A career-changing moment or experience
Leverage Relationships for
International Growth
“Did you sell your software in Hong Kong?” my assistant
asked, as she pulled the CD from the Fed
Express envelope.
“Not that I know of.” My tone was
rather sarcastic, knowing how often
authors “get published” in foreign countries without their knowledge because of
copyright violations.
“Well, this sure looks like your
ModelOffice CD. Maybe they
sold rights there and forgot to
tell you. Oh, wait. There’s a
note attached.” She read the
Post-It note aloud: “Thought
you’d like to know that I just
bought this on the streets of
Hong Kong for $3. Sorry
about this. I was in your
audience last year at SHRM.”
I didn’t recognize the signature.
Upon closer examination
of the accompanying brochure,
it soon became apparent that a
knockoff of my CD that sold for
$49 at Best Buy and Office Depot was
indeed selling for $3 half way around
the world.” And I’d found out quite
by accident.
This incident once again reinforced
the value of relationships—particularly
relationships speakers can leverage when
working beyond borders. All I had to do
was hand over the contact information to
my producer to prosecute.
Relationships have left a rewarding, if
surprising, path in my career. Take these
examples: Dr. Palan was in my audience
in the early l990s, and invited me to tour
Malaysia and speak to key clients there.
Those early trips gave me international
experience, useful in my area of expertise
(communication) when I’m often asked
how writing and speaking principles vary
from culture to culture.
Dianna Booher, MA, CSP, CPAE, works with organizations to increase productivity and improve effectiveness through better communication: oral,
written, interpersonal and cross-functional.
She’s the author of 45 books, published in 23
countries, in 18 languages. Her latest are The
Voice of Authority and Booher’s Rules of
Grammar. Visit www.Booher.com
April 2011 | SPEAKER | 35
