Losing to Win

"Is winning everything?" The senior vice president of a multinational manufacturer was screaming at the assembled throngs of employees, trying to pump them into a frenzied, feel-good state. "No. Absolutely not!"

Hmmm... what do we have here? Could it be that we have someone sage enough to understand that business, like life, is multifaceted? That it supersedes black-and-white characterizations of how business is built?

"Winning is not everything," he continued, pacing across the stage, the spotlight following his agitated gait. "IT IS THE ONLY THING!"

Ah, we were so close to a dose of humanity. So close.

Let's face it. Winning feels good. Coming in first has been pounded into us since those kindergarten field day races so long ago. You want to be at the top of the podium. You want the promotion. You want that sale.

But chances are, even for the most successful among us, you're going to lose now and then. That's a good thing.

McDougall Travers Collins has been blessed over the past few months, having been awarded assignments from highly respected organizations in sectors ranging from medical technology to financial services to healthcare delivery to automotive industry manufacturing. But we've also lost.

Just a couple weeks ago, we came in second to a well-known NYC-based firm in a competitive bid. Why? They promised the client that they'd land them on the Today Show in six weeks or less. We refused to make similar guarantees, preferring to take a more reasoned and seasoned approach.

In this case, losing made us take stock of how we conduct business. Thankfully, we passed that self-assessment with our heads held high.

But losing also makes you stronger. It makes you more deeply study what went wrong, and what went right. It fortifies your resolve to fight the better fight the next time around. It helps you assess the character of those around you.

Losing, when viewed in perspective, helps build long-term winners.

And that exec who screamed that winning was the only thing? Little did he realize that he had quickly lost that which he most desired: the respect of those in the room. Unfortunately, in his case, winning may always prove elusive.

PR Horror Stories

We recently came across this PR horror story -- is misstep by MCA Records back in the '80s. There's nothing like sending out fake cocaine to get your organization noticed, right?

We need your help identifying other horror stories from the profession. These aren't just to elicit schadenfreude, but to help the next generation of practitioners learn from others' mistakes.

We'll be sharing the best at the Western New York College Media Convention at SUNY Brockport in late February.



So bring them on... the more grimace-inducing, the better!

PR for PR: Why?

Earlier this week, PR News published the transcript of its Advisory Board roundtable, on which I happen to serve. One topic that quickly arose was redefining what public relations is, as well as increasing awareness of the profession.

These have been common refrains since I entered the industry two decades ago. PRSA gave the topics new life when it decided to launch its "PR Defined" campaign in 2011, and it's rare to see a panel discussion that doesn't touch on the subjects.

It would seem we're missing a critical point, one that we'd be remiss for not having in hand with any other program: a compelling, clearly-stated, actionable objective.

Like a group of occupiers in a park somewhere, there seems to be a rash of lukewarm reasons for this questionable behavior. We want a seat at the table. The profession has changed. The average person doesn't know what we do.

Talk is cheap. If you deserved a seat at the table, you'd have it (and quit wasting your time looking for the table; spend it delivering results, and your chair will appear). The profession is of course evolving, and you should be keeping abreast of its advances without thinking your colleagues care about the nuance. And for the love of Pete, just explain what you do; as a communicator, if you can't do this without assistance, don't ever pass a resume by my desk (and maybe think about a new career altogether).

Do I think we should go about our work quietly, or even obfuscate our role in shaping opinion? Hell no. Why else would I give time to leadership roles with PRSA and a range of other organizations that advance the profession? Why would I speak with students about reputation management career options? Why would I have left a corporate marketing role to return to the communications field? I love what I do... what we do.

But at the same time, it would seem many of my colleagues are trying to tell and sell a story to the mass market when they should be focused on more highly-targeted audiences. In an industry where -- in many cases -- we're making magic happen behind the scenes, they want more visible credit and platitudes. They want their Toby Keith moment.

So here's my challenge. Convince me why the man on the street should be able to define public relations any more than he can define actuarial science or materials engineering. Better yet, make be believe that a CEO would rather understand the particulars of what you do versus the results you deliver. Show me that, and we have a ballgame.

CES 2012: Celebrate Discovery

The 2012 Consumer Electronics Show begins next week, much to the delight of the tens of thousands of attendees who will flock to Las Vegas to see the latest and greatest devices that have come to enrich (or dominate) our lives.

I've been fortunate to be part of this throng for years, representing clients such as Yamaha and Turtle Beach as well as driving the show media strategy for Kodak during its digital heyday. In many ways, the work my teams and I did added to the madness, highlighting various technologies and products for members of the international press corps, and in more than a few instances dominating media coverage (no small feat for an event that draws more than 1,000 reporters).

One such device was the Turtle Beach AudioTron, the first-of-its-kind networked home audio player. It was the precursor to Roku boxes, Sonos speakers, Apple TV and other dedicated devices that stream content from the Web to the living room. Holed up in a small conference room, we literally had a line out the door for three days as journalists saw the future of streaming audio... more than a decade ago.

Making room for a new home theater device today, I came across my own AudioTron (which still works flawlessly) and recalled how much buzz the product generated. Why? Because it wasn't developed by an industry giant such as Sony, but a smaller company who had taken a chance on building a better mousetrap.

So here's an inside tip from a CES veteran -- pass through the booths of the industry juggernauts, but spend more time exploring new territory. Walk a bit more slowly among the six-foot tabletop displays that upstarts have paid dearly to obtain. Ask other attendees what's excited them, especially from a conceptual point of view. Purposely seek out prototypes ahead of their time, which can be found lurking in an off-strip hotel suite doubling as a meeting venue.

In an age where there's seemingly little surprise left at major trade shows, thanks to pre-announcements and online leaks, become a hunter. When that little idea explodes onto the market a few years from now, you can claim to have been on the inside from the early days. Therein lies the true excitement of CES -- discovery.