Brad Domitrovich

PR Zealot, Speaker, Educator

Posts tagged Brad Domitrovich

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Communications is a planned effort … School communications is a planned effort. Every district has a story to tell and stakeholders in your community want to hear that story told. As school board member and administrators, what can you do to help your district share its stories of success with those who want to know? Here are five quick tips! Know what it takes to communicate well. Not every school district has a communications department, but every school district should have a communications plan. How you communicate is equally as important as what you communicate. Effective communication goals should always reflect back to the yearly goals established for the Superintendent and the district. If change is a major part of the goal, make sure that change is communicated. Listening is the key to great communication. As a PR person, I know how hard it is to open my ears and keep my mouth shut! Effective board members will know how to listen to administrators, teachers, and community members as they put together goals for the district. Listening also allows us the opportunity to be interconnected with the people we serve. Never let the headlines influence your decisions. We all know how easy it is to get caught up in a whirlwind of rumors, speculations, and current events. If you subscribe to the philosophy “if It’s good for the kids, it’s probably good for the district” – don’t forget to communicate the good you are doing to make our leaders of tomorrow succeed. It all comes down to trust. What is your district’s track record on trust? Does your community consider you trustworthy? If the answer is “no”, perhaps refining your communication goals is in order. Sometimes people mistrust what they don’t understand. Start a concerted effort to communicate more effectively so people begin to understand. Understanding leads to trust. Enthusiasm is contagious! Negative emotions exert a more powerful effect in social situations than positive ones. Our brains are stimulating machines designed to detect and respond to a wide range of intentions on the part of other people. It is hard to stay positive at times but it is something that all of us need to do. If your positive enthusiasm about your district shows, you will be amazed at how that good feeling will spread.

Communications is a planned effort …

School communications is a planned effort. Every district has a story to tell and stakeholders in your community want to hear that story told. As school board member and administrators, what can you do to help your district share its stories of success with those who want to know? Here are five quick tips!

Know what it takes to communicate well. Not every school district has a communications department, but every school district should have a communications plan. How you communicate is equally as important as what you communicate. Effective communication goals should always reflect back to the yearly goals established for the Superintendent and the district. If change is a major part of the goal, make sure that change is communicated.

Listening is the key to great communication. As a PR person, I know how hard it is to open my ears and keep my mouth shut! Effective board members will know how to listen to administrators, teachers, and community members as they put together goals for the district. Listening also allows us the opportunity to be interconnected with the people we serve.

Never let the headlines influence your decisions. We all know how easy it is to get caught up in a whirlwind of rumors, speculations, and current events. If you subscribe to the philosophy “if It’s good for the kids, it’s probably good for the district” – don’t forget to communicate the good you are doing to make our leaders of tomorrow succeed.

It all comes down to trust. What is your district’s track record on trust? Does your community consider you trustworthy? If the answer is “no”, perhaps refining your communication goals is in order. Sometimes people mistrust what they don’t understand. Start a concerted effort to communicate more effectively so people begin to understand. Understanding leads to trust.

Enthusiasm is contagious! Negative emotions exert a more powerful effect in social situations than positive ones. Our brains are stimulating machines designed to detect and respond to a wide range of intentions on the part of other people. It is hard to stay positive at times but it is something that all of us need to do. If your positive enthusiasm about your district shows, you will be amazed at how that good feeling will spread.

Filed under Brad Domitrovich School PR Communications Planning

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Never forget that co-workers are customers too … Who are our customers in the school business? Parents, students, community members, taxpayers, our co-workers. Our co-workers? What? That’s right! One of the most important segments in our customer base is our fellow co-workers. Think about it. Out of all the customers we serve, who do we spend the most time with? It’s all those people we see every day and that same guy or gal that we have to interact with all the time. Because of frequency and convenience, it’s easy to forget that our co-workers are our customers. We need to help our co-workers. They need to help us. We need to give them first class customer service. They need to do the same for us. That’s how successful organizations work. Customer service is a smile, but it’s also about respect. If co-workers smile and respect each other who wins? Everyone! Maintaining amiable relationships with coworkers makes for a much more enjoyable workplace environment. Just as we should do whatever it takes to satisfy an external customer, we should always make sure our co-workers are rated #1.

Never forget that co-workers are customers too …

Who are our customers in the school business? Parents, students, community members, taxpayers, our co-workers. Our co-workers? What? That’s right! One of the most important segments in our customer base is our fellow co-workers.

Think about it. Out of all the customers we serve, who do we spend the most time with? It’s all those people we see every day and that same guy or gal that we have to interact with all the time. Because of frequency and convenience, it’s easy to forget that our co-workers are our customers.

We need to help our co-workers. They need to help us. We need to give them first class customer service. They need to do the same for us. That’s how successful organizations work. Customer service is a smile, but it’s also about respect. If co-workers smile and respect each other who wins? Everyone!

Maintaining amiable relationships with coworkers makes for a much more enjoyable workplace environment. Just as we should do whatever it takes to satisfy an external customer, we should always make sure our co-workers are rated #1.

Filed under Brad Domitrovich Customer Service PR School PR Co-workers

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How do you say hello? Over the past week or so I have been noticing how people say hello, and how I say hello to others. Hello. Such a simple word and yet, such a powerful word. How we say hello to others initiates our tone that at many times begins the customer service process. If you are a morning person like I am, saying a cheerful hello to someone can really make their day. I’ve seen people pay it forward after I gave them (for lack of better words) a meaningful greeting. Don’t you hate it when you walk into a store and the clerk doesn’t even acknowledge your existence? Instead of giving you a hello or a hi or a welcome, you suddenly become The Invisible Man. You don’t exist. Maybe they’re too busy talking with another employee, restocking a shelf, or texting a friend. People can always blame their boss, their job responsibilities, or their overall work environment for forgetting the simplest of acts that initiate good customer service, a hello. The next time you have one person on the phone, another one on hold, and an inbox full of e-mails to answer - don’t forget to say hello to that person who walks in your office. If you can’t say it, give them a wave, a smile, or a thumbs up. Whatever you do, take the time to acknowledge your visitor. Let them know that you know they are there. Make them feel welcome. You never know when your hello can brighten up a person’s day.

How do you say hello?

Over the past week or so I have been noticing how people say hello, and how I say hello to others. Hello. Such a simple word and yet, such a powerful word. How we say hello to others initiates our tone that at many times begins the customer service process.

If you are a morning person like I am, saying a cheerful hello to someone can really make their day. I’ve seen people pay it forward after I gave them (for lack of better words) a meaningful greeting.

Don’t you hate it when you walk into a store and the clerk doesn’t even acknowledge your existence? Instead of giving you a hello or a hi or a welcome, you suddenly become The Invisible Man. You don’t exist. Maybe they’re too busy talking with another employee, restocking a shelf, or texting a friend. People can always blame their boss, their job responsibilities, or their overall work environment for forgetting the simplest of acts that initiate good customer service, a hello.

The next time you have one person on the phone, another one on hold, and an inbox full of e-mails to answer - don’t forget to say hello to that person who walks in your office. If you can’t say it, give them a wave, a smile, or a thumbs up.

Whatever you do, take the time to acknowledge your visitor. Let them know that you know they are there. Make them feel welcome. You never know when your hello can brighten up a person’s day.

Filed under Brad Domitrovich Customer Service Hello PR School PR

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Praise God from whom all blessings flow … Many Protestant faiths honor God with a short hymn of praise. One that is used in a lot of English speaking churches is Praise God, from whom all blessings flow commonly referred to as The Doxology. The Doxology is one of those simple prayers that tend to go through my head, usually when I’m driving alone in my car. Sometimes I sing it when I feel a spirit of thanksgiving in my life. Maybe it’s for one of those little blessings that I receive everyday. Sometimes it’s for one of those big miracles that make me stop and realize that my life here on earth is directed by a Father, a Son, and a Holy Spirit. I sang The Doxology a lot over the past couple of months. Every time I got a good report about Gina’s  health and her recovery, I sang a chorus or two. Watching her get stronger and stronger everyday kept my faith alive and vibrant. After spending weeks and weeks seeing doctor after doctor and moving from hospital to hospital, it was nice to hear the words “come back in three months” from her Infectious Disease doctor a few weeks ago. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow. Today we heard “come back in six months” from her Cardiologist. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow. We have turned the corner. We have passed the crossroads. Recovery is at the end of the road, and it’s a short road. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow. Tomorrow, as I drive to work, the spirit is going to hit me. All of a sudden The Doxology will be sung. Probably pretty loud. Probably more than once. I have to thank Him for my big miracle. I have to thank Him for putting all those wonderful doctors and nurses in our life. I have to thank Him for giving me back my best friend. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow …

Many Protestant faiths honor God with a short hymn of praise. One that is used in a lot of English speaking churches is Praise God, from whom all blessings flow commonly referred to as The Doxology.

The Doxology is one of those simple prayers that tend to go through my head, usually when I’m driving alone in my car. Sometimes I sing it when I feel a spirit of thanksgiving in my life. Maybe it’s for one of those little blessings that I receive everyday. Sometimes it’s for one of those big miracles that make me stop and realize that my life here on earth is directed by a Father, a Son, and a Holy Spirit.

I sang The Doxology a lot over the past couple of months. Every time I got a good report about Gina’s  health and her recovery, I sang a chorus or two. Watching her get stronger and stronger everyday kept my faith alive and vibrant.

After spending weeks and weeks seeing doctor after doctor and moving from hospital to hospital, it was nice to hear the words “come back in three months” from her Infectious Disease doctor a few weeks ago. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow. Today we heard “come back in six months” from her Cardiologist. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow. We have turned the corner. We have passed the crossroads. Recovery is at the end of the road, and it’s a short road. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow.

Tomorrow, as I drive to work, the spirit is going to hit me. All of a sudden The Doxology will be sung. Probably pretty loud. Probably more than once. I have to thank Him for my big miracle. I have to thank Him for putting all those wonderful doctors and nurses in our life. I have to thank Him for giving me back my best friend. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow.

Filed under Brad Domitrovich Miracles Blessings

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Love, Illness, and Devotion … It was over three months ago that my wife became ill. Watching her turn from such a strong and commanding woman to a weak and frail human being in just two weeks, absolutely scared the shit out of me. I don’t really remember how many doctors and nurses cared for her. I don’t really remember the exact number of surgeries and procedures she had. I don’t really remember how many times I prayed for her. I do remember that each time I visited her, my love for her grew more and more. Every day in the hospital was memorable. Every day I learned more and more about her illness. Every day provided me with hope. Every day I knew that her health would improve. Every day I knew that prayers were answered. The photo above was taken on day forty eight of her hospital stay. We left together that day to begin the rest of her recovery at home. I enjoy sitting on the porch with her. I enjoy eating dinner with her. I enjoy talking to her. I enjoy having her at home. Her smile has gotten brighter in the past two weeks. Her strength has improved as well. She still has doctor appointments to make and several tests to take over the next few months. The best part is that she does not have to do it alone. She has me. She has my prayers. She has my love. She has my devotion. Forever.

Love, Illness, and Devotion …

It was over three months ago that my wife became ill. Watching her turn from such a strong and commanding woman to a weak and frail human being in just two weeks, absolutely scared the shit out of me.

I don’t really remember how many doctors and nurses cared for her. I don’t really remember the exact number of surgeries and procedures she had. I don’t really remember how many times I prayed for her. I do remember that each time I visited her, my love for her grew more and more.

Every day in the hospital was memorable. Every day I learned more and more about her illness. Every day provided me with hope. Every day I knew that her health would improve. Every day I knew that prayers were answered.

The photo above was taken on day forty eight of her hospital stay. We left together that day to begin the rest of her recovery at home. I enjoy sitting on the porch with her. I enjoy eating dinner with her. I enjoy talking to her. I enjoy having her at home.

Her smile has gotten brighter in the past two weeks. Her strength has improved as well. She still has doctor appointments to make and several tests to take over the next few months. The best part is that she does not have to do it alone. She has me. She has my prayers. She has my love. She has my devotion. Forever.

Filed under Brad Domitrovich love illness devotion

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Christmas gift suggestions … “Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect.” - Oren Arnold

Christmas gift suggestions …

“Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect.” - Oren Arnold

Filed under Brad Domitrovich Christmas