Posts Tagged ‘Christmas’

1. The spirit of communicating

   Published on Wednesday, December 21st, 2011
   St Matthew-in-the-City sees the Christmas season as an opportunity to spark thought and conversation in the community.  They’ve put up their Christmas billboard portraying Mary, Jesus’ mother, looking at a home pregnancy test kit revealing that she is pregnant.

   In much less dramatic ways, on one level many of us use the Christmas season to express thanks to our clients or customers, business partners and colleagues using small gifts, cards or a timely call.  It is a time for thinking about and acknowledging others.

   On a more personal level, we are out buying for those near and dear, and preparing for the occasion that is Christmas.

   All this shows that with the right imperative, we are all very good communicators.  Our challenge is to push that spirit of good communication deeper and deeper into New Year. Right?

2. Food for the nation

   Published on Tuesday, December 13th, 2011
   During the next four weeks New Zealanders’ combined spending on food, beverages and other grocery items is likely to once again break records.  Even though purse strings are tighter, people will over-compensate for fear of being caught short.

   Budget pressures aside, we forget how fortunate we are to have access to such an impressive choice of products, particularly as our Christmas falls in the summer season.  It’s a reminder of the critical role the food and grocery industry plays in NZ on many different levels, domestically and in exports.

   These important contributions were recognised at last month’s Food & Grocery Council Annual Conference, opened with a brief televised message from PM John Key.  The PM stressed the importance of the food and beverage sector to New Zealand. Now, he would say that wouldn’t he? But in fact the stature of our food industry has been recognised in a special way by the past two governments.

   When in office, Labour initiated a food and beverage taskforce chaired by Tony Nowell. Research undertaken by the taskforce started to crystallise for politicians the industry’s importance and opportunities.  This has continued under National, no doubt assisted by the foreign earnings’ contributions of food exports that are impossible to ignore in the world’s troubled economic environment.

   Our Government has set a target of tripling the country’s food and beverage exports over the next 15 years, meaning that the food and beverage sector will remain the linchpin of the New Zealand economy for many years to come.

   In its food industry, New Zealand has an enviable strategic advantage and we should celebrate our food heroes, big and small.  In the next month we’ll have every chance to do just that.

   What’s on your food and beverage agenda this Christmas?

3. The News Truce

   Published on Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009
   In Ypres, 1914 a Christmas Eve ceasefire became the stuff of yuletide legend.

   The truce began when German troops decorated their trenches, the soldiers placed candles on trees and sang Christmas carols. Not to be outdone British troops responded singing their own carols back in English. In no time the two sides were shouting greetings to each other, there were calls for visits across No Man’s Land where small gifts were exchanged. Whiskey, jam, cigars and chocolate was shared and the artillery in the region fell silent that night.

   This exceptional outbreak of peace reminds me of the news over the summertime here in New Zealand, it’s as if our world stops speaking for a month. Could this outbreak of ‘nothing happening’ be because all of us in the information exchange business have waved a white flag and sent the news on holiday?

   The news goes soft. Not a peep is heard from the courts or councils, the lobbyist and legislators languish. Business leaders too are mute, our captains of industry have headed off in the caravan and so have the agitators and activists. The Beehive itself is silent. Even the sports reporters have given up the ghost.

   The papers are scrawny and the news bulletins truncated. They will contain stories from the seaside, teens running amok, cute kiddies frolicking, kooky animal stories, a freak storm perhaps, sunscreen warnings, surf beach rescues and the road toll.

   The lifestyle pages will be chocka with recipes for leftovers, anniversaries of other things, musings on the future or the past from famousish New Zealanders and book reviews. The news in other words – will be nice.

   This is not a global news-truce, the Northern hemisphere draws a breath for Christmas but their news-machine barely misses a beat. It is us who have a full hiatus of real news and maybe that’s just the way we like it.

4. Don’t rush the credits

   Published on Thursday, December 11th, 2008
   There are at least a couple of times during the year when the efforts of staff are formally acknowledged.  If yours is an organisation that has an annual report you will be familiar with the one or two lines in the chairman’s or chief executive’s report where staff are thanked for their contributions to the company and its performance.

   Another of these times is Christmas with set piece events like staff Christmas parties. These have become a well-worn tradition, however there is a danger that the event masks the real opportunity to say a simple thanks and “well done”. 

   With the downturn in the global economy and the effects of recession making their mark with retrenchments, it is important that employees know they are valued – and this goes for all staff, not just the “stars”.

   I was reminded this week how credits for the lesser player can be rushed.  I’d just watched a documentary on Pablo Picasso and noticed how deliberately the major credits were screened, and then the rest sped up to such a rate that they weren’t able to be read. 

   It seemed to me that this was the difference between acknowledgement and process.   

   Resist the temptation to turn staff Christmas celebrations into a process, and don’t rush the credits!