see it, but what exactly... Read More Why are people changing jobs so quickly these days?Here are... Read More Recruiting and hiring are often done in haste, leaving the... Read More This article, Job Security in Today's Workplace, is part of... Read More One of the most difficult and emotionally draining situations you... Read More Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
Adsense
websites
Show Me the Money!
Creativity and Innovation Management: Specialisation or Generalisation?
Sending Documents Through Email? Dont Get Burned by Metadata!
Can Your Business Run Without You?
Beyond Management Coaching: When Things Are Getting Out of Control
9 Strategies for Writing Accounts Payable Procedures
Empowering Others - Giving Them Some Control
Make It Easy to Reply - Voice Mail That Works
Twitch Speed: Reaching Younger Workers Who Think Differently
Recruitment - What Youre Really, Really Looking For
3 Innovation Keys - Do Your Innovative Efforts Need More Power?
Leadership Skills
Increase Productivity: Five Powerful Actions
How to Get Your Procedures Project Done
Innovation Management ? Diversity Can Make All The Difference
Having Your Phil
Management & Leadership - Doing it right in the 21st Century
Innovation Management ? what are the practical impediments?
Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Improving Workplace Safety
Character: Is It Necessary In Leadership? (Part One)
Proven Secrets to Keeping Your People and Increasing Your Profits
Five Essential Hiring Practices
Tales From The Corporate Frontlines: Job Security in Todays Workplace
Close the Performance Gap
Business Innovation ? Status Games
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
Is Your Employee Newsletter Management Propaganda?
It should not be. If it is an effective newsletter,... Read More
Satisfied Employees, A Powerful Marketing Strategy
Even in today's still uncertain economic times, there are companies... Read More
Year 2010: Permanent Employees No Longer Required
Jack Welch joined a conference that was held in Duke... Read More
Truth or Consequences: How to Give Employee Feedback
In the bestseller, Good to Great, Jim Collins discovered that,... Read More
Better Management Performance - The Easy 3-Step Way
Managers make three mistakes when they try to run businesses.... Read More
Are Your Marketing Pieces Up to Date?
The other day someone asked me for one of my... Read More
Top Ten Tips About Communicating with Your Employees Effectively
Communication is the basis of who you are as a... Read More
Toxic Bosses
What's everyone's favorite topic around the water cooler? Bad bosses!... Read More
Gossip And Rumors And Hearsay, Oh Why?
In the Wizard of Oz, it was "Lions and tigers... Read More
Can Your Corporate Policy Pass the Monkeys, Bananas, and Water-spray Experiment?
Five monkeys were placed in a cage. A banana was... Read More
5 Steps to Continuous Process Improvement
Part One of Creating Well-Defined Processes SeriesWhat if your sales... Read More
Tap Employee Passion For Business Success
Meriwether Lewis set the stage for the Corps of Discovery's... Read More
Setting Clearer Performance Expectations
The annual performance review.Stating this phrase guarantees some reaction for... Read More
The 5 Obsessions of a Passionate Employee
A recent report entitled "How Google Grows?and Grows?and Grows" stated... Read More
Vampire Meetings and How To Slay Them
Meetings can be like mythical vampires ? sucking the life... Read More
Performance Management - Getting The Most Out of Your Employees
Managing for Best PerformanceIn it's simplest form, performance management is... Read More
Turbo Charge Your Career With The Most Powerful Leadership Tool Of All: The Leadership Talk: Part 2
In Part One, I described the Leadership Talk and how... Read More
Creativity and Innovation Management ? Money Doesnt Do It
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
Got A Meeting Planned? Ask This Question
Meetings ? they are a fact of our business lives.... Read More
Learn to Assert Yourself
Pinpoint your own blocks to assertiveness: fear of disapproval, need... Read More
Workplace Security Plan: Does Your Company Have One?
Consultant's Perspective...The threat of violence whether it emanates from a... Read More
The Leadership Imperative: Making Your Leadership Your Life
Nearly all leaders I've encountered are underachievers. They're getting a... Read More
Selective Job Cuts Often Benefits Firm More Than Broad Layoffs Over Long Term
It is difficult to pick up a newspaper or listen... Read More
Recruitment - Pick People Who Think
Old style management doesn't encourage personal mind control, employees aren't... Read More
The 70% Solution: Practical Testing and Version Control
"What do you mean you need to push back the... Read More
Business Management |