Second look is back. I’m highlighting 3 or 4 posts, surveys, and other news that I have read and/or tweeted about that you may not have seen. As the name implies, I think they deserve a second look.

• Small Talk Matters: We talk about the importance of networking, but how many of us do it well? John Baldoni offers some good tips for chatting up the boss (or anyone else). It’s all about preparation, personality (yours), and keen perception.
• Customer Service, Flight-Attendant Style: Watching flight attendants is a good way to learn about business, says Neil Patel in a useful post about customer service, rules, and the small things that make a difference.
• Interns vs. Assistants: Mary Deming Barber has a thoughtful guest post for Solo PR Pro that looks at how to get the most from (and for) your intern–and when you should be hiring an assistant instead.
• Texting and Philanthropy: “Rapid information sharing and [people-to-people] connections have already turned several major industries upside down. Philanthropy is next,” writes Timothy Ogden in a terrific post about how texting is transforming the way we give.

Photo by kudumomo (Flickr).

©2010 Independent Thinking. All Rights Reserved.

At least once a month someone asks me if I have expertise in their industry, whether they’re building widgets for tow trucks or rockets for NASA. And it has always struck me as the wrong question. I can learn about you; don’t you want to know if I understand what a business model is, or how you might best reach out to your audience?

With that in mind, a huge “thank you” to GM‘s new chairman, Edward Whitacre, who told Bloomberg News in an interview:

“I don’t know anything about cars. A business is a business, and I think I can learn about cars… I think the business principles are the same.”

The quote is reprinted in John Baldoni’s terrific blog post on what outsiders need to succeed in an organization. He talks about intelligence, people skills, and strong will. It’s worth a read.

So what do you think? Is industry expertise a deal breaker for you?

©2010 Independent Thinking. All Rights Reserved.