Month: September 2008

Telling Our Story, Even in Uncertain Times

When the going gets tough do the tough stop caring? This is a thought that came to me after I read Patricia Martin’s post Cause Marketing’s Fate Tied to Economic Woes. The idea that economic uncertainty brings causes or issues we’d normally stand tall for to the bottom of the heap is a bit jarring. Is this a reaction born of selfishness or simply the way we humans are hardcoded?  A couple of weeks ago, papers and library conversation were sprinkled with the “news” that there seems to be an upswing in library usage as the economy begins to get a bit crunchier. Would these same users attend a community forum to discuss the future of their libraries? Would they give to a library’s annual fund? Ulimately times of uncertainly are ripe with opportunity. How are we considering telling our story during this particular time? How are speaking of our value when “value” begins to have several meanings?

When to say No Vacancy…

Some thoughts that have occurred to me in the past few weeks as far as when to hang out the sign (or “when to say No Way!)…

–No Vacancy–when it comes to making declarations, decisions or policies simply because it’s what they want to hear

–No Vacancy–for taking the Easy-in-the-Short-Run and Deal-with-it-Later leadership

–No Vacancy–for putting off questions, discussions and decisions that are crying for attention.

Here’s the deal with hanging out No Vacancy signs–everyone, well most everyone, knows that the No Vacancy sign really means “don’t bother me,” “don’t rock the boat,” or “I don’t want to deal with this now (ever).”

So, let’s flip it around. Let’s take down the No Vanancy Signs…and try “Welcome” or “Newly Envisioned” or “Ask Me” signs instead.