1. Be flexible. In our field, we are so driven by deadlines, client, coworker and boss’s requests that sometimes, when something comes at us out of the blue, it puts a kink in our day, week, or even month. Having two kids at home now really reinforced this for me– sometimes things go according to plan and other times…you get spit up on while walking out the door, you figure out that your son has been hiding two weeks of math homework under his bed or you learn that your spouse has been laid off. Realize that something unexpected occurred, accept it, and ultimately, deal with it.

2. Repeat, repeat, repeat. This one is a biggie for me as a mom and professional. The only way chores get done around our house is if you request it clearly, remind the person once and remind them again. Frustrating as it is, it’s the only way things get done. The same goes for your organization’s brand, campaign, or any communication. Pick your key message and supporting facts, and say them over and over again. Online, in your e-news, press releases, ads…repetition is key.

3. Be positive! Studies show that being positive is good for your health and overall happiness. Find ways to communicate the positive aspects of situations and don’t focus on the negative. When writing, avoid using negative terms (never, can’t, won’t, etc) and instead find positive words to communicate the same message.

4. Challenge yourself. Taking on the role as President of MarCom has been a great experience for me. This job includes leading a team of talented directors, speaking to other groups about MarCom and writing this column. These jobs are new territory for me and can feel nerve wracking at times. But I am committed to challenging myself to strengthen these weaknesses of mine: public speaking, fulfilling a leadership role and finding something relevant to write about every month.

5. Figure it out. This is one of my favorite phrases that I picked up while working at Desautel Hege, and it still resonates with me today. Stuff will go wrong. People will disagree with you, tear apart your ideas or present you with a new, unexpected angle. So, as we like to say in our house, pull up your big girl panties and figure it out.

6. Take time for you. Some days it’s all about everyone else. Other days you just run out of ideas and can’t get any creative ideas going no matter how many Google or thesaurus searches you run. Take time out of your day to take a break, exercise, grab a cup of coffee, read your social media outlet of choice, pick up your copy of Twilight….you get it. Just take a few minutes for you.

7. Be thoughtful. When I was at home on bed rest before having my son Erik, people floored me with their small acts of kindness. I have never felt so loved, appreciated and cared for by old friends, colleagues and family. An old friend of mine organized two weeks of dinners after Erik was born. A fellow board member brought me up magazines, flowers and a few goodies to pamper myself. My mom folded countless loads of laundry. Doing something little can make a big difference in some one’s day.

8. Arm yourself with a solid team. On the heels of my two-year anniversary at Cancer Care Northwest, I feel like I finally have my stuff together. I have developed relationships with several vendors that understand my market and can meet my needs. Some vendors I had to get rid of because they were too expensive, didn’t do the job right or just weren’t a good fit. And I think it was the right choice to go our own ways, and hopefully my work reflects these decisions.

9. Have fun. Not every task is fun. But having a good attitude and making it fun is a whole lot better than completing it with a bad attitude. ‘Nuff said.

10. Learn from your mistakes, and don’t do them again. I had a couple of big “learning moments” this year. I could call them complete screw ups, but the positive thing is that I learned something from the mistake and I won’t make it again. And don’t be too hard on yourself in the meantime. It’s not worth it. 

Some of my top ten are cliché, but I still think they are good reminders for everybody. And it feels great to have my fourth MarCom E-news column complete. I look forward to seeing you at our December meeting, and on behalf of the MarCom board, Happy Holidays!

Alli Benjamin
MarCom President