Speed Christmas

As reliable as Boxing Day sales ads at this time of year are the newspaper columns decrying some aspect of Christmas.

And yet, there are many wonderful things about Christmas. It is one of the few times of year that I actually socialize, write letters and emails without asking for anything. I feel good to have friends and to tell them that. I spend time with family members even when the travel effort involved feels tiresome at times.

It is also a time of year when I spend more time talking to other customers in stores. People are actually friendlier, at least before the crowds become oppressing. There is a good feeling.

And yet other things just don't feel right. I have been trying to express it for the last weeks as I see the crowds, the displays, go to at least a few stores, hear the music and feel the nervous energy. I have passed by street people and felt that I am too rushed to acknowledge them or much less stop and give them something. So what's wrong? The essence of my unease is that as everything we do in the modern world, we have to overdo it and change it into a great competition.

Expectations for a 'perfect' Christmas are so high that we pressure ourselves into a frenzy, even leading to a bizarre bragging ritual about how much last minute shopping or preparation we need to do. Why do we need more when less would be more satisfying for ourselves and everyone else?

So my resolution is to try to spend just a few more minutes talking to people. Stop the rush, move back into a human mode - and smile. There is still a lot of positive in the Christmas spirit, we just have to slow down and focus on it. Let's have a human Christmas rather than a perfect one.

Scratching my head over Social Media

Almost every communications job listing these days includes a request for experience with social media. This vast and ever-changing landscape includes everything from video, podcasts, e-newsletters right up to the more wow-factor of Facebook groups, YouTube videos and Twitter. I imagine there are other social media channels that I am missing. I feel relatively up to date, but it sure is hard keeping track of everything!

The inclusion of social media in the communications tool kit is certainly one of the major changes in the PR/communications world in the last few years. The reality is, there are a few huge successes and untold numbers of other atttempts that are not getting traction (including this blog! But that's OK).

So why the rush to include social media in the skill set of a communicator? I think it makes sense that any organization wants their communications team to be up to date with the latest developments. But do those developments make sense for every organization? Clearly, organizations that are looking for the youth demo, like McD's, are into social media in a big way, and rightly so. It's a great way to engage with their audience.

But what about B2B companies, or those who cater to an audience that may not have Facebook accounts or be able to watch videos on their wireless device during business hours? The big question is what makes sense for your audience and how do you start and maintain a dialogue that interests them. That's a tough nut to crack and at the end of the day, we all want a dialogue that touches us in variety of ways, including face-to-face whenever appropriate or possible.

What will be interesting will be to see how I change my views on social media in the coming months and years - and how they will figure on job postings in the years to come.