Movember Tips from a Dedicated Mo

Tweet

By Chancelor Shay, Account Executive

While at the supermarket picking up supplies for Thanksgiving, did you find yourself thinking, “What's with all these horrendous mustaches?” Those in the know can tell you it’s no coincidence you’re seeing more mo’s around this time of year as the annual fundraising challenge Movember is in full swing. If you didn't know, Movember is an annual month-long campaign where men grow out their Flavor Savers to raise money and awareness for men’s health issues, particularly prostate and testicular cancer. Proud participants, such as myself, build teams and set up online accounts where friends, family, colleagues and extended supporters can donate some of their hard-earned cash to help the cause.

In my third year, I’m hardly an expert. In fact, that’s not even the point. But I have learned a few things and while I was sharing some tips with NBC San Diego, I decided a more thorough list of pointers was warranted. These guidelines won’t help thicken your Lip Rug, or at least they didn't for mine, but they will help you get the most out of your efforts and have a lot of fun in the process.

Create the conversation! First and foremost, Movember isn't simply an excuse to don a 'stache, it’s a movement not only to help fund research to develop a cure or treatment for a disease that affects one in two men, it’s also to make preventative and proactive men’s health decisions mainstream and acceptable. When someone compliments your Mouth Brow, don’t just say thanks; take it a step further and create a dialogue which will help connect them with the movement. Hopefully, this will have a ripple effect where they start other conversations around men’s health issues (and mustaches) and it keeps going.

Solicit team members, not donations. There are plenty of people with their hand out asking for money and many times it’s for a worthy cause. But if you ask a friend to join your team, they now have a vested interest in the team’s success and bring with them resources and connections that benefit your team and the entire campaign. The more people spreading the message and encouraging donations the more funds your team will raise. It’s simple math.

Share your team’s successes. Fundraising 101 says you don’t actively solicit donations until you’ve raised more than half your goal. While that can’t be true for this type of campaign, apply that concept and announce when you or your team receives a donation. Everyone wants to be on the winning team, so showing your team is doing well will renew interest and excitement in your campaign.

Stay committed! For many new mo growers, there’s a stage of awkwardness where your mustache is beyond stubble, but visible enough to get a few weird looks. Don’t give up! Continue to groom and shape your Muzzy regularly. I promise, your efforts will be rewarded.

Get personal. Compassion rarely translates in the digital world, so stay away from an impersonal social media blast asking for money. While that can generate some donations from others you know that are already passionate about the cause, it won’t inspire others who are yet to care. Talk about it when catching up with friends during happy hour. Your contagious enthusiasm will be more effective in getting friends on board and willing to open up their wallet.

Don’t forget the mo sistas! Just as NFL players don pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month, it’s important to include women in your team’s men’s health campaign and capitalize on the benefits that brings.

Say thanks! Say thanks for joining the team, spreading the word, generating donations…for everything! Everyone has 25 hours worth of obligations to fit into 24 hours. So when others create a blog post, send a shout out, even fill out the short form to join your team, they took time away from doing something else — not to mention disposable income is at a premium for most. Every dollar they donate to your campaign is a dollar they’re not saving for travel, using on a date with their significant other or spending on something else that makes them happy. That is worth a quick “thank you” note, right?

Have fun! Cookie Dusters are supposed to be fun, especially for those who don’t rock them year round. So get creative and have some fun with it. Personally, I like to name my mo and adopt a fitting persona. This year I've named it The Errol, after Errol Flynn, whom some say I resemble. I have to admit, I feel like I walk around with a certain air of Old Hollywood pizzazz and sophistication now that The Errol has graced my upper lip. Not to mention, every major city in the U.S. holds an end of Movember party. Hope to see many of you at the SD gala.

These tips are tried and proven, and great to keep in mind during your Movember efforts. But there are other Movember related problems that will arise…such as how to deal with the throngs of women infatuated with your Crumb Catcher. I don’t have a tip for that, but I imagine you’ll figure out a good solution. And to my mustache’s biggest fan: Sorry, but this thing is gone when the calendar flips to December, Mom. 

Don’t Just Talk, Say Something

Tweet

By Maureen Legg, Account Executive

You’re at the end of your rope and they’ve given you enough to hang yourself. They wanted the job done yesterday but they’re not playing with a full deck. That big idea they had is on the tip of your tongue but you can’t put your finger on it. You’ve got a lot on your mind and need someone to take this project off your hands so you can get a grip and figure out what the heck they want. Well, wake up and smell the coffee, my friend. You’ve got to break a few eggs to make an omelet. So if you really want to whip up something special you’ve got to bite the bullet, mosey back in there and ask them what they meant.

Communication.

As communications professionals, we know better than anyone that it’s an art. Especially when it comes to giving direction. But what many people don’t realize is that it is also a critical component of productivity.

How many times have you stalled on a project because you really weren’t sure what was being asked of you?

As the loquacious Mike Meyers said in The Cat in the Hat,  “Well, sure, he can talk. But is he saying anything? No, not really…”

Quality communication not only engenders efficiency, it also boosts employee morale and impacts client satisfaction. Did you know that Communications is one of the top 10 college majors, according to The Princeton Review? And yet, the workplace is a minefield of unclear communication. People get confused. They waste time. They do it wrong. They miss deadlines. They feel bad about themselves. It’s a vicious cycle that can be broken by brushing up on a perhaps obvious but often underutilized skill set.

Be specific. If you’re asking somebody to do something, presumably you know a bit about what it’s going to take to get it done. Share that wisdom with your co-worker. While everyone loves a “self-starter,” pointing them in the right direction utilizes your big brain and helps them to be successful.

Invite questions. Co-workers may be embarrassed that they don’t know something they are expected to understand. While it’s great when someone “gets you,” giving them an invitation to clarify lets them off the hook when they don’t.

Bear the burden of successful transmission. I once had a supervisor say to me, “You need to read my color chart to figure out the best way to communicate with me.” Successful communication is not a one-way street. As a supervisor, take responsibility for making sure the task is understood.

Check in. Instead of waiting until it’s too late and they are long down the wrong path, schedule a status call to confirm all is well or respond to new questions that have surfaced.

Set deadlines. You know…with a date and time. Contrary to popular opinion, ASAP is not a real deadline, and “when you get a chance” is not really respecting someone’s time.

Confirm expectations. While we assume everyone has the same quality standards, reminders that the data should be proofed, fact checked or recalculated is never a waste of time.

Stay on point. Burying direction in a long and complicated explanation only dilutes focus and understanding on the receiving end. Try bullet-pointing the direction via email and then following up with a live discussion. This also gives a co-worker time to digest the direction and formulate questions.

Keep the team in the loop. Being clear on who’s doing what avoids duplication of a task and allows everyone to plan their workflow. It also enables managers to communicate effectively with clients about the status of projects.

Communicate about communication. In fact, make it a core value in your workplace. Review this skill set, discuss expectations and determine how course corrections will be made on a one-to-one basis.

In conclusion, I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.

If that’s the case, call me.

Image credit: studiom1 / 123RF Stock Photo