This week has provided a personal struggle with the word.  I have experienced the push and pull of should I have said it? What could I have said differently and if, given a do-over — what would that look like? (thankfully, this was more on personal matters — than for my clients)  The component that “lives to fight another day” should learn, not ruminate and know that there is no right answer, word or thought — enter two interesting noshes with scions of words.

Wednesday offered a look at how the written word has called our society to action for hundreds of years.  My nosh-buddy, a former reporter, music lover and still a bit rumpled is now a media titan (and I think that might have been an accidental road for him).  He is challenged with the relevance of traditional news gathering organizations.  This involves news makers, news writers and their editors to deploy their words differently.  This titan is a wise man — he has made the transition from being the delivery mechanism to the god of content creation — a quantum leap, but likely one that will serve his constituents well. He knows that the words his empire creates can move the masses through their availability across platforms.  Words to his enterprise — are power. The first amendment lives.

Friday was a nosh with a former radio expert, now publishing goddess.  Her proposition is a bit different.  She oversees the benefits of the traditional placement of the word.  We spoke about re-invention and what it is that people will do as they transform to the next chapter of their working life and how her mothership can be part of that journey.  Her instructive audience desires familiar words from sources whom they trust — her trajectory includes the written service to those who choose to stay and those who choose to transform. Her challenge is to to remain in the conversation. Select the word that inspires your targeted audience.

Should we, would we and could be — ? The short answer is yes.  We live in a time-impoverished culture  — and while we may have less tangible wealth, we still have words.  Thus the ability to select what works for each of us.  Think of today as the day that you select the literal words for your journey. Marry that to authenticity.  I am a firm believer that the gift of recession is that “all bets are off” — both the expectation and the playing field have moved.  It is up to each of us to engage in the conversation with the words that work for us.

In terms of my lunch friends, their convictions, creativity and execution will ensure their success.  Having said this, the path chosen must be based on what matters to the public-at-large.  While we all might like to be lawyerly with our words — to ensure- longevity — that might not be the best way to live.  Seek flexibility, rooted in what matters to you.  Choose words that represent you and leave options for choice.  Yes, this is lofty — but the momentum on the path to reinvention requires creativity, luck and a little bit of faith. As Fleetwood Mac said, “Don’t stop believing.” and those are words that we all understand.

Covered with newsprint in old clothes,

Jennifer