Honest vs. Dishonest Debate

What did he just say? I am half held in amusement, half held in stunned silence at some of the things that political figures, community leaders, and even nice friends at church may say.  Perhaps it is a good time to take a minute and discern the accidental Freudian faux pas from the intentional circumspection of the truth.  I found an interesting resource with a quick Google search of “honest debate.”  I found a site that you may wish to spend some time with called Intellectually Honest and Intellectually Dishonest Debate Tactics hosted by author John T. Reed, a coach, author, West Point Graduate and Harvard MBA. 

            Very interesting insight in to how to manage the most basic to the most complex conversation and I highly recommend a glimpse at his work.  According to Reed, there are really two kinds of discussion:  One that is intellectually honest and one that is intellectually dishonest.  The measure of the two is simple.  The honest discussion is grounded in fact or logic.  Period, and end of statement.  This means that you can fairly point out an error in your opponent based only on fact or logic.  If you do not use fact or logic then you are being intellectually dishonest, which is a fancy way of saying that you are twisting the truth and even lying.  According to the assessment and lengthy list by Reed, there are a lot of ways to twist or play with the truth to get your way and these methods achieve intellectually dishonest debate.  The goal for the intellectually dishonest debater is to not make his or her point only mind you, but simply to get his or her way.  Think about this next time you are talking/arguing with someone.  Step away from the heat of the moment and try to state only the fact or the logic.  Does your point hold?  Or do you retreat to one of the thirty plus tactics used to get a debate or discussion off track by intellectually dishonest means. 

There are quite a few strategies according to Reed.  They can include name calling, changing the subject, questioning the motives of the person, stating irrelevant facts, quoting hearsay, pulling in an unqualified expert opinion, being vague, stereotyping, cult of personality, sloganeering, creating a scapegoat, claiming privacy to information, arousing envy, innuendo, redefining words, rejecting logic as opinion, fake laughter, intimidation, peer approval, mockery and political correctness are but just a few on the list. 

Let me give you a few examples that Reed shared on his site.  Start thinking about this the next time you watch the news or subject yourself to the ongoing political debates and see how many that you can find now that your eyes are a bit open to the technique.  Keep it in mind at your next board or council meeting too.  Intellectual dishonesty is just second nature sometimes.  “Intellectually-dishonest debate tactics are typically employed by dishonest politicians, lawyers of guilty parties, dishonest salespeople, cads, cults, and others who are attempting to perpetrate a fraud,” shares Reed. 

Name calling and changing the subject is a fairly straight forward technique to derail an argument by minimizing the credibility of an opponent.  “Never mind that the facts are true, let’s just make him look bad” thinks the intellectually dishonest person.  Questioning the motives of an opponent may be clever but it is also insincere when it comes to debate.  “They just want to sell their product,” may be true, but if the facts are accurate then by all means, sell away.

Hearsay or the support of the support of unqualified expert opinion is a technique that should be easy to pick up on, but it can sneak by if you aren’t watching.  Look for the ads in the paper that are set up to read like an article or press release. 

What about sloganeering?  People love to fall for this one.  It is so much easier to grasp on to a slogan or phrase than to take the time to understand the reason or logic.  Does “Change you can believe in” ring any bells.  Following on this idea is the “cult of personality” where instead of sifting though logic and facts to choose a leader, someone votes because “I like him” or “I dislike him less” as the case may be.  Also, look out for “claims of information privacy” in discussions or debate.  Really?  If you can’t divulge that  incredibly private and negotiated contract that is at the heart of the point of decision or purchase, perhaps you should just move on to the next offer completely.

Stereotyping is a technique used to leverage a win too.  If I label you as too Ivory Tower and Too Smart for your own good, then you probably can’t understand the “real world” problem that we are dealing with here, so your ideas aren’t going to be relevant.  It is always best to keep to the facts, and the person that you are overlooking or minimizing may just have the missing key.

How about redefining words to suite your agenda and win the discussion?  In this technique the debater uses a word that helps him, but that does not apply, by redefining it to suit his purposes, like calling government spending “investment.”  Taking words or quotes out of context is a common strategy too, like the recent debate of whether or not Romney really “doesn’t care about the poor.”

Words mean things, and it can be a challenge to stick to the facts, and to require our leaders to stick to the facts.  As we move in to our election cycle, stay alert, and hold the speaker accountable.

Governor Bentley, the North Jefferson area and Your Chamber of Commerce

“Communicate, Collaborate, Connect” said Charlotte Reach, incoming President of the Gardendale Chamber of Commerce and Vice President of First Commercial Bank in Gardendale.  It is important to begin with the end in mind and those words of challenge bring in to focus the requirement for success for our North Jefferson community as we begin 2012.  Adding strength to her words and those of her team, our Fultondale Chamber was pleased to have a presence of support at the noted visit by Governor Robert Bentley to our North Jefferson area where Reach accepted her new role as Gardendale Chamber President and contributed her comments. 

            The important role of a Chamber of Commerce took stage with the visit of Governor Bentley.  Bentley began by reminding the audience that he too, like a Chamber of Commerce, is a servant leader.  As a servant leader, Bentley thanked the support of small business and the critical role that business owners have played in jobs creation.  Bentley said, “After one year in office, I need to applaud YOU.  We now have 40,000 more people working here in Alabama.”  We have come through difficult times certainly, but, “with a continued Pro-Business Legislation and efforts with the Immigration Bill, …as well as addressing the education bureaucracy which has held us back, we will continue to create jobs,” said Bentley.

            Bentley shared that we should expect changes to our State budget in 2012 with respect to education, transportation and health.    He committed that money would not be taken from the classroom, and attention would be given to the 50% of funds that “doesn’t make it to the classroom now.”  Charter School efforts will move forward, because in his words, “the child is most important.”  Adding to the list will be efforts with road and bridge repair.  “We need to repair and preserve what we have now.  Toll roads may be an option to generate funds to accomplish this,” Bentley said.  And on health, he stated simply, “We are a fat State.”  Now don’t get offended Dear Reader, he is a doctor after all.  He challenged the group to make their dollars count.  “If you are going to spend money on healthcare, then make it count,” he said.  There is a need for Alabama to have measured results and a return on investment assessed for health outcomes.  He added, “It just costs less to be healthy.”

            Speaking of cost and funding, the General Fund is down 463 million from 2011.  The education budget looks good, but the General Fund, not so much.  As the economy grows, the tax collected will grow that General Fund, so it is critical to keep the embers of growth burning.  But in 2012, Bentley promised a real budget, and there are no Federal dollars to prop it up this year.  Governor Bentley told the audience that he is not a “caretaker” Governor.  “I want change,” he said, and added “I want us to get better.”  Governor Bentley called on the Chamber of Commerce and Small Business, as leaders in the community, to participate and be involved. 

            Getting involved with your business community through our Chamber of Commerce organizations is easy.  Not a member or involved just yet?  Then please mark your calendar for Thursday, February 9^th, 2012 for the next joint meeting of the Gardendale and Fultondale Chambers of Commerce as they co-host Mr. Moore Hallmark from the US Chamber of Commerce.  Hallmark is the Executive Director of the Southeastern Region and oversees the congressional and public affairs for eight southeastern states: Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.  We will meet at the Gardendale Civic Center and all business owners, civic and community leaders from the entire North Jefferson area are encouraged to attend.  Moore will be presenting on the important role of the Chamber of Commerce at a local level, and what the Regional and Federal initiatives include. 

As we have asked in this column before, “Do you really know what good looks like?”  Initiatives such as the Alabama Community of Excellence as well as understanding accreditation requirements of the US Chamber of Commerce give credence, credibility and yes clout, to what your Chamber of Commerce can do for you and your business.  

2012 Economic Forecast, Birmingham Business Journal and Samford Brock School of Business

I phone?  Check.  Business Plan?  Check.  Clients? Check.  Crystal Ball?  I wish!  What are the drivers of business as we enter into 2012?  According to speakers for the recent Birmingham Business Journal event, they include the European Debt Crisis, China, Hiring and Labor Force Expectations, Growth issues, tax policy and the election.
An esteemed foursome of speakers addressed the potentials for business as we move in to 2012 at the Birmingham Business Journal’s 2012 Economic Forecast Panel held at Samford University  Brock School of Business this past week.  The discussion was similar to last years event, and according to the panel,  the slow pace of economic recovery last year will remain relatively unchanged in 2012 and could continue into 2013 or longer Samford University Latest from The Business Journals Top of the list: Education guideBBA may form PAC targeting political cloutUA is nation's 201st most selective school Follow this company .
The four panelists included Sara Helms,  an economics professor and research associate at the Lister Hill Center for Health Policy; Ahmad Ijaz, director of economic forecasting at the University of Alabama Center for Business and Economic Research, John Norris, a wealth management and investment services professional at Oakworth Capital Bank, and Rick Davis, senior vice president of economic development for the Birmingham Business Alliance.  
The panel summed their cautious outlook from the international down to the local picture in terms of where we are and where we may be heading in 2012. Uncertainty stemming from indecision and political infighting in Washington and Europe’s sovereign debt crisis were listed as primary factors causing the slow growth.  According to Norris, “Europe is a problem that is a long time coming.”  Ijaz interjected that, “An attempt with Europe to have one currency but 17 different monetary policies will continue to struggle, and perhaps cease to exist.”  With respect to Europe and debt problems, the question is will Europe hang together or splinter apart.   “The great unknown is China with its slow down and it will have a profound impact,” Norris continued.  Citing an anticipated slow down in China’s high-speed economic growth that is expected to further impact the global economy, they projected the slow economic recovery would continue in 2013 as the private sector continues de-leveraging.
On a state level, the economy is growing, but very slowly with a suggested 2.5-3.0% growth for this year and a modest 1-1.5% growth in employment.  Davis challenged the group to “Stop calling this a Recovery.  We have not gotten out of the woods yet, and we are still ringing distressed assets out.”  “If you want 4 percent growth, you may have to wait a few years,” said panelist John Norris.
One of the greatest challenges for 2012 will be how to manage the uncertainty.  Most shift in to neutral when the future is colored with unpredictable waves.  From hiring to predictions of growth, much is unknown.  “Most businesses are just not sure what capital investments they should make or whether they should hire,” Ijaz said. 
There are two halves to the issue of hiring and labor, and proper worker expectations play a big part in any true recovery.  Some discussion was made by the group to addressing not only high school completion, but also training in tech related jobs.  There was a stated observation of a general unwillingness of new college graduates to take more simple entry level work.  According to Norris, “Goal setting should be to find a way for the (new graduates) to set themselves apart.  Do what is beneath you to get experience.  Focus on work ethic, and start at the bottom with a goal to work up.” Helms added, “The Occupy movement has shown us that people have degrees of very little value.”  Birmingham Business Alliance Latest from The Business Journals JeffCo deal breaker will cost dearlyBBA campaign sets sights on national mediaBBA may form PAC targeting political clout Follow this company
The group agreed that recovering job sectors include science, technology, medicine and health services – areas the Birmingham region is well positioned to capitalize upon.  But, commercial real estate, development in any manner related to the bubble, and manufacturing will decline.  What does the future of manufacturing look like then?  The group discussed the public service announcement by Mike Roe of Dirty Jobs and the effort to encourage students to pursue advanced manufacturing jobs.  These high tech manufacturing jobs are high knowledge base, and it “ain’t your Daddy’s work shop” anymore.  White lab coats are taking the place of the fiery shop floor, and the highly trained, tech manufacturing worker is in certainly in demand.
With respect to unemployment, Helms cited 42-45% of the unemployed as having been unemployed for 6 months or longer.  Retraining is needed because your skills start to atrophy.  Davis also cited that 15% of the businesses create 50% of the jobs, and this must change to become sustainable. 
With regard to Banking, Davis describes the state we see now as the “new normal”.  “Actually the new normal is the old normal if you take a brief glance at the past.  Remember when you had to actually save some money for a down payment?” he reminded the group.  Now you must put some skin in the game, and banks are requiring up to 35% collateral for some loans.  Norris reminded the group that banks are “those places that you go to borrow money, when you don’t need any.”   
Turning it around?  This will certainly take some time to accomplish.  Ijaz cited that while the 2001 recession took 44-45 months to recover, the 2008 recession may take 3, 4 or even 5 years. 
These are defining times.  Pay attention, educate yourself, and do a quick roll up of your sleeves to get this one done.

Public Relations vs. Publicity: What is the price of a reputation?

As you work to get ahead of the pack in your industry, and certainly as we move into an election year, I know the rhetoric and spin will begin to ramp up.  According to the Bloomberg Business (7/2007) businesses spent a hefty 4.2 Billion dollars on the Public Relations industry in an effort to craft a good image and reputation, or at least one that you will believe.  Let’s take a few minutes to sift through what that can mean for your customers, or the voting public. 

Publicity is to Limelight as Public Relations is to Spin.  Sounds like an excerpt from an ACT test, but if you think about it, it is all a matter of perspective.  The two words, and attached roles, of publicity and public relations are often used interchangeably by the novice, and it is important to appreciate the distinction between the two.  

            There are also two sides to every view, and one man’s bad publicity event is another man’s opportunity for being seen.  One man’s Public Relations frustration is another man’s chance for spin and opportunism. 

            Publicity is, put simply, public exposure or notoriety.  Public Relations is the business of inducing the public to have understanding for and good will toward a person, firm or institution.  Public Relations can be accomplished with publicity, but it is not the only way.  A good Public Relations strategy is more than just the simplistic calling in of media and putting up a few microphones.  A strong Public Relations strategy meets the public where they are and fosters a positive image and relationship via multiple avenues to include support of the arts, charitable causes, education, sporting events and civic engagement.  It creates true good will.

            More recently in public relations, professionals are using technology as their main tool to get their messages to target audiences. With the creation of social networks, blogs, and even Internet radio public relations professionals are able to send direct messages through these mediums that attract the target audiences. Methods used to find out what is appealing to target audiences include the use of surveys, conducting research or even focus groups. Tactics are the ways to attract target audiences by using the information gathered about that audience and directing a message to them using tools such as social mediums or other technology. Another emerging theme is the application of impression management.  The psychology behind impression management works to cultivate perception, and as you know, perception is reality.  Done well, impression management works to cultivate reputation capital, and build trustworthiness.  It is important to know that public image, be it to the soda you drink, car you drive, or leader that you select, gets a lot of thought committed to driving how you think and what you choose. 

            Seasoned Public Relations Professionals and Publicity Leads take a few years to learn their craft by completing degrees in communications, marketing, finance, engineering, healthcare and more and least at the Bachelors but often at the Masters Level.  Even with appropriate educational training and experience, there are rookie Public Relations and Publicity mistakes o’plenty to be made.  A public relations strategy for any business big or small is key for brand development, so why skimp and just dole the job out to the most junior of team member, or the one that is most easily lead or the most likely to “say what you want to hear” not the more useful item of “what you need” to hear?  It is important to recognize here that Public Relations is not Marketing.  Separate from Publicity and Public Relations is the entirely unique discipline of Marketing.  And Marketing is not Sales.  And so on and so on goes the list of disciplines of thought that are needed to keep the engine of your business, organization or government, big or small, humming away.   

            The world of information is changing so quickly that it is vital to stay on top by taking the time to educate and train yourself, and expect the same of your team.  

Motivation and Compensation: It isn't all about money

     Everyone must put food on the table and find a way to squirrel out enough resources to keep Maslow happy with his famous five “hierarchy of needs” of physical (food), safety (get out of my cubicle), belongingness (include me in the information flow), esteem (I know what is going on around here) and lastly, self-actualization (I can lead the way.) We have discussed here previously Maslow and his description of these basic human requirements to get by, get along and get ahead, but what happens when you are just stuck trying to discern what is needed to motivate yourself or your team? Usually the answer is money. Show me the money, and I will show you the results. But, what happens when you don’t have the money for a pay raise or financial incentive, or worse, you have given that to your team, but they just can’t seem to get it done without your constantly micromanaging them?
     Enter the Law of Diminishing Returns, and the idea of a Break Even Point. The Law of Diminishing Returns tells us that there is a point where even with more effort or investment, results decline. The idea of a Break Even Point tells us that input (of money) equals output of effort up to a zero sum balance. That is to say, more money does not get you more effort past the psychological breakeven point. As I was asked in an interview once, “How much money do you need?” The hidden question is “How much money will make you lazy?” The point behind the question is “How do we motivate you when we can’t or won’t give you more money?” The correct answer is: It isn’t all about money.
     To that thought, here are some ideas to think about from an article I found in Inc. and offered up by entrepreneur Ilya Pozin. His company, Ciplex, made the Inc. 500/5000 list for 2011 of America’s fastest growing private businesses. Starting this company at age of 17, Ciplex is a digital marketing and creativity agency. Writing for Inc., Pozin’s article, 9 Things that motivate your employees more than Money, really caught my attention. When it comes to motivating yourself and your team, the answer may cost less than you think. Good stuff, so grab some coffee and think about this one for a minute. And there is no charge on this one either. 
According to Mr. Pozin:
     1. Be generous with praise. Everyone wants it and it’s one of the easiest things to give. Plus, praise from the Boss or leader goes a lot farther than you might think. Praise goes even further when you praise someone in front of others.
     2. Get rid of the managers. Love this one! Let people simply work as a team. There really are just some things that you cannot buy, and getting someone to come in early or stay late is an issue of motivation, not requirement. They may not do it for you, but they will do it for the group.
     3. Make your ideas theirs. It is all in the tone or turn of the phrase. “Do you think it’s a good idea if we do it this way?” is received much better than I need this done this way now. Remember, just because you say it harshly or loudly does not make it more accurate or necessary. (Unless of course the house is on fire.)
     4. Never criticize or correct. If you want adults, be adults. If you want children, treat people like children. Pozin suggests an indirect approach to get people to improve, learn from their mistakes, and fix them. Ask, “Was that the best way to approach the problem? Why not? Have any ideas on what you could have done differently?” Then you’re having a conversation and talking through solutions, not pointing a finger.
     5. Make everyone a leader. All you limelight huggers and glory hounds beware. You need to step away from the warmth of the spotlight and highlight your top performers’ strengths instead. Pozin suggests letting them know that because of their excellence, you want them to be the example for others.
     6. Take an employee to lunch once a week. Or just randomly do something nice for someone on your team. But, please don’t play favorites.
     7. Give recognition and small rewards. They don’t need to break the bank, but small tangible awards like dinner, trophies, spa services, and plaques are good places to start.
     8. Throw company parties. Remember when work use to be fun? Remind your staff that you’re all in it together.
     9. Share the rewards—and the pain. Be honest and transparent. Ask for opinions, and require a yes or no. You should not always agree for goodness sake. It is okay to have an original and intelligent thought that is different.

     If you never have any dissention, then you are not progressing as a team, and your entire effort is at peril if you lose the figurehead leader.

Thanks for taking a read this week, and I would look forward to your ideas as well.

Talkin' Bout an Evolution

Forgive me John Lennon and the Beatles, but just a little play on the title wording. Brian Brim is the coauthor of Strengths Based Selling, and I found a few of his thoughts in the Gallup Management Journal this week that you may find helpful too. His ideas, and those of David Liebnau, Executive Coach with Gallup, offer some insight as we evaluate change opportunities and growth here in the North Jefferson area. I was encouraged and reminded that real change takes time and persistence. In their words, we should be more patient. More will be accomplished through slight shifts than massive immediate changes.
According to Brim and Liebnau, everyone has their special way of doing things that is comfortable, your own special groove. Stepping out of your way of doing things and into another can feel a bit like putting on someone else’s shoes. Not too comfortable and certainly not that efficient. The challenge it seems is to appreciate the difference between actions and practices. Now stay with me here.
According to the writers, actions are the behaviors that you do with little thought. The actions a leader usually takes are determined by the "groove" he or she has developed over time. But how can you grow as a leader if you're forever contained in this same groove? You can't, and that is where practices come in. Practices are interventions that enable you to establish new ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving. They are essential to expand and develop your identity. To grow as a leader, you must slowly and steadily expand the groove. Adopting new practices which are slight shifts from what you already do enables you to access a different level of possible actions and create new opportunities. It is evolution, not revolution.
You don’t get out of your rhythm of what works, you just expand it.
This type of change is called slight-shift practice. It may be fairly easy too. But that's the point: When leaders are asked to do something they have the confidence to do and they see immediate success, they gain confidence from the positive feedback. Confidence and success drive them to repeat it. That's how sustainable development and wider grooves are created, and that's how great results happen. It is like a slow lazy stream that with time and persistence can become the Grand Canyon.
What small changes can you make this week that will lead you to a sea change of possibility? How about pushing back from your desk and talking with your team more about their ideas for improvement? How about dealing with problems immediately, instead of putting them off? How about delegating more to allow someone else to grow in a skill? Can you accept the challenge to just get things done without regard to whom gets the credit?
Now think about this idea in the context of our communities and growth. Think about it in the context of economic and professional development for yourself and the company that you support. Each entity be a company or a community has its own opportunity for development, and each has its own groove for certain. But what would happen if the groove or rhythm started to widen, just a little?
Will our opportunities expand if we take a few actions to partner more, to trust more, and to be more transparent? Once these first easier steps are taken, then and only then will you be able to really talk about creative change, innovation, and thoughtful risk taking.

Greece, Debt and the Road to Your House

So, 10 doctors walk into a bar….Okay not the beginning of the best joke ever, but I did have a dinner meeting with several of my customers this week and the conversation quickly turned to politics. I would like to continue our thinking from last week’s discussion of how to best engage government and explore just how deeply our Grassroots should run. From banking, to schools, to medicine, to the local restaurant around the corner, it is important to understand how we came to be in well…so much debt.
It begins here at home. I call it trickle up debt. It becomes a pervasive mindset that in order to have something you have to pay for it later. The conversation with my customers over dinner began with a bit of finger pointing. “Look at Greece! Geez what a mess!” said one. Like many countries, the Greek government, like the U. S., relies on borrowed money to balance its books. The recession has made this harder to achieve, because tax revenues are falling with people spending less, just as entitlement and welfare payments start to rise. To be fair, using public spending to even out the bumps in an economy is what most large developed economies do right now. This is all well and good as long as the investor money keeps coming in to the system. We aren’t even close to a balanced budget here in our own country. In fact, Economist warn that to get there we would pretty much need to eliminate all spending on defense and social security. Yikes. The lesson here is that debit is not all bad. Debt that you cannot repay is very, very bad.
Unfortunately, investors have lost confidence in the Greek government's ability to walk this tightrope – so they have been demanding ever higher rates of interest to compensate for the risk that they might not get their money back. The higher it’s borrowing costs, the harder it is for the Greek economy to grow itself out of trouble. Money really doesn’t grow on trees, and while countries like the US can print more, it just works to devalue the currency.
When Greek debt downgraded to "junk" status, the cost of borrowing money became too high. Fearing bankruptcy, Greece had to turn instead to the European Union and the International Monetary Fund for money to float there debt. But, just as money doesn’t grow on trees, it ain’t cheap either. Germany and other European Union members took issue with just giving more money without constraints to a struggling Greek economy as did Washington. This time there had to be some strings attached and a tough series of public sector cuts known as austerity measures were designed to reassure international investors that the government can become credit worthy again.
Dial back a few years to the mid 2000’s when Greece was strong and solvent. During this time and prior, the Greek government took advantage of this by running in a deficit. With an economy dependent on shipping and tourism, it headed south quickly when the economy worldwide started to cool. Austerity measures have been the source of massive protests as the Greek government seeks to shake the couch cushions of its economy for loose change. Public sector pay cuts, pension reductions, new taxes on corporate profits, luxury and sin taxes, and value added tax (which is for an entirely different article) are the tools of a Government seeking to sustain itself and it has the people crying Uncle.
But, let’s get back to my doctors and our dinner conversation. Greece is a long way away, so what does that mean here in little old Jefferson County? Well, the story for Greece sounds pretty similar to Jefferson County if you get right down to it. Weak leadership, poor accountability, and simply spending and promising to spend money that you don’t have can be found across the world or even around the corner.
And what about some of the towns right here in North Jefferson County? Time will tell how the balance sheet fares out, but spending just because you have it, especially when it is on salaries and not infrastructure or improvements is just not a good idea. A recent Birmingham News article reviewed the balance sheets of two of our big towns here in North Jefferson. Both passed budget increases for 2012 with bigger coffer requirements needed to support employee raises and debt obligations. And don’t forget the add-on of “just a penny more” to your tax burden at the store.
Suddenly Greece doesn’t sound so far away.