Welcome To TishTrek - THE JOB BLOG...
This is a true story that speaks to the 'power of genuflection' in the workplace that transformed my thinking in 1991 on why 'leader behaviors' on any team and inside any company need to be assessed and monitored as closely as we monitor the skills, competencies, experiences, credentials and background of the leaders we hire.
All new hires in management positions are accountable for achieving results & revenue goals, but they have an equal responsibility to manage the human resources (the employees) assigned to them in a way that protects and honors the values, ethics, tone, tenor and brand of your company. Respecting the integrity employees have built their lives and reputations on is also a 'critical reponsibility' when managing people who are engaged in delivering solutions that support the mission and goals of your company.
Some watched in horror, but said nothing... as a senior sales executive harrassed, badgered and bullied a male employee for a long time to get him to compromise his core values, military training and integrity to close one $10 million deal with a prestigious client in the Financial Services Industry.
The employee - a West Point Graduate - died in the intensive care unit @ Cooper University Medical Center in Camden, New Jersey so he's not here to know how this story ended... or how many times employees in other corporations, organizations, institutions would be forced to genuflect at the office doors of morally bankrupt leaders for the two decades that would follow his death, (Think Enron, Wa-Mu, Worldcom, Insider Trading, Countrywide, AIGFP, Tyco, Subprime & CDO Madness, Anderson Consulting, Smoke & Mirrors, etc...).
One morning at 3:45 a.m., a Human Resources Director in the Tri-State area received a call at her home that changed her life and tragically changed the lives of many. The New Jersey State Police, a corporate security official and a senior technology executive from her company were on the phone. An employee had been in a horrific car crash and his status was very serious - that was all they could share on this terrible call.
Corporate Security requested permission to break down the door to the file room in the Human Resources department to access emergency contact information which - at the time - was housed in the crash victim's personnel file in her office.
As her two year old daughter slept peacefully down the hall, she gave them permission as she fought back tears while sitting on the floor at the foot of her bed stunned and sick to her stomach. Her husband held her hand as she silently waited for the next instruction.
The employee - fighting for his life - had started his day at a local gym off Exit 4 of the NJ Turnpike at 5:00 a.m., he then executed a 140 mile round-trip commute to attend a technical client engagement @ the World Financial Center in NYC. After work, he went to an Eagles football game with a honorable company official.
He left the game in Philly and caught up with a few additional friends and acquaintances at an evening gathering post; then stopped during the wee hours of the next morning at a famous South Jersey diner where everyone knew his name.
Beyond his radiant smile and great skills, this employee was "that guy" - that shining bright light who lit up a room, an office, a meeting, a conference call and even the local diner when he walked through the door.
It was fortunate that his employee ID badge led the authorities investigating the accident to his place of employment because no one was at his home when his car left the road. His wonderful wife (his high school sweetheart...) was visiting her parents out-of-state with their precious five year old daughter and new infant son. They needed to be found immediately.
When the State Police returned to the phone, they instructed the HR Director to call the people listed on the crash victim's Emergency Contact Card so they could get a family member to the hospital as soon as possible.
When the Director hung up, she called the first number on the list and got word to friends' of the victim (a husband & wife...) who sobbed quietly as they rushed off the phone to deliver the devastating news to his wife.
When the employee left the diner, his car left the roadway & hit a tree during a light rain storm. On impact he was ejected from the car through a window and thrown quite a distance from the vehicle into a wooded area. By all accounts, he was not wearing a seat belt.
As the employee fought to recover from his accident, the HR Director met his wife several times to work through benefit & insurance questions and disability & pay issues. They'd hug at the end of each meeting and she knew the positive energy and prayers of an entire corporate community were with her husband and their family.
The sheer strength of this young man helped him survive in a coma with critical internal injuries & significant trauma to the head for a number of weeks but then his beating heart stopped - this 37 year old intelligent, handsome, athletic, funny, and vibrant young man who was a popular and respected employee was gone.
The Executive Management Team and the HR Director sent out a communication to let employees know he had lost his battle to survive and to announce that the Employee Assistance Program was offering counseling for all who needed to work this through. The news was not unexpected, but hard just the same... Hundreds of people were grief stricken for his wife, their five year old daughter, new born son, but especially for him.
Bus loads of employees and clients attended the services held in upstate NY; those closest to him never really recovered; his aging parents (in their 80's at the time...) would suffer with broken hearts in their final chapters; and knowing that his children had to grow up without their dad left countless people & employees devastated for a long time.
The day of the funeral, the HR Director who had arranged the transportation actually couldn't get on the bus... She stood gazing across some parking lot near Gaither Drive in Mt. Laurel, NJ completely numb and frozen. Few people knew the depth of the employee relations issues this employee unnecessarily suffered in the months before this tragedy; so all she could do was put on a pair of sneakers and jog non-stop for 5 hours until she collapsed grasping the fence surrounding a local recreation center in her hometown of Pt. Pleasant, NJ.
This professional working mom - just some HR Director trying to do her job - sobbed uncontrollably as her fingers grasped the chain-link fence as if she were grabbing her employee by the collar in a final and dramatic effort to save him and to say she was sorry that others had not helped him sooner and that actions inside of one of America's great market leaders had produced such searing pain for him during his journey in their company.
The Director sat alone at the rec center until her husband pulled their car up on the side of the road. He stepped out; said nothing... put his arms around her; and took her home. The job of a Human Resources generalist or director never ends if you were raised to care about people...
The collision of anger and sadness and grief and helplessness was something she could not define. When she added up all the facts to-date, it started to feel like someone had actually killed her struggling employee before that crash.
But thanks to her own mom's advice, she went "placidly amid the noise and haste and remembered what peace there can be in silence" out of respect for all the people so painfully impacted by the loss of this special person in their corporate community.
Months earlier the victim of this car crash told his Director of HR and several other people in his corporate circle that he had been the victim of 'that man' - the senior sales executive who had harassed and bullied him for almost a year. He was pressured weekly and literally offered rewards (some financial...) to compromise his integrity by breaking into the locked computer workstation vendor demo area at a prestigious client site in Florida. The director wasn't really surprised because she was acutely aware of the leader this young man was talking about.
The employee told her that he was afraid and he claimed that it was what he didn't know that kept him from coming to anyone internally for help for more than 9 months. He stated unequivocally that the "pressure was frantically consistent and that the demands always came from the boss he directly reported to who talked incessantly about the importance of the commissions tied to this deal because it would aid his personal struggle of keeping up with rising costs at Syracuse University."
Two years later, as the former HR Director rejoiced over the birth of her second child, she would read in the press that additional leaders inside her former company had helped orchestrate this approach to business. Her recollection and one-on-one conversation with the young man who died led her to believe that he had 'limited' to no knowledge as to how high up in the management-chain these requests were coming from and that he had no clue how many others were involved. Two years earlier, that's exactly what the HR Director reported to the authorities.
He swore to her that employees at the prestigious client site did not directly pass competing vendor's trade secrets to him, but they did assist him in other ways after working hours. With their help (and he named two of them) he gained the access he needed into the confidential locked vendor demo-room several times where he leveraged his military training in information systems & intelligence to copy proprietary and fully patented technology solutions. He had lifted IBM RS/6000 tapes & disks; he copied source code - all this intellectual property that he was told to retrieve was considered trade secrets of the company's leading competitor and rival.
The senior sales executives' goal was to cheat by replicating what was stolen and then to match the competitor's great work to-date. The hope of quickly superseding the competitor's superior solutions by adding some customized features to what was duplicated would hopefully inspire the shift of this $10 million client from the targeted competitor to his team. The plan worked, but at what expense?
In what the employee described as a frenetic pace, the sales exec played on the fact that his subordinate had a new baby on-the-way and he personally authorized a one-of-a-kind (unprecedented by all corporate standards) 'funding arrangement' that amounted to a down payment so this subordinate - who he treated like a worthless minion in his pathetic & contrived business development effort - could gain 'some' financial relief during his struggle to purchase a new home for his young and growing family.
The senior sales exec kept pushing and pressuring him and in the end - he "showed him 'his' ropes" and inspired this employee (and of course there were others...) to participate in what the executive allegedly described as "No big deal. Not one person on the Street will care where we got the code, as long as it works and comes cheap! Not one person in the whole company will care where we got the code, as long as we bring them this $10 million deal!"
In 1991, after the deal closed with the prestigious client, the entire company had an awful day. Due to 'some' of the alleged illegal actions executed @ that Florida client branch and other alleged acts executed at a NJ development center, the company was raided by the Federal Authorities due to a copyright infringement suit filed in US Federal Court by the competitor who charged the firm with stealing their intellectual properties & trade secrets.
The Feds arrived at the company's New Jersey development facilities with guns drawn AND - worse yet - additional federal authorities showed up at the same exact time at 'that' revered client's Florida branch. Frightened employees were ordered off the premises; trucks were backed up to two of the office buildings to remove computers, tapes, disks, mountains of documentation, coded materials, and print pool data, while demanding private sessions with assorted employees for questioning.
Members of the Corporate Legal Department and assorted corporate executives were on their way traveling south on the NJ Turnpike to take over the management of this situation.
This in-house operation set up to copy and steal the hard work of the rival company's employees was a disgrace by every standard the 50 year old company represented. How could this happen? The answer: Easy - without leader behaviors at the forefront of an organization, brands, reputations and success are always at risk.
The evidence seized by the authorities included disks from personal computers that had been located at the development site and in the homes of some employees. Over 140 of the rival's corporate interface programs which included instances of functionally 'identical code' that had been copied and stolen one symbol at a time were also recovered. It was astonishing - all of it.
All of the events tied to this situation were utterly shocking, sickening and unnecessary. It was one of the worst weeks in the history of the entire company and for this division's employee population; many needed employee relations counseling as a result of this one bad experience inflicted on 600 innocent employees because of the actions of a small group of people who didn't have the skills and expertise to battle their corporate rivals by producing superior products and best-in-class solutions. And let's face it - to no fault of their own - many of the employees who felt like they had to 'play this game' reported to at least one leader that was myopically obsessed with securing 'his' commission for a client his team never could have closed or won without cheating.
Companies invest a lot of money in new hires, so make no mistake (and I've repeated this theme consistently in my blog) 'competitive advantage' starts with finding people who mirror the high standards, values and ethics of the companies they are accountable to.
What the deceased employee appropriately feared was that he was up against a giant systemic way of doing this business being orchestrated by corporate leaders with power over him and his family financially; and who would have run him out of the company or town had he not complied with their demands. I'm pleased to report that the company did initiate and offer employees a nationwide 1-800 Ethics Hot Line after this event, but it was too late for this employee. He was already dead at the age 37.
TishTrek - THIS BLOG - is on its second year, so it's no secret that “I'm one of those 'recruiters' and a 'voter' and a 'mom' and a 'spouse' that believes you can't be one kind of a man or woman and another kind of president, governor, IMF head, sales executive, CEO, leader, employee, parent, spouse or civic leader.”
I know this to be the truth because I've lived it inside every company I've had the privilege to work for. I know this for a fact because on earlier blog posts I've profiled talented professionals & giants (great men and women) in industry who succeeded at creating great companies, powerful organizations, and profitable growth, while always operating with business integrity.
Having said all this - some have argued aggressively that the senior sales exec could not 'force' his employee or any other person for that matter to take actions they weren't willing to execute, but I can only say that many others who worked with this particular executive directly have spent 19 years vehemently arguing otherwise... Many stand with them.
For the record and many people know this: Before his death, the employee admitted that he'd crossed lines that shocked even him; his own actions betrayed the way he was raised and the tenets he lived by. He stated, "That his unbelievable actions would disappoint his aging mother, make his dad furious, and leave his wife in tears worrying how all this nonsense would end for their family."
Over 65 IBM RS/6000 tapes & disks had been taken from the competitor which were duplicated by others working on Information Technology Teams and they were recovered in those raids by the Federal Authorities... How come someone didn't find the 'management courage' to stand up to alert upper management, the prestigious client, or the competing vendor before it was too late? What do you think the answer is?
All the technical experts and many employees who had nothing to do with any of this became suspects in this case and all of the company's products existed under a cloud of suspicion until proven otherwise. The Feds required third-party assessments on all non-RS/6000 programs, such as the DOS/Mondrian-based platforms, additional tools, technologies, and methodologies; other valuable client relationships were ruptured by this man-made mess. The actions of a few powerful leaders damaged an entire business. Sound familiar?
For many employees, there was non-material damage (i.e. "loss of pride" & "low morale") as news spread that their work as a vendor in their chosen field often seen and touted as "a progressive technology company" actually became known as satisfying customer requirements by lifting code from rivals. Who does this to fellow colleagues?
The race was on to settle with the Federal Authorities and their rival to keep the press coverage at a minimum and to ensure that the larger corporate brand would not be damaged too much as result of what had happened here... The company was in many other legitimately successful businesses.
In the end, this lapse in business integrity cost millions of dollars to settle and years of judicial intervention to figure out. Some of the cheated rivals failing lines of business were actually purchased by the defendant. Charges against the prestigious client were dropped as part of this settlement. More competitors and clients came and went... Careers were ruined. Reassigned and new corporate soldiers sold off the business when the public relations timing was right. The chapter would close for the company, but it never closed for the employee's family and others touched by this tragedy...
The press reported that the company "agreed in Federal Court not to copy competitors code going forward and to adopt "clean room" procedures for its subsequent software development." So many people reacted with outrage!
I remember thinking, it didn't dawn on a single leader inside that company to build that leader behavior into their Sales and Account Management Code-of-Conduct manual before getting into 'this' business? Was this really great news after a 2 year federal judicial process that put an entire division through hell and risked ruining the brand name of a great market leader? Did they plan on adding their newly adopted rules on software development to the deceased employee's gravestone?
I was the Director of Human Resources - the HR leader on the Executive Management Committee, the colleague, the admirer of the car crash victims' many talents - and it was my house the NJ State Police and our technical executive called @ 3:45 a.m. the morning of that dreadful accident. It is the nightmare that has never left me, but it taught me that NOTHING is more important to an organization than employees and new hires who operate with leader behaviors and who arrive with and 'live' high caliber values and ethics. I think the recent financial collapse and current recession proves this point beyond a shadow of a doubt once again.
After the federal raid on our facilities, my employee had the 'management courage' to come directly to my office in Mt. Laurel, to my home in Pt. Pleasant, NJ; and we met at diners on Rt. 70 & 73 near Philly. I cautiously escorted him to a number of internal executives who were accoutable for these types of employee relations & legal situations, but when it became clear to him that their #1 focus was to protect corporate interests & brand at all costs, these people became little comfort to this employee. Tormented and shaken by all of it, the gist of our many discussions went like this:
"Oh my God." he whispered.... "What about our new baby and little girl? How will my wife survive this? Will I go to jail? What if the giants in our company who mandated my actions blame 'only' me as their lone fall-guy? What have I done? What the hell have I done? Everyone said it wasn't a big deal." They said, "This is how our business is executed and that no one would care. It was all wrong; I should have quit or walked away, but I had so much going on. What can I do now? Please help me."
Corporate Competitive Advantage starts with hiring high caliber talent with values and ethics; and Competitive Advantage has to be sustained long-term by people who operate consistently with leader behaviors which is defined by the way people operate and act when no one is looking no matter what the goal or challenge, no matter where they are... (think about the senior sales executive in this true story, Joseph Cassano @ AIG Financial Products, Kenneth Lay & Jeffrey Skilling @ Enron, Dennis Kozlowski @ Worldcom, Former Governors Sanders, Spitzer and Schwarznegger and the voters who trusted them to put the interests of their states first, & the now infamous & former IMF Head - DSK). Millions of people relying on the integrity and success of all these leaders... but not one of them had a personal history of operating 'consistently' with the necessary 'leader behaviors' to lead by example and always with business integrity.
This colleague told me and others that stress, sleepless nights and anxiety had been keeping him up because a powerful leader in 'our' company had inspired and/or forced him to compromise the integrity he had built his life on for 36 of his 37 years; and to compromise the 'history of integrity' that helped him get accepted and succeed at one of the great military academies of our time.
As I reflect on the unbelievably sad facts of 20 years ago, I'm completing my promise by letting others know that this employee was already 'dead inside' long before his car hit that tree because he (and others...) had been forced to genuflect in the corporate office of a self-absorbed business leader who thought nothing of harming him and taking everything from him.
When the police answered the emergency call, he was unconscious. He had been up... literally awake for 22 hours straight before he would finish the day that would put him to sleep for eternity.
This cherished son, husband, and father had everything to live for, so today I'd like to honor the memory of my brave corporate friend and his widow, who I think of often, with a Special 20th Anniversary Blessing...
I will never forget the two enchanting children who had to grow up without the dad who loved them. May God Bless your "infant son" who is now a 20-year old young man and your beautiful "little princess" who turns age 26 this year.
Their faces are forever etched in the lives and hearts of many who became better people and leaders in their Dad's name.
In the name of the Father and of the Son... his name was George. - Amen.
Respectfully submitted,
TishTrek
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Dr. Phil McGraw's Quote: The Stuff of Champions!
Welcome to TishTrek - THE JOB BLOG:
Allow me to 'paraphrase' from Dr. Phil McGraw's quote that I shared on my last blog post. “I'm one of those 'recruiters' & a 'voter' that believes you can't be one kind of a man or woman and another kind of president, governor, IMF head, sales executive, CEO, leader, employee, parent, & spouse.”
One week ago, I wrote about protecting your reputation on Social Networks. I spoke openly and passionately about the importance of employees and employment candidates possessing 'leader behaviors' which in my book includes operating with 'business integrity & values;' having the 'management courage' to speak up no matter what the personal consequences; understanding the value of 'teamwork & collaboration" - (i.e. - If you can believe it, few things in life are only about you!); living the tenets of 'ethical transparency,'and the list goes on... What repeat leader behaviors make your list?
The Media's informative reporting on the sick details related to the alleged actions of former IMF Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn and California Governor 'Benedict Arnold' Schwarzenegger has inspired a re-assessment and re-inspection of all the self-described & self-absorbed leaders of our time.
For almost 25 years, I've worked for companies who made it their business to reject employment candidate in the hiring process who arrived with great skills and experiences, but whose past performance history lacked consistent 'leader behaviors.'
The leaders in the news this week are high profile cases of two iconic men in their chosen fields with past performance histories that included life-long ethical challenges and frankly a lack of respect for all the women in their lives and the world over. Few people are 'actually' surprised by either story.
In former Governor Schwarzenegger's case, who chose to live a double-life which lacked transparency, trust, respect for others (including his own child who he did not recognize publicly for 13 years)... It's all sad, but everyone saw this train wreck coming because we've watched his behavior in public for decades.
In an age, when staying single or divorce are legitimate and popular options, this sad story for the Shriver & Baena families would be no ones' business if the voters of California were not involved. Think about it, he partially failed as Governor because an end result of his 'consistent' unethical behavior obviously kept him from having the ability to focus 100% on the serious challenges he was accountable for in his state.
Unfortunately, on Wall Street, in politics, and inside companies very often powerful, good looking, or rich people who have operated with despicable repeat behaviors since age 11, talk their way through some of the best behavioral assessment experts in the land.
When hiring practices or voting habits fail to mitigate these risks (i.e. fail to weed these people out) for companies, states, voting districts, corporate employee populations, customers and clients, the potential for damage is dangerous and devastating for organizations on so many levels.
Great leaders in companies and communities make a difference everyday because they live the leader behaviors that so many people either weren't born with, never learned or made a choice to never practice them.
If you find yourself challenged in these areas, work harder to change those behaviors that can trip you up in every single part of your life because it's all connected.
Best regards,
TishTrek
Allow me to 'paraphrase' from Dr. Phil McGraw's quote that I shared on my last blog post. “I'm one of those 'recruiters' & a 'voter' that believes you can't be one kind of a man or woman and another kind of president, governor, IMF head, sales executive, CEO, leader, employee, parent, & spouse.”
One week ago, I wrote about protecting your reputation on Social Networks. I spoke openly and passionately about the importance of employees and employment candidates possessing 'leader behaviors' which in my book includes operating with 'business integrity & values;' having the 'management courage' to speak up no matter what the personal consequences; understanding the value of 'teamwork & collaboration" - (i.e. - If you can believe it, few things in life are only about you!); living the tenets of 'ethical transparency,'and the list goes on... What repeat leader behaviors make your list?
The Media's informative reporting on the sick details related to the alleged actions of former IMF Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn and California Governor 'Benedict Arnold' Schwarzenegger has inspired a re-assessment and re-inspection of all the self-described & self-absorbed leaders of our time.
For almost 25 years, I've worked for companies who made it their business to reject employment candidate in the hiring process who arrived with great skills and experiences, but whose past performance history lacked consistent 'leader behaviors.'
The leaders in the news this week are high profile cases of two iconic men in their chosen fields with past performance histories that included life-long ethical challenges and frankly a lack of respect for all the women in their lives and the world over. Few people are 'actually' surprised by either story.
In former Governor Schwarzenegger's case, who chose to live a double-life which lacked transparency, trust, respect for others (including his own child who he did not recognize publicly for 13 years)... It's all sad, but everyone saw this train wreck coming because we've watched his behavior in public for decades.
In an age, when staying single or divorce are legitimate and popular options, this sad story for the Shriver & Baena families would be no ones' business if the voters of California were not involved. Think about it, he partially failed as Governor because an end result of his 'consistent' unethical behavior obviously kept him from having the ability to focus 100% on the serious challenges he was accountable for in his state.
Unfortunately, on Wall Street, in politics, and inside companies very often powerful, good looking, or rich people who have operated with despicable repeat behaviors since age 11, talk their way through some of the best behavioral assessment experts in the land.
When hiring practices or voting habits fail to mitigate these risks (i.e. fail to weed these people out) for companies, states, voting districts, corporate employee populations, customers and clients, the potential for damage is dangerous and devastating for organizations on so many levels.
Great leaders in companies and communities make a difference everyday because they live the leader behaviors that so many people either weren't born with, never learned or made a choice to never practice them.
If you find yourself challenged in these areas, work harder to change those behaviors that can trip you up in every single part of your life because it's all connected.
Best regards,
TishTrek
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
IMF Chief & Arnold: One kind of a man & another kind of leader?
Welcome to TishTrek - THE JOB BLOG
“I'm one of those that believes you can't be one kind of a man and another kind of president.” - Dr. Phil McGraw.
I've been recruiting for over two decades and I know for a fact that what Dr. Phil believes is spot on CORRECT! Leader Behaviors have to drive every part of your life or you will fail as soon as your own actions have the opportunity to trip you up!
If you don't believe me, just ask the likes of Tiger Woods, Eliot Spitzer, Bill Clinton, Jim McGreevey, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dominque Strauss-Kahn, Mark Sanders, John Edwards, Brett Favre, Ben Roethlisberger... Shall we continue? You can agree with their policies, politics or game, but what kind of leader shames their own children in ways that make the lives their parents created for them unrecognizable?
How many more people with high potential and/or champions with fantastic skills, competencies, credentials and experience will destroy their careers, their families and/or themselves before you and I die? The numbers will always be too big to count or predict or forecast...
I dedicate this blog post to 'all' the children of IMF Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and all the other sad sacks mentioned above... When your own children get to understand the definition of 'HERO' in the dictionary, your faces will not be there.
Yes, yes, yes... Your name is on that fat checking account, the cars are cool, perks excellent, the wedding surprises were simply wonderful; and thanks for that education @ Columbia University! But one day, your kids will wake up and realize that they could have achieved all those things on their own with hard work, a good credit score and a neighborhood banker who they could have trusted with their future more than you.
When you die, they'll wonder all the days that they live, how you could live so many lies so freely and for so long? They'll wonder if anything you did for them was real. They'll wonder why you did this to them and their other parent when divorce and/or staying single was always 'a choice' and/or 'option' you had before you hid in the clandestine corridors in towns where they wept when your hidden behaviors became public knowledge; and when the embarrassment and media circus they could never have imagined or been prepared for played out.
"They live like frosty snowmen, so many heroes melt away...
Forgetting the scarves and the corncob pipes that they got on Christmas Day." Author - TishTrek, 1980
----- Original Message -----
From: Tish Ferguson
To: wsj.ltrs@wsj.com
Cc: thomas.varela@dowjones.com
Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2011 2:59 PM
Subject: Define DIGNITY: Is it that secret underground passage between Tuileries and Elysee?
Dear Editor,
Hand-cuffs off the "indecent repeat behavior" of Dominique Strauss-Kahn? In the article, "French Urges Restraint from Media, Politicians" (WSJ 5/18), President Nicolas Sarkozy demands that we "display a sense of dignity and decency" while reporting on a powerful moneyman with the global nickname "hot rabbit."
Message to President Sarkozy and "that woman" - Mrs. IMF, the American-born Anne Sinclair, who both defended their Chief IMF grabber & groper from Paris: Ms. Sinclair's husband's alleged sick treatment of a New York City female citizen makes you all enablers & supporters of his undignified acts which allegedly date back to 2002, so don't lecture us on 'dignity' & 'decency.'
Since he targets mostly women in that lower cast system that's alive in your mind you're all blinded to the fact that Mr. Strauss-Kahn's lecherous behavior represents exactly what he really thinks of his wife, his daughters and all women - the world over.
The U.S. doesn't care how much money he has or that he pretends to possess the qualities of a leader capable of managing an organization of 187 nations. A courageous hotel chamber maid may have just saved the International Monetary Fund the same week a U.S. housekeeper explained why a former governor of California couldn't stay focused on solutions to save his State.
Men or women lacking ethics & values exist everywhere, but they should not be running worldwide institutions which depend on business integrity, transparency and management courage to survive.
Respectfully submitted,
Tish Ferguson
2404 Maria Place
Pt. Pleasant, NJ 08742
United States of America
732-259-2780 - Cell
** Subject line reference: Wikipedia - Elysee Palace (which TishTrek visited in the summer of 2007) Republic, Napoléon III charged the architect Joseph-Eugène Lacroix with renovations; meanwhile he moved to the nearby Tuileries Palace, but kept the Élysée as a discreet place to meet his mistresses, moving between the two palaces through a secret underground passage that has since been demolished.[citation needed] Since Lacroix completed his work in 1867, the essential look of the Palais de l'Élysée has remained the same.
“I'm one of those that believes you can't be one kind of a man and another kind of president.” - Dr. Phil McGraw.
I've been recruiting for over two decades and I know for a fact that what Dr. Phil believes is spot on CORRECT! Leader Behaviors have to drive every part of your life or you will fail as soon as your own actions have the opportunity to trip you up!
If you don't believe me, just ask the likes of Tiger Woods, Eliot Spitzer, Bill Clinton, Jim McGreevey, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dominque Strauss-Kahn, Mark Sanders, John Edwards, Brett Favre, Ben Roethlisberger... Shall we continue? You can agree with their policies, politics or game, but what kind of leader shames their own children in ways that make the lives their parents created for them unrecognizable?
How many more people with high potential and/or champions with fantastic skills, competencies, credentials and experience will destroy their careers, their families and/or themselves before you and I die? The numbers will always be too big to count or predict or forecast...
I dedicate this blog post to 'all' the children of IMF Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and all the other sad sacks mentioned above... When your own children get to understand the definition of 'HERO' in the dictionary, your faces will not be there.
Yes, yes, yes... Your name is on that fat checking account, the cars are cool, perks excellent, the wedding surprises were simply wonderful; and thanks for that education @ Columbia University! But one day, your kids will wake up and realize that they could have achieved all those things on their own with hard work, a good credit score and a neighborhood banker who they could have trusted with their future more than you.
When you die, they'll wonder all the days that they live, how you could live so many lies so freely and for so long? They'll wonder if anything you did for them was real. They'll wonder why you did this to them and their other parent when divorce and/or staying single was always 'a choice' and/or 'option' you had before you hid in the clandestine corridors in towns where they wept when your hidden behaviors became public knowledge; and when the embarrassment and media circus they could never have imagined or been prepared for played out.
"They live like frosty snowmen, so many heroes melt away...
Forgetting the scarves and the corncob pipes that they got on Christmas Day." Author - TishTrek, 1980
----- Original Message -----
From: Tish Ferguson
To: wsj.ltrs@wsj.com
Cc: thomas.varela@dowjones.com
Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2011 2:59 PM
Subject: Define DIGNITY: Is it that secret underground passage between Tuileries and Elysee?
Dear Editor,
Hand-cuffs off the "indecent repeat behavior" of Dominique Strauss-Kahn? In the article, "French Urges Restraint from Media, Politicians" (WSJ 5/18), President Nicolas Sarkozy demands that we "display a sense of dignity and decency" while reporting on a powerful moneyman with the global nickname "hot rabbit."
Message to President Sarkozy and "that woman" - Mrs. IMF, the American-born Anne Sinclair, who both defended their Chief IMF grabber & groper from Paris: Ms. Sinclair's husband's alleged sick treatment of a New York City female citizen makes you all enablers & supporters of his undignified acts which allegedly date back to 2002, so don't lecture us on 'dignity' & 'decency.'
Since he targets mostly women in that lower cast system that's alive in your mind you're all blinded to the fact that Mr. Strauss-Kahn's lecherous behavior represents exactly what he really thinks of his wife, his daughters and all women - the world over.
The U.S. doesn't care how much money he has or that he pretends to possess the qualities of a leader capable of managing an organization of 187 nations. A courageous hotel chamber maid may have just saved the International Monetary Fund the same week a U.S. housekeeper explained why a former governor of California couldn't stay focused on solutions to save his State.
Men or women lacking ethics & values exist everywhere, but they should not be running worldwide institutions which depend on business integrity, transparency and management courage to survive.
Respectfully submitted,
Tish Ferguson
2404 Maria Place
Pt. Pleasant, NJ 08742
United States of America
732-259-2780 - Cell
** Subject line reference: Wikipedia - Elysee Palace (which TishTrek visited in the summer of 2007) Republic, Napoléon III charged the architect Joseph-Eugène Lacroix with renovations; meanwhile he moved to the nearby Tuileries Palace, but kept the Élysée as a discreet place to meet his mistresses, moving between the two palaces through a secret underground passage that has since been demolished.[citation needed] Since Lacroix completed his work in 1867, the essential look of the Palais de l'Élysée has remained the same.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
IMF Chief's Distain for Wives & Daughters = Dignity?
----- Original Message -----
From: Tish Ferguson
To: thomas.varela@dowjones.com ; gabriele.parussini@dowjones.com
Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2011 2:20 PM
Subject: RE: French Watchdog Reins In Media Coverage of IMF Chief
Dear Ms. Parussini & Mr. Varela,
Thanks for your informative article on the French Watchdog organization working to protect the 'dignity' of Dominique Strauss-Kahn. My utter disgust and reaction to your story inspired me to write to both of you directly.
Your content included the following statement: the broadcasting authority called on television channels to show the utmost restraint in the broadcasting of images regarding a person involved in criminal proceedings. "The principle of freedom of expression and right to information shouldn't ignore the fact that such images can harm a person's dignity."
Can you explain why this same French Watchdog group wouldn't be equally as concerned about the 'dignity' of the victim of an alleged sexual assault executed by a self-described iconic figure? What's worse in the eyes of 'our' friends at the French Broadcasting Authority? Uncomfortable photos of an arrogant man who was arrested in America or the expensive and massive worldwide public relations assassination attempt directed at an alleged crime victim and funded by the Strauss-Kahn-Sinclair Families, Friends of the IMF and celebrity lawyers like Benjamin Brafman which started yesterday?
I visited the gorgeous country of France in the summer of 2007 and cried as I was overwhelmed by its history, charm and awesome beauty. Don't let one really ugly man rob this kind of memory from so many of us who love & respect your country! Below is my opinion circulating around the world right now on LinkedIn, my Blog and beyond...
Dear Friends,
Who's surprised by the "indecent repeat behavior" of Dominique Strauss-Kahn - a powerful moneyman with the global nickname "hot rabbit?"
Message to "that woman" - Mrs. IMF, the American-born Anne Sinclair, defending her Chief Grabber & Groper from their $4 Million Paris apartment yesterday: Your husband's alleged sick treatment of a New York City female citizen makes you an enabler & supporter of his repeat behavior which allegedly dates back to 2002.
Since he targets mostly women in that lower cast system that's alive in your mind you're blinded to the fact that Dominique's lecherous acts represents exactly what he really thinks of you, his daughters and women the world over.
The U.S. doesn't care how much money you have, or that you work as a prominent French journalist, or that your husband pretends to possess the qualities of a leader capable of managing an organization of 187 nations.
A courageous hotel chamber maid may have just saved the International Monetary Fund! Men or women lacking ethics should not be running worldwide institutions that depend on business integrity, transparency and management courage to survive.
Respectfully submitted,
Tish Ferguson
2404 Maria Place
Pt. Pleasant, NJ 08742
United States of America
732-259-2780 - Cell
From: Tish Ferguson
To: thomas.varela@dowjones.com ; gabriele.parussini@dowjones.com
Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2011 2:20 PM
Subject: RE: French Watchdog Reins In Media Coverage of IMF Chief
Dear Ms. Parussini & Mr. Varela,
Thanks for your informative article on the French Watchdog organization working to protect the 'dignity' of Dominique Strauss-Kahn. My utter disgust and reaction to your story inspired me to write to both of you directly.
Your content included the following statement: the broadcasting authority called on television channels to show the utmost restraint in the broadcasting of images regarding a person involved in criminal proceedings. "The principle of freedom of expression and right to information shouldn't ignore the fact that such images can harm a person's dignity."
Can you explain why this same French Watchdog group wouldn't be equally as concerned about the 'dignity' of the victim of an alleged sexual assault executed by a self-described iconic figure? What's worse in the eyes of 'our' friends at the French Broadcasting Authority? Uncomfortable photos of an arrogant man who was arrested in America or the expensive and massive worldwide public relations assassination attempt directed at an alleged crime victim and funded by the Strauss-Kahn-Sinclair Families, Friends of the IMF and celebrity lawyers like Benjamin Brafman which started yesterday?
I visited the gorgeous country of France in the summer of 2007 and cried as I was overwhelmed by its history, charm and awesome beauty. Don't let one really ugly man rob this kind of memory from so many of us who love & respect your country! Below is my opinion circulating around the world right now on LinkedIn, my Blog and beyond...
Dear Friends,
Who's surprised by the "indecent repeat behavior" of Dominique Strauss-Kahn - a powerful moneyman with the global nickname "hot rabbit?"
Message to "that woman" - Mrs. IMF, the American-born Anne Sinclair, defending her Chief Grabber & Groper from their $4 Million Paris apartment yesterday: Your husband's alleged sick treatment of a New York City female citizen makes you an enabler & supporter of his repeat behavior which allegedly dates back to 2002.
Since he targets mostly women in that lower cast system that's alive in your mind you're blinded to the fact that Dominique's lecherous acts represents exactly what he really thinks of you, his daughters and women the world over.
The U.S. doesn't care how much money you have, or that you work as a prominent French journalist, or that your husband pretends to possess the qualities of a leader capable of managing an organization of 187 nations.
A courageous hotel chamber maid may have just saved the International Monetary Fund! Men or women lacking ethics should not be running worldwide institutions that depend on business integrity, transparency and management courage to survive.
Respectfully submitted,
Tish Ferguson
2404 Maria Place
Pt. Pleasant, NJ 08742
United States of America
732-259-2780 - Cell
Dominique Strauss-Kahn: IMF stands for what?
Steven, (Writer/Reporter - New York Times / International Herald Times in France)
Thanks for your article on Dominique Strauss-Kahn, but can you explain just how 'expected' news like this jolts a nation? No doubt an expensive & massive worldwide public relations assault directed at the alleged victim of this crime from the Strauss-Kahn-Sinclair Families & that celebrity lawyer Benjamin Brafman starts today.
I visited the gorgeous country of France in the summer of 2007 and cried as I was overwhelmed by its history, charm and awesome beauty. Don't let one ugly man rob this kind of memory from so many of us who love & respect your country! Below is my opinion circulating on LinkedIn:
Dear Editor,
Who's surprised by the "indecent repeat behavior" of Dominique Strauss-Kahn - a powerful moneyman with the global nickname "hot rabbit?"
Message to "that woman" - Mrs. IMF, the American-born Ms. Anne Sinclair, defending her Chief Grabber & Groper from their $4 Million Paris apartment: Your husband's alleged sick treatment of a New York City female citizen makes you an enabler & supporter of his repeat behavior allegedly dating back to 2002 directed at women in that lower cast system that's alive in your mind.
The U.S. doesn't care how much money you have or that you work as some journalist in France or that your husband pretends to possess the qualities of a leader. A courageous chambermaid may have just saved the International Monetary Fund! ZEROS lacking ethics should not be running worldwide institutions that depend on business integrity, transparency and management courage to survive.
Respectfully submitted,
Tish Ferguson
2404 Maria Place
Pt. Pleasant, NJ 08742
United States of America
732-259-2780 - Cell
Thanks for your article on Dominique Strauss-Kahn, but can you explain just how 'expected' news like this jolts a nation? No doubt an expensive & massive worldwide public relations assault directed at the alleged victim of this crime from the Strauss-Kahn-Sinclair Families & that celebrity lawyer Benjamin Brafman starts today.
I visited the gorgeous country of France in the summer of 2007 and cried as I was overwhelmed by its history, charm and awesome beauty. Don't let one ugly man rob this kind of memory from so many of us who love & respect your country! Below is my opinion circulating on LinkedIn:
Dear Editor,
Who's surprised by the "indecent repeat behavior" of Dominique Strauss-Kahn - a powerful moneyman with the global nickname "hot rabbit?"
Message to "that woman" - Mrs. IMF, the American-born Ms. Anne Sinclair, defending her Chief Grabber & Groper from their $4 Million Paris apartment: Your husband's alleged sick treatment of a New York City female citizen makes you an enabler & supporter of his repeat behavior allegedly dating back to 2002 directed at women in that lower cast system that's alive in your mind.
The U.S. doesn't care how much money you have or that you work as some journalist in France or that your husband pretends to possess the qualities of a leader. A courageous chambermaid may have just saved the International Monetary Fund! ZEROS lacking ethics should not be running worldwide institutions that depend on business integrity, transparency and management courage to survive.
Respectfully submitted,
Tish Ferguson
2404 Maria Place
Pt. Pleasant, NJ 08742
United States of America
732-259-2780 - Cell
Monday, May 16, 2011
Mississippi Maelstroms: "This land is not your land"
Welcome to Tish Trek - THE JOB BLOG:
"This land is your land, this land is my land
From California to the New York Island
From the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters
This land was made for you and me."
By Woody Guthrie - published 1944
With the words of Woody Guthrie's eloquent lyrics published in 1944, who's job is it in 2011 to decide whose land gets destroyed and/or who lives or dies on the land they love along the great and mighty Mississippi River?
My honeymoon was in New Orleans 25 years ago! 40 family members returned there to celebrate New Year's Eve post-Katrina to do our part to contribute to its economic revival. Six of my relatives have graduated from Tulane, LSU & UNO; and my niece was married in the old Gov's Mansion in Baton Rouge. I love both cities!
BUT... where is the raging debate in this country about wiping out your land and my land, along with the homes & farms of fellow citizens in rural areas to save the land in New Orleans & Baton Rouge. Are these the same faces of failed government agencies who harmed all & learned nothing from Hurricane Katrina?
Do we really think it's okay to create man-made tidal waves to increase the diversion of the water from the Mississippi River, flooding the land of our neighbors along connecting rivers & in less populated regions, to ease flood threats to Baton Rouge and my beloved New Orleans?
It reminds me - in an odd way - of all the land destroyed in the name of Eminent Domain which ruined the lives of families across this nation while lining the pockets of developers and politicians everywhere. Unfortunately, the Eminent Domain problem did not adversely impact 'enough citizens" to get the numbers of people a city would need to rise up to bring enough attention to this problem or to stop such outrageous practices... No surprise really considering most battles across the globe since ancient times have been over land rights and dirt, right?
I suppose if it's not your primary home, farm, biz, retirement community or backyard being bull dozed or wiped out with man-made floods, it makes the plan okay or your apathy on such a current event & topic acceptable, right? What if the drowning of your towns, homes or businesses are scheduled for next week?
This blog post is dedicated to the victims of the Timed Engineered Spillage Solutions currently being executed along the Mississippi River. Fifty years of technology advances and all the gov't officials & professionals know how to do - in 1970's fashion - is to destroy the land & lives of innocent neighbors to save others on land up & down-stream... HELP WANTED: NEW Government Leaders & NEW Engineering Leaders at the Army Corps of Engineers - experts in River Management & Urban Planning!
How would you like it if government officials chose to flood your land & home today and it felt like no one noticed or cared "From California to the New York Island." We'll that's exactly what's happening to tens of thousands of people living along the Mississippi this week.
In 1944, even Woody Guthrie worried citizens would face land challenges. Here's one of his verses that didn't make the final cut for that song familiar to many:
"In the squares of the city, In the shadow of a steeple;
By the relief office, I'd seen my people.
As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking,
Is this land made for you and me?" ***
The 2011 Maelstrom playing out this week sadly re-confirms Woody Guthrie's premonition that 'our' land was never made for you and me.
But could even Guthrie have imagined that any government would release a violent man-made whirlpool using the power of the Mississippi to destroy the lives of humans under 'some' banner of disaster recovery & urban business continuity strategies?
These archaic solutions are directed at fellow citizens in the United States of America who cannot defend themselves or their land anymore. Does our apathy which is to the peril of men, women and children define what we've all become?
"A voice was chanting, As the fog was lifting," my prayers are with all of you impacted by the violence of this agitated state of affairs.
With Respect & Sympathy,
TishTrek
*** Original manuscript republished in Elizabeth Partridge, This Land Was Made for You and Me: The Life & Songs of Woody Guthrie (New York: Viking, 2002), 85. ISBN 0670035351 included two verses not used in final cut. I included one in this blog post.
"This land is your land, this land is my land
From California to the New York Island
From the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters
This land was made for you and me."
By Woody Guthrie - published 1944
With the words of Woody Guthrie's eloquent lyrics published in 1944, who's job is it in 2011 to decide whose land gets destroyed and/or who lives or dies on the land they love along the great and mighty Mississippi River?
My honeymoon was in New Orleans 25 years ago! 40 family members returned there to celebrate New Year's Eve post-Katrina to do our part to contribute to its economic revival. Six of my relatives have graduated from Tulane, LSU & UNO; and my niece was married in the old Gov's Mansion in Baton Rouge. I love both cities!
BUT... where is the raging debate in this country about wiping out your land and my land, along with the homes & farms of fellow citizens in rural areas to save the land in New Orleans & Baton Rouge. Are these the same faces of failed government agencies who harmed all & learned nothing from Hurricane Katrina?
Do we really think it's okay to create man-made tidal waves to increase the diversion of the water from the Mississippi River, flooding the land of our neighbors along connecting rivers & in less populated regions, to ease flood threats to Baton Rouge and my beloved New Orleans?
It reminds me - in an odd way - of all the land destroyed in the name of Eminent Domain which ruined the lives of families across this nation while lining the pockets of developers and politicians everywhere. Unfortunately, the Eminent Domain problem did not adversely impact 'enough citizens" to get the numbers of people a city would need to rise up to bring enough attention to this problem or to stop such outrageous practices... No surprise really considering most battles across the globe since ancient times have been over land rights and dirt, right?
I suppose if it's not your primary home, farm, biz, retirement community or backyard being bull dozed or wiped out with man-made floods, it makes the plan okay or your apathy on such a current event & topic acceptable, right? What if the drowning of your towns, homes or businesses are scheduled for next week?
This blog post is dedicated to the victims of the Timed Engineered Spillage Solutions currently being executed along the Mississippi River. Fifty years of technology advances and all the gov't officials & professionals know how to do - in 1970's fashion - is to destroy the land & lives of innocent neighbors to save others on land up & down-stream... HELP WANTED: NEW Government Leaders & NEW Engineering Leaders at the Army Corps of Engineers - experts in River Management & Urban Planning!
How would you like it if government officials chose to flood your land & home today and it felt like no one noticed or cared "From California to the New York Island." We'll that's exactly what's happening to tens of thousands of people living along the Mississippi this week.
In 1944, even Woody Guthrie worried citizens would face land challenges. Here's one of his verses that didn't make the final cut for that song familiar to many:
"In the squares of the city, In the shadow of a steeple;
By the relief office, I'd seen my people.
As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking,
Is this land made for you and me?" ***
The 2011 Maelstrom playing out this week sadly re-confirms Woody Guthrie's premonition that 'our' land was never made for you and me.
But could even Guthrie have imagined that any government would release a violent man-made whirlpool using the power of the Mississippi to destroy the lives of humans under 'some' banner of disaster recovery & urban business continuity strategies?
These archaic solutions are directed at fellow citizens in the United States of America who cannot defend themselves or their land anymore. Does our apathy which is to the peril of men, women and children define what we've all become?
"A voice was chanting, As the fog was lifting," my prayers are with all of you impacted by the violence of this agitated state of affairs.
With Respect & Sympathy,
TishTrek
*** Original manuscript republished in Elizabeth Partridge, This Land Was Made for You and Me: The Life & Songs of Woody Guthrie (New York: Viking, 2002), 85. ISBN 0670035351 included two verses not used in final cut. I included one in this blog post.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Drive Safe: A Mother's Day Blessing
Welcome to TishTrek - THE JOB BLOG!
To all commuters, vacation travelers and people who drive for a living - I got lucky, so my message is to be safe... You don't have to believe in a higher power to understand what the message is here. Have a great weekend.
HE tried to tell me on the Garden State Parkway that I was too exhausted, so - like an idiot - I opened the window and started singing to the radio.
I fell asleep at the wheel of my car inside the Holland Tunnel on Saturday on my way into NYC to bring my Kate home for Mother's Day.
The steering column cracked because of the strength of the impact as I hit the wall when the car veered out of control.
There is significant damage to the 'insides' of the car but I know HE met me under the Hudson River on Saturday.
I am humbled and grateful...
HE carried me out of that tunnel with barely a scratch.
HE made sure there was no car in the lane next to me as I nodded off to sleep; left the right lane; and crossed over-the-line into the left lane before I hit the north wall several times.
HE made sure that all the cars behind me were at least 4-5 car lengths back so no one would crash into me.
HE made sure that I didn't kill or harm another driver or family.
HE made sure Kate was not in the car with me when this happened.
HE made sure that if this had to happen that there would be a cement bumper lining the entire length of the tunnel (at car wheel level that I never noticed before...) - it knocked the wheels out of alignment and it seared deep burn marks into the rim & metal hub caps, but... it kept the body of the car from being destroyed as HE protected me from serious bodily harm.
HE made sure I wasn't on a cell phone or texting; and HE made sure that I had not had a single glass of wine, so I would be alert & strong enough to take back control once HE woke me to what was happening.
HE made sure my whole left side would ache for a while and HE left me a tad shook up to make absolutely sure that I'd remind others to pull over, get that coffee, ask a friend to drive, or make the trip when you aren't tired, exhausted or still regrouping from two weeks of sinusitis. We all do it... so please stay safe.
My Katie said, "Obviously HE has more work for you to do Mom, Happy Mother's Day."
Best regards,
TishTrek
To all commuters, vacation travelers and people who drive for a living - I got lucky, so my message is to be safe... You don't have to believe in a higher power to understand what the message is here. Have a great weekend.
HE tried to tell me on the Garden State Parkway that I was too exhausted, so - like an idiot - I opened the window and started singing to the radio.
I fell asleep at the wheel of my car inside the Holland Tunnel on Saturday on my way into NYC to bring my Kate home for Mother's Day.
The steering column cracked because of the strength of the impact as I hit the wall when the car veered out of control.
There is significant damage to the 'insides' of the car but I know HE met me under the Hudson River on Saturday.
I am humbled and grateful...
HE carried me out of that tunnel with barely a scratch.
HE made sure there was no car in the lane next to me as I nodded off to sleep; left the right lane; and crossed over-the-line into the left lane before I hit the north wall several times.
HE made sure that all the cars behind me were at least 4-5 car lengths back so no one would crash into me.
HE made sure that I didn't kill or harm another driver or family.
HE made sure Kate was not in the car with me when this happened.
HE made sure that if this had to happen that there would be a cement bumper lining the entire length of the tunnel (at car wheel level that I never noticed before...) - it knocked the wheels out of alignment and it seared deep burn marks into the rim & metal hub caps, but... it kept the body of the car from being destroyed as HE protected me from serious bodily harm.
HE made sure I wasn't on a cell phone or texting; and HE made sure that I had not had a single glass of wine, so I would be alert & strong enough to take back control once HE woke me to what was happening.
HE made sure my whole left side would ache for a while and HE left me a tad shook up to make absolutely sure that I'd remind others to pull over, get that coffee, ask a friend to drive, or make the trip when you aren't tired, exhausted or still regrouping from two weeks of sinusitis. We all do it... so please stay safe.
My Katie said, "Obviously HE has more work for you to do Mom, Happy Mother's Day."
Best regards,
TishTrek
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Facebook-to-Unemployment: Glamour Shots Only!
Welcome to TishTrek - THE JOB BLOG!
If you or the new college graduate in your home are looking for jobs or want to keep the jobs you already have, it's time to clean up your Social Networking Sites by making sure that all of the data, pictures and self-promotion represents "the very best" of who you really are!
You name the site: Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Personal Web pages, Craig's List, Blogs... The Wall Street Journal warned us four years ago that prospective employers had already begun looking at what you write and post on-line as a form of assessment criteria during interviewing, hiring and investigative background processes!
Protecting a company's brand is vital to the survival of every firm, so many executives have now hired or contracted teams of on-line analysts and behavioral specialists who work with 'your' on-line information to make sure the decision to hire you ties closely to the values, goals, ethics and overall mission of their organizations.
Many companies have adopted 'behavioral interviewing techniques' because studies led by top universities including Harvard, Yale, etc., and research companies focused on human behavior in the workplace (i.e. Gartner, Lominger, Inc.) have concluded that human behavior reveals repetitive tendencies that start at very early ages which are highly likely to repeat themselves - albeit in increasingly age-appropriate actions -in the workplace on-and-off throughout our careers and in most other parts of our lives.
Many companies believe that the repeat 'behaviors' of employment candidates really matter. The assessment of a past-performance history of high-end leader behaviors and/or socially unacceptable or outrageous behaviors are being viewed as 'success factors' that need to be assessed in conjunction with the job experience, skills, credentials and competencies individuals possess in their chosen fields.
Since I'm telling you this, it means that those hilarious pictures (your definition not mine...) of you passed out drunk during your 2011 Spring Break or after that bachelorette party will go over like the lead balloons that they are in many hiring circles. Few employers will be impressed or amused.
Clearly behavior matters because the great name and past-performance history of the company you have joined is bigger than you and every new hire combined. We all become a living representative of the brand that made our company great, so as decision-makers stare at pics that would make a mother cry, it's easy to conclude that 'some extension' of the behavior you have no problem blasting out to others with lightening speed on the Internet might repeat itself making you a giant 'potential' liability for their firm.
When that happens, I can promise you that 'hiring risk mitigation' practices designed to put the welfare of the company first will prevail before anyone approves a job offer for you. Don't let this happen to you!
Have fun, but be discreet! If you were not raised to be discreet, then you need to do everything in your power to remind yourself that the fun you had at fraternity parties and on Spring Break needs to retire to your past. The actions you currently engage in with your wonderful high spirited friends during happy hours in NYC or while watching the New York Yankees or the Boston Red Sox or Snooki's antics during those Jersey Shore episodes and all the innocent shenanigans that follow should never be chronicled for all employers and the world to see if those actions don't mirror the high standards of the company that already hired you or the ones you'd die to work for in the future.
Few people enjoy life or laugh as much as I do, but please...Do not take this advice lightly! Review all of your postings today to make sure that your words and pictures are not a silent killer in your efforts to succeed in your job search and profession.
Finally, if you are currently employed, the most important advice I can offer as it relates to Social Networking is as follows:
I'm proud to be a former Director of Human Resources of ADP's Brokerage Information Services Group (Front-Office Stockbroker Workstation Biz) and I've operated as a Global Recruiting Executive to many market leaders for over two decades, so I'd like to use that platform to point to the Non-Disclosure and Confidentiality Agreements & Codes of Conduct you sign @ your companies when you are hired: Those documents 'directly' apply to what you write and post on Social Networks daily.
Trade secrets have been compromised and members of Social Networks have been reprimanded &/or terminated from many companies for well-meaning posts which accidentally (or intentionally) revealed competitive confidences and proprietary data the corporation never intended for public consumption.
In some cases, the information announced equated to an illegal act, but even the posts that merely counter the branding & marketing efforts of organizations can create issues that put your actions at odds with corporate policies. Don't let this happen to you!
It's your business to understand all the rules dedicated to Investor Protection & Market Integrity. Know your SEC* Rules (*Securities Exchange Commission)to avoid crossing over any line to Insider Trading; and never 'market' or 'promote' financial products outside the mandates dictated by FINRA.***
***FINRA is the largest independent regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States. We oversee nearly 4,560 brokerage firms, 163,335 branch offices and 631,305 registered securities representatives. Our chief role is to protect investors by maintaining the fairness of the U.S. capital markets.
Today's advice is for you to make absolutely sure that your' on-line habits, content, pictures and ramblings are NOT the silent speed bump in your effort to land the next best job or promotion!
Good luck in your search! But I mean it: Have your fun, but be discreet.
Best regards,
TishTrek
If you or the new college graduate in your home are looking for jobs or want to keep the jobs you already have, it's time to clean up your Social Networking Sites by making sure that all of the data, pictures and self-promotion represents "the very best" of who you really are!
You name the site: Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Personal Web pages, Craig's List, Blogs... The Wall Street Journal warned us four years ago that prospective employers had already begun looking at what you write and post on-line as a form of assessment criteria during interviewing, hiring and investigative background processes!
Protecting a company's brand is vital to the survival of every firm, so many executives have now hired or contracted teams of on-line analysts and behavioral specialists who work with 'your' on-line information to make sure the decision to hire you ties closely to the values, goals, ethics and overall mission of their organizations.
Many companies have adopted 'behavioral interviewing techniques' because studies led by top universities including Harvard, Yale, etc., and research companies focused on human behavior in the workplace (i.e. Gartner, Lominger, Inc.) have concluded that human behavior reveals repetitive tendencies that start at very early ages which are highly likely to repeat themselves - albeit in increasingly age-appropriate actions -in the workplace on-and-off throughout our careers and in most other parts of our lives.
Many companies believe that the repeat 'behaviors' of employment candidates really matter. The assessment of a past-performance history of high-end leader behaviors and/or socially unacceptable or outrageous behaviors are being viewed as 'success factors' that need to be assessed in conjunction with the job experience, skills, credentials and competencies individuals possess in their chosen fields.
Since I'm telling you this, it means that those hilarious pictures (your definition not mine...) of you passed out drunk during your 2011 Spring Break or after that bachelorette party will go over like the lead balloons that they are in many hiring circles. Few employers will be impressed or amused.
Clearly behavior matters because the great name and past-performance history of the company you have joined is bigger than you and every new hire combined. We all become a living representative of the brand that made our company great, so as decision-makers stare at pics that would make a mother cry, it's easy to conclude that 'some extension' of the behavior you have no problem blasting out to others with lightening speed on the Internet might repeat itself making you a giant 'potential' liability for their firm.
When that happens, I can promise you that 'hiring risk mitigation' practices designed to put the welfare of the company first will prevail before anyone approves a job offer for you. Don't let this happen to you!
Have fun, but be discreet! If you were not raised to be discreet, then you need to do everything in your power to remind yourself that the fun you had at fraternity parties and on Spring Break needs to retire to your past. The actions you currently engage in with your wonderful high spirited friends during happy hours in NYC or while watching the New York Yankees or the Boston Red Sox or Snooki's antics during those Jersey Shore episodes and all the innocent shenanigans that follow should never be chronicled for all employers and the world to see if those actions don't mirror the high standards of the company that already hired you or the ones you'd die to work for in the future.
Few people enjoy life or laugh as much as I do, but please...Do not take this advice lightly! Review all of your postings today to make sure that your words and pictures are not a silent killer in your efforts to succeed in your job search and profession.
Finally, if you are currently employed, the most important advice I can offer as it relates to Social Networking is as follows:
I'm proud to be a former Director of Human Resources of ADP's Brokerage Information Services Group (Front-Office Stockbroker Workstation Biz) and I've operated as a Global Recruiting Executive to many market leaders for over two decades, so I'd like to use that platform to point to the Non-Disclosure and Confidentiality Agreements & Codes of Conduct you sign @ your companies when you are hired: Those documents 'directly' apply to what you write and post on Social Networks daily.
Trade secrets have been compromised and members of Social Networks have been reprimanded &/or terminated from many companies for well-meaning posts which accidentally (or intentionally) revealed competitive confidences and proprietary data the corporation never intended for public consumption.
In some cases, the information announced equated to an illegal act, but even the posts that merely counter the branding & marketing efforts of organizations can create issues that put your actions at odds with corporate policies. Don't let this happen to you!
It's your business to understand all the rules dedicated to Investor Protection & Market Integrity. Know your SEC* Rules (*Securities Exchange Commission)to avoid crossing over any line to Insider Trading; and never 'market' or 'promote' financial products outside the mandates dictated by FINRA.***
***FINRA is the largest independent regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States. We oversee nearly 4,560 brokerage firms, 163,335 branch offices and 631,305 registered securities representatives. Our chief role is to protect investors by maintaining the fairness of the U.S. capital markets.
Today's advice is for you to make absolutely sure that your' on-line habits, content, pictures and ramblings are NOT the silent speed bump in your effort to land the next best job or promotion!
Good luck in your search! But I mean it: Have your fun, but be discreet.
Best regards,
TishTrek
Monday, May 2, 2011
Asbury Park, NJ: We bungled the kids (Part II)
Welcome to TishTrek - THE JOB BLOG!
This is Blog Post Part II entitled, "Asbury Park, NJ: We bungled the kids" inspired by more bad news from the Asbury Park Press Opinion page.
Please read Blog Post Part I below this one which focuses on the travesty of education in Asbury Park, New Jersey but also offers some straight talk - the first stab at an honest assessment that has to continue before changes in education approaches can be considered for 'our' kids caught in systems of failure.
Isn't it time to reach out to successful business people and educators across the country to start an Information Exchange to get their views on how our society can realistically help these 'at risk' kids? Please join in.
Read the astonishing news from Gannett Newspapers in the Asbury Park Press Opinion Section TODAY, Monday - May 2nd, 2011:
Here are some excerpts that must move people to action:
"The New Jersey State auditor report, which covers the period July 2009 to December 2010, is not so much revelatory as it is a confirmation of what everyone already knows.
The Asbury Park School District continues to have the highest per-pupil expenditures among the 31 districts formerly known as the Abbotts.
More money is being spent on fewer students - with dismal educational results." (you would already be aware of this fact if you read the Asbury Park Press on October 27th, 2010!)
In 2009-2010, the cost per pupil was $26,782 per student per year."
PLEASE NOTE: $26,782 X 13 (K-12 years) = $348,166 to educate one student. For a family with 4 children, the city of Asbury Park will spend $1,392,664 to educate one family.
"Asbury Park's student-to-teacher ratio was 8.7 students to 1 teacher - the second lowest ratio among the Abbott districts.
The district is top-heavy with administrators - about double the state average for K-12 districts."
Now let's repeat the devastating and disturbing facts that speaks to what is supposed to be our generation's #1 focus: Excellence in Education for all of New Jersey's children.
Below are the statistics I highlighted in my Blog last week as they were reported by the NJ Department of Education on 10/27/10 in the Asbury Park Press for the 2008-2009school year:
1) 72% of its students failed the High School Proficiency Assessment in language arts
2) 86.1% failed the math portion
3) After three tries, ONLY 34.9% were able to pass the HSPA
4) Average SAT scores are 325 in math and 330 in verbal
5) Total cost spent per pupil - per year in 2008-2009 = $21,177
6) Total cost spent per pupil - per year in 2009-2010 = $26,782 - reported 5/2/11
From 2009 to 2010, $5,605 per student per year was added to the funding formula, but student performance did not improve. No amount of money will improve any statistic if we are not willing to change the system that is failing these kids.
The failure of so many students inspired someone in authority to demand we move from $21,177 in funding for Asbury Park students during the 2008-2009 school year to $26,782 per student in 2009-2010; and leaders all over the State of NJ responsible for these students approved this increase - this losing solution.
When companies fail, they have to go out of business or reinvent themselves to produce operational options that ensure success. Given the level of failure we are staring at in this school district, all the leaders who failed these kids need to step aside.
We absolutely owe it to the children and parents in Asbury Park, NJ to demand leadership changes that can open the flood gates to strategies that track to success, offer new management alternatives, inspire creative changes, support process reengineering efforts, etc. that will put 'our' - New Jersey's high risk students - FIRST.
We need business leaders, vocational trade experts, universities, educators, and volunteers... How about taking the $26,782 per student which is currently funding the education of each student per year in Asbury Park and assigning all or a portion of that money to the #1 teaching university in the country OR the #1 teaching college in New Jersey?
How about letting 'the' experts lead these children out of the darkness? Who is willing to help? Who will end the cycle of failure in Asbury Park, NJ which has lasted more than 40 years?
I know this issue and the issues in Camden, Newark, Trenton, Jersey City, Paterson and beyond are not in many of our backyards, but is another generation of failure funded off tax dollars really acceptable to anyone out there?
In closing, I'm sticking to last week's Blog theme inspired by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis who once said, "If you bungle raising (your)children, nothing else matters very much."
Go to Part I of the Asbury Park School Crisis series in the Blog Post before this one where I start what I call an "Idea and Knowlege Exchange" in an effort to beg others for help!
Respectfully submitted,
TishTrek
Quote of the Day: "God help the students stuck in the adult power-struggles in Asbury Park, New Jersey." Author Unknown
This is Blog Post Part II entitled, "Asbury Park, NJ: We bungled the kids" inspired by more bad news from the Asbury Park Press Opinion page.
Please read Blog Post Part I below this one which focuses on the travesty of education in Asbury Park, New Jersey but also offers some straight talk - the first stab at an honest assessment that has to continue before changes in education approaches can be considered for 'our' kids caught in systems of failure.
Isn't it time to reach out to successful business people and educators across the country to start an Information Exchange to get their views on how our society can realistically help these 'at risk' kids? Please join in.
Read the astonishing news from Gannett Newspapers in the Asbury Park Press Opinion Section TODAY, Monday - May 2nd, 2011:
Here are some excerpts that must move people to action:
"The New Jersey State auditor report, which covers the period July 2009 to December 2010, is not so much revelatory as it is a confirmation of what everyone already knows.
The Asbury Park School District continues to have the highest per-pupil expenditures among the 31 districts formerly known as the Abbotts.
More money is being spent on fewer students - with dismal educational results." (you would already be aware of this fact if you read the Asbury Park Press on October 27th, 2010!)
In 2009-2010, the cost per pupil was $26,782 per student per year."
PLEASE NOTE: $26,782 X 13 (K-12 years) = $348,166 to educate one student. For a family with 4 children, the city of Asbury Park will spend $1,392,664 to educate one family.
"Asbury Park's student-to-teacher ratio was 8.7 students to 1 teacher - the second lowest ratio among the Abbott districts.
The district is top-heavy with administrators - about double the state average for K-12 districts."
Now let's repeat the devastating and disturbing facts that speaks to what is supposed to be our generation's #1 focus: Excellence in Education for all of New Jersey's children.
Below are the statistics I highlighted in my Blog last week as they were reported by the NJ Department of Education on 10/27/10 in the Asbury Park Press for the 2008-2009school year:
1) 72% of its students failed the High School Proficiency Assessment in language arts
2) 86.1% failed the math portion
3) After three tries, ONLY 34.9% were able to pass the HSPA
4) Average SAT scores are 325 in math and 330 in verbal
5) Total cost spent per pupil - per year in 2008-2009 = $21,177
6) Total cost spent per pupil - per year in 2009-2010 = $26,782 - reported 5/2/11
From 2009 to 2010, $5,605 per student per year was added to the funding formula, but student performance did not improve. No amount of money will improve any statistic if we are not willing to change the system that is failing these kids.
The failure of so many students inspired someone in authority to demand we move from $21,177 in funding for Asbury Park students during the 2008-2009 school year to $26,782 per student in 2009-2010; and leaders all over the State of NJ responsible for these students approved this increase - this losing solution.
When companies fail, they have to go out of business or reinvent themselves to produce operational options that ensure success. Given the level of failure we are staring at in this school district, all the leaders who failed these kids need to step aside.
We absolutely owe it to the children and parents in Asbury Park, NJ to demand leadership changes that can open the flood gates to strategies that track to success, offer new management alternatives, inspire creative changes, support process reengineering efforts, etc. that will put 'our' - New Jersey's high risk students - FIRST.
We need business leaders, vocational trade experts, universities, educators, and volunteers... How about taking the $26,782 per student which is currently funding the education of each student per year in Asbury Park and assigning all or a portion of that money to the #1 teaching university in the country OR the #1 teaching college in New Jersey?
How about letting 'the' experts lead these children out of the darkness? Who is willing to help? Who will end the cycle of failure in Asbury Park, NJ which has lasted more than 40 years?
I know this issue and the issues in Camden, Newark, Trenton, Jersey City, Paterson and beyond are not in many of our backyards, but is another generation of failure funded off tax dollars really acceptable to anyone out there?
In closing, I'm sticking to last week's Blog theme inspired by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis who once said, "If you bungle raising (your)children, nothing else matters very much."
Go to Part I of the Asbury Park School Crisis series in the Blog Post before this one where I start what I call an "Idea and Knowlege Exchange" in an effort to beg others for help!
Respectfully submitted,
TishTrek
Quote of the Day: "God help the students stuck in the adult power-struggles in Asbury Park, New Jersey." Author Unknown
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