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Shame - Last Vestige of Puritanism Flares Up Only When Losing $

Sent off to prison. So? That's a solid platform for a comeback - and maybe a presidential pardon.

Lose a job? Happens all the time. You may be invited to give a TED Talk on the Dickensian work place.

Can't keep marriages going? That can position and package you as a celebrity type. The assumption is that you must have the wealth to keep up with the alimony, child support, and legal bills.

The current reality is that none of this will put you in the shame box (unless you don't like yourself and allow others to deepen your less-than feelings).

Society has come a long way since the Puritans leveraged shaming as a mode of social control.

But the piece of shaming which holds on in capitalism is when you lose money. The mindset is shame on you.

There's plenty of that to go around this week. The financially comfortable in the community who are a lot less comfortable are being derided for not hedging the risk more effectively. No deference will be accorded them when they show up in country club on the Gold Coast of Connecticut this evening for dinner.

Likewise, real estate megawatt success and "Shark Tank" panel member Barbara Corcoran is being shamed. She lost nearly $400,000 through a phishing scam. 

The takeaway here is: If the equities market is doing a number on you, keep that to yourself. 

UPDATE:

Corcoran's name is removed from the Corridor of Shame. She got back her money. New York Post provides details.

Smart global ghostwriting, with SEO and social networking know-how. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

Black Swan COVID-19 - That 10,000 Could Be Low Estimate for RIFs

That was expected: A corporation buffeted by the current economic uncertainty makes the decision to conduct a reduction in force (RIF).

The company laying off is Cisco. The Wall Street Journal provides more details.

A major variable in the uncertainty is, of course, the coronavirus. Until that Black Swan is understood and contained, global business will continue to lose its footing. Goldman Sachs predicts that in the U.S., corporations could experience zero growth.

The impact on legal services could be heavy. Sure, those firms which have already beefed out their restructuring and bankruptcy practices are positioned well. But others could themselves be in financial distress if corporations back away from big-ticket items like bet the ranch litigation and M&A.

Therefore, RIFs, as in 2008, probably will be the norm. For the legal sector, this time, the number could be 10,000. Actually that could be a low estimate.

The good news on that is more businesses offer outplacement. There, displaced employees receive comprehensive services, ranging from data about the labor market to resume/cover letter assistance. That is programmed for the former workers to have a "soft landing." The traditional definition of a "soft landing" means another employment situation with comparable compensation.

Actually, now that outplacement exists, professionals have a platform for reimagining their career path. And, they don't have to pay out of their own pockets for what it takes to make that fresh start.

There's only one must: Those who have been laid off have to be open to what could be. As the old saying goes, one door has to close before a new one opens. Here, free to download, is my book on exiting comfort zones. 

The typical example of being stuck in an unmarketable job history is the 60+ lawyer from publishing. Her age was against her. Publishing is a downsizing field. Her business experience over the years equipped her for management positions in fields such as residential real estate.

She would have none of it. She was determined to be a lawyer per se. After the company-funded outplacement ended she remained jobless and decided to apply for Social Security early. 

Full Disclosure: After being laid off from middle management in a major food corporations I leveraged the resources of outplacement to launch my own communications boutique. That transition was traumatic. But it panned out. I remain a business owner, not an employee.

Coaching, lecturing, and writing/ghostwriting thought leadership content on human resources and careers.

For individual coaching – sliding scale fees. Complimentary initial consultation. The special area of expertise is the displaced over-50 professional. Please contact Jane Genova janegenova374@gmail.com.

Unusual Tenant-Landlord Dispute - Grand Central Terminal Lease

The lease with the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is for $50K a month. It runs until 2028. That covers the space Joe Germanotta rents in Grand Central Station for his Art Bird & Whisky Bar. 

The Wall Street Journal reports that Germanotta wants to exit the lease or re-negotiate that $50K monthly rent.

His beef is that the growing number of homeless in Grand Central are hurting his business. 

Anyone who has been in Grand Central recently understands exactly what Germanotta is talking about. 

There has always been the homeless in Grand Central. At one time they slept on the large benches. Then the benches were removed. They went away for a while, then returned.

Currently, given that homelessness is so severe in New York City, it's no surprise that there are many more homeless in Grand Central than there had been.

They sit in eating and drinking areas, which many of those paying for services find unpleasant.

They could suffer from mental illness, scaring others.

And, some are criminals. That makes danger very palpable. Such a threat can drive away customers.

Businesspeople should have enormous sympathy for the pickle Germanotta is in. This will be an interesting dispute to follow.

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The Extreme Power of Conversations - "A Million Little Things"

The current meme in communications is: Conversations.  

If they are authentic, they are supposed to cement the bonds between human beings.

And, connection is considered the only thing we can hang our hats on in these confusing times.

Well, tonight's episode of "A Million Little Things" focused on conversations. To everyone's surprise, they became possible between people who had been estranged.

Rome and his father actually talk about feelings. That happens because Rome, during a conversation with an important movie producer, is able to feel his father's pain. Abruptly, Rome exits the conversation with the producer and reaches out to dad.

All's well that ends well. Dad considers having a conversation with therapist Maggie about his pain since he lost his wife. And the movie producer respects Rome's priorities. He will make Rome's movie.

D. and Sophie talk about love, the real kind and the desperate version. That kicks off with Sophie admitting she's on the birth control pill. It leads Sophie to ask D if she loved Jon. The answer to that is "yes."

Then the question is if she loved Eddie. The answer is "no." They were both, at the time, lost. Katherine and he were emotionally on different planets. After all, Katherine was chasing making partner at a law firm. Jon and D. hadn't had sex for years. 

Eddie talks to Dakota about what success entails. At first, she won't listen. Her rage is palpable. Because of it, she almost throws away her shot at fame.

Eddie guides her through disclosing how difficult it had been for her to grow up in North Dakota. She took her stage name from that state where people laughed at her dreams. Somehow Eddie is able to convince her to override the rage for just one album. She agrees.

But there is one conversation which is about to happen which could put in play a catastrophe. Derek, Eve's abusive boyfriend, finds her.

If he doesn't sign the consent form giving up his parental rights to the fetus she is carrying, Regina and Rome don't get the baby. So, Eve agrees to go with Derek to have a conversation. Regina and Rome try to stop her. As she leaves the restaurant with Derek she could be walking into a death trap. 

Unfortunately, Gary and Maggie can't have a conversation to sort out what their feelings are for each other. So, each remains in emotional limbo.

Next week's episode could bring intense pain for Regina and Rome. Eve seems naïve in her hope that Derek will sign away his rights to the baby. If she angers him, he could murder her and the baby she is carrying. His violence is easily set off and serious. She has a large scar from when he scalded her with hot water.

Meanwhile, no one in this series has come any closer to understanding who Jon was and why he jumped from the balcony of his office. 

Smart global ghostwriting, with SEO and social networking know-how. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

COVID-19 and Four-Leggers - Government Will Have to Make Policies

It's what parents of four-leggers most feared: Their pet children could contract COVID-19.

While the official scientific word is on hold about that, what is known is this: A pomeranian in Hong Kong has tested positive for the coronavirus and is in quarantine. His pet parent Yvonne Chow Hau Ye has also tested positive. Daily Mail provides more details.

This case could be an aberration. Or it could be the beginning of many more reports of dogs and perhaps other kinds of animals being diagnosed with COVID-19.

If the latter is what plays out then there will have to be an investigation of how the transmission takes place. Is it human to animal or animal to human? In addition, there will have to be government - national, state, local - policies on prevention, testing, treatment, and quarantine. 

Meanwhile, pet parents need lots more information on prevention. Should their four-leggers avoid other four-leggers and other humans? Should those walks outside be solitary? Will there be criminal action taken against pet parents who don't alert authorities about illnesses among their four-leggers? 

Place your sponsored content on this blog. Here are 6 tips for search engine optimization (SEO) in 2020. Coaching on SEO and Ghostwriting for sponsored content also available. Sliding scale fees. Please take advantage of a complimentary consultation janegenova374@gmail.com.

Legal Marketing/Public Relations - The Great Reimagining

Don Draper's world in "Mad Men" was one of extreme creativity.

For many the memory of the Kodak Carousel Pitch remains embedded as an example of brilliant messaging.

Every time I see a teenager I reflect on Draper's monologue about the nostalgia for childhood lost.

That was then. And, many marketing and public relations experts in the legal sector already recognize the shift.

Now, both marketing in all its permutations and combinations and public relations are locked into having down cold Digital Everything. Sure, creativity figures in. It has to. But most of that happens on digital platforms. Not all, of course. But most.

More and more full-time jobs and assignments require search engine optimization (SEO) know-how as well as experience with Google's offerings for advertising, including PPC (pay per click). Those in the promotions game who haven't made a full transition to that dimension can't provide clients what they want and need. And, from the get-go, it shows. The language of the sale is the terminology of digital branding, influence, and conversions.

So, it's no surprise that old-line player WPP has announced a revenue decline.

As Kevin McCauley reports in O'Dwyer PR, in terms of like-for-like revenue. for Q4, it went down 1.9%.

For the full year, there was a decline of 1.6%.

Along with that, the public relations agencies under the WPP umbrella also suffered a downward trajectory. For the group, there had been a 1% decline. 

WPP leader Mark Read promises a new strategy.

That better be a dynamic one. What's digital mutates rapidly.

Incidentally, O'Dwyer PR had been an early adopter in digital.

Here is my recent article published on the changing landscape in SEO.

Here is a how-to on long-tail keywords. Google has shifted to a more intuitive less robotic approach. 

And, here is how to get to the top of organic search through Featured Snippets.

At the point of sale, what prospects and potential employers want to review is a track record for the vendor's/job applicant's outreach. That means the mandate for agencies and solos to track metrics and maintain the documentation.

Recently, LinkedIn chose a post from my syndicated blog as an Editor's Selection. 

Uber, Postmates - Judge Rules Against Temporary Injunction on Enforcement if CA AB 5

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With that out there, visits to my LinkedIn Profile increased 230% that week. About a 30% boost is being sustained. Responses to my Call to Action in my individualized pitches rose almost 100%. 

Takeaway: Reimagine your menu of services, how you promote them, and how you track/broadcast results. The old-fashioned way of putting that is: Learn and earn.

Smart global ghostwriting, with SEO and social networking know-how. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

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Law School Applications Down 29% Since 2010 - Situation Could Worsen in Recession, Post-Trump Bump

As the recovery gained traction, law school deans could exhale, somewhat.

Many recall all the empty seats after the financial crash of 2008.

With better times, media outlets were no playing up all the unemployed JDs with big loan debt. Those stories had been the main attraction of Abovethelaw.

In addition, there was the Trump Bump, that is, the actions of an Administration which raised myriad legal issues.

Also, PPP had evolved into millions of dollars, not hundreds of thousands. Money talks. 

But, still, applications to law schools declined 29% since 2010, points out Law.com. A combination of Trump losing the election and a severe recession could worsen that decline. Deans at law schools could kiss their jobs good-bye is they can't fill enough seats. Many law schools would have to shut down.

So, Law.com called attention to the findings of a survey by AccessLex Institute. It probes into what motivates college students to apply to law school. Here is a copy of the study.

Looking at the findings would help deans target the right students (market segments) with the right messaging during the undergraduate years - and even before.

Among the survey findings:

•  Interest in law school starts out when students enter college. It usually doesn't develop during the undergraduate years. 
•  Half of those interested plan to use a law degree for some other career path than practicing law.
•  Those who will apply usually are engaged in activities beyond the classroom. That might be serving in leadership positions in the community. They tend to focus on communications skills. Their academic strengths don't include math.

This kind data can guide deans on outreach to not only college students but also those still in high school. The option of going the route of law school should be presented as early as possible.

Place your sponsored content on this blog. Here are 6 tips for search engine optimization (SEO) in 2020. Coaching on SEO and Ghostwriting for sponsored content also available. Sliding scale fees. Please take advantage of a complimentary consultation janegenova374@gmail.com.