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October 2021: Be Like Betty White

  

Hello CMAA members! I am in an ‘80s mood as I write this. I hope I can get you there too. I have the voice of Chris Clews bouncing around in my head from his talk at CMAA’s Leadership/Legislative Conference where he used ‘80s movies that were imbedded with leadership lessons. Like Ferris Bueller, from the 1986 hit movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, showing us how to have work-life balance. I am not suggesting you skip work and pretend to be sick, but you must admit that Ferris knew how to kick back, have a great time, and recharge. We all need an escape like Ferris right now as we continue to be challenged with labor shortages and the pandemic.

Another example came from The Goonies, a 1985 hit, and how it shares a great diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) message. If you recall in the movie, the kids Sloth and Chunk became friends. You will recall Sloth had a facial deformity, but that didn’t bother Chunk as they found they had some things in common. Ultimately, they went on to become the heroes of the movie. It is a great movie example of diversity and inclusion from the ‘80s. It doesn’t matter what we look like or how we act; if we take the time to get to know the person, we might have a lot in common. Speaking of DEI, have you reviewed CMAA’s recently released DEI statement and focus going forward?

Ok, I am sounding old, so let’s switch to someone everyone knows – Betty White.

A red star inset into a black tile on the Hollywood Walk of Fame honoring Betty White

Gotcha! Did you know that Betty White turns 100 next year? Her tv and movie credits span from 1945 to today, and we can find a connection to Betty (maybe only if you remember her recent Snickers commercial or as the oldest person to host Saturday Night Live). Douglas Crowe recently shared some leadership lessons from Betty that are worth sharing.

First up is to be likeable. Betty White is just delightful. Everyone loves Betty White. In my humble opinion, if you want to emulate someone, she seems like a role model for all of us, especially in our current challenged and stressed society.

Second is to be useful. Yes, Betty White is famous, but relatable. She has done a lot of good with her fame and her position in society through her work supporting animal rights and animal health. Her efforts have supported the Humane Society, the Los Angeles Zoo, and several dog-related campaigns among others. Betty sets a mark for all of us to return some good in society through our volunteer efforts to help leave the world a better place. Like Betty White, we don’t need to be the leader of the cause, but our supporting role as a volunteer can have a huge impact.

Third, and important for all of us on social media, is to ensure we are not hurting our brand or that of our club or any other entity we are connected to. Betty White is not a social media guru, but anywhere Betty shows up she is fun, genuine, and never pretentious, or boastful. Social media posts come and go so quickly, but the impression they leave can stick with us for the rest of our career. Being genuine like Betty White is sure a great place to start and attract many more followers.

That’s it for October. Until next time, have a wonderful rest of your month,

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