Presto! Get E-Mail Without a Computer
Presto is a service that allows people to send e-mail to people who don’t. And Presto! the people who don’t get a printout of the e-mail. (There are lots of senior managers out there would would benefit from this service, because they use their AAs as a Presto service and have all their e-mails printed out.)
Here’s how Presto works:
And they say on their site, it’s a simple 3-step operation:
What a great service. As you can see, Presto’s target market is seniors. But I could imagine that it would also be a great way to get information to people who just don’t have a computer or an internet connection. Costs: Printer is about $150, and the Presto monthly service is $10. Not bad.
[via: TechCrunch]
Gapingvoid’s Under 500-Word Manifestos Make You Go Hmmm
Hugh MacLeod of gapingvoid is soliciting under 500-word manifestos. Here’s the deal:
I have to say, after writing an under-five-hundred-word mini-manifesto, I find myself quite taken by the format. Somehow the brevity just clicks for me.
Why take 50,000 words [the length of your average business tome] to say what you have to say, when 500 will do? Brevity. I love brevity. We’re both in a hurry.
[...snip]
So here’s the deal. If you’ve written a manifesto in 500 words or less, and you want help spreading the word, just e-mail it to me, or send me the link. If it’s any good I’ll either link to it, or post it here on gapingvoid [under the same Creative Commons terms with which I publish my own work].
Today Hugh published Anna Farmery’s manifesto from The Engaging Brand. I thought her take had particular importance for HR. How would you answer her questions?
If… a brand starts inside, an employee’s confusion
1. If you believe in the strategy, why can’t you explain it?
2. If talent is important, why is promotion based on your social circle?
3. If we are entrepreneurial, why do we make decisions by consensus?
4. If values are important enough to put on a card, why are they not applicable to leaders?
5. If the future is important, why do we spend time in meetings looking at the past?
6. If you embrace talent why, do you only speak to me about my weaknesses?
7. If we aim for a USP why, are encouraged to produce sameness?
8. If we believe in diversity, why are you all 40+, white and male?
9. If we need to cut development and R&D to hit budget, how can you afford a two-day team bonding session in a 5-star hotel?
10. If it is us that interact with customers, why don’t you see we should feel the brand values first?
Anna’s #6 is a real pick in the heart to many performance management systems. Amazing, right? Performance reviews happen at the end of the year, and they end up being “7 good things and 3 bad things you did this year.” Ugh!
I’m going to get cracking on an under 500-word manifesto. More here soon.
Hey HR Sportsracers, Get a New Perspective with Ze Frank
Hey HR Sportracers, listen to Zefrank. I find him very compelling. (Nope, I’m not him. I’m just Plain Ol’ Frank.) Start with this 3-minute video called New Perspective on his show, which is the appropriately-titled The Show. If you click the tab called “About The Show” you can get some background and look at some of the most popular ones.
It’s a strange world, the internet. There are thousands upon thousands of people who know about certain websites and new outlets. And there are even more who don’t. Zefrank does some political stuff that may stick in some HR pro’s craws, but in companies employees have all kinds of perspectives, and HR pros should respect them all. Besides, looking beyond our traditional HR reading list is something that’s good for all of us.
Quick Quiz: Why did I call you HR Sportsracers?
HR Communication Flowers
I saw this description of the Communication Flower on Engadget:
[T]he Communication Flower pulls double duty by sprucing up your living room and adding a bit of chatter to break up the depressing silence. Although you can’t wirelessly cater to its every need, this device sports a colorful motif and packs an integrated speaker to randomly belt out “200 words and phrases” whenever you speak to or touch the connected bouquet.
Which got me to thinking: I wonder if this the missing link in HR communication. Imagine sending out talking flowers to all employees instead of that boring memo “from the desk of the CEO.”
Silence Your Cell Phones…
..or they will be silenced for you. What presenter hasn’t had this “smash the cell phone” fantasy when phones ring right in the middle of a big point? And just how difficult is it to “silence your cell phones”? Here’s an idea for HR L&D: A training class on how to turn cell phones to silent. I’d personally fly around the country on my own nickel just to deliver that one.
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