Pizza / Drink Thing – Summer 2013
My Summer 2013 Pizza / Drink Thing (as it’s come to be known) will take place Monday evening, June 24. These events have typically attracted a collegial group of commercial real estate professionals - some known to each other; others meeting for the first time. I’ve been doing this kind of get-together for many years but this one will have a different twist – something fun and specifically constructed for the commercial real estate folk. You’ll need to come by to experience it! Bring your inner child, and a hard hat (just kidding about the hard hat)!
Where: Joe-G Restaurant
244 West 56 Street, NYC
(between Broadway & Eighth Ave)
Downstairs in the DaVinci Hotel
When: Monday, June 24
6pm until 9ish
What: I supply the famous Joe-G pizza;
You buy your own drinks.
Why: Why not??
I look forward to seeing you there! Bring a friend.
What’s the rush?
A few times a year I purge my email folders. Some messages make me feel proud of my communication skills; reading some of the ‘less than perfect’ emails reminds me how important it is to pause before hitting ‘SEND’. (Perhaps I should have a ‘PAUSE’ button added to my program to help me remember!)
It’s prudent to have a trusted colleague read a draft before the final version blasts off into cyberspace. But we don’t always have that luxury. It helps to remember the old adage about sitting on a letter overnight and reading it the next day, perhaps in a different frame of mind. In certain situations it’s just better to PICK UP THE PHONE. Ugh, the importance of hindsight.
But alas, sometimes we forget – especially if our emotional button has been pushed. Interestingly, it’s not always another person that does the pushing – I am very capable of doing this myself. Is anyone aware of an email 'recall' feature on Gmail?? This tool would be extremely helpful when you've hit SEND too quickly....Perhaps this feeling is familiar?
I vow to be more mindful of the messages I send - putting myself in the shoes of the recipient. After too many instances of allowing my emotions to get me in trouble, I realize it’s simply the proper thing to do. The willingness to reevaluate myself, and be receptive to ideas from people who care about me, is a life-long adventure. And it feels good when I make progress – after all, it’s all about baby steps, isn’t it?
Feeling Like A Kid Again
When I was a kid growing up in Forest Hills, Queens, my friends and I would come into ‘the city’ (Manhattan) and go to FAO Schwartz, which may possibly be the coolest toy store EVER. The staff allowed us to just hang around and play with stuff, even though they knew we probably wouldn’t buy anything. It was so much fun!
The other day a friend and I stopped in to this toy wonderland. FAO Schwartz’s approach has hardly changed over the years; their ‘hands-on’ policy endures – shoppers are encouraged to explore and try out new toys. The employees are very knowledgeable and act as ‘specialists’ in their respective areas. Roaming from department to department, we had fun.
Unfortunately, there was one interaction that made us both cringe; we were accosted by a salesperson as she trained a new hire. The veteran was simply over-the-top with her approach and didn’t listen when we explained what we were looking for. This got me thinking: Every employee is a customer service representative. So - I ask you now: What’s happening in YOUR company? Remember: there’s only one chance to make a good first impression!
(Note: We also hit another large toy store which offered pretty mediocre customer service {name purposely withheld} but had a wonderful indoor Ferris wheel. The kid in both of us felt the need to take a spin. It was fun and the view of Times Square from the top of the wheel was very cool. Woops. Did I give away the name of the store?)
‘Hello Herman’ (Update)
I learned this week that ‘Hello Herman’ is only available on iTunes and Amazon Video On-Demand. If you didn’t see my last column, here’s the link. This movie addresses the impact of bullying and is definitely worth a look.
Correction
Last week I mentioned the June 29th Summer Gala for the East End Hospice on Long Island. Here is the correct link to that event.
On The Road...
June 25 – 26: NAREIM Asset Management and Acquisitions – Summer Meeting, Georgetown University, Washington, DC.
Sept. 15 – 17: NAREIM Executive Officer Fall Meeting, New York, NY
Oct. 23 – 24: PERE Summit, New York, NY
Disclaimer
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