Comments on: The Paradox of Excellence http://www.pr-squared.com/index.php/2006/09/the_paradox_of_excellence Social Media and Public Relations Consulting � PR Squared Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:58:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Mario Olckers http://www.pr-squared.com/index.php/2006/09/the_paradox_of_excellence/comment-page-1#comment-3064 Mario Olckers Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:01:15 +0000 http://pr-squared.com/pr2wp/index.php/2006/09/the-paradox-of-excellence#comment-3064 Thanks for the heads up on this, I worked for a publishing company producing English Language textbooks for big SA publishing company and it is exactly like that with editing. Your good work is never noticed, but if a spelling error or a missed attribution slipped through your eagle-eye, there sure was gonna be hell to pay... Weird, actually ;) Thanks for the heads up on this, I worked for a publishing company producing English Language textbooks for big SA publishing company and it is exactly like that with editing.

Your good work is never noticed, but if a spelling error or a missed attribution slipped through your eagle-eye, there sure was gonna be hell to pay…

Weird, actually ;)

]]> By: Todd Defren http://www.pr-squared.com/index.php/2006/09/the_paradox_of_excellence/comment-page-1#comment-3063 Todd Defren Wed, 27 Sep 2006 01:28:54 +0000 http://pr-squared.com/pr2wp/index.php/2006/09/the-paradox-of-excellence#comment-3063 Thanks, all, for the thoughtful responses to this post. This is a tough nut to crack: we WANT to strive for excellence, but it sucks when the reward for excellence is outsized expectations. Such is life? Thanks, all, for the thoughtful responses to this post.

This is a tough nut to crack: we WANT to strive for excellence, but it sucks when the reward for excellence is outsized expectations.

Such is life?

]]> By: rmccarley http://www.pr-squared.com/index.php/2006/09/the_paradox_of_excellence/comment-page-1#comment-3062 rmccarley Tue, 26 Sep 2006 22:48:43 +0000 http://pr-squared.com/pr2wp/index.php/2006/09/the-paradox-of-excellence#comment-3062 I worked in the water industry and came across the same issue (though I couldn't explain it nearly as well). I turn a knob, water pours out. Simple, right? The only time you hear about water is when there is too much in a region (flooding), too little (drought, which you really don't hear about much any more) or pollution. The water industry has worked hard to create and maintain a stable, responsible image - especially for municipalities - but the cost is they have become invisible. Turn knob = water. This is actually creating a crisis situation where the average water pro is over 50 years old and due to retire within the next 10 years. There are not enough younger people to replace them, almost nobody knows about this and the knowledge of all these veterans is likely to evaporate. (Couldn't help myself.) Think of a world where a whole generation of professionals disappears almost at once! Water will become more expensive, campagns will be created to attract new tallent, more problems will occur due to inexperience, and finding pros to work in remote areas - especially 3rd world areas - will be almost imposible. Turn knob = $$$ I worked in the water industry and came across the same issue (though I couldn’t explain it nearly as well). I turn a knob, water pours out. Simple, right?

The only time you hear about water is when there is too much in a region (flooding), too little (drought, which you really don’t hear about much any more) or pollution.

The water industry has worked hard to create and maintain a stable, responsible image – especially for municipalities – but the cost is they have become invisible.

Turn knob = water.

This is actually creating a crisis situation where the average water pro is over 50 years old and due to retire within the next 10 years. There are not enough younger people to replace them, almost nobody knows about this and the knowledge of all these veterans is likely to evaporate.

(Couldn’t help myself.)

Think of a world where a whole generation of professionals disappears almost at once! Water will become more expensive, campagns will be created to attract new tallent, more problems will occur due to inexperience, and finding pros to work in remote areas – especially 3rd world areas – will be almost imposible.

Turn knob = $$$

]]> By: doug http://www.pr-squared.com/index.php/2006/09/the_paradox_of_excellence/comment-page-1#comment-3061 doug Tue, 26 Sep 2006 18:53:09 +0000 http://pr-squared.com/pr2wp/index.php/2006/09/the-paradox-of-excellence#comment-3061 I knew this was a problem but didn't know how to describe it. 2 copies on the way now. Thanks for the post. I knew this was a problem but didn’t know how to describe it. 2 copies on the way now. Thanks for the post.

]]> By: steven cody http://www.pr-squared.com/index.php/2006/09/the_paradox_of_excellence/comment-page-1#comment-3060 steven cody Tue, 26 Sep 2006 14:50:18 +0000 http://pr-squared.com/pr2wp/index.php/2006/09/the-paradox-of-excellence#comment-3060 Expectation management is a very delicate tightrope to walk. I've experienced exactly the same thing you write about and feel that, although it's unfair, it also comes with the territory....especially with the less sophisticated clients. World class-clients, though, can also have this "tude. I remember working with a top Japanese corporation years ago whose mindset was: "Big deal, you scored a major placement. We're the ABC Company. Media HAVE to write about us." But, woebetide the poor account executive if this particular client was left out of an industry round-up. So, yes, excellence can create unrealistic client expectations. But, then, there are also unrealistic clients who simply don't understand that, as you put it, shit happens. Expectation management is a very delicate tightrope to walk. I’ve experienced exactly the same thing you write about and feel that, although it’s unfair, it also comes with the territory….especially with the less sophisticated clients. World class-clients, though, can also have this “tude.

I remember working with a top Japanese corporation years ago whose mindset was: “Big deal, you scored a major placement. We’re the ABC Company. Media HAVE to write about us.” But, woebetide the poor account executive if this particular client was left out of an industry round-up.

So, yes, excellence can create unrealistic client expectations. But, then, there are also unrealistic clients who simply don’t understand that, as you put it, shit happens.

]]> By: Otakar Schon http://www.pr-squared.com/index.php/2006/09/the_paradox_of_excellence/comment-page-1#comment-3059 Otakar Schon Tue, 26 Sep 2006 10:41:45 +0000 http://pr-squared.com/pr2wp/index.php/2006/09/the-paradox-of-excellence#comment-3059 That’s a nice gift for my return form holidays, thank you. I was wondering what happened with some of our clients as some of their reactions were somewhat disgruntled. Now i know. Already sent the quotation to my colleagues who are worried what’s wrong with THEM... Guess I will add this book to my Diana Krall CD order at Amazon today That’s a nice gift for my return form holidays, thank you.

I was wondering what happened with some of our clients as some of their reactions were somewhat disgruntled. Now i know. Already sent the quotation to my colleagues who are worried what’s wrong with THEM…

Guess I will add this book to my Diana Krall CD order at Amazon today

]]> By: JesseCiccone http://www.pr-squared.com/index.php/2006/09/the_paradox_of_excellence/comment-page-1#comment-3058 JesseCiccone Mon, 25 Sep 2006 22:53:28 +0000 http://pr-squared.com/pr2wp/index.php/2006/09/the-paradox-of-excellence#comment-3058 Great, great post. I'm off to Amazon to order copies of the book for my firm's team! Great, great post.

I’m off to Amazon to order copies of the book for my firm’s team!

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