October 30, 2005

Nikki, I haven't seen that Ford commercial. But it sounds good. Advertising works. Your 128-page November issue proves it. I'm impressed that Ford is promoting hybrids. The real question is, are they practicing conservation or just trying to sell it? And are they demanding demonstrations of conservation from their suppliers? Companies the size of Ford can have an enormous impact if they set conservation standards for their suppliers. That could really make a difference.

Turning 30

Our firm celebrated its 30th Anniversary on Friday. Our real anniversary was actually seven months ago, but we were too busy then - as we're too busy now - to properly observe it. So we decided, "Let's do something in late October," figuring that was a long way away.

Well, it suddenly became late October, and we put together a great celebration (mostly thanks to Michele Crull). I hadn't been overly interested in the occasion, because I didn't want to focus attention on ourselves. After all, our entire focus is the needs and goals of our clients.

But, as it turned out, I found that I really appreciated the opportunity to stop for a moment and look at what we've done, take pride in what we've accomplished, remind ourselves what we stand for, and visit with a representation of good people with whom we have worked over these past three decades.

And it made me think that this is something we need to do more often on a small scale....among ourselves, between ourselves and our clients, and between ourselves and the other companies with whom we work. Tell each other how it's going, what we feel we've accomplished together, what we stand for, what we hope to achieve in the future.

Bridge Builders

Len Green told me this story the other night. When the various people who wanted to get bike and pedestrian lanes built into the plan for the new Cooper River Bridge a few years ago, they took an unusually positive - and effective - approach.

They wanted to create the impression that accommodating bikers and walkers was a foregone conclusion...when, in fact, the Department of Transportation had no intention of accommodating them.

So they created bumper stickers that said "Can't wait to bike the new bridge" and "Can't wait to walk the new bridge."

Then they did something gutsy and brilliant. They bought a full-page ad in the newspaper thanking the Department of Transportation for putting bike and pedestrian lanes in their plans for the new bridge. DOT had not done that at all, but suddenly the Department was deluged with praise for the bike and pedestrian lanes...and they were forced to include them.

Smart move. Not only on the part of the special interest groups. But also on the part of DOT.