It's remarkable when you meet someone from beyond the grave. That's happened to me over the last few months as I've worked on a special supplement to The Financial Manager magazine that was all about a man named Ed Deichman. I have the honor of serving as TFM's editor. And Ed was chairman of the organization who publishes the magazine, the Media Financial Management Association (MFM).
Ed passed away in the middle of 2011, and MFM's board decided to honor him by creating the supplement. I spent a good chunk of November editing the reminiscenses of over 20 people who served with Ed on MFM's board and at the company where he worked his entire career, Media General, which owns a string of broadcast, Web and publishing properties.
Ed and I ran into each other over the years at MFM conferences, but our exchanges were short and rare. I began to relate to him on a deeper level as I edited all those memories. I learned he was a beloved task master. He wasn't the first person to speak up during an intense board debate, but when he did, his observations were so astute that everyone listened very carefully. And he had a very infectuous laugh.
The most striking remark for me came from MFM's CEO and president, Mary Collins. She wrote that Ed became deeply involved in MFM because the organization was navigating very difficult waters, and it was so important to the industry. He didn't want it to fail.
It seems so incredibly admirable, to leave such a deep impression on those around you that they feel compelled to write their thoughts down about you when you die.
This resonated for me all the more because at the same time I was working on the Ed Deichman supplement, I was helping to produce a big gala fundraising event for New York Women in Film & Television in my capacity as VP of Special Events on its board.
The Christmas luncheon packs a crowd of around 1,000 people -- movers and shakers in the media and entertainment business. And while it takes a lot of energy to produce, with a huge team of volunteers, the payback is enormous. We honor women with outstanding achievements, and who relate inspiring stories that can stick in your mind for months, if not years. It's not just about the money the gala raises; it's about what it gives each of us who work on it, inside.
That's just one of the benefits I've enjoyed as a NYWIFT board member. It's an unusual board because its members don't contribute money in order to attain their positions. When they first join, most members seem to be motivated not only by the need to give back to an organization they feel is abundantly important, but also because of the luster it will give their reputations.
But a wonderful alchemy takes place as the months and years go by. We become a family -- people who may occasionally engage in heated points of disagreement, but who are increasingly bonded by our passion and loyalty for the "organism" we're leading and nourishing. I have developed such admiration and respect for these women who have become not only professional colleagues, but in many instances my loyal supporters and dear friends.
In his book Enchantment, Guy Kawasaki -- who was once Apple's top evangelizer -- writes about the importance of creating reciprocity as a means of enchanting those around you. He notes the importance of giving often, unexpectedly and with joy. I think that's what made Ed Deichman so memorable for the people who knew him.
For me, enchantment is a two-way street. Serving on NYWIFT's board over the last five and a half years has been a great gift. It is my joy to help others experience all the benefits of such a great organization -- the inspiration and "aha" moments that occur as we go to various events and learn together how we can make our lives more meaningful to each other, and how to make our lives more meaningful to ourselves.
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