An Amazing Internship Experience
By Josh Z. Earlier this year, I walked into my first day at the Fallston Group not knowing what to expect from a new internship. I ended my experience with many important takeaways and now realize what I will sadly leave behind. The Fallston Group team has taught me many lessons. I have learned a variety of innovative marketing tips and PR strategies that I can, of course, apply to any future job that I am fortunate enough to attain. However, the most important (and unexpected) lesson I have learned is how to be resilient and live through adversity – not just survive, but thrive. I can now apply this to any future job that I may hold, but, more importantly, can now embrace this concept in everyday life. I think that even though it was crucial for me to take specific business lessons from this internship, having the grit and fighting through adversity is my biggest takeaway from this amazing team. As Mark Twain said, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” Working with this group (and its client base) showed me to never give up no matter the circumstance and that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, you must simply leverage your instinct, experience and network to find it! Everyone in the office was welcoming and has had a tremendous impact on my time at Fallston Group, but I would say that the core executive leadership team has taught me the most important lessons that I will apply to my future career. As a rising Senior at Loyola University of Maryland with a double major in finance and marketing, my goal is to become a top executive of a company. The executives, both directly and indirectly, took their valuable time to teach me everything about becoming a professional and brand ambassador to everyone I interact with. I have learned firsthand that actions certainly do speak louder than words, and I will try to take-away everything this talented team has taught me. Hopefully, one day, I become a high-level executive. Interestingly, I can hear it now…I used the word “hopefully” when referring to my dream…the Fallston Group team would demand I use the word “when!” As I depart, I cannot stress enough how professional and great they are at what they do. I will miss them dearly and I wish them the best of luck with all their future endeavors. If you ever want an outstanding professional internship experience, I’d highly recommend the Fallston Group. I know it’s competitive and demanding, but this time has been invaluable to my academic and professional development. Thank you.
5 Takeaways from the Council for Professional Women in Business and Finance Conference
By Kathy Walsh, Director of Marketing Recently, I was fortunate to attend the Maryland Bankers Association‘s Council of Professional Women in Banking and Finance (CPWBF) Fifth Annual Conference, and while I’m not a banking or finance professional, I still walked away from the day with pages full of tips gleaned from their impressive line-up of speakers. While I could write an entire blog post on each of the incredible presenters, out of respect for our readers’ time, I’ve whittled them down to the top five takeaways from the day that I’ll be putting into action in my personal and professional life! Engage your team. Among the many fascinating workforce statistics shared by Dr. Shirley Davis, CSP, President and CEO of SDS Global Enterprises, was this: only 32% of U.S. employees say they are “actively engaged” at work. 52% report being disengaged while another 16% consider themselves “actively disengaged.” What are we doing to ensure our organizations are in that elusive top third? This is even more important as millennials are poised to become the majority of the workforce and as Generation Z enters the picture. Balance “fight or flight” with “rest and digest.” According to Dr. Jyothi Rao of Shakthi Health and Wellness Center, our bodies’ stress response causes inflammation associated with virtually all chronic illnesses. To counteract this, Dr. Rao recommends tactics including healthy eating, sleep, getting 10,000 steps a day and mind/body techniques such as yoga and meditation. One immediate action I plan to implement: downloading the free Headspace app she recommended as a great way to get in 10 minutes of meditation a day. Spend each day focused on what matters most. I’ve written about balance before, and it sounds obvious, but at the end of the day, it won’t matter what you achieve in your career if you don’t invest the same energy in nurturing the relationships you have outside of work. I was reminded of this as I learned about London’s Legacy, a nonprofit which delivers comforting blankets and care packages to pediatric intensive care units and which was the beneficiary of MBA’s 2017 Philanthropic Initiative. Take a few minutes to read the story behind this organization and be reminded about what really matters. Avoid “download data dump” meetings. This was one of the lessons I couldn’t wait to bring back to my own organization. AmyK Hutchens, owner of executive development firm AmyK International Inc., suggests maximizing your team’s brain power by asking attendees to send a brief report before a meeting that summarizes information the group needs to know and identifies areas in which they need the team’s brainpower. Then allocate ¼ of the meeting to reviewing the data and spend the remaining ¾ problem solving. Genius, right? Make your difficulties desirable. These words of wisdom came from the extraordinary Melissa Stockwell, the first female soldier to lose a limb in active combat and a recipient of both the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart. Both a patriot and athlete from a very young age, when Melissa awoke from her injury and subsequent surgery, she immediately realized she had a choice in how to react, and dedicated her life to turning tragedy into triumph. Melissa went on to compete in both the Beijing and Rio de Janeiro Paralympics, receiving a bronze medal for her triathlon performance in Rio and being selected by her fellow Team USA athletes to carry the flag in the closing ceremony in Beijing. Today, she runs Dare2tri, a nonprofit that provides opportunities to youth athletes with physical disabilities and visual impairments. She attributes her success to a promise she made: to live her life for those who no longer could. Her “I get to” rather than “I have to” attitude is one we should all emulate. I thoroughly enjoyed the day spent with some incredible women professionals, and hope you are able to glean some practical advice from this blog that you can apply to your daily life.
Why Help DaddyOFive?
Many people are asking, “Why would Fallston Group support a controversial client like DaddyOFive?” Thank you for your interest and questions, they are very important to us. A little background: when Fallston Group was contacted at the end of last week, we were briefed by an attorney who was working with the Martin family and by the Martin family themselves. In fact, our team went to the Martin’s home to interact with the entire family, including the children, for more than three hours before agreeing to take the family on as a client. Following this meeting, we had a choice to make – (1) walk away due to the fact that the mistreatment allegations from the public and the videos were very troubling or (2) engage with a set of parents who each put their hand up, said they were wrong, showed true remorse (with a lot of tears) and clearly didn’t know where to turn or who to trust to get the help their entire family so desperately needed. Fallston Group was founded on helping people during life’s most difficult times – we thrive on helping people. It’s baked into our DNA. We work with clients who range from very large public companies to small restaurateurs and individuals. We routinely manage complex and controversial issues including data breach, cyber-attack, social media attack, negative press, natural disaster, bankruptcy, crime, litigation, investigation, compliance issues, employee relations complications, job loss, labor unrest, audit sanction, IT issues, board dissension, poorly managed mergers, environmental damage, workplace violence, whistle blowers, IP theft, rumors, death, terrorism, riots, accidents, health issues, strikes, product recall, regulatory shifts, competitive disruption, hostile takeovers, abuse, poor leadership transition, discrimination and many, many more. The one common thread, regardless of the type of issue or the client type or size, is that if the client is willing to accept full responsibility for any lapse in judgment and desires to take whatever steps are needed to make amends and set a positive path for the future, it shapes our thinking. The Martin family fell squarely into this category. That being said, what our team initially recognized was a family who truly seemed to love each other but was in crisis and desperately needed stability and a return to normalcy for the kids. We absolutely do not condone some of the content that has been posted to YouTube. But under the circumstances, we did have an opportunity to positively influence a distraught family with our experience, instinct, resources and mentorship, particularly the children. After much discussion and evaluation, our team decided to help this family through what they describe as the most difficult period in their lives and as they strive to set things right…it’s what our company commits to do with our clients. This is not a PR play, but a very serious crisis management situation which requires a broad, long-term view within our three core verticals. The video apology released this past weekend was at the request of the family who wanted to articulate to the world how they felt, but didn’t feel they had the resources or knowledge to know how to effectively relay that message. The production was not scripted. The Martins described in detail how they felt, and the cuts and fades simply reflect editing to eliminate redundancy and keep the remarks to around three minutes. There is no question the Martins, in light of the public concern, took another look at the content they had shared through the eyes of people who don’t know them personally, and upon reflection, recognized the error of their ways. They now fully understand that they crossed the line and they describe how what started out as family fun quickly escalated into shock value for the purpose of viewership and subscriptions. They were caught up in their own characters and popularity – they were blinded by YouTube fame and again, upon reflection, made some very poor decisions. Our hope, moving forward, is that the public will take pause and realize the devastating effect the internet backlash is having on the kids. While we (and truly, the Martins, as well) appreciate the concern for the children’s safety, we can offer assurance that Maryland agencies, attorneys involved and our own company have all executed due diligence to ensure the children are safe, both physically and emotionally, and on the way to a much more positive future. This is everyone’s first priority. The Martins are currently in licensed family counseling and working with professional services providers who, in essence, serve as life coaches. We fall into that category as well. As a firm that has worked with very high profile leaders to struggling private individuals, there is perhaps nothing more important than to provide perspective and a sense of hope for the future. The path forward is critical as many of our clients simply want to return to some semblance of normalcy. This is what the Martin family wants (all of them) and we are committed to helping them during their plight. Make no mistake, the Martin’s desire does not replace parental accountability. But, it is a firm step in the right direction for five wonderful children. Our sincere hope is, as part of the professional team guiding the Martins, we can support them as they continue to work towards a life which involves very sound decision-making and a strong sense of peace and happiness.
Take the Mystery Out of Twitter – 6 Tips to Give You the Digital Edge
By Andrea Lynn, Marketing Communications Manager Are you using social media to your advantage? One of the most common areas of confusion I see in the professional online community is Twitter. Under-utilized and often overlooked due to lack of understanding, Twitter is one of the easiest ways to increase your company’s community and media awareness. Here are 6 tips to give you an edge: Know the language. Don’t be confused by basic Twitter terminology – to “tweet” is simply to send out your message (in 140 characters or less). This platform encourages shorthand and slang; the key is to be quick and concise, not worry about complete sentences! How easy is that? Know where you’re @. If you’re tweeting about a particular product or company, or want your message to reach a specific person, be sure to use the “@” symbol followed by your message target’s Twitter handle (aka their username). This can also help expose your brand to a new market. Make friends with hashtags. It’s also important to understand hashtags, which are often misused. By putting the “#” symbol in front of a word, you are making it a searchable keyword. Your Twitter homepage will show you the current trending keywords on the left-hand side of your screen. Using these trending hashtags, if relevant to your message, is a great way to increase your overall tweet’s visibility. You can also create your own to start using on a regular basis. Follow your intuition. Ready to start using your new or stagnant account? The next step is to target which users to follow on Twitter. General best practice is to follow other companies in your industry, as well as any business in your target demographic for customers. (Extra hint: if you are looking for ideas for who to follow, go to your competitors’ profiles and follow relevant accounts!) Don’t forget the media. Additionally, be sure to follow reporters who work at news channels where you would like to pitch stories! Gone are the days of slow news and assignment desks waiting for breaking news via a phone call. News today is 24/7, and Twitter is one of the main platforms used by the media to track trending news. After you’ve followed reporters on Twitter, get to know them. A reporter is more likely to respond to a pitch tied to their “beat” – that is, the type of news they cover. By interacting with local, national and even international news outlets regularly on Twitter, you have the opportunity to gather intelligence, build relationships and become a trusted resource for relevant news. Make your brand shine. Finally, keep in mind that Twitter, like any other social media channel, is a reflection of YOUR brand, whether you’re tweeting from a company or personal page. Keep your messaging and visuals consistent, and make certain your profile is up-to-date and links back to your website. Tweet me at @AndreaLynnFG to share your news! And if you need help, not to worry – feel free to give me a call at Fallston Group at 410-420-2001 or email andrea.lynn@fallstongroup.com. #Tweetwithconfidence #demystifyingTwitter
Why It’s Time We Stop Chasing “Work-Life Balance”
Written by Director of Marketing, Kathy Walsh How many times have you heard people refer to “work-life balance?” Google it, and you’ll find literally millions of results: “6 Tips For Better Work-Life Balance,” “Rethinking the Work-Life Equation,” “The Link Between Work-Life Balance and Income,” “The Six Components of Work-Life Balance,” –the list goes on and on. It’s clear this is a topic that strikes home for many of us in the workforce who struggle to juggle the demands—and opportunities—of our professional careers along with personal goals and priorities, whether families, hobbies, friends, passions, etc. Yet despite the plethora of information out there on how to achieve that elusive “ideal balance” of work and life, I don’t know of a single person who has ever achieved it! Over the course of my 25+ year career, I certainly haven’t, and I personally think it’s time we all stop chasing that unrealistic goal. In fact, I’m choosing to approach the subject from a whole new perspective, and when I shared that perspective recently with a group of a few hundred area business professionals, the positive feedback I received was so overwhelming, it prompted me to share it via this blog as well. Here’s what I said: I think of balance as a seesaw rather than a tightrope: sometimes you are up high in the air wondering if you are going to fly off, sometimes you are ricocheting off the ground after a hard landing, and both of those can be more exhilarating than wobbling to stay balanced in the middle. At the end of each day, do I feel good about what I did and who I showed up for, whether it was my job, my family, my friends, my social causes or myself? The trick is being mindful of where you are needed most that week, day or moment and then aligning your priorities in the context of those needs. I’m certainly not saying I have all the answers, but I do have one personal sign I’m on the right track: when I recently asked my two teenage daughters if they thought my executive position, which requires I travel to Baltimore each day, impacted our family in a negative way, I got an unequivocal “absolutely not” from both of them, which makes me feel like I’m doing something right! So my advice is, don’t try for sustained balance, but embrace the seesaw ride and the next time you’re hitting the ground, push off, hold on tight and soar back up to the sky, guilt-free!
Leading Your Team Through the Storm
When a crisis occurs, many organizations, understandably, immediately focus on the court of public opinion. While your marketplace reputation should always be at the forefront of your business, it is important to remember your employees during a time of crisis. Your employees are some of your primary stakeholders and a crisis will most likely affect each of them. Maintaining moral and control in the office is a critical part in demonstrating your leadership capabilities to your team. Here are seven quick tips for handling a crisis internally: 1) Involve Employee Response in Your Crisis Communication Plan Crisis response goes beyond a fire evacuation plan. It involves having a plan to respond to a wide variety of circumstances, whether it be a tragic event, or a reputational crisis. Being prepared will boost your employees’ confidence when responding to a crisis, resulting in a stronger base for rebuilding. 2) Encourage Recommendations from Employees Employees keep the business running, so listening to them can provide clues into what your company needs. Create a dialogue with your employees will allow you to learn about their thoughts, and how the company can prepare for or work to prevent a crisis. 3) Repeat, Remind, Review Prepare your employees for a crisis, even when crisis seems impossible. Consistently training your employees will help to keep your crisis strategy fresh in their minds, ultimately resulting in a better company response. Being prepared will help your employees’ confidence when responding to a crisis, also resulting in a stronger base for rebuilding. 4) Protect Your Employees As the leader, an employee at any level is your responsibility. Their safety is reliant on your desire to keep them safe. By being prepared to protect them, you can save your business’s reputation, as well as your own. 5) Communicate Face-to-Face when Possible Sincerity and ambition is best captured through verbal communication. Taking time to address employees face-to-face signifies their importance to you, and demonstrates your willingness to work alongside them to venture through a crisis. 6) Personalize Your Message Just as you would customize your branding message to different target markets, your internal crisis approach should be of the same mind set. Each team member plays a different position in your organization, all with different focuses and individual goals that contribute to the overall mission of the company. Each employee or position is therefore impacted differently and it is important for them to know how to react or what action needs to take place. This does not involve placing blame on other employees, but focuses on uniting the team and organizing the company’s response as a whole. 7) Provide Support Post-Crisis If a crisis has the potential to be emotionally challenging for your employees, offer assistance to help guide them through the healing process. Showing that you value your employees by supporting them can boost employee morale and help build your business’s reputation. For more information regarding crisis leadership, do not hesitate to contact the Fallston Group at 410.420.2001 or by email at info@fallstongroup.com.
Meltdown in Rio: Ryan Lochte
The Timeline: August 14, 2016 [9:27 a.m.] BREAKING NEWS: Gold medalist Ryan Lochte and three other U.S. swimmers are reportedly held up at gunpoint after a party in Brazil. August 14, 2016 [5:57 p.m.] After reports of story being fabricated, Lochte tweets a statement reiterating the story was indeed true. August 17, 2016 [10:34 a.m.] A Brazilian judge orders the swimmers’ passports to be seized to prevent them from leaving the country. Lochte had already arrived back home one day prior. August 18, 2016 [5:45 p.m.] Lochte and James Feigen are indicted for falsely reporting a crime after video surfaces of the swimmers at a gas station in which they were not held up. The Response: Initially, the response to the incident was poor, at best. Lochte stuck to his story for almost four full days, lying on social media and in television interviews to family, friends, teammates and fans. Days later, Lochte sat down with Matt Lauer to discuss the incident in a bit more emotional manner, but still used alcohol and lack of memory as a crutch to his story. He admitted guilt by acknowledging his exaggeration of the incident, but never fully conceded that the swimmers weren’t robbed. He apologized to teammates, fans and the city of Rio with tears in his eyes and used words like embarrassed, ashamed and I’m sorry. His interview was unscripted and remorseful, but was it genuine? It was, eventually, but only when Lauer shaped his thinking and practically pulled it out of him. The Aftermath: Although the 32-year-old is at the tail end of his swimming career, this incident still has some very serious repercussions. Aside from the public humiliation and shame Lochte brought on himself, his family and his country, he has lost his top four sponsors, including Speedo and Ralph Lauren, surely causing his $3 million net worth to take a hit. He also must consider how close he will be able to remain to the Olympic team and the sport of swimming moving forward. Whether it be as a coach, analyst, or other industry-related position, Lochte has bridges to rebuild before his trust and reputation are restored in the swimming world and the court of public opinion. The stands in Rio were swarmed with anti-Lochte signs during the closing ceremonies, including one very recognizable image: Reputation after Swimming: As was the case with Brian Williams, Ray Rice, Pete Rose, and so on, the bad news for Lochte is that he will forever be associated with this incident. The good news is that America has proven to be a forgiving society, and with Lochte admitting fault, he can now work on turning short-term adversity into long-term advantage. We see many former professional athletes turn analyst/reporter, covering future events they once excelled in. We hope one of the most decorated Olympians of all time can take the steps needed to repair what is broken and remain close to future Olympic swimmers in 2020 and beyond shall he not return to the sport as a competitor. If not, there is always acting – just kidding. For more information on how to build, strengthen and defend your reputation, contact Fallston Group at 410.420.2001 or by email at info@fallstongroup.com.
Workplace Violence Advice
by Rob Weinhold A safe work environment is paramount to everyone in the workplace and should be the first priority of leadership. The recent workplace shooting at the Emcore Corporation in New Mexico highlights the pervasive dangers faced by all business owners and their employees each day. This tragic situation left ten people shot and three dead, including the gunman who is suspected of targeting a domestic partner. Workplace violence is defined as physical violence, threats of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, and other disruptive behaviors which occur in the workplace. Attacks in the workplace often seem unpredictable, sudden, devastating, life-altering and public for many stakeholders – physically, emotionally and financially. Unfortunately, many leaders do not pay attention to the prevention side of workplace violence until it is too late. Top-Line Advice In an effort to provide some top-line advice regarding prevention, the Fallston Group offers the following: 1. Install a controlled access security system complete with designated entry points 2. Monitor access security cameras and badge identification systems which are controlled by a receptionist or security personnel – includes monitoring of hallways, stairwells, ingress and egress to executive suites, etc. 3. Implement one-way exit strategies which allow employees to vacate buildings quickly from multiple areas during an emergency – points of exit which cannot be penetrated from the exterior of the building 4. Limit access to certain areas of property based on job description and authorization 5. Offer workplace violence awareness training for supervisors and managers (educate workforce about the early warning signs of workplace violence) 6. Require detailed documentation of behavior/performance and implement reporting policies – be certain assessments, policies and training strategies are reviewed and implemented on a routine basis 7. Provide employee access to counseling services and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) programs – pay close attention to the culture of the business as problems often creep into the workplace from the personal lives of employees. If practical, offer family life programs to relieve some of the work-life balance pressures some employees may feel 8. Involve law enforcement in the documentation process if behavior is deemed threatening 9. Request law enforcement visits with stop, walk and talk details (free of charge) 10. Form a threat assessment/crisis team who regularly plan for and evaluate issues. In addition to the tactics described above, sound pre-employment screening procedures, prior to offers of employment, is critical. Searching for backgrounds in criminal behavior, domestic violence, weapons charges and crimes of violence are often early indicators of future problems. To learn more about protecting your employees and reducing the exposure points of your business, contact the Fallston Group at 443.690.0765 or log onto fallstongroup.com. It is the ethical thing to do as a leader.
