Adventures in Nametagging: Toledo Style

June 16, 2006 11:57 AM

Just finished up a full day of workshops for my friends up in Northwest Ohio’s Workforce Development.

Now, I say Toledo; but technically I spoke in Bryan, OH, home of Sauder Furniture. Man, I actually used to sell that stuff when I worked in retail 4 years ago!

It’s also the birthplace of Spangler Candy, makers of Dum-Dum Pops.

At check in there was a plentiful supply awaiting my arrival. (Homer Simpson drooling sound.)

I got to my room with a mouthful of lollipops and noticed this DO NOT DISTURB sign.

Sweet! I wonder what time period it was made in? I wanna say the 50’s, maybe 60’s? I dunno. Do people still call them maids?

Anyway, the motel (yes, motel, not hotel) was kind of nice for a change; especially since I’d just come straight from speaking @ Burnett in Downtown Chicago. My room didn’t even have wifi, which, I gotta say, was also pretty nice. Woo-hoo! I don’t have to get up an hour early and blog tomorrow! More sleep!

The event was held @ NW State Community College, which had some of the best facilities I’ve ever worked with. Both of our sessions focused on front line and networking/interviewing approachability for displaced workers.

“Lead with your person, not your profession!” I said over and over.

We ran the same word ownership exercise from Leo Burnett. Saw lots of great examples: helper, teddy bear, genuine.

COOL OBSERVATION: most common word that people “owned” and proudly wore on their nametags? Trustworthy. Interesting.
And once again, not to play favorites, but how could you not LOVE this one: Budaful.

No, she didn’t misspell it. That’s her last name: Buda. It’s Hungarian – awesome!

Oh, and for those of you who love your job…

Last but not least, a bunch of the students from the Youth Leadership Program stopped by to hang out. We took two pictures, one “normal” and one where I instructed each of them to “make a face like an idiot.”