by Sue Horner | Jun 20, 2020 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
My car insurance renewal arrived this week, and in (ahem) an “unprecedented” situation, it was good news for me – it’s less than it was last year. Of course, it should be. The Ontario government has pressured major insurance companies to lower auto rates...
by Sue Horner | May 21, 2020 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Businesses are struggling with advertising during the pandemic. It’s a tough balance, to show that they’re still around, still looking for business; yet they are sensitive to the situation. The result has been a lot of vague “We’re here for you” statements and...
by Sue Horner | May 14, 2020 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Simple, powerful, vivid words and analogies. They’re critical if you want people to understand you; even more important if you want to inspire action. Notice what’s happening with the COVID-19 pandemic. Health experts are using simple words to encourage understanding...
by Sue Horner | May 7, 2020 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Here’s my small wordnerdy nitpick in the interests of accuracy: All those workplaces installing barriers to protect employees and customers during the pandemic are not necessarily using “Plexiglas.” That’s a brand name, like Kleenex. The generic term is “acrylic” or...
by Sue Horner | Apr 22, 2020 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
We’re all seeing one particular number everywhere these days – two metres (six feet). That’s how far we have to stay away from others to slow down the spread of COVID-19. But how far is that, really? Everyone citing this number quickly realized people need a better...
by Sue Horner | Apr 16, 2020 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
“We’re here for you.” You’ve probably received that message from multiple sources, like your bank or your insurance company. Or maybe they said, “We’ve got your back.” Or, “We’re looking for every possible way to help you save...
by Sue Horner | Apr 9, 2020 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Music is keeping a lot of us going during these days of social isolation and physical distancing. Without live music performances possible, I’m grateful to #CanadaPerforms, an online program and relief fund by Canada’s National Arts Centre. Through the NAC and...
by Sue Horner | Apr 2, 2020 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Having been in a home office for years, I thought this WFH (work from home) thing would be a piece of cake. Turns out, I’m as likely to be stress-eating cake as much as the next person. Projects I had on the go are on the back burner. I’m spending far too...
by Sue Horner | Mar 29, 2020 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
These are “unprecedented times,” to use one of the phrases you’ve no doubt heard dozens (hundreds?) of times over the past few weeks. Tiresome clichés aside, more than ever, this is a time for clear communication. “Communication is at the heart of the employee...
by Sue Horner | Mar 19, 2020 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
This isn’t a blog post telling you how your safety is important to me and that I’ve “doubled down” on my (jargon) cleaning efforts, although it is, and I have. These are uncertain times, but I know you’re getting the latest updates on this pandemic from trusted...
