Connection to the Real World

As we work on building a broad base of knowledge about the field(s) of communication from the idyllic surroundings of Coker College in Hartsville, S. C., it is important that we find ways to bring in the lessons of what is fondly referred to as the real world. This coming semester I have the good fortune to be teaching one of my favorite classes, Organizational Communication. This is a class taught with the vision of being able to combine lessons in theory with lessons of practicality with hands-on experiences with organizational communication. The vision is broad but there are times when you can see it take a firm hold.

That brings us to the subject of this blog, a quick summary of an article by Milt Weinstock, who is the CEO of Stone Soup Marketing, a consulting firm. Writing in the July 14 issue of ADVERTISING AGE (P20), he talks about the lessons taught him by Ed Meyer, who was CEO of Grey Advertising. (Aside -- just found out Stone Soup Marketing is in Statesville, NC.)

The lessons that Milt Weinstock features and highlights in his article are ideas I try, in a variety of ways, to get across to the Coker communication students. At some point in the class this coming semester, I plan to use this article as a reading for the students. Here are the ten lessons that Mr. Weinstock says he learned from Mr. Meyer over 35 years with Grey Worldwide:

1. Perform with a sense of urgency
2. Acknowledge the good
3. There's no such thing as a small client
4. Relationships are our most important asset
5. Share the bad news early
6. Loyalty is long remembered
7. There is no substitute for knowledge
8. Winning is a team effort
9. Recognize that business is a marathon, not a 100-yard dash
10. Being proactive makes you stand out

Important lessons that need to be learned and relearned by those working in many fields with special emphasis for those of us in communication.