Tuesday, October 16, 2018

5 Paul Allen quotations to inspire communicators

Many have given thanks to billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who died on Monday.

Along with Microsoft, Allen founded Vulcan and space transportation company Stratolaunch, and he owned both the Portland Trailblazers and the Seattle Seahawks. He was well known for his philanthropic efforts.

Allen died from complications related to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which he announced roughly two weeks ago had returned. He was 65.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates gave reporters the following statement:

I am heartbroken by the passing of one of my oldest and dearest friends, Paul Allen. From our early days together at Lakeside School, through our partnership in the creation of Microsoft, to some of our joint philanthropic projects over the years, Paul was a true partner and dear friend. Personal computing would not have existed without him.

But Paul wasn’t content with starting one company. He channeled his intellect and compassion into a second act focused on improving people’s lives and strengthening communities in Seattle and around the world. He was fond of saying, “If it has the potential to do good, then we should do it.” That’s the kind of person he was.

Paul loved life and those around him, and we all cherished him in return. He deserved much more time, but his contributions to the world of technology and philanthropy will live on for generations to come. I will miss him tremendously.

Microsoft’s chief executive, Satya Nadella, turned to Twitter to pay tribute to Allen, along with Vulcan, Stratolaunch, the Portland Trailblazers and the Seattle Seahawks:

Tech organizations’ chief executives, sports associations and celebrities reacted on Twitter to Allen’s passing, and both the Trailblazers’ and the Seahawks’ timelines have been filled with players’ tributes.

As tributes continue to pour in, here are five quotations from Allen to inspire communicators of all stripes:

1. "There are relatively few ideas that you can do just by yourself."

You, your co-worker or your boss might have an outstanding idea for a new campaign or communications strategy, but the involving your team can yield the greatest results. Additional input can help you refine the idea and ensure that it doesn’t stoke controversy. Collectively, team members can help your messages successfully reach and resonate with target audiences.

2. "For the most part, the best opportunities now lie where your competitors have yet to establish themselves, not where they're already entrenched."

Instead of looking to beat your competition in areas they already excel, listen to your loyal consumers, passionate employees and brand advocates for interesting stories that haven’t yet been told or unconventional uses for your products and services. You might strike gold with a secondary use for your organization’s creations or capture attention and headlines with a new story that makes consumers want to learn more.

3. “In my experience, each failure contains the seeds of your next success—if you are willing to learn from it.”

Failing isn’t a fun process, but communicators who gather and analyze the data from the tactics and campaigns that fell short can gain crucial insight into what works—and what doesn’t. Using this knowledge can help you create and execute more targeted and effective messaging for the next campaign.

4. “Technology is notorious for engrossing people so much that they don't always focus on balance and enjoy life at the same time. ”

Just as technology can dominate people’s attention and time, so can tasks and responsibilities for communications pros. Even though most love what they do, a career in PR is fast-paced and stressful. Take time away from work to recharge yourself and to help be more productive in the long run.

5. "Any crusade requires optimism and the ambition to aim high."

Many bosses and clients ask a lot of communicators, whether it’s grabbing headlines in top-tier news media outlets or boosting employee adoption for a new and complicated system. Though it’s important to set reasonable goals, challenge yourself by setting the bar far enough from your reach that you’ll be motivated to work harder (and smarter) to reach it.



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