We're launching a New Series: The Monolithic Family

by Freda Parker
July 18, 2007

Why?

Two recent happenings led to the launching of this new series, that will feature mini-biographies of people in The Monolithic Family.

The first happening

In May, David B. South, our company president, sent me an email that said, "I would really like you to write your story -- five or six pages -- that tell where you come from, work history, what you've done with Monolithic, etc.

"In this corporate culture," David continued, "I think it's important that we include the history of people who make a difference."

Well, I love writing for Monolithic, but I didn't want to do my own mini-bio! All I could think of was how I hated writing my own obituary -- a must-do assignment in Journalism 101. So I hemmed and hawed, reminded David of the far more important projects I was working on and got a temporary (David insisted that I consider it temporary) reprieve.

The second happening

Ricochet, a company that according to its website produces "TV that changes people's lives," asked Monolithic to participate in a new, 13-episode program.

Wow -- exciting -- or so it seemed at first glance. Consider: Ricochet is part of London-based Shed Productions, and Ricochet is the originator of "Supernanny," as well as other reality-show, global hits.

Then Dave South, Jr., our VP of Public Relations and Communications, began looking below the surface of this offer.

In a company-wide email, Dave stated that Ricochet wanted to show family-owned businesses struggling to transfer ownership from the patriarch-founder to the children.

Dave wrote, "It is not about the domes, the good things being done in Indonesia (DFTW), the benefits of living in a dome, watching family members as they work on a project, or even about how domes are built.

"It's about conflict. And if they can't get it, they will try to manufacture it. They will do everything they can to play up even the smallest problem. A slight infraction will be the focus of an entire episode. What we do, what we want to accomplish is secondary in the name of entertaining television."

Dave recommended that we reject Ricochet's offer. He gave three reasons: "Every family has cuts and bruises -- even severe trauma. No one is immune. Yet through it all, we have loved each other and become stronger. Do we really want someone to come in, reopen the wounds (or make new ones), and film it? No, I don't think so.

"Carol (Lanham, our publicist) once said that our company is unique; we have almost no politics. It's true. Although we don't always agree, we always have worked for a common goal and in the end, we all work together.

"And it's not just about the Souths. I can no more separate what Carol (Lanham) and Freda (Parker) contribute than I can what Melinda (South) and Mike (South) contribute.

"Everyone is important to the company, no matter what their family name.

"As I think what a reality television program would do, I have to consider the thought that they will try to play up a Souths vs Non-Souths conflict. What a joke.

"We are all the family of Monolithic."

The Result

We agreed. Ricochet's offer was rejected.

But those two happenings -- David's request for my bio and Ricochet's offer -- got me thinking. The Monolithic Family really is a conglomerate, a fused hodgepodge of people.

The hodgepodge has to do with our variety. We are both young and old, male and female, smart and super-smart. We come in all colors and sizes. We worship at different churches. We display a jumble of strengths and weaknesses.

But this hodgepodge is fused. Monolithic is our glue. It's not just a company we work for. It's a belief that what we do can and will make this a better world.

So, on with the new series: The Monolithic Family. It will begin with a mini-bio of Nanette South, our Engineering Analyst and newest member of The Monolithic Family. (Obviously, I'm still hem-hawing around on mine -- but only temporarily.)

We're launching a New Series: The Monolithic Family

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