New Skills to Apply the New Rules

If normal is dead and the values have changed, what are the new skills you will need in this new digital, wired, connected, reinvented world?

1. Collaboration instead of Competition. Look for partnerships. Think abundance rather than scarcity. Instead of working against other media, find ways to partner with them. It is all about getting the best possible results for your clients.

Several years ago when I owned a distributorship, we created a promotion in which we created a partnership with a Top 40 radio station. The radio station had a good local market presence. Here's the Win-Win-Win promotion. The station's "Boss of the Week" promotion encouraged workers to enter their boss to win the "Boss of the Week" honor, which would be recognized with on-air mentions and would win a "5:01" party at a downtown restaurant on Friday afternoon. The radio station got participation from employees and more permission to be played at businesses during the workday. They also built their relationship with their advertiser and had a solid relationship started with the companies whose bosses won the honor. The restaurant got extra mentions throughout the week with on-air mentions. They also received a weekly bonus of 20 to 30 extra customers every Friday afternoon at 5:01 p.m. Customers who stayed to drink and eat and kick off their weekend. My distributorship got to supply promotional products to the radio station and the restaurant to support the promotion, along with continuous business from them and we also were able to use the contest as a conversation starter for relationships with some of the other winning bosses!

2. Resilience. There are no clearly defined roads. Expect trial and error and trail and success. Resilience is a skill you will need in the new economy. Stay in the game and just keep getting back up. You have a team of people who care for you to help you up and you have solid values beneath you to stand upon.