« August 2006 | Main | October 2006 »
September 25, 2006
Triumph of the Human Spirit
I saw the preview of a bold theatrical presentation on bipolar disorder (also known as manic depressive illness) at an off-Broadway theater in New York City on Thursday, which was funded by an Edelman client. The acting company presents three vignettes on living with someone who has bipolar disorder. In one skit, a young woman buys twelve varieties of household cleaner, then proceeds to remove spots and soot from the rug and the window sill, starting at 2:30 in the morning, reaming out her husband for reining in her enthusiasm. Intended to be a press event on Tuesday the experience thrust me back in time to my own home over 30 years ago.
I had just arrived home from my freshman year in college. I was informed that my mother had taken to her bed. Strange, I thought, she couldn't wait to see me, at least according to our most recent phone conversations. Then the bedroom door burst open and my mother strode down the hallway in our apartment, stark naked, mumbling words like "wang, bang, mang, hang." She was in a hurry, oblivious to her nakedness, unable to do more than nod in my direction. She strode back and forth in this agitated state for a half hour. I called my father at the office, begging him to come home, while I persuaded my mother to don a bathrobe. She was taken to a mental institution for a few days while the doctors stabilized her. She had been so profoundly depressed that her physician had prescribed "an upper" which sent her beyond normal into a super-mania.
My father recounted her descent into manic depressive illness. This had been a closely guarded secret, even from her three children. We always thought it a bit strange that my mother would be able to sustain such incredible bursts of energy. She would be able to work with us on our homework, accompany my father on one of his myriad business dinners and organize a major charity event. Then she would collapse, taking to her bed for a few days of what seemed to be normal R and R. We attributed this to her perfectionist streak and a periodic long nap. For her, it was always the needs of others that had to come first, for us it was easier not to know so that our lives could proceed as usual.
We learned early on that her father had died when she was only four. We had been told that he drank bad bathtub gin at a speakeasy during Prohibition in the early 30s, which poisoned him. Now the true story came out; my grandfather had also been a manic depressive, had not been treated, and killed himself in despair.
My mother is fortunate to be in the first generation of patients who have a range of anti-depressants that can be used to moderate mood swings. It seems that each of the drugs has a span of effectiveness from 18 months to 2 years for my mother. Then she is again part of a personal clinical trial, in the experimental phase with multiple drugs, looking for that middle ground that does not dull her vibrant personality but also does not allow her to fly into the stratosphere. There have been difficult moments while she is in these interludes, such as her total loss of control in front of the Regency Hotel in New York City a decade ago, when she verbally attacked my father, the doorman and even the late Bob Tisch, the hotel owner, about everything from not getting a taxi quickly enough to the lousy food and pathetic service at the hotel. When asked about her behavior only 30 minutes later, she remembered nothing about the incident.
Don't feel sorry for Ruth Edelman. She does not want that. She believes that God gave her this condition because she could handle it. She has become an outspoken advocate for Federal funding of mental health, testifying before Congress. She has tirelessly lobbied for workplace rights and business reimbursement of mental health expenditures. Now well into her seventies, she is proud that she has maintained an active and normal lifestyle.
Look around you and see whether any of your friends or colleagues exhibit this type of behavior. Then go with them to a psycho-pharmacologist and make certain they are getting help. And don't listen to them when they quote from "Touched With Fire: Manic Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament," suggesting that the manic depressive state and artistic achievement (or madness and genius) are related and that you should not deprive them of their potential for greatness. It may be true that Mendelssohn, Byron, van Gogh, Coleridge, Sylvia Plath and other geniuses were manic depressives but author Kay Redfield Jamison's real conclusion is that lengthy calm periods may allow more sustained productivity. My story has a happy ending; make sure that yours has the same.
Posted by Edelman at 1:09 PM |
Comments
Richard, thank you for the post. I also have a parent (father) with bipolar disorder that first manifested when I was seven years old. Thank goodness my mother decided to tell all of us (4 children) what Dad was going through. I have diary entries saying ?Dad had to be taken away to a hospital today. He will not be coming back for a while. He has to take medicine everyday forever.? Because I grew up with that knowledge and an understanding of what bipolar disorder is, my family was able to help another person. When my older brother started to manifest at the age of sixteen, we were able to connect him with doctors and medication to help him succeed. My father and mother have not had an easy time with the illness and the social stigma of having a "mental disorder" was never easy. As a result of being an open book with our friends and community, many additional opportunities to help others have been afforded us and all my siblings do not have to harbor a ?secret.? Knowledge is power and you are exercising a powerful muscle by telling your story.
Also, I agree with your statements about treatment options. I have seen my father at his most frail moments without his medication and honestly, it is frightening on both ends (depressed and manic). Granted, we may be a family of "geneses" but functioning in everyday society is something that is very important to each of us. Thank you for using your personal experience to address that hotly debated topic.
Thank you again for posting this message and taking the time to tell your story. You are helping someone today!
Posted by: Michelle at September 25, 2006 2:21 PM
Thanks for posting this, Richard. What's the name of this play, and this theater? I'd like to be able to recommend it to people i know in the NYC area.
Like you, I am close to some people with bipolar disorder, and I know how difficult this illness can be -- not just because of the difficulty in treating it effectively, and not just because of the chaos it causes, but also because of the layers of shame and secrecy often attached to it.
As a matter of fact, about a year ago I did a survey on my weblog Contentious asking people about their comfort level with various types of personal disclosures on web sites that they read mainly for professional reasons. The second most negative reaction I found was to a hypothetical disclosure of depression -- a very common mood disorder.
See: http://contentious.com/archives/2005/08/16/survey-question-5-disclosure-of-mental-illness
Shame and fear are two big reasons why any kind of mental illness goes untreated, mistreated, or under-treated. And obviously, with lack of understanding of mental health issues so widespread and mentall illness still being generally taboo, mentally ill people do have reason to fear others' reactions.
I figure one of the best things we can do to improve the outlook for everyone's mental health is to be willing to discuss mental illness frankly and in constructive terms -- as you've done here. Bravo.
- Amy Gahran
Posted by: Amy Gahran at September 25, 2006 3:28 PM
How refreshing to hear people talk so candidly and openly about Mental Health.The fear and stigma attached to these issues such as bipolar are still very evident, especially in the UK. Here in the UK on BBC1 they are running a documentary series presented by Stephen Fry interviewing celebrities who suffer from the disease. Stephen Fry who has bipolar disorder says "There's no doubt that I do have extremes of moods that are greater than just about anybody else I know." The series is great as it has really lifted the lid on the issues surrounding mental health,exposing the disease and showing how it affects suffers and their family. In my support I am running in The Great North Run this Sunday 1st Oct 06, a half a marathon in the aid of Mind the Mental Health Charity and lots of lovely people here at Edelman London have sponsored me- so thank you all so very much.If anyone else would like to donate to this event, they can do so my clicking on the link below http://www.justgiving.com/lindyloo I must remember when running that exercise is excellent for your mental health or so the voices in my head tell me! Posted by Linda Hall at September 26, 2006 5:35 AM
Posted by: Linda Hall at September 26, 2006 5:46 AM
Richard,
Your dad gave me my very first job 20 years ago and I have always considered him to be one of my role models for a number of reasons both in business and in life. While I didn't know of your mother's illness I am not at all surprised at how successfully she and your family have faced these challenges.
My daughter has a hearing loss and has had to where hearing aids since kindergarten. We have always told her that this was her gift from God and what she chose to do with it was up to her. For her it was never an excuse but a reason to do even more.
It is hard to remember that no matter what challenges we are given in life it is always better to own them as a part of the journey!
Thanks for the great post!
Posted by: LaVonn (Plummer) Schlegel at September 26, 2006 11:41 AM
Richard,
Thanks for the courage to deal with a personal family medical challenge head on in your blog. Let us pray that it spurs others to seek the help they need for themselves, family members and friends. You are an inspiration for all of us who try to deal with the world in an open and truthful manner. Not only good for us personally, but also professonally as PR counselors.
Bill Church
Posted by: Bill Church at September 26, 2006 1:46 PM
Richard - amongst the many things I have read today, this is the standout piece. It is deeply personal but relevant to us all - your message is powerful and affecting.
Posted by: Joanna Tidball at September 26, 2006 4:25 PM
I met Marilynn Mobley from your Atlanta office at a Duke University event last night. She directed me to your blog after I recalled with fondness your parents. Thank goodness for your openness on the subject, and that your Mom sought help. I know two marriages that the condition ravaged, and I am happy to know your parents are doing well together, and that your mother plays an active role in helping others affected. Best regards to all your family, especially your mother, who was most welcoming to me and my sister in Chicago years ago.
Posted by: Ann Bierbower Lally at September 30, 2006 8:50 AM
Your story reminded me of Chicago Magazine's Rebecca Cutler. Her parents created a foundation in her honor:
http://www.rebeccacutlerfoundation.org/rebecca-dream.html
You should get in touch with them.
Sincerely,
Rita
Posted by: Rita Desai at October 2, 2006 9:40 AM
Richard,
I was actually looking at your website (since its content has been praised) and found your blog. Just sent it to my daughter Meredith, a college sophomore who was diagnosed bipolar at 14. In hindsight she's likely had it since early childhood. Meredith is remarkable --she's one of the most articulate and resilient people I know. She is also very open about her disease. Not only does she have bipolar but she struggles with learning differences and another chronic illness as well. She is starting a mental health advocacy group at her school Alma College. In high school she testified before our state legislature for better treatment and insurance coverage for those with mental illnesses and even wrote her college essay about being bipolar.
Posted by: Maura Campbell at October 5, 2006 10:26 AM
Thank you so much for sharing this story!
Although I am not very familiar with manic depression, major depression runs in my family. Therefore, I have very strong opinions on this topic and I am extremely passionate about creating awareness of this widespread and often misunderstood illness. From my experience, understanding depression as a medical illness instead of a "character flaw" usually only comes when someone you know and love experiences it. Suddenly, the magnitude and devastation of this illness becomes so real, and you truly recognize the need for treatment.
I always say that having a mother, and several other family members who have had depression, is both the most negative, and the most positive aspect of my life. To see someone you love become a different person because of depression is devastating; but to see them overcome the illness and emerge as a stronger person - ironically - makes it all worth it.
Much like you, my story has a happy ending. Every one of my family members who has been diagnosed with depression has also reaped the benefits of anti-depressants, making me a strong advocate for treatment as well. They are all leading happy, healthy and fulfilling lives and, along with your mother, have garnered a great amount of respect from everyone that has the honor of being around them ... myself included.
Posted by: Jamie at October 10, 2006 3:13 PM
Dear Richard:
In a phone call last night with Elaine, she happened to mention your blog on your mother's bipolar disorder. I got up early this morning to read it, and was bowled over by what I read. Not for the reasons you might first assume, however.
My 11-year-old-son, Patrick, has early onset bipolar disorder. We had known something wasn't quite "right" with Patrick from the time he was 3. After 5 years of taking him from one therapist or psychiatrist to another, and chasing many misdiagnoses, we were lucky enough to find a professional at Mass General who could tell us what was going on with him.
I am so proud to see that you're sharing your mom's diagnosis with the world via your blog. If I had known the extent of bipolar disorder in Steve's (my husband's) family, we might have saved years of agonizing over what was wrong with our little boy, and wondering why we were such awful parents that we were raising a son who threw hour-long temper tantrums at the age of 7, had no friends, and couldn't seem to stop beating up his big brother.
I had heard stories that Steve's paternal aunt and possibly an uncle, might have suffered from manic depression, but it wasn't talked about in his family It wasn't until we got Patrick's diagnosis and I called up his aunt in Michigan to ask her if it was true that she was bipolar, that I found out, "bipolar disorder runs rampant through our family" (her words). Now I've taken it upon myself to talk to Steve's extended family about this disease and what they should look out for in their own kids. I wish my in-laws and some of Steve's other relatives realized the potential harm they were causing by pretending it's not happening and thinking that maybe it would just go away if they ignored the problem.
I always heard that parenthood brings more worries with it than any other change in your life, and I never believed it more than when I had a bipolar child. I worry about his face puffing up from all the Lithium he takes. I worry about the side effects of the antipsychotic medicines he takes. I worry about him succeeding in school when he's too wrung out at the end of the day to pay attention because he's had to hold his emotions in check all day. I worry about whether he'll ever be able to live on his own. I worry that one of my other kids or my husband will exhibit symptoms some day. I worry about Social Services coming to our home one day because Patrick has lost it and, in a raging fit, has pushed his little brother into a brick wall.
I can find myself starting to wallow in self-pity and worry about what will happen to this kid, but then I have to focus on the good things. We are so blessed to live where we do -- we see a psychiatric nurse practitioner whose supervising MD is one of the top experts in the country on pediatric bipolar disorder, and we have a wonderful family therapist. (If they could just find a BP drug that worked on an ongoing basis. The drug merry-go-round can be maddening -- you find one combination that works, then he grows two inches or has some new hormones kick in and it throws the whole thing out of whack.)
But you're right about it being best not to feel sorry about it. Patrick's situation can be heartbreaking if I let myself think about it too much, so I try to think about the incredible gifts we've been given in this child. He's extremely bright (although he suffers from some executive function disabilities common with BP kids), has a witty sense of humor, is very generous, and has a heart of gold when he's feeling stable. He has a passion for WWII history and the space program, and can outfox any adult on his knowledge of both. He has a prodigious memory, never forgets anything he's read, and is great to have around to help with the Sunday crossword puzzle.
Anyway, I just wanted to congratulate you for having the courage to share your very personal family history on the web, and to let you know that, once you tell your story, it's amazing how many people you'll find who can relate personally to what you've been through.
Libby
Posted by: Elizabeth Fox at October 25, 2006 9:56 AM
Richard:
This is a profound posting.
Thank you for your leadership in telling us this aspect of your story with such truth and clarity.
It offers a great lesson in so many areas. All we really have is the truth of our story and when we tell it - it creates connectedness with others.
It is my ideal in being a communicator.
Your courage and straightforwardness are inspiring.
Connie
Posted by: Connie LaMotta at October 30, 2006 12:04 PM
Post a comment
| TrackBackSeptember 19, 2006
Ever Think About Your Ancestors? Here's A Possible Solution
Faithful readers of my blog might remember a post about two years ago on the Edelman family's journey from Russia and Poland, through Hamburg to New York City. I discovered that my paternal grandparents, Selig Edelman and Selma Pfeiffer, came separately to the United States as children. My grandfather, Selig, was a six year old who left his home in Minsk, Russia accompanied by his mother and his two sisters, leaving Hamburg on the ship Warrington in 1888. His father, a rabbi, Abraham Isaac Edelman, had gone ahead to earn money to fund the trip across the Atlantic. My grandmother, Selma, three years old, came with her entire family from Kalisch, Poland, including her musician father Heinrich, landing in New York in 1890. This was a great revelation to my father, who had always thought of himself of German extraction.
So enough of the Edelman family history, on to the real story, which is the opportunity for all of you in the blogosphere with relatives from Eastern Europe who came to the US from 1850-1934, to trace your own lineage. Hamburg was the preferred port of departure for many Russians, Poles, Czechs and Rumanians, especially Jews, going to North and South America. The neighboring Bremen was the port for Germans leaving for the New World in that period. In fact five million people came through Hamburg to Ellis Island, the immigration point prior to entry to New York City. The City of Hamburg has complete records, including shipping manifests, photos of the ships and emigration records, for that entire period.
The Mayor of Hamburg, Ole von Beust, visited my home last night to review plans for BallinStadt, Port of Dreams, a museum complex devoted to the stories of the emigration from Europe to the US. This 12 million Euro project will open on July 4, 2007. It is utilizing two of the buildings that were constructed by Albert Ballin, a German entrepreneur who operated the Hamburg America shipping line. At any given moment, 5,000 emigrants were in BallinStadt preparing for their voyage.
Should you wish to access your family's history, please contact Reinhard Wolf, chairman of the board of the Hamburg Maritime Foundation at reinhard.wolf@hk24.de or Jens Nitschke, the designer of the complex at j.nitschke@leisureworks.de.
Does any of this matter? Consider this quote from Ben Franklin, whose grave site I visited over the summer during an idle moment between meetings in Philadelphia (yes, I fill up spare time by going to historic sites...as I tell my wife, I could have a lot more dangerous vices!). "The Body of Ben Franklin, Printer. Like the cover of an old book, its contents torn out and stript of its lettering and gilding. Lies here food for worms but the work shall not be lost for it will as he believed appear once more in a new and more elegant edition, corrected and improved by the author." Whether literally or figuratively, Franklin makes the case for continuity and tradition. We should heed his admonition.
PS: I wanted to comment on the recent controversy caused by the remarks made by the Pope during his trip to Germany. The incident demonstrates the pitfalls of our sound bite culture for leaders offering a hypothesis with the intention of knocking it down. For any leader giving a speech in this environment, he or she must realize that any piece of their remarks can be taken out of context. It is critical to review speeches paragraph by paragraph, not only as a whole.
Technorati Tags:
Germany, Hamburg, Ancestors
Posted by Edelman at 4:13 PM |
Comments
Post a comment
| TrackBackSeptember 12, 2006
Tolerance and the Role of PR
There have been several incidents in recent months that call into question our society's ability to maintain a tolerant attitude at a time of geopolitical upheaval. We should not simply excuse the perpetrators on the grounds of momentary lapses of judgment. Words matter, often as precursors to action or indicators of future behavior. We need to hold our public figures, whether actors, government officials or businesspeople, responsible for their statements. We should not be so quick to forgive or forget.
Here are a few examples of misbehavior by those in important positions:
1) Reverend Andrew Young's statement regarding the closure of smaller, mom and pop stores due to competition with Wal-Mart. "But you see, those are the people who have been overcharging us-selling us stale bread and bad meat...I think they've ripped off our communities. First it was Jews, then it was Koreans and now it's Arabs." Rev. Young was a spokesman for Working Familes for Wal-Mart (Wal-Mart is an Edelman client).
2) Mel Gibson's anti-Semitic tirade against a local police officer who arrested him for drunk-driving.
3) Senator George Allen's use of a racial slur "Macaca" to refer to a man of Indian descent during a recent campaign rally. Note: Sen. Allen has stood by his assertion that "Macaca" had no derogatory meaning for him and that he was sorry for any misunderstanding. For the record, Macaca is a species of monkey.
4) Producer Mark Burnett and CBS's decision to divide the teams on this season's Survivor along racial lines. Now the competing teams will be Blacks, Hispanics, Whites and Asians. The new show is called "Survivor: Race Wars."
When this sort of racial or ethnic bias is manifest, it is not the role of public relations to repair the damage by face-saving stratagems. I was offended by Mr. Gibson's carefully crafted statement on the second day, after he failed to apologize on the critical day after his (in his own words) "vitriolic and harmful words."
Here are a few of Mel's immortal lines: "Every human being is God's child and if I wish to honor my God I have to honor his children. I am not just asking for forgiveness. I would like to take it one step further and meet with leaders in the Jewish community, with whom I can have a one-on-one discussion to discern the appropriate path for healing…I am asking the Jewish community, whom I have personally offended, to help me on my journey through recovery." Sorry Mel, but this sort of ploy is just a bit too cute for me. And by the way, you have never repudiated your father's noxious Holocaust revisionism.
Or how about the most recent lame attempt at spinning the benefits of the new racially divided teams for Survivor? The show's host Jeff Probst observed in the Washington Post that not all Asian cultures are the same, so the Asians will have to get along as team members. "When you start talking to a person from Asia, you realize -Wow! They have all different backgrounds!"
Contrast this artifice with Wal-Mart's blunt condemnation of Rev. Young's unacceptable remarks. Company spokeswoman Mona Williams said, "We were appalled when the comments came to our attention. We were also dismayed that they would come from someone who has worked so hard for so many years for equal rights in this country." Rev. Young resigned from his post as head of Working Families for Wal-Mart in the wake of this controversy.
The central figure in Goethe's Faust, speaking to the student Wagner said, "Thy heart by one sole impulse is possessed; Unconscious of the other still remains! Two souls, alas, are lodged within my breast; Which struggle there for undivided reign. One to the world with obstinate desire, And closely cleaving organs, still adheres; Above the mist, the other doth aspire, With sacred vehemence, to purer spheres." We should build public trust by demonstrating our commitment to diversity and tolerance, while refusing to accept words that are hurtful and discriminatory. We must be seen as agents of change, not defenders of a status quo that hides an ugly reality under the veneer of contrition.
Technorati Tags:
PR, Public Relations, Mel Gibson, Survivor, Wal-Mart, Senator George Allen, Reverend Andrew Young
Posted by Edelman at 11:53 AM |
Comments
Richard, thank you so much for this post. Each of these cases makes it clear that it's not enough anymore for PR practitioners to do damage control after the fact. They need to think strategically about how to *prevent* these situations from happening in the first place.
And that's where I think diversity training has come up short. In the last ten years, it's become a multi-million dollar industry and yet, the number of complaints filed with the Equal Employment Commission has not seen any significant decrease.
In my opinion, it's because so much of the diversity training out there is focused on teaching people how to get along in a very superficial way. In some cases, the underlying message is actually that if you can alter your behavior to effectively *hide* your prejudices, that's good for the organization.
But here's the problem: these prejudices don't always stay hidden. And when they rear their ugly heads, it's massively embarrassing for all parties involved.
I hope that companies will come to understand that it's in their best interests to advocate an anti-racist approach -- NOT a pro-diversity approach. We're living in a time when almost all organizations pay lip service to the idea of diversity, when laws and policies have been changed so that on paper we have racial equality, but in reality, people's hearts and minds have not changed.
"Diversity" has become such a meaningless concept that CBS is actually using it as the excuse for this sorry season of 'Survivor: Race Wars.' They've gone on the record as saying that this was their answer to criticisms about prior casts being too white.
Clearly, the emphasis on diversity has been incredibly ineffective, and we need to start thinking about advocating an anti-racist approach.
Posted by: Carmen Van Kerckhove at September 13, 2006 11:33 AM
I found this entry to be extremely powerful.
It's a refreshing reminder as well to PR practitioners on our important role not as the spin doctors that society perceives us to be, but as facilitators of truth.
Posted by: Theresa at September 13, 2006 4:56 PM
Post a comment
| TrackBackSeptember 6, 2006
Thoughts on 9/11
I am certainly not the only person who will be blogging about the fifth anniversary of this unspeakable act against humanity. I simply have a few observations of a personal nature.
First, I am grateful that my wife Roz, who was in the World Trade Center at her firm, Keefe, Bruyette and Woods, during the 1993 bombing had retired after the birth of our third child in 1996. More than 70 of her former colleagues died on September 11, including the son of her boss, John Duffy. Chris Duffy had just graduated from college and was working on the trading desk on that fatal morning. The Keefe employees, past and present, gather each year at the Central Park Zoo to commemorate their fallen comrades. This company demonstrates its values by keeping its promises to the families of the deceased through a college scholarship program and other initiatives.
Second, I am pleased that Howard Lutnick, chairman of Cantor Fitzgerald and our former client, has been recognized as an upstanding and decent man committed to his employees and his company. There was a rush to judgment by the media in the wake of his decision to stop paying salaries at the end of the year 2001 to the families of the 700 Cantor people murdered at the World Trade Center. He did this so that he could keep the company afloat. He did commit to a profit sharing scheme that would make the families effectively partners in the future success of the firm. Although at the time he probably should have been more transparent about the company's financial condition, the media has since credited Lutnick for his determination to take care of the extended Cantor family by distributing a substantial portion of each year's earnings to the families and for his personal involvement as surrogate father. I also want to thank again all of the Edelman staffers who volunteered to organize and staff an information and grieving center for Cantor people at the Pierre Hotel in New York for the 10 days following the tragedy.
Third, I am happy to report that Lower Manhattan is on the way back. The foundation work has been completed for the Freedom Tower and for the Memorial. The Seven World Trade building has been completed and is leasing now. A new campaign, "This Is 2010; It’s Happening Now," has been launched by the Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center (disclosure: this work done by our firm), featuring the important structures to be completed by that date, such as the Transportation Center, the West Street renovation and the South Ferry Terminal. The Deutsche Bank building, contaminated by debris from the collapsing buildings and covered with a black curtain, is being demolished over the next 12 months. A year ago, a pedestrian would have been profoundly depressed by the Ground Zero scene but today, with 10 cranes engaged in the construction process (over $20 billion to be spent on public works), one can feel a real change in attitude, a light at the end of a long tunnel. One needs only to pass by at the morning rush hour to see the commuters streaming out of the PATH train station and subways, hustling to their jobs, chatting about their lives, to see that we are nearly back to normal.
I wrote a note to Edelman people from Omaha on September 11. I was stranded there at a Warren Buffet golf tennis outing for CEOs. I said that our goal should be to frustrate those who seek to change our way of life by continuing to work and to behave in a normal way. I asked each of them to go home that night and to explain to their families our determination to move forward, to go to school, to travel to clients, to refuse to panic. We have passed the real test of 9/11 by proving that business can indeed be family and that a community like Lower Manhattan is too resilient to die.
Posted by Edelman at 5:34 PM |
Comments
It's great to see your comments on the 9/11 anniversary, Richard. Your leadership helped many people during that time -- clients and colleagues alike.
Let's also take a moment to remember the life of Suria Clarke, a colleague in Edelman's financial practice (of which I am a proud alumnus), who joined Cantor Fitzgerald's media-relations group just a few months before the tragedy. Suria was smart, energetic, witty and an immensely effective PR person. She is missed greatly.
I also agree that Howard Lutnick is now gaining well deserved acknowledgement for restoring Cantor Fitzgerald's business and helping the firm's families recover from a loss that, even now, is hard to fully grasp. I have often said (both privately and to the media five years ago as his spokesman) that no one but Howard could lead the firm back after "standing at hell's doors," as he described it in BusinessWeek recently.
Posted by: Richard Mahony at September 12, 2006 10:50 AM
Rich
I went to the Keefe Bruyette and Woods commemorative ceremony last night in Central Park. I watched the bereaved family members light candles for each of the 67 colleagues who died on 9/11. I want to thank you again for your stalwart support of Howard and the Cantor team in the face of screeching reporters and angry family members. All the best
Posted by: Richard Edelman at September 12, 2006 4:35 PM
Post a comment
| TrackBackSeptember 1, 2006
A Jarvis Moment
What do you know? I went to Citibank this morning to take out some money for the upcoming Labor Day weekend. In fact I took out enough money to have to file a Cash Transaction Report, a US Government innovation post 9/11.
I innocently presented my check, my driver's license and my Citibank card. I was asked for my Social Security # and my occupation. I complied with alacrity.
Then I was informed by the clerk that PR or Public Relations was not specific enough. In fact, neither he nor his supervisor had ever heard of PR. I tried corporate and marketing communications. That was too long to fit into the government form. I provided names of our clients. I discussed some of our recent work for Dove, for Wal-Mart, for GE. Finally, out of desperation, I reverted to describing my profession as advertising. That was a winner. I got the money but walked away shaking my head. This is what used to happen when I was just a "newbie" in the business in the late 70s and early 80s. It could not still be happening to me.
Fellow PR people, we have still have a lot of work to do on the image of the industry. Beyond the executive suite, we are either unknown or pigeon holed into the "masters of spin" camp. In fact we are central to business transformation, whether it is for Wal-Mart, P&G or other major global corporations. Let's persuade our clients to allow us to talk about the work we do so that we can educate the broader publics about the benefits of what we do. In that way we can avoid this type of humiliation for future generations of PR people.
Posted by Edelman at 12:38 PM |
Comments
How about we get rid of these arbitrary classifications? Who cares whether you consider yourself PR or Advertising, or whatever. We all work in communications, and if we just silo ourselves into neatly separated departments, we may lose out on some opportunities that would have made us better conversationalists.
Posted by: Paul McEnany at September 1, 2006 2:49 PM
This post is right on target. Hat's off.
PR is the most misunderstood profession in the world. I hate calling PR = advertising. The recent Harris survey shows that the public doesn't understand what PR is all about. We can agree to disagree on other issues, but this one has a consensus in the PR industry.
Posted by: James Bruni at September 2, 2006 3:31 PM
Dear Mr. Edelman:
I think what perpetrates the notion of "masters of spin" as the universal definition of PR in the eyes of the general public, is due in part by industries that feed the rumor mills in the news, such as entertainment, consumer and politics. To make that clean break for the more dynamic definition of pure public relations, I think of it as a bridge between marketing and management consulting. Just as those disciplines rely on facts and figures, so do we need them to be successful in our trade. However, the public doesn't think of PR as having such a concrete foundation. Corporate positioning is based on truisms, which I think people have to hear more of when we are talking about the field of public relations. We need consistency on our side. Let's start now!
Phil
Philip J. Nourie
President
Nourie Public Relations, Inc.
Posted by: Phil Nourie at September 2, 2006 7:18 PM
I think you are right. I was just being responsive to teller’s question.
Posted by: Richard Edelman at September 7, 2006 4:06 PM
Richard,
Your intellectualism and maintenance of a worldly perspective is an inspiration to other entrepreneurs… especially young CEOs looking to older ones for role models.
Keep up the good work.
Scott
Posted by: Scott Smigler at September 25, 2006 8:58 AM
I have often heard people refer to PR professionals as 'professional liars,' 'spin doctors, etc. I answer this perception most likely comes from the Crisis Communications side of PR and that I specialize in creating a positive brand recognition. I don't mean to say all Crisis Communications is negative, but most of its reasons may be.
As for the difference between PR and Advertising, I typically refer to the 'Two Guys in a Bar' joke that describes advertising, PR and brand awareness in three short, somewhat entertaining examples (Guy walks over to a girl and says, "See my buddy over there, he's great in bed." Etc. You get the idea.
I like working in a field where everyday people still can't explain it after 100 years. It's part of its allure. No day is the same, and where else can you learn about so many diffent disciplines, technologies, companies, etc. in one career?
Keep on keep'n on.
Alex
Posted by: Alex Forbes at September 27, 2006 3:44 PM