The Mitt I Know: God Bless America

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to spend a couple weeks on the Olympic Torch Relay leading up to the Opening Ceremonies.  I started my stretch on the Torch Relay in Nashville, Tennessee and spent the next two weeks or so following the Torch relay and working with the media in cities from Nashville to New York City.

While In New York City, the Torch was going to board a ferry and ride past the Statue of Liberty.  I had the honor of being on the ferry along with Mitt and 25 or so family members of police and firemen that gave their lives on September 11, 2001.

The set up for this event started well before the evening of December 23, 2011 when all these people joined me on the ferry for our ride past the Statue of Liberty.  I began my day early on the pier making sure everything was set up and ready for the families and Mitt’s arrival with the torch later that evening.

As we got closer to the ferry ride that evening, the anticipation and excitement grew.  That excitement continued to grow as the family members arrived at the doc.  As we waited for the Torch to arrive Mitt arrived.  He took the time to meet, shake hands with and talk to each of the family members.  What struck me was his genuine concern and interest for each of the families.  He never looked rushed while talking to the families and talked to each one for as long as they wanted.  He listened and more than anything cared.

Once the Torch arrived, we boarded the ferry and headed out to the to the Stature of Liberty.  Once we arrived at the given point near the ferry Mitt read each family members name who had given their lives during the attack on September 11^th.  As he read each of their names, the family member held the torch and then would pass it to the next family member.

Once all the names were read the entire group huddled together and all held the torch together.  There was a moment of silence accompanied by tears as people remembered and honored those who gave their lives on that tragic day.  A lone voice singing God Bless America broke the silence.  I remember hearing the singing and at first I couldn’t understand what was being said or who was singing.

As I looked around to try and see who was singing I saw that it was Mitt.  As I discovered who it was the families all joined in signing God Bless America.  It didn’t take long for the few dry eyes that were left to moisten with tears as the singing continued.  It also didn’t take long before everybody on that ferry was singing along with Mitt and the families.

After the song and as the ferry headed back to the pier to continue its journey through the Times Square there were more conversations and memories of loved ones shared and hugs exchanged.

I remember being impressed at how attentive Mitt was to each of the family members.  I think many would expect that the CEO of a major organization like the Olympic Committee, in the middle of a major project wouldn’t have time or even give a thought to others., but Mitt is different.  He never checked his watch and you would have thought that he had all the time in the world and not a care in the world or another place to be that night.  From what I saw and people experienced that night, he had all the time in the world that night. This instance wasn’t the first time or the last time I saw the characteristic from Mitt.

In a previous blog entry, I wrote how I always told people that Mitt was better than he appeared to be on TV or in interviews.  This is one of the traits that always felt made him stand out and made him better than he appeared.  It’s something you can’t see in a TV interview but once you had the chance to talk to and be around the man you could see it in just about every interaction.  Some people are good at appearances or giving off the impression that they care or are interested in somebody, but with Mitt it was never an act.

Author: Jeremy Kartchner | Google+

The Mitt I Know: Take Me Out To The Ballgame

With the MBL All-Star game tonight, it reminded me of the time I arranged for Mitt Romney to throw out the first pitch at a Yankees game.

I knew Mitt was going to be in Washington, D.C. and New York City and that the day he was flying from D.C. to New York he had a free evening.  The cool thing about Mitt was that he was always willing and eager to do things if we could make a good recommendation.

Knowing that he had a free evening, I decided to check the Yankees’ schedule to see if they were going to be in town.  I thought it would be cool to have Mitt at the game and even cooler to have him throw out the first pitch.  I figured we could use it as a way to talk about and promote our upcoming Olympic ticket sales.

My boss, Carline Shaw told me to go for it.  So, I did.  I worked with one of our consultants in New York City to find out how I cold set this up.  As it turns out, the late George Steinbrenner approved all of these requests personally so we had to draft a letter to Mr. Steinbrenner with all the details of our request, including the proposed date, an explanation of why we were making the request and who would be throwing out the first pitch.

We wrote the letter to Mr. Steinbrenner making our request and within a few days received confirmation that our request had been approved.  We were thrilled and decided that we weren’t going to just e-mail or tell Mitt about it but that we should find a creative and fun way to let him know.

Caroline and I decided that me and another colleague, Mark Walker would stand in the Atrium on the 13^th floor, just outside Mitt’s office and play catch with our gloves and a baseball.  We also bought and wore New York Yankees hats.  Caroline was going to go get Mitt and bring him into the Atrium for a bogus meeting.  When he walked out with Caroline we knew he’d see us and ask us what we were doing.  Once he asked what we were doing, we were going to tell him we were there to warm him up for the big game. From there Mitt would obviously be confused and we would explain that he would be throwing out the first pitch at an upcoming Yankees game.

We were all excited about this and as Mark and I played catch in the Atrium waiting for Mitt we must have had 50 or so people walk past and ask us what we were doing.  We told them we were playing catch, duh.  We also had a number of people tell us to be careful and not to break anything.

As Mitt walked into the Atrium he was talking to Caroline, he saw us, smiled and kept talking.  He stopped mid conversation, did a double take and asked us what we were doing?  When we told him we were there to warm him up he got a confused look on his face and you could tell he wasn’t sure what we had said.  He asked us again what we were doing and again we told him we were there to warm him up.  This time I think he realized that he had heard us correctly the first time and asked, “Warm me up for what?”

We told him for the Yankees game and explained that he was going to throw out the first pitch at the Yankees game on his upcoming trip to New York.  A look of horror overcame his face as he heard what we told him.

We told him the date and that we had set it all up.  We also explained that the Yankees would introduce him and say that he was in town to promote Olympic ticket sales and give fans the Website address where they could go to get more details and to buy tickets.  None of this news helped Mitt feel better.  In fact, I think he was still waiting for us to tell him that it was a joke.

We started to wonder if it was simply nervousness about not being able to throw the ball from the pitchers mound to home plate and were telling him he could scoot up if he needed to.  That’s when he told us that it wasn’t that, but rather that he had hurt his shoulder years earlier and ever since hadn’t had the proper rotation to throw like he once could.

Uh-oh!

We decided that we would work with Mitt over the next several days to warm him up and help him practice for the big day.  We went outside our offices and measured the official distance between a pitchers mound and home plate and helped him stretch to get ready to throw.  Mitt began throwing and did fine to be honest.  I thought it would be awful based on what he had told us, but he threw very well.

We did this practice routine a couple of times leading up to his trip.  The night he was scheduled to throw out the first pitch was September 11, 2001.  Mitt never made it to New York.  He got stuck in Washington, DC for several days as our country was stunned and scrambling to recover from and make sense of the al Qaeda  terrorist attack.

The attacks on the United States were a scary time.  In my next blog entry I’ll write about some of the things that were going on at the Olympic committee as well as how Mitt handled the situation from a local, national and global perspective as the leader of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.

Even though it never happened, a couple of things stick out in my mind from arranging for Mitt to throw out the first pitch at that Yankees game.   First, Mitt’s willingness to do what it takes to accomplish the goal.  We didn’t check with him in advance before arranging for him to throw the first pitch out.  We knew from previous experience with Mitt that if we proposed something that made sense and helped further the goals that Mitt would do it.

Secondly, and more importantly, I was impressed by Mitt’s attitude and determination about doing something he wasn’t comfortable with and finding a way to make it happen.

Charles Swindoll, the evangelical Christian pastor, author, educator, radio preacher and Founder of Insight for Living said, “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company… a church… a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past… we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our Attitudes.”

Mitt was surprised by the opportunity and nervous about throwing out the first pitch, mainly due to a previous injury, but he wouldn’t let that be an excuse.  He worked hard to prepare himself to do what needed to be done.  He was willing and able to do what we had arranged for him and had the attitude that it didn’t matter if it took him out of his comfort zone.  He understood the benefit this opportunity brought to the Salt Lake Organizing Committee and was wide open to it.

This attitude will serve him well and in my opinion makes him the ideal candidate to be the next President of the United States.

Author: Jeremy Kartchner | Google+

I Got This

I always tell clients that I’ll be the bad guy if a situation arises where somebody has to be a jerk or be the bad guy.  It rarely happens where I have to be the bad guy, but there are times where I have had to step in for the benefit of a client during an interview and keep the ball rolling, so to say.   Most of the time, this is not meant as a way to be a gatekeeper or to shield a client, but rather a way of allowing them to have all the information necessary to respond knowledgeably.

I bring this up because of a recent scenario involving Bryce Harper, the 19-year-old rookie phenom for the Washington Nationals.  This example demonstrates perfectly what I would do or what I mean when I tell clients that I’ll be the bad guy if necessary.

While in Toronto recently, Harper hit a game winning home run and then was asked in the locker room afterwards by a member of the media if, since it’s legal to drink alcohol at age 19 in Canada if he was going to celebrate with a beer after the game. Harper shook his head but before he could even respond, you can hear, in the background one of the team’s PR people telling the reporter that he needs to ask a different question because it’s illegal for Harper to drink alcohol because he’s underage.

The reporter tries to explain that it’s not illegal in Canada and again the PR guy says, “Just ask a different question.”  As the PR guy says this, Harper shakes his head and looks at the reporter and says, “I’m not going to answer that.”  Harper pauses, and then finishes with the phrase that’s gone viral, “That’s a clown question, bro.”

Contrast this to a situation involving NBA Center Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic.  For much of this past season Howard was unhappy and was trying to force a trade.  Rumors circulated as to where he wanted to play and why he wanted to be traded. One reporter in particular claimed that Dwight Howard said he would stay with the Magic as long as the team fired current head coach, Stan Van Gundy.

After this report came out, during one of his daily media sessions, Van Gundy was asked about the report and said he had been told the same thing by Magic management.  Shortly after saying this, Howard walked in on the interview put his arm around Van Gundy and tried to make it appear as if they were one big happy family.  At one point Howard even asks if the reporter who wrote the story claiming he wanted Van Gundy fired was there.

Van Gundy made a quick exit and left Howard there to talk with the media.  The media proceeded to ask Howard if he wanted Van Gundy fired.  Howard said no and the media persisted saying that Van Gundy just told him that Magic management told him Howard had said these things, leaving Howard in an awkward position.

In the case of Howard and Van Gundy, the PR person should have stepped up and explained to Howard in advance what was happening so Howard wouldn’t be caught off guard and stuck in an awkward position.  The PR person could have caught him before he walked up or if he didn’t see him or know he was coming he should have stopped him before he said anything to explain the situation.

In PR, a little initiative by the PR person and a willingness and ability to step in and make sure a client knows the facts or the situation before responding can go a long ways to ensuring optimal results.

This blog entry also appeared on the Snapp Conner PR blog on Tuesday, July 10, 2012.

Author: Jeremy Kartchner | Google+

That’s Easy. I Can Do That

Growing up I remember when Michael Jordan came into the NBA.  He could jump out of the building and score at will.  As he became more and more popular, it didn’t take long before all the kids at school started playing the game with their tongues hanging out, just like Jordan.

There were other things just about every kid in America did when playing basketball, simply because “Air” Jordan was doing it.  Every kid wanted to be like Mike.  Gatorade even coined a song using these lyrics.  

Every kid wanted to play like Jordan.  He made it look so easy that every kid thought they could walk out and play like him.  Jordan was one of the fiercest competitors and most driven athletes of our time.  He worked incredibly hard at becoming as good as he was.

In college, after winning the national championship as a freshman at North Carolina, Jordan’s sophomore year ended in disappointment. The morning after losing in the Eastern regional final to Georgia, he told assistant coach Roy Williams that he was tired and needed some time away from basketball.   Coach Williams told him to take some much needed time off.  Jordan agreed.

Later that day, Williams went out for a run and when he came back he encountered Michael in his practice sweats, with a ball at his side.

“I thought you were going to take some time off,” Williams said.

“I can’t afford to, Coach,” Jordan answered.  “We didn’t win – I’ve got to wok on my game.  I’ve got to be better.”

All this after a season in which he was named All-Conference, All-American, and the Sporting News’s National Player of the Year.

One of my favorite players has always been Larry Bird.  Bird and Magic Johnson are credited with making the NBA the global success that it is today.  Since they played against each other in 1979 for college championship, Bird and Magic have had a rivalry that drove each other to achieve their greatest potential and success.

Upon entering the NBA, Bird and Magic faced off against each other 3 times for the NBA title. Bird’s Celtics won once and Magic’s Lakers won twice times.  Overall, Bird was a three time NBA Champion and while Magic was a five time NBA Champion.

In 1981 the day after Magic’s Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA Championship, Quinn Buckner showed up at Bird’s house midafternoon. He knocked on the door and Bird’s wife answered. Buckner was surprised when his wife told him that Larry wasn’t there.  When Bird got back later that morning he explained to Buckner that he had some things in his game he needed to work on so he could get better and beat the Lakers the next season.

The next season Bird ‘s Celtics beat Magic’s Lakers.  The day after the Celtics won, Buckner showed up at Birds midafternoon hoping to celebrate all over again, only to be told again that Bird wasn’t there.

“He was out running,” Buckner said.  “When he got back, I said to him , ‘Man, what are you doing?”

Bird looked at him quizzically before he answered.  “I’m getting ready for next year,” he said.

The point is, all great athletes work hard at what they do so they can be as good as they are.  Yes, they may have a God given natural ability but they still work hard to refine that ability and hone it in a way that allows them to be as good as they are.

I believe business professionals are they same way.    As business professionals, we’ve chosen a field that interests us, captivates our attention in a way that drives us to work hard to be the best.  I know for instance that in public relations, I’m constantly reading, studying and practicing my craft.  I’m not saying I’m the best like Michael Jordan or Larry Bird, but I work hard and feel that I have acquired a certain level of expertise that allows me to be successful.

They say imitation is the highest form of flattery.  Every kid in America has played basketball with his or her tongue hanging out.  Every kid has tried to imitate Bird’s behind the basket shot.  Jordan and Bird made it look so easy.

In PR, I think the same can be said when a company or client says they can do what I do.  At times I’m sure I make PR look so easy.

At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, NBC Broadcaster Mike Adamle was convinced that platform diving was easy.  According to Adamle, if you fixed your gaze on a specific point like a ceiling light and focused on that light while falling backwards your body would automatically rotate enough to carry into a natural diving position.

Adamle was challenged to put his theory to the test.  He failed.  Miserably.  He basically belly flopped from 10 meters (about 35 feet).  As he was climbing out of the pool, he asked if his chest and body were bleeding and ended up with a black eye for his efforts.  Not as easy as it looks, is it Mike?

I have clients all the time that think they can write a press release, case study or know exactly how to handle a PR crisis.  More often that not, those clients try and end up coming back to me with a new understanding and appreciation for the abilities I have and the services I provide.  It’s hard work, and to me, it’s a great compliment that I’m good enough at what I do that I make it look so easy that others think they can do it to.

Author: Jeremy Kartchner | Google+

The Mitt I Know: Is He Really As Good As He Appears To Be?

One of the first things people asked me once they found out I worked for the Olympic Committee was whether or not I knew Mitt Romney.  When I told them that I did, they usually wanted me to explain (prove) how I knew him.

I would explain that I worked in the media relations department and that I coordinated all the press conferences and set up media interviews for Mitt.

Once I had sufficiently proved that I knew him, I would always get the same question, “Is Mitt really as good as he appears to be?”

In response, I would always smile and look around like I had a secret to tell.  I’d look the person in the eye and say, “No.”

I’d always get the same response, a gasp like I had just revealed some hidden secret or a juicy piece of gossip.  Then, just as the person looked as if they were settling in for the whole scoop, I would finish by saying, “He’s better than he appears to be.”

The completion of my answer would always draw another gasp, this time, one of disappointment.

It seemed like quite often, people were hoping to uncover something on Mitt that would make him look bad or seem like he wasn’t as good or talented as he was.  In my experiences with Mitt, that never happened.  It seems like today, as he’s running for President, people are still looking for ways to tear him down or make him appear less than he is.

It’s unfortunate really.  I believe that if people would spend less time looking for things to discredit Mitt and instead focus on how his talent, skill, experience and intelligence could benefit the United States they would find a tremendous leader that is more than capable of helping strengthen our economy and create new jobs.

Author: Jeremy Kartchner | Google+

My Name’s Not Steve

My five and three-year-old daughters are hooked on the Barbie movie A Fairytale Princess.  I haven’t seen the movie start to finish, but I’ve seen enough to know that I don’t want to see it start to finish.

One part of the movie I thought was funny/interesting was when one of the characters keeps calling Ken by the wrong name.  Every time she refers to him it’s a different name, some of which are not even close to his real name.  Ken is clearly annoyed and is constantly correcting the lady but even at the end of the movie she still can’t get his name right.

The reason I find this interesting and even a bit funny is that it hits close to home.  In business I know and have seen several people who cannot get people’s names, the business name or product names correct.

I’ve got a difficult last name and have grown up having to correct people, spell my last name and tell people how to pronounce it.  I’m used to it and expect it, but I also expect that once I’ve told somebody how to say it that they’ll get it right moving forward.

In a business setting I think there is a certain amount of professionalism to getting a persons name, business name or product name right.  A mispronunciation the first time is acceptable, but an ongoing inability to get the name right is unacceptable, especially when you’ve been told the proper pronunciation.  It shows a lack of interest, focus and general disregard for the person and, in my opinion, raises questions about their ability to produce the results desired if they can’t even get something as simple as my name, my business name or my product name right.

As a PR person, I talk to a lot of people about our clients.  I refer to the company, the product or service as well as individuals within the company such as the CEO, COO, CFO and other executives.  I’m usually the media’s first introduction to our clients and their first impression of our clients.  The media demands accuracy, often asking people to spell their names and company names to make sure they are accurate.

I’ve seen PR people Tweet and add Facebook updates about clients that include inaccurate spellings of names. This, in my mind, is unacceptable and should never happen.  In one instance, a colleague referred to the CEO of a client and spelled his name wrong in a document.  The CEO caught the misspelling and politely pointed it out.  My colleague came back to him in our next meeting with the revised version of the document but still had not corrected the spelling of the CEO’s name.  This time, the CEO was not polite as he told my colleague that his name was STILL misspelled.

In anther instance, a neighbor kept calling me Steve.  My name is not Steve.  The first time he called me Steve I laughed and explained that my name is not Steve.  It happened again and again I pointed out that my name is NOT Steve.  The third time he called me Steve I responded by calling him Walter.  He looked at me like he couldn’t believe I didn’t know his name.  He was quick to point out that his name wasn’t Walter.  I was quick to point out to him for the third time that my name isn’t Steve.  After that he finally started calling me by my given name, Richard, I mean Jeremy.

It really shouldn’t be that hard.  It requires paying attention to detail and focusing on what people are saying and telling you.  An inability to get names right makes you look bad and can cost you respect and business.

I initially wrote this blog entry for the Snapp Conner PR blog.  It appeared on the Snapp Conner PR Website on October 24, 2011.

Author: Jeremy Kartchner | Google+