"Random Somersaults" features storytelling based around themes spurred by personal and professional experiences and thoughts that represent a broad range of topics with a few random, yet relevant, detours. I don’t know how many of my former colleagues read “Random Somersaults” but if they’ve clicked on this one, I would imagine a few eye rolls are forthcoming. Each summer as the team I led at the Pro Football Hall of Fame prepared for our major events that drew a large corps of media from across the world, as well as the who’s who of VIPs from the sporting world, I stated the simple line, “do you need to hear the Marv Levy story?” I repeated the lesson for so many years that the long-tenured staff may have given me slight signs of exasperation but did acknowledge their understanding of the message without me reciting the story again. Newcomers were required to listen as I exhorted the team to focus on flawless attention to detail. Levy is a Hall of Fame football coach with an unusual background in that he received a degree in English literature before he earned a master’s degree in English History from Harvard.
Our paths first crossed when I was serving a post-graduate internship in the Buffalo Bills public relations department. In the spring of his first full season as the team’s head coach, Marv crafted a memo that was distributed throughout the organization, from the owner to the interns. It was a simple message that instructed anyone posting a note on the locker room bulletin board, to do so in a neat and orderly fashion by placing it evenly and with a thumb tack in each of the four corners. That may seem like a rather trivial matter for a coach to focus on until he proceeded to explain the reasoning behind his logic. Marv had taken over as the head coach of a team characterized by lack of discipline, mired in losing and not far removed from finishing in last place. He observed that upon his arrival, the aforementioned bulletin board for the players was cluttered with notices, many outdated, that were haphazardly attached layers deep. He shared insight into his philosophy on the importance of creating a culture centered around a sense of organization for the players. It started with attention to simple things to create a pattern of behavior that was woven into all facets of the players’ lives. It bred a mindset that led the team, in less than two years, to great success and made them one of the league’s most dominant teams over much of the next decade. For my team and me, it was our commitment to the details in everything we did, even the most minute tasks, that presented our organization as world-class. “What it takes to win is simple, it’s not easy.” – Marv Levy The same principle applies to my craft as a professional communicator. Acute attention to detail differentiates me from many others. Throughout my career, I have been noted for my unwavering conviction for taking the added effort and investment of time it requires to ensure the highest quality of content is created. This applies not only to the clarity and effectiveness of the message but attentiveness to spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Maybe it’s because of my skillset and expertise, but I shake my head regularly at how lax many are with the written word. In a world that is constantly communicating, an emphasis has been placed on immediacy and quality is often forsaken. For example, it amazes me when I see posts on LinkedIn with typos, lack of punctuation, or grammatical errors. After all, the platform is intended as a business tool, and one would think a bit of attention to detail is warranted. An integral part of producing professional content comes in the final stages of editing materials. Some, including myself, have called my astute proofreading ability, “a sickness.” My wife shakes her head at me and states that I rarely read only for enjoyment, as I am continually critiquing and proofing everything I read, even if for pleasure. It may be simple, but it isn’t always easy. To do it right – and well – you can’t take shortcuts. I believe my colleagues understood and appreciated the high standards I demanded when it came to preparing and distributing all types of communication. These qualities are the foundation for services I provide to clients today. Speaking of shortcuts and as your reward for consuming this blog, enjoy one last side note (aka “detour” or “random somersault.”)
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WHY "RANDOM SOMERSAULTS?""Random Somersaults"
features storytelling based on themes spurred by personal and professional experiences and thoughts that represent a broad range of topics with a few random, yet relevant, detours. It is a terrific way to get to know Pete Fierle as you gain insight into how he processes information through this less formal and creative style of writing. The blog has been described as “fun and informative” and “what fun to meander through ideas and streams of consciousness.” AuthorPete Fierle has a love for all mediums but a special affinity for the written word (that flows from a keyboard or fountain pen) as a powerful platform for storytelling. ARCHIVEBe sure to check out the archives and roll through past posts for a variety of topics and stories.
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