There’s been several things that have caught my eye this week, but for some reason I’ve been too distracted to find time to write a post about them! I plan to cover the TV Upfronts, but I’m still noodling a few thoughts about them and then there’s been so many privacy issues to keep abreast on with today’s grievance against Google and all the Facebook ruckus.  With so many online security compromises popping up lately, there must be some truth to all this – and that is making me a bit nervous about what I’m sharing online and with whom.  So my first tip of the day is to be sure to go back and double check all your privacy settings on things like YouTube, Skype, Facebook, MySpace and others.  It never hurts to check to makes sure the right folks are accessing your profiles.

But…I did want to comment today on a few things.

A GRACEFUL AND HONEST EXIT

Brown Used Her Own Words Powerfully in Her Exit

In the field of PR, exits/terminations/lay-offs are always tricky matters that are often highly emotional.  With that, the corp. comm executive is mandated to keep matters as professional as possible and make sure the respective company always comes out smelling like a rose.  As a result, the exiting employee 99 percent of the time follows the strategy of the corp. comm department and often uses its words and phrases.

Early last week, CNN anchor Campbell Brown did a classy move that I wanted to note.  She used her own words to describe her latest transition. Her transparency did not hurt her nor the company in the least and I wanted to applaud her for being pro-active and admitting the truth publicly.  Here’s how she put it in an LA Times article May 18.

To be clear:  this is my decision, and one that I have been thinking about for some time. As for why, I could have said, that I am stepping down to spend more time with my children (which I truly want to do). Or that I am leaving to pursue other opportunities (which I also truly want to do). But I have never had much tolerance for others’ spin, so I can’t imagine trying to stomach my own. The simple fact is that not enough people want to watch my program, and I owe it to myself and to CNN to get out of the way so that CNN can try something else.

Bravo Campbell Brown! A beautiful exit that no one could argue that became a classy professional move. I wish you well and may your exit statment serve as an example for others.

And speaking of exits, this also caught my attention.

A CHANGE AGENT WHOSE AN ARTIST

In Monday, May 17′s Wall Street Journal I noticed that Kodak’s Marketing Chief Jeffrey Hayzlett is resigning after four years with the Company.  Since I have several marketing colleagues out of work at the moment, the article intrigued me.  But it was its content that got my interest.  I like this Hayzlett guy-he is one current marketer who is imagining new ways to conduct business, a true change agent – so much so – he even knew when it was the best time for him to move on.

What a healthy and smart guy – here’s why.

A True Listener and Change Artist

The article says that under his short watch, Kodak created the roles of Chief Listener and Chief Blogger and launched a social media team.  And that’s not all, he was behind Kodak’s latest advancement in their camera’s “share” capabilities, meaning allowing users to post photos immediately to Facebook for example from the device.  This Chief Marketer truly gets how important it is to understand the consumer by listening to them and that it takes a skilled individual to work full time as a company blogger.  Can we clone him?

Also, listen to his exiting quote….just like Brown, his truth is as refreshing.  He took himself out of the game.
“My role was to come in and act as a change agent and to get things moving. Now it’s time for someone who’s got a different type of skill to come in,” he said.

He also had reason to leave. He just released a business book, “The Mirror Test,” which he said in the article was a major reason for the departure.  “The book is taking off a lot faster than anyone expected,” Mr. Hayzlett said. “It’s a massive, time-consuming activity.”

If the book is anything like what he displayed through his actions at Kodak, then it’s a must read.

In summary, with these two honest examples of resignations, I hope they are signaling a trend toward transparency!

Exiting Stage Left,

Cindy