Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes…

Transitions. Like it or not, life is full of them.

I’ve recently transitioned from working with a small but amazing marketing team at the credit union to consulting on a part-time basis, a shift that’s allowing me to take some time over the summer to evaluate where I want to go next. And that, I think, is a very good thing.

Sometimes we’re in control of change and other times we’re not, but whether I’m controlling it or not I try to view change as an opportunity. I realize that not everyone shares my Pollyanna perspective. There are a lot of people who despair when they discover the Cheerios’ box is empty and they have to settle for Shredded Wheat instead, who won’t hear of having dinner at 8pm if the usual time is 7pm, and who wouldn’t dream of changing the route they take home from work even if it shortens the drive or provides a more scenic trip.

They’re the “we’ve always done it that way” folks for whom the world is a predictable place and for whom change represents a threat, a challenge to a comfortable and safe status quo. I think we need to recognize whether we’re sometimes the road blocks to new ways of thinking and doing, or whether we’re excited by the promise of cool things to come – not change for the sake of change, but change that will provide better communications, process efficiencies, or even a more engaging way to do what we do. Fun should count.

Traditionally, the corporate world has moved slowly, but many of today’s successful companies – like Southwest Air, Best Buy, and Amazon – are those that adapt well to change, that embrace new ideas and technology, and that are paying attention to the groundswell of change that is currently taking place on a global level.

As for me, I intend to keep exploring ways to merge “traditional” media with “social” media while continuing the conversation. And as I transition, I’m going to keep in mind James D. Finley’s famous quote:  “Nothing encourages creativity like the chance to fall flat on one’s face.” To me that means be brave, take chances, embrace life.

Chicago

I’m heading home from Chicago after a wonderful communications conference put on by Ragan. Great things happened. Terrific speakers engaged me in conversations on exciting trends in my field and I’ll be returning to work with new ideas for employing new tools in new ways to improve communications in my organization. Not only have I been inspired by the hours (and hours and hours) I spent attending conference sessions and then reviewing each day’s material, but also by everything there is to do and see in Chicago – a city that I have visited many times, but always, somehow, in the dead of Winter.

If you happen to be headed for Chicago anytime soon, this is for you.

I stayed at the Hotel Monaco, part of the Kimpton chain, which proved an unexpected pleasure. I loved it so much I asked them whether they need a communicator; I mean, who’s even heard of them? Mine was a charming room with lots of fluffy pillows, gorgeous linens, and a goldfish in a bowl to keep me company. And women, take note – l’Occitaine products for the bath! Fabulous staff, especially concierge Ryan Lettier, who bent over backwards and sideways to ensure that I enjoyed my stay.

There is great food in the Windy City that goes way beyond deep-dish pizza. Find artisanal cheeses and charcuterie, house-made tapenades, fabulous sandwiches on to-die-for bread, and an intriguing selection of wine at Pastoral on Lake Street. The outdoor Green City Market on the edge of Lincoln Park is another fab spot to grab organic greens and sprouty stuff, yummy and healthy baked quiches, croissants, crepes, flatbread pizzas, and small farm cheeses from goats, sheep and cows. After you graze your way through that, work it all off by spending an hour at the wonderful Chicago History Museum just around the corner.

Like eggs? I do, and Chicago boasts some terrific breakfast spots. For the best eggs benny in the Mid-west you’ve got to get to Yokes on Michigan across from the splendid Millennium Park (handily located to provide a delightful setting for the walk you’re going to need after brekkie!). If you’re off exploring the charms of Wicker Park, check out Caffe de Luca where the locals hang out in part, I’m convinced, because of the exquisite spinach and goat cheese quiche: 2 quivering inches of creamy, velvety, eggy yumminess.

If you’re rushing to catch one of the many architectural tours (do take the First Lady Boat Cruise – no school groups, knowledgeable guides, need I say more?) – then make a run for Hannah’s Bretzels – all organic, all green, all healthiness – where you’ll find a wonderful fluffy organic egg, bacon and cheddar on a wholegrain “bretzel” that you can eat while racing down Michigan Ave to make the boat.

Then there’s dinner, which can be sublime in Chicago. I discovered a handful of hip little restos where the emphasis is on local, sustainable, organic, and fresh. Eve, Sepia , and Avec all fall into this category where the creatively imagined menus have been painstakingly chosen and dishes faultlessly executed and delivered by staff who know of what they speak. Hard to get into all of them so plan ahead.

Finally, rent a bike at Bike Chicago. The lakefront trail offers miles of scenic and relatively flat riding. Not only will you work off some of that hollandaise sauce you had for breakfast, but you’ll feel justified going out and doing it all over again.

Oh, and to help with all your planning follow @explorechicago – really nice folks who can answer all of your Chicago questions. And if you have any other recommendations for Chicago, share ‘em here.

Where’s my Kindle?

Innovation in Canada is not an oxymoron and there are lots of examples of quite spectacular Canadian innovators to prove it.

For example, way back around 1876, in Brantford, Ontario, inventor Alexander Graham Bell proved his theory about relaying the human voice over wires and the telephone was born. The world’s first wireless message was received by Marconi in 1910 in St. John’s, Newfoundland. And, the first trans-Atlantic telephone cable connected the province of Newfoundland with England in 1956. More recently, Research In Motion developed the eponymous Blackberry in Waterloo, Ontario.

With a pedigree like that you’d think we Canadians would be the envy of the world, leading the way in communications gadgetry. Add to that the fact that our neighbour to the South is one of the world’s biggest consumer electronics markets, it seems logical to me that, at the very least, companies would launch their cool new electronic gadgets simultaneously across both of our deserving countries. But that’d be a no. When RIM launched the Blackberry in the U.S. (oh, and France, Germany, the U.K, Austria…) we Canadians sat at home with our flip phones waiting…and waiting…and waiting. Heck, even the Irish got Blackberries before we did. WUWT?

When the much-anticipated Iphone was released,  Canadians were once again left gazing longingly across the border waiting for our turn. Last month’s big news that Skype was coming to the Iphone had the Twittersphere all abuzz with excitement, but alas,  not available in Canada. Huh?

And that’s not the worst of it. Canadians pay more than almost anyone else in the world for wireless phone service. Yep, we sit on hold for hours at 1-800-Rogers or Bell, waiting to sign up for another 3-year, locked-in, can’t leave even if you die, contract term, and then we pay the highest rates on the planet for the privilege. I just don’t get it.

Is it idiot politicians as suggested by a CTV article that describes Canada’s abysmal position as a global  innovator (not!);  or are Canadian consumers disinterested in communications gadgetry? Canada’s Research Chair of Internet & e-Commerce Law  Michael Geist makes a compelling argument that it has a lot to do with a lack of competitiveness in the Canadian market.

Or perhaps, as many have suggested, we’re a nation of “blah”? A Timmie’s and McDonald’s-loving people who don’t just accept mediocrity, but embrace it. A people striving to maintain the status quo, and criticizing those who dare offer up new ideas.

Or maybe our nation is simply imbued with a remarkable level of patience.

I don’t have the answers and I’ve pretty much sat back grumbling quietly with everybody else, but the Kindle has thrown me over the edge. I’m a voracious reader of books, blogs, magazines, newspapers, journals, billboards, menus and even road signs. If there are words, I’ll pretty much read it. So, when Amazon came out with the “next chapter in wireless reading” I  whipped my wallet out faster than my Blackberry could auto dial my best friend, ready to purchase my Kindle and the hundreds, no thousands, of books that I’d load into it.

With visions of reading on beaches, trains, around campfires, in the back garden, anywhere and everywhere I felt like a good read, I clicked through the familiar Amazon check-out pumped with anticipation… and then it happened. The dreaded screen that we Canadians fear more than any other, appeared before me. The good folks at Amazon were very, very sorry, but they could not sell me a Kindle. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not any day in the foreseeable future. All because I am Canadian.

Well I say it’s time to rise up and protest Canada. Plead with our politicians. Write letters to the editors of our local papers. Start a revolution in this country and demand what was promised us way back in 1876 when A.G.B. made that historic call from Brantford, Ontario.

Kindles for Canadians!

One Member One Vote

Spring is just around the corner.

I know it’s true because I woke up one morning late last week to the unmistakable sound of mourning doves making whoopee outside my bedroom window.

I know it because no matter how late I stay at the office, it’s still light outside when I finally leave.

I know it because the acres of Essex County farmers’ fields I drive by to and from work are flooded from the record rainfall we’ve been pummeled with over the past few weeks.

But even more than that, I know it’s Spring because staff in our Marketing Department have been feverishly working on the upcoming Annual General Meeting, the Annual Report and the Spring Member Newsletter – a triumvirate of annual Spring to-do’s that keep us all multi-tasking like mad.

This year a lot of us think it’s pretty exciting that our Credit Union has a number of candidates vying for a position on our volunteer Board of Directors. Yes, remember people, we’re a Credit Union, not a bank, and we have an annual election where our Members (not customers!) get to choose their Board from among the committed and community-minded people who bravely put themselves out there to stand for election. These people will get to help determine the direction of our community giving and involvement and ensure that we maintain solid and accountable business practices. Different, huh?

Without further ado, I’m really excited to announce that we’ve launched our second annual One Member One Vote site (thank you David!). That’s where you’ll find candidate videos along with all of the important how-to-vote stuff.

We think it’s pretty cool, and we think it says a lot about the difference between a Credit Union and a bank.

Oh, and if you want to find out more about Credit Unions, check out this funny video by Larissa, former spokester for Young & Free Alberta. And don’t forget to vote!

My Friend David

“Constantly scanning the peripheral, always motivated by the desire not to miss opportunities.” Linda Stone

I remember the day I met him. He gazed up at me with those beautiful clear blue eyes, welcomed me with a glimpse of the Cheshire cat grin I would come to know well, and made a joke about my role at the Credit Union. It was clear that David was bright. Very, very bright. And he was funny.

I remember the last time we spoke, three days before he left. David emailed me following yet another of our sprawling conversations to let me know that we had spoken for 43 minutes and 27 seconds. He advised me that at his 9-5 EST grid (???!) $250/hr for on-call/off-site support, I owed him sushi and a Sapporo. I replied that I paid for tech support in rubles so the Sapporo might be a stretch. At either rate, it would have been a bargain.

David was a passionate and gifted teacher. Always kind. Always generous. And he had a way with words. Sometimes he’d email or tweet me and I’d have no clue what he was talking about. One day, catching my tweet of a song from blipfm, David tweeted back, “Spotify, silly wabbit…It’s the new black.” Say what?

We sparred with words and ideas. I’m the communications girl – it drives me nuts when I can’t understand someone. David drove me nuts frequently. His job description was “new media, technology, innovation and education” – I wanted his job! He described what he did as “figuring out where new “stuff” fit in with the older “stuff.” David didn’t research or network, he was “cool-hunting” in the CU system for “crowd-powered innovation”. God I had to run fast to keep up with him.

We first collaborated on an email presi for staff. We designed a cool broadsheet of email tips and David created a Keynote injected with neat graphics, cool video and lots of humour. That was the first time I got in trouble at work. Note to self: not everyone wants to know what LMFAO means.

I was determined to bring in the best communications tools and David was committed to ensuring we had the latest in Social Media, Web 2.0, and Open Source apps, and we were all going to work in Wikis. This proved a challenge. “Why is it,” he asked, “that when the wagon is broken and the wheels are square, peeps still try to push it uphill through the mud?” David had a gift for slinging a really good metaphor.

David was passionate about bringing “social/nu-media/network-ing” to the Credit Union. He saw change coming in the industry, and he was determined to make some of our own. He wanted to “empower the Gen-Y/next generation to become captains of the CU movement.” He was always trying to figure out where ideas can meet application.

But the world rarely moved fast enough for David. Communicating with him was like being at the epicentre of a tornado. Some chose to run for cover and dodge the fallout of scattered flotsam and jetsam. Their loss. I scrabbled to grab all that I could and there was always more to grab than I could hold onto – so more sushi, more Sapporo.

What’s the ROI of “pure win and awesome.” Where’s David? What’s a meme again?! He’s here… I catch fleeting glimpses of him from the periphery of my vision – he’s just outside of my grasp.

Gonna miss you, my friend.

Created by Oliver Swainson for the Marketing Dept.

Why Twitter?

I love Twitter. My friends and colleagues laugh and make jokes about my tweets, twirps, peeps and chirps (their words) but once the laughter subsides they usually want to know what it’s all about. Rarely do I succeed in explaining it well enough to elicit more than a quizzical look and a shrug of the shoulders. But the fact is that it’s hard to “get” until you dive into the conversation.

There are lots of great resources out there that explain Twitter far better than I ever could. One of my favourites is Twitip, a blog all about tweeting edited by Darren Rowse, an Aussie who also authors a great blog site called Problogger. A recent article in Computer World explains the ins and outs of tweeting for business and offers sound advice to those contemplating diving in.

You join conversations on Twitter by following others. I make a point of seeking out and following not only others in credit union land, but anyone who is asking compelling questions and providing insightful answers. It takes time initially to figure out just what’s going on and who you want to follow, but once you start following and listening to the conversations it’s not a big commitment. And the payoffs are huge.

So what’s in it for me? I get to listen in on the conversations of some of the best minds in the world of finance, marketing, communications, politics and social media. I follow some terrific credit union people like Gene Blishen who reached out across the country to help me out with my Mac questions, and Morriss Partee who welcomed me to Twitter and invited me to participate at Everything CU. I’m a journalism junkie so I follow CBC and NPR to keep up with the news headlines, and I’ve discovered great music and emerging musicians through Blip.fm and last.fm. And, I even found an elusive Wii Fit through a tweet sent out by Matt Davis, also known as the CU Warrior, who had just ordered one himself. That was a very big moment!

What’s not to love about that? Sign up for a free account and find someone to follow. (You can start with me @lorinewton!). It’s important to take the time to upload an image that represents you or your brand, and be sure to fill in your bio so others can learn a bit about you. Then, spend lots of time listening and make sure you share stuff you think others will value.

Business Ethics from Jerry Maguire

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Dorothy: I loved your memo, by the way.

Jerry: Thanks… actually, it was just a “Mission Statement.”

Dorothy: I think in this age, optimism like that… it’s a revolutionary act.

Jerry: You think so?

Dorothy: Oh yes.

Jerry: I appreciate that, because some of that stuff… you know, it was two in the morning and…

Dorothy: — the part about “we should embrace what is still virginal about our enthusiasm” — “and we should all force open the tightly-clenched fist of commerce, and give a little back for the greater good.”. I mean, I was inspired, and I’m an accountant.

It took me more than a few years to finally rent Jerry Maguire but the film and its message about business ethics have held up remarkably well. Given the current hand-wringing and teeth-gnashing taking place in the board rooms and senior management meetings of corporate America, Maguire’s story of one guy’s battle to balance loyalty and financial success is uncannily timely.

It’s hard to do the right thing, to stand by your principles and to say no to those who will perceive you to be a fool for pursuing anything less than profit at all cost. As Dicky Fox wisely said, “The key to this business is personal relationships,” and there is no doubt in my mind that he could be speaking about any business.

Take care of your personal relationships and success and peace of mind will follow.

Christmas 2008

It’s Sunday night following Christmas and, as is my wont, I find myself wondering where on earth the days have gone.

It was so wonderful to have our family all together once again for the holidays this year. Oliver was down from Toronto and I believe we’ve all loved having him here (even his brothers!),  and Andrew was back home again after his year away in Denmark.

It has been an exceptionally understated, low-key Christmas for our family. Except for my spontaneous purchase of a Wii, there was no great extravagance under the tree, but the boys gave each other thoughtful gifts–a tea maker for Oliver from Andrew, cool skateboard socks and a tie for Andrew from Ollie, and a funky retro Adidas bag with “Canada” on it for Jeremy’s outbound year that will begin in July. I can’t believe he won’t be here with us next Christmas!

And did I mention the Wii? Ok, it was way extravagant, but it was the best ever idea, and we all played and played and played, and even my mother bowled with the boys on Christmas Day. Sadly, I haven’t been able to lift my right arm for three days after all that bowling and tennis, but what great fun it was, and I’m convinced it’s really terrific exercise??!! Isn’t it?

Back to work tomorrow (sigh!) with an eye on the coming New Year. I did not achieve what I had hoped for in 2008 and must rise above that. While I have many, many fond memories of the past year, like so much in life, the year, quite frankly, left much to be desired. But, if I’ve learned anything, it is that we must slow down and recognize and be grateful for every gift that comes our way, however small. Everything can be swept away in an instant.

Will CSR Survive a Recession?

For all the debate and criticism, being a good corporate citizen has become an admirable goal for many North American businesses that have been making a determined effort to take responsibility for the impact of their activities on their customers, shareholders, employees, and suppliers, as well as on their communities and the environment. Socially responsible companies acknowledge an obligation that extends beyond mandatory compliance to legislated standards; they are compelled to do more to improve the quality of life for their employees and their families, for the communities they serve, and for the planet.

But will CSR survive the current economic reality of tight credit markets, plunging commodity prices and a volatile loonie? The current economic crisis is creating especially tough challenges for companies trying hard to live up to their CSR policies. There is no doubt that being environmentally responsible, supporting altruistic community programs, and doing what it takes to be an enlightened employer are challenging goals without the belt-tightening measures necessitated by today’s economic reality.

At a time when short-term strategies must sometimes seem more palatable, Boards must stay strong and take a long-term perspective. Now more than ever, being a good corporate citizen must be a core business strategy that is deeply ingrained in the corporate culture of the entire organization.

If there is any doubt, take a look at credit unions. They invented the concept!

Holiday Truffles

So I got up this morning feeling ok only to discover that December has officially descended. That means I’m even further behind on my holiday shopping than I thought I was (never mind baking, decorating and all the rest of the baggage that comes with the season to be merry) so panic is near at hand. The days of me trying to outdo Martha are so yesterday, now I spend more time plotting and scheming how little I can get away with!

Yes, time for major strategizing. Fill the pots on the porch with bunches of greenery and hang a wreath on the door. Check. Create a basket filled with treats to get the parents to Florida. Easy. Youth exchange $$$ for the youngest (Europe is darned expensive these days!); driver’s ed for the middle one, and some Macbook bling and a back-to-U care package for the oldest. Check. Purchase really cool Christmas kitsch for Christmas-crazy colleague (office Secret Santa!) Check. Christmas tree from nice guys who set up a temporary lot by the Dairy Delite and a handful of extra greenery for the fireplace mantel. Living room done.

Baking? FInd that phenomenal recipe for truffles I made last year, buy a couple bottles of really nice wine and invite the girls over for an evening of chocolate making extravagance. Check mate!

Oh, and the truffles?

Ganache Filling:

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 lb bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 tlsp Starbucks liqueur

Icing sugar

In a small saucepan heat cream just until bubbles form around edge of pan; remove from heat. Stir in chocolate until smooth; stir in liqueur. Transfer to bowl; cover and refrigerate for 1 hours until thickened and cold.

Using a whisk (not electric mixer), beat chocolate mixture just until creamy and lighter in colour. Do not overbeat or mixture will separate.

Using pastry bag fitted with 1/2 inch plain tip (or plastic bag with corner cut out); pipe filling into 1 inch diameter rounds on two waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm

Working with rounds of filling from one baking sheet at a time, lightly roll in icing sugar. Gently roll each round between fingertips to round off tips. Return to waxed paper-lined sheet and freeze for 1 hour or until hard and almost frozen.

COATING:

3/4 lb bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

In top of double boiler over hot (not boiling) water, melt chocolate. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Sift cocoa powder into pie plate. Using two forks, dip balls from one baking sheet at a time into chocolate, letting excess drip off. (If chocolate thickens, rewarm gently over hot water). Place ball in cocoa.

Using 2 clean forks, roll truffles in cocoa; refrigerate on waxed paper-lined baking sheet until hardened. Place truffles in candy cups and store in airtight container in refrigerator until just before serving. (Truffles can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months) Makes about 50 truffles.

(Thanks to Elizabeth Baird and Anna Hobbs, Canadian Living Christmas Book, 1993)

ENJOY!