jaywalking

When I made the decision to change careers last year, the most common piece of advice I got was to get out there and network. Meet people in the field I am interested in and make those all-important connections. While networking is important for any job seeker, it takes on increased significance for those of us in transition. As you may know from my earlier posts, the field that interests me is communications. I started combing through my professional network and soon realized I didn't know anyone who worked in communications!  It dawned on me that one way to meet such people would be to join a professional organization, so I did just that. I searched online and came across the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), one of the largest such organizations in the world. They were looking for volunteers to serve on the board of the Pacific Plains Region (PPR), so I applied for the role of Communications Director. In June of 2023, my application was approved, and my...

I am a bit of a World War II buff, and this past June 6 marked the 80th anniversary of the D-Day* landings in Normandy, France. Code-named "Overlord", it  was the largest military seaborne operation ever attempted and marked the start of the Allied campaign to liberate Nazi-occupied Europe.  It helped turn the tide of the war and was an incredible feat of planning, logistics, and bravery. The Germans knew an invasion was coming and naturally assumed it would take place at the narrowest point of the English Channel, at Pas-de-Calais, France. The Allies obliged by deploying a  Ghost Army  right across the channel in England, giving the appearance of a large invasion force. This fake army (consisting of inflatable tanks and planes) was under the command of Lt. General George S. Patton, who was greatly respected and feared by the German High Command. Watch out for flying tanks! As a result of this ruse (and out of respect for Patton), Hitler deployed a million soldiers t...

In today's complex and rapidly evolving business landscape, no single department can operate in isolation. Success often depends on collaboration across different functional areas of the enterprise, or what has become known as cross-functional collaboration. Cross-functional collaboration brings together individuals with diverse skills, perspectives, and backgrounds to tackle complex challenges. However, those of us who have worked at a large organization know that this can often prove difficult due to the "silos" operating model (departments operating independently and not sharing information). Actual silos for reference Some of the difficulties may include conflicting priorities, communication breakdowns, turf wars, and resistance to change. By fostering open dialogue, organizations can unlock synergies, leverage complementary strengths, and achieve greater alignment towards shared objectives. In other words, tear down the silos ! Doing this effectively means pr omoting...

The word "storytelling" often evokes images of fairy tales or ghost stories told around a campfire (with a flashlight held under the chin for dramatic effect, of course). But telling a story can also be applied in the workplace and can be an effective tool for employee communications. Whether it is sharing company values, navigating changes, or celebrating successes, storytelling plays a vital role in shaping organizational culture. That about sums it up... At its core storytelling is crafting a narrative that is both compelling and relatable. It is about building rapport and empathy with the audience using stories and narratives to which they can relate. When done effectively it can engage, inspire, and motivate people to do their best work. Having an engaged and inspired workforce is the goal of any communications professional, so why not weave a story into the usual message flow? On a personal note, I always responded more favorably to workplace communications where I felt...

Over the course of my career in foreign exchange I was witness to many market upheavals, including the Asian financial crisis of 1997, the adoption of the Euro in 1999, and Brexit in 2016. I suppose I could have thrown "Y2K" in there, but we all know how that turned out. One event I did not mention, but that really stands out for me is the Swiss National Bank (SNB) removing the Swiss franc (CHF) peg against the Euro (EUR) in 2015. Whereas the other crises I mentioned unfolded over the course of months or even years (Brexit even had a scheduled vote), the SNB acted abruptly and without warning. This is what we call in the markets a  Black Swan event -  completely unexpected and catastrophic.   Deceptively Beautiful Just minutes after the announcement, the EUR/CHF rate plunged 20%, and the trading desk where I worked was in chaos. As the events unfolded, we went into crisis communications mode. We first had to make sure we were getting accurate information, as there wa...

I spent most of my career working what are commonly known as "market hours" here on the west coast (I am based in San Francisco). "Market" refers to the U.S. stock market, which is based in New York, and runs from 9:30am - 4pm ET (6:30am - 1pm PT).  Although I worked in the foreign exchange (FX) department at a bank and not at a stock trading firm, I still followed the same schedule. New York is also a major hub for FX trading, especially during the morning hours when London is still open, and the two centers overlap. This is your brain on coffee. Any questions? I should clarify that my team did not follow the stock market hours exactly, rather it was a frame of reference. In fact, we usually came in earlier and left later. Typically, the day started at 5:30am PT and ended at 2:30pm PT, but those hours could vary. For example, most U.S. government agencies release economic data at 5:30am PT, which may trigger market volatility. On those days we would come in closer...