It’s OK to be In The Pink… that has a positive connotation for everyone.  Nothing like having a great day!  But thinking pink, now, that can get you into trouble.

That was the message at a marketing session I went to this morning.  The speaker was Andrea Learned, author of Don’t Think Pink: What Really Makes Women Buy – And How To Increase Your Share of This Crucial Market. 

WAIT, this is not the time for the male business world to tune out.  In fact, you’ll be glad you didn’t.   For what Andrea can teach you about marketing to women, will work really, really well for men, too.  And that’s because women are tougher customers. They have radar and high expectations.

“Don’t Think Pink” means don’t feminize or play to stereotypes.  Pink and purple and flowers aren’t required to appeal to women.  In fact, it will more likely be a turn off.

It’s not that psychographics, demographics, technographics and even the new term on the block, gendergraphics, don’t have a role in marketing, but rather they can be misleading unless you are narrowing your customer focus. 

Andrea played a humorous radio spot of Cabot Cheese. It was an interview with a couple of women that started with: Women are all the same… All children are no different than any other….Each nationality is identical… Everyone has the same tastes. Of course the women objected to all of these statements.  And then the interviewer said: And all cheddars taste the same… The women admitted to buying cheese according to price.  Then they tasted Cabot cheese and were obviously taken by the taste.  They both liked it, and so the interviewer said: So women are all the same. Laughter followed.

It’s a great spot for Cabot. It is also a great, though somewhat exaggerated,  illustration of the trap in which marketers often fall. Too often we make generalizations about a customer segment and start treating all customers accordingly.

Andrea shared some great insights about women, but not without repeating: Narrow your focus and get to know your best women customers well, as intimately as is professionally possible.  “Know them in a day of their lives and in a day of their dreams,” she encouraged.

She was talking about transparent marketing, which she says, “is inspired and guided by the women you serve.”  Ongoing listening and observation of your women customers translated into your marketing process will have your company growing and changing with your customers.

And that will translate well with men, too.  And here’s why.  Men are linear thinkers.  Visualize a straight line.  Now picture a curvy line that crosses back forth across that straight line.  That represents the holistic thought patterns of women.

In other words, women gather information here and there as they make their way to a purchase.  They hit all the fact points that men do. Men, on the other hand, go straight to one store, for THE product, and purchase it.  They are in and out, done. 

So in your marketing, include the facts, those information points along the straight line that all customers will most likely take into account. But remember these facts are considered neutral and don’t necessarily inspire a customer connection.  To appeal to your tougher customers and create that holistic or curvy path, include stories and testimonials that add color, scents and sounds around the facts. So you see, Pink is not the Link.

Working long hours has long been touted as being unbalanced and unhealthy.  Now it’s beginning to be seen as bad for the environment as well.

David Roberts, columnist for Fast Company, makes the case that if U.S. businesses shortened the work week, they could have a huge impact on lessening global warming.

He rationalizes it like this:

            n The ecological footprint of U.S. employees is far larger than any other.

n In the last 30 years, American men have increased their work hours by more than 100, and women by more than 200.

n And while U.S. productivity has doubled in the past half century, it falls short of other countries working fewer hours. France produces $3 more GDP per hour and works a 35-hour work week.  In Norway, where they work 26 percent less, workers create $5 more GDP per hour.

n In a recent survey, U.S. workers admitted to wasting 20 percent of their day chatting and surfing the web.

 His reasoning is not so far fetched.  In terms of productivity, for decades studies have shown longer hours eventually result in a decline of productivity. Roberts’ statistics concur. It’s one of those less is more situations. 

How could any business not toy with going Green in this manner? Shorter hours, lower utilities, higher productivity… sounds like a gift. Of course there would have to be some savvy change management to make such a cultural shift.  Employees rarely like to hear about doing the same work in less time.  However, this shift has some real benefits for them and their children, and their children’s children. It should be an easy sell.

             Some funny things happened to me and my husband on the way to Denver and Hualtuco, Mexico.  You won’t believe it, we experienced great customer service.  Now you have to know that I, like many who are heading to an airport, have service, usually lack of, as top of mind.

            Did we experience any delays? Yes, and during the two hours we waited we were treated to a free lunch.  We didn’t ask for it and we weren’t complaining.  In fact we weren’t even aware of the free lunch; the woman behind the food stand clued us in.  And the stipend was for more than we could eat.

            That’s not all.  When using the automatic check-in at Denver, the machine said we would need an agent to continue. My passport has an amendment and it always confuses the machines.  The woman who came over was very pleasant and took care of the matter quickly.  This was a far better than most of my travel experiences.

Again, that’s not all.   She took the time to look through our flight itinerary. Then she said we really should sit closer to the front with such little time before our connecting flight. Instead of just making the change, she said, “Here I’ll show you how to do it.”  She was taking the time to educate us so future experiences could be better as well.  

The extra time this agent took served us well, but will also serve the airline well.  After all, good customer service comes down to training, of the employee and the customer.

Frances X. Frei writes about this in the April edition of the Harvard Business Review: “Customer involvement in operations has profound implications for management because it alters the traditional role of the business in value creation.”

Frei, in fact, uses the airlines as an example of an industry that is getting it right.  For airlines simplified the check-in process to allow customers to take on this part of service.

He goes on to talk about managing customer behavior to get the desired results, better, more efficient service.  The value for the customer is better service, and for the company, it could mean increased business for lower costs.

When it comes to business, the customer should always play an active role.  Basic marketing requires it. One of the companies I worked for wanted all employees to be talking to the customer.  We were to ask such questions as:

n Why do you do business with us?

n What would you like us to do that we are not currently doing?

n What is someone else (competitors) doing that you like, that we are not doing?

n Overall, how are we doing? Is there any one thing we could do better for you?

            Answers to questions such as these allow for product refinement and innovation, as well as improving service deficiencies.  They should be considered part of the baseline of customer operations. 

            So have you talked to your customers today?

I just read an article by Dee Dee Myers, the first female White House press secretary.  She was noting that the women in the U.S. Senate, despite party affiliation and diverse backgrounds, found a way to work together when their male counterparts struggled.

            Myers, while saying her observations don’t provide an air tight argument, concludes women are more interested in consensus, less interested in score keeping, and more interested in listening to others’ opinions.

            While generalities are never 100 percent true, I agree with Myers observations.  And it made me think that women do not only work differently together, or lead differently, but they also shop differently.

            Before anyone starts guffawing at what seems to be obvious and common knowledge, let me finish.  For my observations tell me that many companies don’t really get it; they don’t know how to market to women. That is not to say no one gets it, for Kellogg gets it, Curves and Wachovia get it.  Apple gets it.

            Some companies think if they treat women the same as men, that is to say with the same level of respect and interest, they are doing a great job of appealing to the purchasing power of women.  Well it’s just not that easy, nor obvious.

            Women’s decision-making process is different than a man’s.  The credibility they give information resources differs, too.  And guess what, the process takes a little longer.

            Women are information gatherers.  The first step in sales to women is to offer information and answer questions.  You absolutely should not expect to close the sale on a first visit, unless she has previously done her information gathering. Of course, we’re not talking about purchases of the level of a tube of toothpaste. But don’t be fooled, she’s probably researched toothpaste.

            Developing a relationship and trust are what it takes.  Yeah, yeah, sales to anyone is about relationships.  With women, it has to be authentic, sincere and on target. And in your sales toolbox, you better have some satisfied women customers.  For women will believe their mothers, sisters and friends before they will believe any expert, doctor, mechanic or technology geek. Credentials just won’t measure up to the experience of the ones they trust.

            Kellogg understands a woman’s day, her fight to maintain a healthy weight, and how the two fit together.  Their product line is driven by this understanding. 

Curves understands the single most important driver to a woman trying to get or stay in shape is her kids.

Apple designed a new store layout just for women.  It’s not filled with just product to buy but product to try.  The sales staff knows it is there to answer questions, with a sale possibly coming after several visits. And the isles are extra wide, to accommodate strollers.  A children’s play area is next to the check-out counter.

            Yes, indeed women are different.  And that can be a real plus in the work place. And it can be great for a marketer, if they truly understand the differences.

            With the passing of the presidency to Raul Castro, the world is abuzz about Cuba’s future and how the U.S. should or could play a role. It’s all about leadership, the styles and the strategies.

Fidel is not gone, and will no doubt still have a say.  Raul is known to be less charismatic and more pragmatic.  He has spoken of including others in decisions, more of a team approach.  And in the past year, he has involved the citizens, capturing their complaints from forums around the country.

Acknowledging citizens’ pleas for livable wages, Raul agrees something needs to be done. He cautions that for stability sake, change will have to come slow.  That is a reasonable message, considering the current economic situation and the U.S. embargo.

As for the U.S., it would be wise to observe and learn before making assumptions. There are many pieces of social infrastructure that work in Cuba.  Understanding all that is Cuba today could change attitudes and strategies.

Beyond the economics of day to day survival, Cubans don’t have many gripes. They are among the most literate countries of the world.  They have neighborhood doctors and architects; unfortunately they lack medicine and building supplies. They are rich in culture, as the arts are embraced and valued as much as anything.

Your Havana taxi driver most likely has a degree in medicine or engineering.  In Cuba a taxi driver can earn more than a doctor.  Tips are the uncontrolled variable and wage multiplier. Musicians also fare well.

 Cubans are hungry, not just for healthier and more plentiful food, but for many of the things we take for granted.  Water is often captured from rain, and when it doesn’t rain, there are no showers, no water for plants. There are no stores with shelves full of product. There are no malls. There is not a lot of choice.

This hunger for more and better could make Cuba easy prey for large corporations. Current practices by some large U.S. firms around the world validate the term “prey” and spark thoughts of humanitarian sins. And while the U.S. government is blind to these practices, it condemns and isolates Cuba for inhumane acts.

There is room for much leadership within and from outside Cuba.  Letting go of the past, understanding the present, and focusing on steps of progress for the future is what is needed.

            I was reading some leadership tips from Bill Gates the other day.  He recommends taking two retreats every year to develop long-range strategies.

Not a bad idea.  My mind didn’t feel the need to ponder such a common sense idea for long and leaped to thoughts of the extended sabbaticals that were popular for CEOs in the 1990s.

            I remember reading about some CEOs who left their jobs behind for up to a year.  The goal was to do nothing related to the job, to drain the brain of all job consciousness.  The idea being that we need to grow, learn new things, and expand our realm of experience without any interference of the office pressures.

            It follows the same philosophy that has colleges and universities requiring some general studies to graduate.  A broad perspective and knowledge base better equips us to think, problem solve and maintain a healthy perspective. It seems silly to end that with the days of formal study.

            I did several searches only to discover that the brain drain still means the CEO leaves his job, but its current meaning includes permanently.Considering the dwindling of the talent pool, the brain drain of this decade may be a good reason to practice the brain drain of the past.

            Further searches provided evidence that longer sabbatical leaves are still being practiced, and prove to be beneficial to the individual and the organization.  Retention was cited as a key reason among companies allowing the lengthier leaves, saying it provided a kind of pressure valve.

            Lynn Charytan, a partner and vice chair of the communications and e-commerce department in the Washington law firm of  WilmerHale, took the summer off to be a Mom.  That opportunity was missing from her life.

            The firm’s sabbatical policy allowed employees of seven years to take a one-time three-month paid vacation to follow whatever dream they wished.

            “To be able to just put all of yourself in one place and have peace there, I thought was such a wonderful gift,” Charytan said.

            Another attorney, Michael Hodes of a Baltimore firm, found it refreshing to take six weeks of leave.   “I had a whole different vision when I came back – you’re not quite as myopic as you are day to day. … You look at your people in a whole different way.” Hodes recommends the practice for management in general, not just law firms.

            Sabbaticals have also been used as a tool of transition, when someone is moving from position to another. Dan Northover of the interactive design firm of Global Beach, was told to take some time away before assuming a new role at the firm.   He spent his time exploring Vietnam, Cambodia and Burma.  He didn’t leave all thoughts of work behind, though.  He found Vietnam was more advanced than he had thought and Burma showed him the extreme of the digital divide.

            Most of all, perspective is what Northover found.  “Very often something that isn’t really important gets blown into a big issue. Spending time away gave me a perspective on that,” he said.

            But that’s not all it did for Northover.  It helped him relinquish his old role.  “Going away for five weeks helped me to let go and allowed others to take over.”

            That was true for Daryl Willcox, too.  Founder of the internet company, Daryl Willcox Publishing, Willcox was moving from CEO to chairman of the board.  He took four weeks for flying helicopters, traveling and family time.  While he was gone, his successor had the freedom to make his place in the company.

            Willcox said he returned with renewed enthusiasm for the business, and a decision to spend less time in the office.  Only one day is spent in the office, the rest of the time he is with customers or writing white papers at home.

            While not widespread, the day of the longer sabbatical may be coming with more flexibility overall in the work place.  Businesses often think they can’t afford such practices.  Yet the competition for talent may prove such policies are more affordable than higher wages.

            What do executives think?  How do you balance the cost and benefit of a sabbatical policy?        

Remember the “Nowhere Man in his Nowhere Land making Nowhere Plans”? Well, he “Doesn’t have a point of view, Knows not where he’s going.” His relevance and that of those song lyrics continues. The Beatles and their messages live on.

Recognized for their never-ending influence, The Beatles were spotlighted on the 50^th Anniversary of the Grammys. Through music, The Beatles produced images and became role models that extended the boundaries of lifestyle, politics and business.

They challenged practices and beliefs with optimism and a philosophy of personal freedom. Their message translates as well in the business world as it does around the world. As cultural historian Steven Stark said, “They represented freedom, the idea that one person can make a difference, that the whole is greater than some of its parts.” citing song titles such as Come Together, All You Need is Love, All Together Now, We Can Work it Out.

Allowing individuals to make a difference is the key to attracting the best talent to the workplace. Purpose in life and work is the all powerful motivator, and The Beatles played to that basic human need. Businesses that understand and practice this will find people at all levels of the organization are among the best for any particular job and that they truly do make a difference.

Not stopping there, however, The Beatles sang of assembling the individuals to work together toward a common purpose. Around the world, freedom-loving people came together for revolutions in Prague, Warsaw, Beijing, Bucharest, Berlin and Moscow. What a powerful model for the work place… a unifying mission and a team to accomplish it.

They are such basic concepts. Common sense really. So if it’s not your reality, can’t you just Imagine.

He didn’t need a two by four.  He had me off-balance, head reeling and stomach churning in the utterance of his first few words of feedback.  It was evaluation time again.  The name of the game was surprises.

            I struggled to remember as I tried to recover from the first blow…  Something about a project completed 10 months ago.  OUCH… surprise No. 2 sends me into oblivion… No hope of responding.

            Bosses will tell you they never save all their concerns until the annual review; employees will counter just the opposite. It is one example of workplace communication that doesn’t follow the Golden Rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated.  However, bosses aren’t the only ones to break this common sense rule. Surprises send them into head spins all too often as well.

            The topic of communication between bosses and employees was popular among blog entries (Execupundit.com) and articles I encountered this week.  Everything from the transparency of bosses to the “please understand me” plea from both perspectives.

            Not so amazing, the “please understand me” lists were quite similar from both boss and employee. They both ask the other to understand:

            n I’m under enormous pressure from others.

            n I have to juggle the concerns and interests of a variety of people and departments.

            n I am forced to learn by trial and error.  I will make mistakes.

            n If I do something dumb, please tell me. Don’t hint.

            n Please respect my time, I have a job to do.

            At first thought, the similarities would give hope that boss and employee could connect on common ground.  Closer consideration shows it is the very substance of their pleas that contribute to day-to-day breakdowns.

            The combination of pressure from all sides, juggling of interests and learning by trial and error is not the framework from which clear thinking and communication are built.  Rather it pushes the door wide open for interpretation and rumor.

            In the rush to survive and conquer the day-to-day to-do list, communication is left off, put off and sometimes even forgotten for days and weeks at a time. And for the introverts among us, that suits just fine.

            Whether we realize it or not, when communication is decreased, the time spent on creative translation increases.  That is, we spend time paying attention to which route the boss takes through the office, who he/she stops to chat with and/or avoids, how much coffee is being consumed, whether the doomsday black jacket is being worn, how many department head meetings are being held, whether that right eye brow is furrowed… and on and on.

            Of course it all has significant meaning, or so it is believed.  And in all fairness, many times employees are able to accurately read the boss’ actions.  For bosses, like all of us humans, have behavior patterns. And their patterns change with their moods; worried and upset doesn’t look the same as happy about a banner month.

            The difference between communication and interpretation is in the detail.  And when there is no detail…open door, come in worst case scenario. When left to their own translations, employees conjure up the worse.  Not because they are pessimists, but rather because they are human.

            So in the effort to save some time, in the push to complete the to-do list, efficiency is lost.  We all know communication should be at the top of the list, and part of every plan undertaken.  And those who do elevate communication to spot of priority see the rewards.

            I knew one leader who, as an introvert, did put it at the top.  He knew himself, and knew communication would be at the top of his procrastination list if he so allowed.  Instead, he had marked on his calendar communication to-dos, with whom and when. Around the building he would go, making dialogue as important as anything else scheduled. It was not just that it was greatly appreciated, real problems and concerns were addressed more quickly.

            Many reasons for frequent and informative communication are obvious. Behavioral psychologists have long considered it one of the greatest work motivators and critical to employee morale.  For communication generally allows for greater participation and therefore the realization of two pinnacle needs on Maslow’s hierarchy, satisfaction of ego and self-actualization.

            Management all too often says people are our most important asset. At the same time, employees repeatedly and emphatically state on climate surveys that ignorance is in no way bliss.  So why the disconnect? Oh yeah, that pesky to-do list.

            Share your encouraging stories of communication success, as well as those that are all too sadly true.  Let’s communicate!

            As my granddaughter is learning about dinosaurs in day care, I’ve been reading about the extinction of some in the work place. Typewriters and rolodexes have been gone for awhile, but will desks, land-line phones, desk-top computers and printers last another decade?

            How we communicate and interact has historically influenced much of how we exist, including cultures, organizational structures, power, progress and status.  It is not a new thought that today’s technology will transform the work place and redefine communities.  The question is to what extent and how fast.

            Communication theorists in the 50’s talked about the events that were sparked by the emergence of the mass media, in business and in governing, such as competition, the destruction of power structures and the outbreak of wars.  The impact was tremendous.

            The internet and Wi-Fi are changing communication patterns again, this time allowing consumption to be fragmented or unified by the masses.  To understand the scope of possibility of today’s technology, I look back to these same theorists of the 50s.

            In the introduction to the book The Bias of Communication by Harold A. Innis, Marshall McLuhan writes:

            “He is merely assuming that an extension of information in space has a centralizing power regardless of the human faculty that is amplified and extended. … But electric technology is instant and ominipresent and creates multiple centres-without-margins.  Visual technology whether by literacy or industry creates nations as spatially uniform and homogenous and connected. But the electronic technology creates not the nation but the tribe – not the superficial association of equals but the cohesive depth pattern of the totally involved kinship groups.”

            He was not talking about the internet or all the mobile devices to which most of us have become accustomed, but he could have been.  And his words speak to application in the business world.

            Capital One opened itself to change based on the reach and ability up-to-the-minute technology would afford them. With the goals of increasing retention through greater job satisfaction of employees, improving productivity and reducing the costs related to real estate, Capital One started equipping some its “knowledge” employees with Wi-Fi enabled laptops, a voice-over internet protocol connection, and a Blackberry cell-phone device. And there is a web portal to access workflow applications.

            At the same time they took away desks, cubicles and offices; these spots were empty 40 percent of the time anyway.  Instead, Capital One provided quiet sites, coffee bars, team rooms and accommodations for working at home. 

            And the results, according to Robert Turner, senior VP of  technology operations, was not just reduced costs, the simplification of management, less wasted time due to phone tag and more employee satisfaction, but an increase of real estate efficiency by 50 percent.  They actually have a higher head count per square foot operating the mobile way.

            While there are an array of businesses that have equipped some its employees with cell phones and laptops, that’s where it has stopped.  Desks and work cubicles remain the norm.

            Capital One, over the past four years, has shown that technology can be a powerful tool on many business fronts.  And the 2007 Benefits Survey by the Society of Human Resource Management confirms that employees who have the flexibility to telecommunte are more satisfied, more committed and more productive.

            Nonetheless, I predict businesses will be slow to change. They will site the cost of investing in upgraded technology as the reason, and they will remain blind to the cost of turnover, building expenses and inefficiency.

Leaders of breakthrough companies “crown the company, not themselves.” They are not concerned about loyalty to themselves, but rather loyalty to the company. The leader’s ego is checked permanently at the door.

That’s according to Keith McFarland, author of the just released book, The Breakthrough Company. With a study pool of 7,000 companies, McFarland hones in on nine that pushed past the entrepreneurial stage.

Other commonalities of these companies include:

• Thriving on “insultants,” not consultants. Many of those insultants, people who insult the business or strategy, are found within the company. It’s OK to say something is screwed up, and there is no fear of being told to “shut up.” Ah, critical evaluations are encouraged.
• Being great at developing people. Training is a priority. One example McFarland shares is that at Fastenal, the nuts and bolts company, the average tenure among the top 25 employees is 23 years. That’s refreshing after the never-ending articles in the trade journals about ongoing management shuffles.
• Creating cultures that allow ordinary workers to thrive. The strategies are clear and skills are attainable by all.
• Looking outside themselves for ideas and resources. They stay connected and tuned into those who have their fingertips on industry trends.

Obviously, the tolerance level for the rebel employee and the naysayer is extremely high. It’s OK to go off and experiment even if the CEO thinks you’re wrong. And it’s OK if every idea doesn’t work out.

There has been plenty of anecdotal material about how these types of practices have translated into business success. A leader would have to have his/her head-in-the-sand to not have heard of them. Yet, the actions of many leaders would spell out an admission of disbelief, or perhaps discomfort with embracing such ways.

This is not to say that McFarland’s book is cliché. On the contrary, McFarland has gone beyond the anecdotal. He has documented these success practices through the study of companies with sales of more than $250 million but less than $2 billion. He didn’t go to the biggest and most visible companies, but to those who had pushed through and yet were still small enough to reveal critical moments, those who were still transparent.

Will McFarland make a believer out of you? As a leader, will you better understand your role? Will he get you to understand the value of the disagreeing and maverick employees? Will he convince you to invest more into training?

I hope so. Let the ego go, and the business grow.