Comments on: the cleopatra effect

By: Alice_no

Alice_no — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 14:55:23 +0000

Halo!
Check this out!
*

By: Samantha

Samantha — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 07:31:37 +0000

Actually, this reminds me of the tendency of consultants, especially, and sometimes others who are so desperate for the business that they hardly hear what they’re committing to before screaming, “Yes, yes, we can do that, too!” Often, before the check has even cleared they’re thinking, “Oh shit, what did I get myself into?!“
I would say, in my case, half of such engagements resulted in beautiful music (’cause I’m so motivated by pressure) and half in, well, near-fatal flogging.
Live and learn, we do.

By: Daniel K

Daniel K — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 02:24:42 +0000

1. As a greenhorn it took me two dedicated nights to find out everything about corporate blogging (blogs are easy to find and well connected, duh!). So it does not need a pro consultant who gets a sh…load of money for it.
2. It NEEDS somebody who´s blogging constantly and honestly — and who has at least some kind of message. I think you can give the poor to-be corporate bloggers guidelines on how to be understandable and somehow cool. The problem is: They need freedom & trust to be fast as the blogworld is. And people see if the PR checked the spelling first. In the end, they can spoil more than achieving anything.
3. What the hell did I want to say? About Cleo: If you ever make ONE customer your ONLY queen, you´ve done something wrong right at the start…
Yup. Thanks for being an idol combining sucess AND coolness.

By: Cassie

Cassie — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 01:21:39 +0000

You are amazing and I am currently doing a english paper on one of your cartoons. I really like this blog though, because it’s not only funny but also true to the core. Thank you!

By: Saira

Saira — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 00:24:26 +0000

Hugh MacLeod, I absolutely love your cartoons. Absolutely random drop-in.

By: Paul Woodhouse

Paul Woodhouse — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 03:15:06 +0000

I tend to bide by the ‘Carry on Cleopatra’ rule:
If they look like Amanda Barrie circa 1964 I’ll do anything.
I’m just getting to the stage where I’m getting asked frequently to apply ‘The Tinbasher Effect’ to other small businesses.
As if I’m Paul Daniels.
I then give them the passive/aggressive Dragon’s Den interview technique if they sound like they have potential.
And if they do have potential I won’t touch it unless I get quite a share in the online side of things and I have control.
I obviously get turned down quite a bit.
Thanks for the focus pointer. I’m just going to tell a prospective client to fuck off.

By: colin kennedy

colin kennedy — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 20:01:57 +0000

The stand out thing about Cleopatra’s comment here is that she’s behaving like a fucking moron and is only out-shone by the stupidity of the harpist.
Unless of course she is laying a trap for the obsequious little brown-noser in which case he deserves everything he gets.

By: David Burn

David Burn — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 10:40:15 +0000

Power corrupts.

By: GaryV

GaryV — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 03:34:07 +0000

Right on! and this not only applies to consultants but also to employees who think outside the box and take a risk on behalf of their companies.

By: Jane Greer

Jane Greer — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 02:15:42 +0000

Mike Peter Reed gives me an idea for a cartoon, Hugh:
“Just because I don’t give a damn
doesn’t mean I don’t care.“
Love it!

By: Adriana

Adriana — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 00:39:01 +0000

Peter, spot on!
As someone who soils one’s hands with corporates, I totally agree with Hugh. The trick is to do that on your own terms, especially if they come to you. Define the conditions and ‘reframe’ the engagement. Don’t be a consultant, that’s just another ‘c-word’. Tell them upfront, what’s going to happen, e.g. my ‘tagline’ is: Imploding companies, one silo at a time. If they still hire me, there is hope.
In my mind, I don’t deal with corporates, I deal with individuals working within them. They are also people, just like you and me, sometimes they just need to be de-borged.

By: peter

peter — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 21:44:16 +0000

this seems to me to be the core issue with blogging in 2006. Couple of years ago “authenticity” was the defining element that separated a blog entry from a press release. The explosion in blogging consultants blurs that separation. Blogging has got more to do with changing the way you do business than finessing your corporate persona. Creating the illusion that you care is not enough.
PR man — How do I know that you are authentic?
Blogger — I say “fuck” a lot
hehe

By: Veda K

Veda K — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 19:44:13 +0000

Perhaps a cleverer reply on the courtier’s behalf would have been that while he was a good musician, he would make a lousy teacher.
Love your work, by the way.

By: James Thomson

James Thomson — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 18:06:26 +0000

The trouble with a lot of ‘ongoing’ corporate consulting services is corporates require both the creative clever stuff/ideas etc and the regular reports about how clever/effective the ideas they are being sold are. The problem is often that the guys get so good at reporting to the client how clever they are they take their eye of the ball and forget to be clever creatively.
In the Cleopatra scenario the courtier may need a clever reporting assistant if he is either a poor teacher or she a hopeless harp pupil. “Oh that sounds so good your majesty — every day you improve so much” gushes the reporting assistant as the clumsy diva produces yet more gut wrenching screeches.
So many consulting firms tell their clients what they want to hear, not what they need to hear (ie you mister client are a dumb, suited, power crazed, phsycho). I think Gapingvoid consultancy would be great. Hugh might do a great job of telling his clients where to get off as the reality of old power bases crumbling started to dawn on them.

By: Jill Drapre

Jill Drapre — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 11:58:28 +0000

You’ve made a living out of being snide. Bless your soul.