The

Undeniable

Ruth

®

…and the Ruth shall set you free!

  • Don’t Believe Everything You Read – Verify It

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    Ruth Carter

    Today, I saw a link to a story posted by FCKH8.com about a high school student in Tennessee who was at risk of being suspended for trying to start a gay-straight alliance (GSA).  FCKH8.com suggested that everyone call or email Principal Moser at the school to tell him not to suspend the student.

    According to the story, Nathan Carroll wanted to start a GSA at high school and circulated a petition to get support.  When Carroll brought the petition to Principal Moser, the principal threatened to suspend him if he tried to create a GSA because the petition created a “disturbing the educational environment.”

    My FCKH8 Shirt

    Now, I love FCKH8.com. I support their mission. I love their videos and I have a FCKH8 t-shirt.  I’m glad FCKH8 publicizes stories about discrimination that occurs based on sexual orientation, but this time it looks like they didn’t do their homework before posting this story and encouraging everyone to complain to the school.

    Thanks to FCKH8.com, I had Principal Moser’s phone number. So I called him. He was a very pleasant man.  According to Moser, Carroll created a petition to get student support for a GSA.  Many students supported the idea and others who were very opposed to the idea. The disagreement between the factions began to cause disruptions in classrooms that were interfering with the teachers’ ability to teach. The principle told the students on both sides that petitions would no longer be allowed in school because of the disruption they caused, and violating this directive could result in a suspension. Moser told me that he told Carroll about the process that all school clubs are required to go through in order to be created and that if students went through that process, then the school could have a GSA. I thanked Moser for his time, and I told him that I hoped the teachers used this situation as an opportunity to teach students how to appropriate communicate when there is a disagreement and people with strong beliefs on both sides.

    I’m sure the real truth of this situation is a combination of the students’ and the principal’s perspective, but I looked at this situation much differently after I hung up the phone.  If Moser’s version is mostly accurate, he seems to have acted reasonably for the situation. The school isn’t against having a GSA; it just has to be done through the proper channels.

    I went back to FCKH8.com’s Facebook page and posted a comment about my experience. Many others who left comments said that they had emailed the school. There were many posts that took the news story at face value, assumed that it was completely accurate, and called the principal homophobic and insensitive among other things. There were several dozen people who had reposted the original news story on their Facebook profiles.

    There are enough bad situations involving discrimination based on sexual orientation in schools that we don’t need to look for problems where they don’t exist. Today’s experience taught me how important it is to verify information and to give the other side an opportunity to explain their perspective before posting comments or repeating information online. If you’re posting inaccurate information, you’re adding to an existing problem, and it’s that much harder to fix.

    PS – If everything Principal Moser told me was a lie, please tell me.

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  • Reinventing Professional Services – Top 5 Tips For Lawyers

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    Ruth Carter

    Photo courtesy of Ari Kaplan Advisors

    Ari Kaplan’s new book, Reinventing Professional Services: Building Your Business in the Digital Marketplace addresses the question of how professionals can integrate new technologies into their businesses to be more influential and effective.  Loaded with resources and stories from professionals in all industries, Ari’s book provides suggestions about how to use social media, blogging, e-newsletters, and video/audio recordings that makes them less daunting.

    As I read this book, I reflected on the legal profession, which has the stereotypes of being dignified and particular, and where deviating from the norm is often frowned upon.  Many lawyers and law firms shy away from online resources and tools.  Perhaps this is because of the strict rules in the profession about advertising and soliciting clients, or because members the profession have a low tolerance for making mistakes.

    I’ve compiled the top five lessons lawyers can integrate from this book into their professional lives.

    1.       Social Media is a Tool, not the Goal.
    It seems that a lot of professionals think that having a Facebook page, a Twitter profile, or a blog is enough, but then they never use them.  Doing this is like buying a hammer and never building anything.  These professionals do not understand that these are tools to communicate more effectively with other professionals and clients.  These are merely channels to “cultivate relationships.”  These are fantastic tools for building trust by being genuine and consistent.  Using these tools is not a one-time event; it requires “habitual participation.”

    2.       Be a “Visible Enthusiastic Expert.”
    This is one of the best lessons I took from this book.  Being a visible enthusiastic expert means being part of the online conversation on topics where you have interest and expertise.  It’s important to contribute “rich content” and to convey your passion.  Conversing with other experts in an online forum is an effective way to become associated with them.  Even the simple act of sharing a link to another’s work shows that you are aware and informed about a topic.  Additionally, being transparent about who you are and what you can do without being a salesperson conveys to others that you care about a particular issue or population.

    3.       Pick Your Targets.
    Having a solid online presence is a good start, but it’s not the end.  When there are people you want to connect with, you have to reach out to them.  Don’t wait for them to find you.  Websites like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Google+ are instant ice-breakers for introducing yourself to new people.  They provide comfortable opportunities to ask a person for advice or for an informational interview.  If your first attempt at interaction fails to produce the desired result, be sure to follow up.

    4.       Do Not Be Afraid to Fail.
    Law students are instilled with the notion that they must always be perfect – perfect appearance, perfect cover letters, perfect work product, etc.  They graduate thinking the worst thing they could do is misspell a word on an email.  This can make them gun shy to try new things.  Ari’s book demonstrates that most of these new tools are easier to use than you think.  He encourages readers to consider who they want to connect with, where they are interacting, and to join the conversation.  He promises that you will fail some of the time, and that’s ok.  If you try using an e-newsletter and it doesn’t work for you, you can use another tool like blogging or LinkedIn to reach your audience.  Figuring out what works for you and your business is part of the process.

    5.       Never Forget the Value of In-Person Contact
    Using technology to communicate with someone is less intimidating than picking up the phone; however it is more impersonal.  Nothing will ever replace face-to-face contact, which is more personal and memorable.  It is important to look for opportunities to meet people in person whenever possible and to continue to build relationships with thoughtful follow up.

    Using these tips and tools requires willingness and commitment.  The potential benefits of using technology should overpower any fears that come with trying new things.  Always keep in mind that these tools are to facilitate interaction, not for self-promotion.

    Ari Kaplan, a Fastcase50 honoree, is the principle of Ari Kaplan Advisors in New York City and the author of The Opportunity Maker, Strategies for Inspiring Your Legal Career Through Creative Networking and Business Development (Thomson-West, 2011).  I bartered this blog post in exchange for a copy of his new book. 

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  • SALK Day 23 – Nancy Smith

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    Ruth Carter

    Today’s sponsor is Nancy Smith, a licensed Loan Originator with Alliance Financial Resources in Glendale, Arizona.   Alliance Financial Resources is a conventional home loan lender with in-house processing, underwriting, and funding.  This guarantees that buyers can obtain loans quickly at great rates and close their escrows.  Smith is an FHA and VA approved home loan lender.

    Smith works with both sides of real estate transactions: people who are looking to buy a home and real estate agents.  Smith helps real estate agents have successful open houses and helps them with their Facebook pages.  Her track record speaks for itself; at her last open house, 115 groups of people visited the property, which generated 30 leads.

    Smith is dedicated to her clients.  She has been working with numbers her entire life and recently became licensed lender so she could work “Where Your Family Comes First.”  Her coworkers include Michael J. Thomas and Jeanie Wavrin. They are wonderful professional people with over 30 years of combined experience in the real estate field.   In 2009, Alliance Financial Resources was awarded the Best of Business Award by the Small Business Commerce Association in the financial consultant category.  The winners of these awards are selected based on consumer reports and surveys.

    On February 10th Smith is teaching a DIY Facebook class for members of the real estate industry.  Attendees will revise and customize their business Facebook pages, including creating a side graphic.  Smith has a beautiful side graphic on her Facebook page.  The class will be at the Devry school at West Gate, at 6751 N. Sunset Blvd., 3rd Floor, in Glendale.  This is a great opportunity of real estate agents to use social media to share information with potential buyers and enhance their reputation for being professional and progressive.  Please visit and “Like” her Facebook page.

    Sponsor A Law Kid is my endeavor to pay for my last semester of law school. Today’s sponsor is Nancy Smith of Alliance Financial Resources.   For more information about Sponsor A Law Kid or to see what days are still available for sponsorship, visit my Sponsor A Law Kid page.