Google Spring Cleaning

The social web is a flutter about two big events this week. There’s a new Pope and Google has announced their popular website aggregator Google Reader is retiring on July 1, 2013. If you’re not familiar, Google Reader has been a place where you can add website RSS feeds for a convenient way to read all your favorite sites in once place. There are many others now scrambling to integrate a new solution. Much has been said in the last few days but the best comment so far has been that when we get something for free we can’t be too upset when it goes away.

Google has announced the next round in their spring cleaning which began two years ago. With the ownership of more than 100 companies, phones, laptops, and now computer glasses, the tech giant has been built on the “always in beta” platform which often means dump something when it’s no longer relevant or linked even remotely to generating revenue. Google Buzz anyone?

Friending Feedly

I am in currently experimenting with Feedly which has been around since 2008 but just announced a seamless integration of your Google Reader feeds. I've made the jump and it’s working so far. There are rumors that the Feedly team has been working with Google. One wonders if that will turn into a permanent relationship. It's prettier but creates a lot more clicking and searching so the jury (me) remains in deliberation.

If you’re currently visiting this site through Google Reader, I have made the switch to Feedly so both will work until July. I will continue to share thoughts and ideas here for free and I hope you’ll continue to drop by whether it’s through a bookmarked visit, through a reader, or via the various social channels where posts are mentioned.

The green Feedly button is now on the right side of the site.

Kneale Mann | Leadership and Culture Strategist, Writer, Speaker, Executive Coach helping leaders create dynamic culture and improved results.

istock

Google Plus or Minus?

Last week saw the launch of Google+. Like many early adopters or experimenters, I joined right away. As with the first few days on Twitter or Facebook or Empire Avenue or countless other spaces, I'm still trying to figure out what to do with it.

Google+ received seven million sign-ups in the first 24 hours and now the race begins on trying to attract attention and have conversations on another interface. If it lasts that long, we are a year away from business caring about this channel. In the meantime, the cool kids will race to add numbers to then claim it's not about the numbers.

Will this be another Google Buzz? Time, as they say, will tell.


Kneale Mann

image credits: Google

Not-So-Common Sense Revolution

"The philosophy of one century is the common sense of the next."
Henry Ward Beecher

As we all take a long look at all that we do, it has made us realize our strengths. If you haven't done this yet, it a worthy exercise.

Many media and entertainment colleagues are hanging on - in some cases - for dear life. And in other cases, there is a bright future.

But it got me thinking about common sense and status quo. We put things in boxes, we over analyze lowest common denominator and seek averages to keep us all happy. We don't rock any boats and if we step out there is a fear that our lack of conformity will get us into trouble. And we certainly wouldn't want to run the risk that someone may not like what we do, would we? Yawn.

"It is a thousand times better to have common sense without education than to have education without common sense."
Robert Green Ingersol

The music industry was rested on many pillars that were deemed true for far too long. The genie has crushed the bottle.

The publishing industry is going through radical change and consumers are driving this bus as well.

Newspaper outlets will survive and thrive again but a completely new mind set must occur or they can blame no one but themselves.

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen."
Albert Einstein

The phrase "common sense" should be stricken from our vernacular. It has caused mediocrity, laziness, assumption, arrogance and many other deadly sins. What is common and makes sense to you is where it stops.

"Common sense is the knack of seeing things as they are, and doing things as they ought to be done."
Harriet Beecher Stowe

This is not to say you and I may agree on virtually everything but we must look at the massive changes media is a going through to realize this can play in to your advantage.

So perhaps have another look your experience and your abilities with a fresh perspective. Don't throw anything away or assume what you know or what you have done is "common sense".

What are your thoughts?
What are your stories?
What is your common sense?

km

Your Comments Are Welcome

You can tell more about a person by what they say about others than you can by what others say about them.
Leo Aikman

There have been many posts lately that have addressed the issue of comments on blogs. Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to make a comment - here or via email - on my musings! It’s great that someone reads this stuff then takes the time to contribute to the conversation. I appreciate anyone taking a few moments to read this stuff and make a comment.

One issue that has been brought up often is that if you want someone to contribute to your conversation, you must do your part and contribute to their conversation. Feel free to scroll down to my "connections" section and click on all the people I read on a daily basis.

What are your thoughts on that?

When you spend many years in media, you get used to producing content that goes into the ether to an unnamed listener-reader-viewer with virtually no feedback. Once in a while, you get a complaint email or call if you do something that irks someone but rarely do they even contact you – they usually just stop listening-watching-reading.

The only people with whom you should try to get even are those who have helped you.
John E. Southard

It’s always been my perception that Canadians are especially bad with confrontation. We have half a mind to complain, but the other half doesn’t want to offend anyone. But it works in our favor when we travel because we are known around the world as a polite people. That's okay, right?

How are you, today?

We are built for interaction and confirmation. This isn’t a media or social media thing, it’s a human thing. In all my years doing behavioral and perceptual research, ranked in the top three responses were always things like; ‘respect in the workplace’, ‘acknowledgement of a job well done’, ‘being appreciated by the boss’ or ‘ability to advance'.

The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.
Oscar Wilde

We aren’t good at asking for feedback and awful at taking it. We do love feedback ...as long it’s positive, of course ;-)

What did you think of my presentation?

I asked a highly successful blogger whether his Technorati ranking was important to him and he couldn’t answer fast enough – yes! He explained that it’s not about a chart position but rather a measurement of how his information is resonating with readers. But the confirmation of a job well done is okay too.

To escape criticism - do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.
Elbert Hubbard

We seem to spend a great deal of time hiding the fact that we enjoy positive feedback. We spend even more time failing to take the opportunity to give someone the same. Paint me cynical but most people have barely enough time to feed their own ego and very little time left to feed yours.

How was your meal?

You won’t have to wait long today before you hear the phrase “I’m so busy” – perhaps you’ll be the one saying it. “My life is busy. I am alone in a wind tunnel of busyness fighting the faceless foe known as ‘work load’. No one else is busier. How important I am to be so busy.”

When you start treating people like people, they become people.
Paul Vitale

Give it a shot - take the time to compliment him on his presentation or on her promotion. There is no such thing as a selfless act, so enjoy how you feel when you make someone feel good. Perhaps next time you feel the urge to huffily mention “no one appreciates me around here” someone will rush to your rescue.

km