After my recent business trip to Colorado, I've decided I can officially call myself "extreme." Let me explain...
I work for ConocoPhillips in Bartlesville, Okla., and one of my projects is managing the PR and community relations for our campus-in-progress, which is located in Louisville, Colo. It could not be a more perfect location. Nestled at the foothills of the Flatiron mountains near Boulder and just minutes from Denver, it (to me) is about as close to heaven as one can get while still living. Ah, what a segue way to my point.
You see, Oklahoma is beautiful and has nice hiking options. But to compare it to Colorado would be like comparing pinot noir and merlot (need I say more, Lynn?). So, needless to say, I'm not exactly equipped for hiking. Physically, maybe. Gear wise, heck no. Watch out, REI. Here I come!
About $200 later and sporting a very chick-like Camelbak, I'm ready to take on Chatauqua's Royal Arch. Alone. I'm proud to say I survived and would make that climb every day to gaze upon the gorgeous terrain from up there. But I think I got a little too sure of myself. Next hike: Eldorado Canyon. Home of extreme rock climbers. In fact, fellow communicator Anders Gronstedt informed during lunch the same day that a climber friend of his recently died there. Well, I was just hiking. So on I went.
It was about 6 p.m. and I had foolishly turned down a fabulous dinner offer from my friend Stacy Wilson because I needed to shop Pearl Street (check!). As I pulled into the park, I was absolutely amazed by its beauty. I couldn't wait to hit the trail. Looking like a pro, I was about a mile out from the trailhead when it started to drizzle. No big deal. It felt great. Then the winds shifted and the sky literally unload on me. I'm talking pouring rain, roaring winds, lighting and thunder. And, as if that wasn't enough, it started to hail and the temperature quickly dropped from a comfy 82 degrees to 64. OF COURSE I don't have a parka. I'm from Oklahoma! Not looking so pro anymore as I take cover under a rock.
But I survived. And you know what? I would do it again. (Yes, I'll listen to the weather first.) It was that much fun. And it made me realize that so many aspects of my life really are a little extreme. Work, marriage, friends, kids. It's all a little crazy and we have to balance to make it work. And that applies to your communication teams. There is power in balance for the leader, communicator and customer. Join me on Sept. 29 for a not-so-extreme look at "The Power of a Balanced Communicator" in Denver.
Who knows, I might even have met a mountain lion by then.
Tracy Harlow, "Extreme" Speaker
Comments (2)
Can't believe you got caught in that. Yes, balance applies to hiking as it does to managing a comm team. Can't wait to hear your talk. Perhaps you can offer up a little insight even now about what top two things you look for in a new hire to help with team balance.
Stacy
Posted by Stacy Wilson | August 12, 2008 12:13 PM
Posted on August 12, 2008 12:13
Thanks, Stacy. Happy to share some tidbits now.
One of the things I'll talk about regarding hiring a new team member is diversity. I'm not talking about diversity in the way most of us do. While gender, ethnic and cultural diversity are important, I'm talking about skill diversity. But not from one team member to another. I mean within the one recruit. In other words, I want a well-balanced communicator -- even if the job is primarily media relations. The more exposure the communicator has had in a variety of communication disciplines, the more opportunity both the recruit and my company will have with him/her.
I also recommend personality testing. It doesn't really matter what test you use, as long as the whole team uses the same one so you're comparing apples to apples.
I'll share specific examples and how to find these communicators in my presentation. Hope to see you there!
Posted by Tracy Harlow | August 26, 2008 3:06 PM
Posted on August 26, 2008 15:06