My sister Susan, who clearly read every book in the Nancy Drew series, went all stealth mode and discovered Maria had been repurposing an old Tylenol bottle, filled it with… not Tylenol. So every time she thought she was popping a Tylenol for her hip pain, she was actually taking a blood pressure pill. Fun, right? And by “fun” I mean “terrifying.” Early indicator of a problem.

Then I moved in. Cue my daily observations of Mama’s lil pillz routine. Picture this: she’d carefully take her pills out of the pill dispenser, arrange them on a napkin next to her coffee, and spend the next hour picking through them like a kid going through their Halloween candy. Occasionally, I'd find a stray pill that had rolled off the napkin and onto the floor under the table. I would carefully pick it up, blow it off (hey, I raised a couple of kids, this actually works), and pray it wasn't the one that keeps her happy, or worse, the one that keeps the blood flowing. Dashboard indicator warning lights flashing.

The latest episode in our medication sitcom involved Maria sleeping all day and saying she felt just horrible. I have no judgment about camping in your bed all day if that feels like the right thing to do, no judgment here, but obviously I was concerned about her feeling horrible. Later that evening I discovered that even though it was only Tuesday, her Wednesday and Thursday pill slots were empty. I’m guessing she lost track of the days—retired life… it happens, am I right lucky retired friends? Attention all military personnel, we are now at Defcon 1.

Now, if this were a business, these behaviors and data points would scream, “Your processes are failing! Code blue! Change needed, tout suite!” I would throw on my business process management hat, rally the stakeholders, review the situation, and together we would create a new process for predictable, improved outcomes.

Gut Feelings, Anecdotes & Tribal Knowledge

Back in the day (meaning pre-data analysis), marketers like me relied on a mix of small client sourced data samples, anecdotes from sales and account reps and a healthy dose of 'gut feeling' to guide our Go To Market strategies. To design an effective campaign we were always ferreting around the organization searching for those individuals who were the keepers of information; they had the tribal knowledge and answers to key questions:

• Why customers bought from us, and what made us unique.

• What features do our customers love, and why?

• What would make their jobs easier, more efficient and less frustrating, and why? 

• What will save their companies time and money, and why?

• What are our win/loss reports telling us about our blind spots?

• What are our competitors' sales teams doing and how are we doing it differently, and why?

• What is the customer journey after we drop a red-hot lead into a trial?

• How do we shine a light on our expertise, differentiate ourselves and position ourselves as THE experts?

• What knowledge is our customer hungry for and what is the best way to deliver the answers to them, and why?

Yes, we’re like an annoying 3-year old with all of our ‘why’s. But the point is that this information was all over the organization and mostly undocumented. It took valuable time to get this all sussed out and organized.

Enter AI, Stage Left

When you dump all of the operational data (CRM, ERP, finance, customer service tickets, win/loss reports, online comments, client scorecards, reviews, you name it) into a big ol’ data warehouse you are then able to create a comprehensive view into a report that incorporates all of the information about customer behaviors. (Can I get an amen and hallelujah?) Theoretically this is when we ask smart questions that help us better understand how to run faster and jump higher. We then thin slice the data into reports and analytics, so that we get a view into the past in order to predict the future.  We are now able to tell the right story to the right person at the right time in the right way. It’s like magic, but with data visualization.

Using a content creation framework in ChatGPT

But even if you don’t have a data analytics team, you can still benefit from AI. Here is an example of a ChatGPT prompt that, when answered, helps to tell your story in a new way:

"Using the 'Storytelling' framework, please write a marketing campaign outline that tells a compelling story about how our [product/service] helped a [customer] overcome their [problem]. Use vivid details and emotional language to create a connection with the reader and showcase the effectiveness of our product."

Because it’s a language learning model, the more information we put in over time, the higher the quality of the output over time using your brands tone and voice. Think of it, every piece of content that your customers and prospects are exposed to are now written in a singular brand voice. Brilliant!

Association Rule Mining

Here’s a fun fact: data shows that people who go to the store and buy bread and butter often times also buy milk. French toast for dinner, anyone? This insight can guide product placement in a grocery store. Do you put these items on the shelf near each other for customer convenience or far apart to tempt customers into buying Newman-O’s, Haagen Dazs, and Fritos along the way? (Okay, that bit is about me… please put in the comment below your grocery store vices). Embedded in this answer is a strategy to increase sales by having more items in the shopping cart then they came in for. And what works for a physical buying experience is what works for a digital one. That's the association rule.

Customer journey mapping is a great example of how to apply the association rule to drive upselling and cross selling. Finance data tells us who’s buying what and when. CRM data shows engagement with our content and where they are on the buying journey. Mash it all together and you can now cluster the data to better understand the personas of your buyer, and then you're able to use AI to find more of those people. Using AI, Marketing then designs campaigns to move customers along a prescribed path designed to increase revenue by acquiring new customers and by extending the Lifetime Value (LTV) of an existing customer. Can you say ka-ching?

A Call to Action for Managers

Managers today need to not only have strong vertical and domain expertise but they also need to be data savvy so that they can be asking better questions to yield better answers from their data analytics. Their ability to ask the right questions allows the analytics team to pull the right source data, review it, throw it into the salad spinner and spit out a unified picture that tells a cohesive, data-driven story. But it all starts with managers knowing what questions to ask that, when answered, helps them make informed decisions faster.

So, while I didn’t need big data, visualization charts, or fancy analytics to crack Maria’s pill-popping caper or to create a fail-safe process for her, it’s a prime example of how a little Sherlock Holmes-style observation, asking smart questions, connecting the dots, assessing the Defcon level, and lovingly instituting a new pill management system is basically the same as tackling business problems with a data-centric approach. Just swap the pills for KPIs, and voila, you’re a corporate hero!

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a pivot table to create for my parents doctors appointments... or a pill to find on the carpet.

This morning I read an article by HBR, Resume Gaps Still Matter and it inspired me to reflect on what I'm learning and how it can positively contribute to my next employer when this chapter is over and a new one begins.

The Power of Presence

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is the power of being present. In the fast-paced world of business, we often get caught up in the hustle, prioritizing productivity and efficiency. However, caring for my parents has taught me the importance of slowing down, listening, and simply being there. This presence has not only strengthened our bond but also reminded me that genuine human connection and empathy are crucial, whether in personal relationships or professional settings.

Adaptability and Resilience

Caring for elderly parents requires a high degree of adaptability and resilience. They're less organized, so every day there is a new surprise that needs to be prioritized. There are constant changes and unexpected situations that demand quick thinking and flexibility. These qualities are just as essential in business. The ability to adapt to new circumstances, pivot strategies, and stay resilient in the face of challenges is key to long-term success. Embracing change rather than fearing it can lead to innovative solutions and new opportunities.

Patience and Understanding

Patience is a virtue that is tested daily in caregiving. Understanding the limitations and needs of my parents has required a great deal of patience and compassion. Almost every day I'm having to step away from a situation, take some deep breaths and clear my thinking so that I can move from the heart (where things tend to feel personal) and move it to the head (where I can solution through logic). This experience has highlighted the importance of patience in leadership and teamwork.

I’m also learning new ways to communicate. I need to slow down my responses and, in almost every conversation, do a quick assessment to determine their lucidity, where they are emotionally, and quickly adapt my responses to meet them where they are at any given moment. They may say (er, often say) unusual things that are unfiltered and perhaps even bordering on offensive, so I’m learning not to take it personally. Giving people the time they need to learn, grow, and adjust can foster a more supportive and productive work environment.

The Value of Support Systems

Navigating this journey alone would be incredibly challenging. I’ve leaned on family, friends, and community resources to provide me with the support I need in order to best care for my parents. Calls to my siblings and friends often start with, "Am I crazy or..." They are essential in keeping me grounded. Similarly, in business, having a strong support system is vital. Building a network of colleagues, mentors, and partners can provide guidance, support, and collaboration that drive success. No one achieves greatness alone.

Prioritizing What Matters

This experience has made me reflect deeply on my priorities. While career success is important, it pales in comparison to the well-being of loved ones. Balancing work and personal life is crucial. In business, it’s essential to prioritize tasks that align with core values and long-term goals. Focus on what truly matters, and let go of the rest.

Continuous Education and Future Readiness

In addition to investing time in caring for my parents, I am also dedicating time towards my love of continuous education. My goal, when this chapter ends and a new one begins, is to return to the workplace with fresh insights and the ability to add value by applying new technologies, like AI. I believe that staying informed about emerging trends and advancements is crucial for personal and professional development. Basically, I'm putting my oxygen mask on first before helping others.

Gratitude and Perspective

Lastly, caring for my parents has instilled a profound sense of gratitude and perspective. Every day, I’m reminded of the importance of cherishing the present moment and appreciating the journey. In business, maintaining a sense of gratitude can improve morale, foster a positive workplace culture, and enhance overall satisfaction. Perspective allows us to navigate setbacks with grace and stay focused on the bigger picture.

Taking a break from my career to care for my elderly parents has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences of my life. I'm hoping that I'm setting a good example for my children and that recruiters and hiring managers will view this 'break' with positivity. Thank you for being a part of my network and for your continued support.

Let’s continue to learn, grow, and thrive together.

You’ve invested heavily in recruiting the right candidate and did an end zone celebration when you received the executed employment agreement. You determined the start date. Set them up with their equipment and did all the back-end set up for them to work in your system. Now what?

Failure to launch is a costly problem for businesses

Research from Jacob Kaplan-Moss indicates that it conservatively takes about 100 person-hours from approval of the open position to the employees first day. That means you’re deep in the red before they’ve even crossed the proverbial threshold. The focus has now got to shift to creating an exceptional employee experience with the goal of employee retention. 

One study found that companies with effective onboarding processes can increase retention rates by 82%. Silicon Valley companies in the 80’s understood the high value of retention and set out to extend the length of employment from the average of around 4.8 years to seven years. They did this by offering an 8-week paid sabbatical after seven years of employment, allowing you to tack on up to 4 weeks of paid vacation, allowing for a whopping 12-week break to re-examine your navel, or to figure out your next career move. They knew that employees would hang on for a couple more years if they could have this amazing perk at the 7-year mark. Now that's a good ROI on your recruiting investment!

I rolled up at my parents home in Orinda, California in November of 2023 and moved into their in-law unit to help care for them after about 30 years of living three states over. I had never spent more than three days with them since then, and I could have benefitted from a well thought out onboarding plan to prepare me for the re-entry (which they say, is a bitch).

The 'Moving Back Home After 30 Years' Onboarding Plan:

Orientation

• What is our culture -  Really? Mom drinks an O’Doul's at 11am every day? So, we have a pre-lunch, low-alcohol beer kind of culture. Check!

• What is our mission - I’ll go with, it’s to keep my parents safe, well-fed and laughing.

• What is our vision - To have my parents last check go to the mortuary.

• What are our values - To respect each other exactly where we are at any given time. Give grace to one another. Find humor in the ridiculous. Forgive and ask for forgiveness.

• How you can contribute to our collective success - Start by learning to release from trying to be right. Just let it go. Seek to understand when nothing's making sense, or at a minimum, appear to seek to understand. Nod your head as if to indicate you’re interested, even when you’ve lost track of what they’re talking about. Resist looking at your phone. Don't break eye contact. Just nod and don't. say. one. word. until given a sign. (This is also one of the keys to keeping your wife happy. You can start practicing this, like, today).

• Tour of the facilities: Okay, it’s a big home, but damn, there is a lot of ‘stuff’ here! Get Marie Kondo on the line.

• Training: Since when does my mom not like tomatoes? Since when has my dad been consuming about a pint of ice cream every night at 11pm? Note: Buy less tomatoes, buy more ice cream. Even though water is liquid gold here in California, let it go that she waters the garden at high noon when the temperature is 105 degrees. It's her Valhalla. It brings her joy.

• Paperwork: “Father! Exactly what is in this huge pile of papers?  And how about that pile over there? And that one??” Lot's of paperwork. Check!

• Handbook: If by handbook you’re referring to Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, then yes please.

• Introductions: “Oh we don’t socialize with our neighbors. But if you want to know any gossip about them, you just sit here by me.”

• Compliance: Reminder to change my dads Internet password: MickeyMinnieGoofyDonaldPlutoHueyLouisDeweyDublin - Because he was told his password should contain at least 8 characters and one capital.

Employee Handbooks are the Rosetta Stone of a business

They are designed to translate important internal information to employees so that they are all rowing at the same rate and heading in the same direction.

While the idea of an employee manual often conjures up a jumble of jargon and rules, writing one gives you a chance to express how your business thinks about company culture, how you treat your team, and how you celebrate success or endure hardships together. It’s a place to communicate the company’s mission, vision and the values that keep you on the path of true north. One that really resonates with my sense of humor and practical nature is from the gaming company, Valve. Just. Damn. Funny.

But here is a list of some very creative handbooks to take a look at for inspiration, in the event you're still throwing your people into the deep end of the pool with no water-wings.

Until next time, here's to lovingly supporting older adults and their mental health.

Truthfully, I wouldn’t trade this for all the tea in China (I’m a coffee girl anyway). None of this could happen without the support of many friends and family. I don’t believe that we’re designed to ‘go it alone’ on the journey of life. If you don’t believe me, binge watch a season of The History Channel's Alone.  While most of these people have the skills to survive alone in the wilderness for a really long time, for many of them it’s the isolation from their loved ones that drives their decision to leave the competition with new knowledge that they really need the emotional connection of their people for true survival.

Creating a human-to-human connection

This is what we strive for in marketing, for sure, but what organizations that have mastered culture have learned is that there are no two individuals in their organization that are identical. They come from different cultures, families, economics, experiences, have a variety of skills and education. Each person is like a brick in the wall and it’s the mission, vision and values that are the mortar that holds everyone together. They all rely on each other for support so that they are moving forward together with aligned priorities.

One of my goals when I join an organization is to meet as many people from as many teams as possible so that I can learn what I can do to best support their success and determine our intersecting points between my team's work, and theirs. These people oftentimes become lifelong friends because we bonded at the human-to-human level. Even more importantly, they sometimes became my ‘squad’. These are a small group of internal advocates I use to help guide my decisions, shine a light on my blind spots and provide perspective I may not have considered.

Finding your squad

In my current role as the caregiver of my parents, I still rely on the power of a squad. They each bring unique perspectives and have very different approaches to supporting me when I signal an SOS. These ladies have been my ride-or-die crew for decades through all the corporate chaos I’ve endured, and now they’re helping me navigate the even wilder world of caregiving. I couldn’t survive without them, and I definitely wouldn’t be the person I am today without their support. Meet my go-to gals who keep me grounded—here’s a quick rundown of their superpowers:

Terre: "Turn left at the insanity, proceed straight to sanity."

We’ve been friends since our early 20s, so Terre knows all my stories. These days, she’s a business executive coach, which is just a fancy way of saying she’s got her shit together. Terre is like my personal Spock: logical, analytical, and always action-oriented. When I’m losing my mind because everything in my parents house is beeping, from blood sugar monitors to the oven timer to the coffee maker (but I’m the only one who can hear any of this), she very directly reminds me that this is, in part, why I’m here and then very, very directly tells me to get over it and fix it. Her no-nonsense approach is like having a GPS for the chaos of caregiving. 

Paula: “F*n A! That’s Ridiculous!”

Then there's my sister, Paula. She’s fiercely loyal and will always be the first to throw on boxing gloves and step into the ring to defend me. It’s like having my very own Ronda Rousey on speed dial. When caregiving feels like I’m trapped in a never-ending episode of "Survivor: Elderly Edition," Paula’s the one who’s ready to snuff out someone’s torch for me. I would argue she’s even more loyal to me than to our parents. She recognizes that if I fail, our parents' dream of being carried out of here in a pine box will be over. Her fierce loyalty is like having a personal bodyguard who’s also emotionally invested. It's both terrifying and incredibly comforting.

Joni: “You’re not wrong, but have you considered…!”

And last, but certainly not least, there’s Joni. If we were in a Native American tribe, Joni would be the elder revered for her wisdom, leadership, and spiritual knowledge. She’s like Yoda, but taller and with better hair. When my mom is trying to tell a story that is riddled with word gaps, “Ya know that guy… the one that was in that movie… it was filmed in that beautiful state… he was married to that girl… she had the hair.” “Are we talking about Brad Pitt?” “YESSSSS!  Oh my gawd, Pammy, you’re so good at this game!”  I’ll call Joni and she’ll remind me that I am NOT, in fact, being punked. She assures me that I’ve got this. She reminds me of my strength and that I’ve been through more difficult situations. She always offers a teaspoon full of advice designed to get me back in my power. Her calm wisdom makes me feel like I’m not alone on this rollercoaster of geriatric drama. She’s the zen master who can turn my panic into, well, slightly less panic.

Translating Squad Dynamics to the Workplace

Now, let’s talk about how this applies to the workplace. Yes, there’s a segue. In my professional life, I always sought out unique types of people on different teams to build connections with. It’s like building a superhero squad but for project management, Agile, customer experience, pivot tables, Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations.

• Identify Your Squad: Just like I have Terre, Paula, and Joni, find colleagues who bring diverse perspectives. You need your own personal Spock, Ronda Rousey, and Yoda at work.

• Leverage Diverse Strengths: Each squad member offers unique insights. Use their superpowers to tackle challenges. Think of it as the Avengers but with fewer explosions and more conference calls. Unless blowing things up is a good thing(?).

• Provide and Seek Support: Support is a two-way street. Be there for your team, and let them be there for you. It’s like a trust fall exercise, but with less awkward touching.

• Embrace Different Perspectives: Diverse perspectives are gold. Encourage open communication and respect for varying viewpoints. It’s like a melting pot of brilliance, but without the weird soup analogy. Share ideas and enlist their help in developing the idea further, to help identify blind spots or to bring richness to the project.

• Maintain Balance and Well-being: Prioritize the well-being of your team. Encourage a healthy work-life balance and mental health support. Because burnout is so last season.

Whether in personal life or the workplace, surrounding yourself with a diverse group of individuals who offer different strengths and perspectives is crucial. As I continue this hilarious and heart-wrenching journey, I am grateful for Terre, Paula, and Joni and so many others to keep me empowered to be successful at this. They are the Avengers of my sanity, and in the ever-evolving sitcom of caregiving and work, one thing is clear: we’re stronger, funnier, and definitely more ridiculous together.

Onward and upward supporting those around us.