Is Patience a Virtue?

It may be true that waiting is admirable but how often does it fit into our business goals and plans? We want the new idea started - NOW! We want the results - NOW! We want the changes we suggested implemented - NOW! But we know deep down that patience still rules the day.

I once had a boss who proclaimed that everything he did was "ready shoot aim". So he thought of an idea, fired it against the wall, cleaned up the mess, and examined what was left. In my opinion, the "ready aim shoot" approach is well-tested and the better strategy. We often aim too long and don't execute anything. Paralysis by analysis as many have called it. Maybe my old boss was right; stop overthinking and take the shot.

C'mon I Don't Have All Minute!

I think I was about 12 when I walked into the kitchen and my dad was standing in front of the microwave waiting for his warmed up coffee. He looked agitated. I thought, wow he can't wait 37 seconds for hot coffee? That image has stuck with me all the years since.

We do it all the time. We think we are being patient when inside our impatience is running a muck. We're looking at the clock, calendar, phone, or website, and wondering why the answer, result, or solution isn't there instantaneously.

Calm Down

Another cliché - never in the history of humankind has anyone calmed down by being told to calm down. It incenses us when we're uptight and someone tells us to chill. It's not that the guidance isn't based in reality or caring, but our emergency needs to be the world's priority - NOW!

I'm working on a project right now that has taken far longer than I originally anticipated. It's not the project's fault or those involved; it's my expectations that are faulty. I know this takes time and I'm battling excitement and perhaps a dash of panic to get it done. We don't want to calm down but if we do, it may make the inevitable waiting more bearable. And how often have you thought about a better idea while you are impatiently stewing over the current results?

The solution may lie in our patience after all. __________________________________________________________________

Acronyms and Labels

If you've ever spent time with a group of people from the same industry that you’re not a part of, you know how narrow we can all be at times. There are acronyms and terms you have no clue how to decipher. It’s almost as if they are speaking another language, their own language. 

I was consulting a large pharma company and on one of our conference calls, I asked them to translate into English. At first, they were confused, but then they laughed and understood. 

What do You Mean?

We think we’re being clear, but we have to understand that our thoughts may not align with others’ understanding. When we take the time to step back, breathe, and gain more insight into how others are perceiving us, we stand a better chance of understanding each other and at times ourselves. 

Technical speak and industry specifics are often needed, but sometimes boiling things down to the most basic level is the best way to avoid misinterpretation. If we take a moment and suspend our beliefs to check for understanding, conflict can be avoided and teamwork can be improved. 

One idea is to find someone outside our circle to ask their opinion. Their lack of industry knowledge might unlock some questions we hadn't considered. 

It's worth a shot.

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Technological Leaders

Virtual teaming is one of the fastest growing aspects of business today and it will only continue to grow. In our executive recruitment agency, we work with clients and candidates around the world.

Enterprise leaders are overseeing vast teams of people across large geographical areas and sometimes many are working from their home office. In his TEDTalk a few years ago, Gary Kovacs discussed the pros and cons of living in a connected world.


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Three Things

Call three friends. Do three on your to-do list.
Help three ideas grow. Delete three ideas that slow you down.
Select three colleagues and offer a hand.
Identify three personal strengths you will exploit.
Eliminate three unnecessary possessions.
Flush out three thoughts that may a chance.
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Three Things...

Three is a manageable and attainable number. There's a symmetry to it. There's flexibility and stability to a series of three items. Perhaps we can apply it to various aspects of our lives? Do three good deeds without anyone knowing about them.

Pick three business objectives. Write down three things just for you. Do three on your to-do list. Help three ideas grow. Delete three that slow you down. Remove three negative influences in your life.

Call three friends.

Eliminate three unnecessary possessions. Identify three personal strengths you will share. Remove three excuses. Select three colleagues you believe deserve a shot and offer a hand. Flush out three thoughts that may have a legitimate shot.

What are your three things?
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Speaking at TEDx

I spend a lot of time talking and writing about leadership and culture, teamwork and collaboration, and I spend very little time doing either about me. A friend has often said I need to put more skin in the game and I’ve begun doing that more lately. It’s an interesting remark since I say it to others all the time.

The last few weeks have been a lot of setting up for the New Year, some client work, some prospecting for new clients, working on my new book, and confirming some speaking engagements.

This one blows me away!

If you visit this site often, you know I post TEDtalks often; I’ve been a fan for probably 15 years. The events are first class, the website is crammed with fascinating talks and information. There is a daily discovery.

It is an absolute honor that I’ve been selected to be a speaker at TEDxGuelphU associated with the University of Guelph in Ontario Canada. The event is January 23. The theme of the day is “Theory to Reality”. I have a bit of a biographical journey to share that I was reminded of lately which is about taking chances even when we can’t see the whole road.

I’ll have more details when I get them.

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As a passionate leader, Kneale Mann has extensive experience as a business coach and project manager in numerous industries and organizations including; human resources, corporate training, financial services, media, real estate, healthcare and more. He is always open to meeting leaders who want to improve their bottom line through strong culture and leadership. knealemann@gmail.com

Asking for Help

I had a great chat last week with a good friend. She said I wasn’t being open enough here on my website and I wasn’t putting enough skin in the game for you to understand my point of view and share more of me. She made some great points.

Then this week, I had one of those life conversations with my best friend. We’ve known each other since high school. It’s a rich relationship. No topic is off-limits. We talk about careers and relationships, music and cars, dreams and wishes, and we have been there for each other through the ups and downs over 35 years.

We’re often asked how we became friends because we are so different. He is analytical and I am emotional. He is a math guy and I’m a creative guy. But we find common ground and enjoy the differences each bring to the friendship.

Upon Reflection

Both conversations were actually about me and I didn’t realize it until a few days later. I am in the process of reviewing my entire career, my life, my relationships, and my work. I have been through the most transformative year of my life. Both know me well and in their own way outlined that I wasn’t believing in myself as much as others do or as much as I believe in others!

Then I had a call yesterday with a colleague in Seattle I met on the social web. We don’t know each other that well but it was a fantastic conversation about where each of us is and where we want to be in our lives. We became fast friends a couple of years ago and though we don’t talk often, it’s one of those relationships that you can go months without talking then pick it up like it was yesterday.

Two-Way Street

The real takeaway from all three conversations was that I enjoy helping others but have a terrible time asking for help. She asked how she could help me write stronger posts. My best friend offered to introduce me to two new clients and told me he will help anyway he can. And my Seattle friend ended the call with a genuine; “Let me know what you need from me”.

I finally slowed down for five seconds and realized three people who were offering to help me. We are told that a stiff upper lip, smile on our face, and shoulders back is the way to go. We aren’t allowed to be unsure or ask a friend for advice or guidance. And frankly, that’s a bunch of crap! Offer help and ask for help.

Your relationships and your life will be richer for it!
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Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit

The Six Degrees of You

The world is shrinking. This is not new learning or a new concept. In my work, I can talk to people in 2-3 countries in 8-10 locations in any given day through email, phone, meetings, and webinars. It's the new reality.

Virtual teaming is one of the fastest growing aspects of business today and it will only continue to grow. Enterprise leaders are overseeing vast teams of people across large geographical areas and sometimes many are working from their home office.

Gary Kovacs is CEO of AVG Technologies. When he was CEO of Mozilla, he discussed the pros and cons of living in a connected world.


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Kneale Mann | Leadership Strategist, consultant, writer, speaker, executive coach facilitating performance growth with leaders, management, and teams.

Gary Kovacs | TED

900 and Counting

This site began in April 2008. Since then, there have been clients and challenges and colleagues and new friends and projects and pets passing and car purchases and successes and business trips and all the other elements of life in five years.

All the while, the promise of keeping this site alive with some opinions each week has been kept. In fact, in just under 1800 days, there has now been 900 posts and visitors have dropped by from more than 165 countries. Amazing. Thank-you!

The Human Network

The social web has opened lines of business revenue, a business partnership, and connected me with countless wonderful people I would not have otherwise met in ten lifetimes. If you ever have inkling to share your ideas online in a consistent matter, do it, be true to it, don’t apologize for it, and remember you are your first reader. If some disagree with you, they can go elsewhere. Your freedom of expression is alive and well.

A mentor once reminded me to always keep learning, reading, and writing which is what I will do for as long as those who decide such things let me do it. Once in while I will tell you about what may be going on with my business and we'll continue discussing how to help build inspirational cultures through strong leadership.

You’re always welcome to contact me via email and we can chat. Or we can connect via LinkedIn, Facebook, and/or Twitter.

Thanks for visiting. Let’s keep the conversation going!

Kneale Mann

flickr

Defining Innovation

It’s that time of year when we see all those lists – top this, best that, prediction this, future that. The list published on this site each year is simply some of the items I’m thinking about, you may do the same.

Fast Company began as a magazine in November 1995. After 17 years it remains a well respected outlet (and website) for technology, business, and design ideas from around the world. FC publishes many year-end lists and recently outlined what contributors and editors deem The Most Innovative Companies in the World.

Innovation may mean different things to each of us. It's akin to words like; important, good, essential, and leadership. Often it's a word attributed to the newest and shiniest simply because it's shiny and new.

For 2010, the Top 5 were Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Google, and Huawei.
For 2011, the Top 5 were Apple, Twitter, Facebook, Nissan, and Groupon.
For 2012, the Top 5 are Apple, Facebook, Google, Amazon, and Square.

Other notables this year include; DropBox, LinkedIn, Kickstarter, and PayPal. But there may be some you don't know.

To some, it might just be another arbitrary list. But it could lend insight into how to improve leadership and business ideas within your organization.

Kneale Mann

ideachampions

Breaking the Customer Promise

You need camping equipment. So off you go to the internet to start your journey. As with most online shopping experiences, choices are overwhelming, the interfaces are varied but you seem to be getting somewhere.

Then the critical event occurs. You need an actual human to answer an actual question. Oh look, there’s a customer service toll-free line to call. Perfect! Two rings, three rings and you’re on hold with an antiseptic message that assures you something about you being important and they’re really busy.

Is Help on the Way?

While on hold, you notice their site also offers an online help option through a chat interface. Well two fronts are better than one so while you’re enjoying some Pearl Jam on the xylophone you click on the link. Open, good, it appears that Janice will be serving you today.

As you watch the blinking cursor awaiting Janice’s swift and helpful response, another insipid message says something about them being sorry and they’re receiving an unusual volume of calls, and back to a snappy instrumental version of Lady Gaga booms through your handset. Janice has yet to answer your inquiry. You click the window closed and hang up the phone.

Why so Impatient?

You've been on hold for 10 minutes. What’s the big deal? Well, you have already found three other sites with more selection and this one offers free shipping. The fact that Janice’s company could be the superior choice has become irrelevant.

Some would claim they can’t serve every customer in seconds and they're right. But unfortunately, customers and potential customers don’t care. Make it simple for your customers to interact with you. No amount of SEO or marketing will help the moment someone hits a dead end.

Is my Business Important to You?

Some companies think that a handy contact us form is the best way to manage the volume of requests. It is a form featuring several boxes and a small section at the end for comments. If someone would rather use their email system, there is a sales@ or info@ or contact@ option at the bottom.

Here’s where that strategy falls flat on its face – most (all?) visitors think these emails go into a large heap of unanswered inquiries never to be seen again. I tried this recently with ten well known brands through their website and received three auto responses and no actual answers. If you've ever shopped for residential or commercial cleaning companies, this becomes an exercise in frustration.

Can You Actually Help Me?

You need camping equipment but you don’t want to drive all over town hoping to find a helpful sales person who will solve all of your needs. You want to have a plan of attack but you seem to be lost in a never ending loop of technology and no answers.

It all begins with strong leadership ensuring a minimum requirement means responding when someone wants to spend their hard earned money with you. We all want good service. Not someone to shine our shoes and make us king for a day, just good service. Yet we often have trouble finding it.

This week, I counted 11 instances where I inquired about services for my business, myself or a client and the provider lost the sale before the work even began.

Some of us are giving bad service.
Few of us would admit to being a culprit.

Kneale Mann

image: flickr

Communication Breakdown

com•mu•ni•cate: To convey information about. To reveal clearly. To express oneself in such a way that one is readily and clearly understood.

In order to survive, companies need to look long and hard at job descriptions. Communications can no longer fall on the shoulders of a few people in some department.

If you live on your smartphone, perhaps your customers do too. If close to half of the almost two billion worldwide online users have a social networking profile on a website, perhaps the desire to connect along various channels is catching on. If you are in communications or marketing or public relations or social media or media relations, you know it can be an uphill battle to get buy-in from management.

Ignoring it Doesn't Make it Go Away

Often some view that part of their job is to protect the status quo and rest on past procedures. This does not stem from a lack of vision but we often stay with the monster we know rather than taking on the monster we don’t know. You may feel that they are blocking you from trying to integrate all these communication channels and you are not entirely correct.

Both Sides Now

It’s not enough to comprehend that the two-way conversation is occurring, it is imperative to embrace your ability to contribute to it – whatever that means to you. We are in the world’s largest cocktail party and it’s still the part of the evening filled with small talk. We are skimming the surface, finding our way, deciding what we want out of it but there is not just one way to participate. Some individuals and companies are doing great things and improving business but there are many who are still trying to figure it out. You may be one of them.

I don’t try and convince people that they can improve their business through online connections, I know they can but only if they will commit the work. You can say that eating better and exercising is good for you but empty words won’t get you the six-pack. This is not a lottery ticket. This is about changing some of your daily routine and having time to find out who’s out there.

They Said You Said

Despite our collective impatience, our job is to be patient with those who aren't convinced and are not ready for the river of information. It is up to us to educate the fearful and remind them that a Facebook group will not save a bad business idea and optimizing the website for a search engine can only happen if they know what people are searching for in the first place.

Branding is not achieved through a few tweets, your clients and customers decide on that. And the Internet will not magically save your business on its own but it can improve the bottom line if you open your mind and let it in. But it does not replace business acumen.

Let’s get back to work!

Kneale Mann

image credit: carbbon
original post: Oct 2010

The Powerful Social Web

Will It Work?

I'm often asked if diving into the deep end of social media will work. It's akin to hoping the dusty treadmill will get you into shape by looking at it. Participation is essential or all the tools in the world are irrelevant.

Just yesterday, I had a moment between meetings and checked for messages. There was one from a colleague who inquired whether I might be available for something on short notice - like, in a few hours. I quickly scanned my to-be-done list and felt confident things could be moved around.

Can You Help?

I contacted the person who needed the hand and I quickly found out yet another colleague had been involved and suggested me as well. I have spent time with both colleagues but our original contact was online. Two hours later I was ready to go. It turned out the emergency was averted but it got me thinking about all those conversations I have about the power behind the social web and that is the people.

We have gadgets and channels, blogs and podcasts, websites and technology all to choose from when deciding how to enhance our business. Many will claim that if your website is well written, with all the right search words, you will get more juice when potential customers are looking for your solution. Others will claim that their big shiny solution will help you despite paying much attention to your potential needs. And all the while, no amount of lipstick will pretty up an ugly business.

Do You Know?

My colleagues Mark Blevis and Bob LeDrew were conspiring on my behalf. We have those people in our lives - no matter how we may have met them - who want us to win, who want us to do well and who understand the value we bring to a situation. Those people could be friends, colleagues, customers, suppliers or all of the above.

There is a lot of chatter on the social web about the slow shift toward social business and I strongly agree we need to move there. But many individuals and companies are still grappling with how to engage. If you step back and look at things from your customers' perspective, you may get a better handle on how you want to proceed. If you look at things from a stance of helping rather than selling, you may gain more insight into the process as well.

Did You Win?

No matter where you are in your evolution, the digital landscape should be looked at as a compliment to your current business strategy. It will not save bad internal and external customer service nor will grow the revenue line if there is no commitment to solid business practices. Social media are not lottery tickets.

Print, outdoor, radio, television, mobile, digital or social all can be utilized to help you grow your business. But without people, they are just channels. I met two guys over the last few years who became friends, who shared business ideas with me and while going about their busy day mentioned my name to someone who needed a hand. There is no channel that will create that for you without connecting on a human level.

Who are you conspiring to help?

Kneale Mann

image credit: iwritealot

Do You Have Great Songs?

Guitars Are Not Enough

The business world can be overwhelming. You work hard, you strive to improve and help others yet the hill can be rather steep. Add in the digital world and it can feel like a losing battle. For all the opportunities there are obstacles. In a world where the playing field is evened, it is tougher to stand out.

I hosted a social media strategies workshop a couple of weeks ago and outlined that it takes much more than a website or web presence.

How Do You Cut Through?

How does your content find an audience? How do you find clients? How do you get paid? How do you sift through the virtually endless content? It takes perseverance and there are no instant wins or we'd all take them.

The journey is as personal as each of us but simply showing up is not enough. We have to read, listen, contribute, collaborate and have great songs.

Good is Not Enough

Of course we're not all musicians but it is imperative we have the equivalent of great songs to offer or the best we can hope for is to be average, pretty good, the norm.

When MySpace exploded onto the scene, it was touted as a place for every indie artist to find a home and millions of a adoring fans. The major music labels and corporate media were no longer necessary to carve out a successful career. It was heaven. It was a gold rush. Opportunity increased, fame not guaranteed.

Not So Fast...

Songs may be a product or a service but someone needs to see value or all the tools in the world will mean nothing. So the item that should receive a lot of your attention is writing great songs (building great products, offering great service). As Seth Godin often says; doing it cheaper and faster is simply not enough.

How's your repertoire?

Kneale Mann | How can I help?

image credit: flickr

31 Ideas to Succeed Online

All too often our impatience gets the best of us and we want to see results faster than they can be achieved. With almost two billion of us reading, consuming, sharing, publishing, writing and connecting online, there is a lot to digest. We can easily wonder why our content isn't resonating with others fast enough. It's human nature, it's our need to belong. Here is a list of ideas you may want to keep in mind when navigating the vast digital landscape.

• Be yourself
• Learn from others
• They are people
• Your priority doesn’t make it their emergency
• Don’t be a bully
• Platforms alone mean nothing
• Be helpful
• Treat others with respect
• Work your butt off
• Don’t just sell
• No website is a magic bullet
• Connect don’t collect
• Have realistic expectations
• Write and publish daily
• This stuff takes time
• Don't be rude
• Read more than type
• Numbers are irrelevant
• Say hello
• A channel is just a tool
• You are always on the record
• Assume nothing
• Manage your time wisely
• Get to know them
• There are no quick wins
• Don’t expect others will make you rich
• Be human
• Give more than take
• We are all experimenting
• Seek others with your interests
• You are never done

What Did I Miss?

Kneale Mann | How can I help?

image credit: peacelove

Digital Peer Pressure

Be Yourself and Fit In

When we are born, we are at the mercy of those taking care of us. We are not laden with fears of career development or revenue growth. Our focus does not rest on gaining more prominence in our field of expertise. And any thought of what others may think of us, is years away. Then something strange happens – we begin to grow up in a world with others around us.

I have a colleague who has a delightful six year old daughter. She is one of those kids who just embraces life, laughs constantly and fills any room with a bright light and remarkable essence. This is one cool kid. But recently, her school mates have been making fun of what she wears to school. She doesn’t “fit in” with their conformed image of what a six year old should wear. Six years old! SIX? Are you kidding me!?! If you have kids, you may have similar stories.

What They Think

As children get into adolescence, peer pressure is unrelenting. They beg their parents to buy that brand of jeans and they can’t fathom using that inferior device when all their friends have an iPhone. They feel like outcasts if they don’t fall in line to a list of items authored by an omnipresent group known as 'them'.

In the online world, some have deemed themselves experts while others are self-proclaimed rule makers of all things digital. And what is scary is there are many who have very little experience helping businesses grow but have mastered how they look in the digital classroom.

“Them” Are With Us For Life

It is important that you and your company have a presence online. However some feel that means quantity over quality. While we focus on trying to keep up with the rest of the kids in the class, we forget one essential item and that is our unique selling proposition. It is not a faster, leaner, brighter, cheaper product – it is us and what we bring to the equation. Having a website, being on Facebook, mastering SEO is simply not enough. Your offer falls to pieces when a customer wants to buy something.

I read a post this week about the explosion of online couponing which isn’t surprising. Groupon is the fastest company to reach a billion dollars in annual revenue. There are hundreds who are trying to replicate that success. Many organizations are doing what they do because their competition is doing it. In the quest to differentiate, many are conforming to 'them'. And it began when they were six years old.

Learning what works for others and applying some of it to your situation may be wise. Copying them simply to fit in, may not be a compelling enough reason. What are your thoughts?

knealemann

image credit: istock

The Social Media Lottery

Return on Business Investment

We have all let ourselves dream about what we would do if we won the jackpot. We think of the freedom and how we could focus on a life without bills or financial strain. One ticket and we're set.

If you don't already, imagine you manage or own a company. You know all the digital channels are the hot topics, mobile is a platform that is growing exponentially and it`s time for you to get going in a big way. You feel your competitors are leaving you behind and revenue is affected.

Trickery won't help a bad idea

There is endless discussion about how the social web can build your business, find you revenue and accelerate your objectives. But there is just as much chatter about the time suck, cost and return on investment. Some people feel it's enough to simply have a profile or two and call that participation. While others insist there is one iron clad way to navigate all the channels.

So sit back and let your mind drift. Imagine hundreds of thousands of followers on Twitter, a Facebook group that makes others weep and a YouTube channel that is breaking all records. Your weekly podcast is the highest rated on the Internet and sales have never been bigger. Your website is an SEO expert’s dream and Google AdWords is bringing in more customers than you can handle.

Did you buy a ticket yet?

knealemann

image credit: thingamy

Your Business Goes Social

Where perception meets reality.

The social web can be an insulated world full of seemingly sound theories. However the chatter can overwhelm you. The naysayers of spaces such as FourSquare, Twitter or the much debated newbie Quora often say it’s a big waste of time. And it can be.

Many claim bots and abandoned profiles proves it's all smoke and mirrors. While others can show documented evidence that the sustained activity has positively affected their business and bottom line. I am of the second group but that's up to you to decide.

But what are social media?

I can soundly defend that it is whenever two human beings are connected. That may be through email, phone, in person, on a website, in a discussion group, attending a conference, sharing a workshop, commenting on blogs, listening to podcasts, contributing to wikis, sharing a cup of coffee, the list goes on.

It is all media and all social and Facebook is along for the ride.

Going social.

There was an interesting discussion on Quora yesterday about when to take your business social and I had to remember that my reality may not be their perception. My stance is that your business needs to be social now - not some day.

In my recent discussions with larger organizations where it is much more difficult to navigate procedures, never mind become more social, it is clear that not every business on earth is holding hands and grasping the social web for all that it can be.

Many who are trying and still unsure where to go with it. That's okay, us too. But I think the ultimate reason why some companies give it lip service but aren't sure where to go next is because we are still taking a departmental approach.

That’s not my job.

To most organizations, social is a department, a role, a part of a larger role which drives that portion of the organization that is responsible for all that human stuff. Not everyone wants to share and collaborate. The majority do not want to be transparent and available.

Some companies continue to think it is profitable to keep headset laden employees tied to a cubicle for eight hours. Many would argue that industries such as law enforcement, factory work, garbage collection or politics cannot be collaborative social environments.

I disagree. What’s your take?

knealemann | email

image credit: usvigers

Best of 2010 | According to You

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If you do a lot of reading on the net, you may have an aggregated solution where your favorite website feeds reside. This is handy so you can keep all the posts in one place. You can then read them when you have time as well as archive them for future use.

RSS (really simple syndication) has changed how content is shared online because you can have all your favorite sites fed to one location on your desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile device.

I meet people often who are not aware of that little orange button on sites and the fact they can create their own online experience through customized feeds.

Solutions include: Google Reader, RSSreader, Feedreader, Flock, Juice, FeedDemon, NewsFire and many more listed here.

Another piece of software you can add to your aggregated feed is PostRank. This is real-time analysis based on traffic, relevance and trending by the readers and gives every post on every site a score out of ten.

This is a list of this site's most visited and highest ranked posts from 2010. Each received a score of six or higher.

• Beware of the Wall
• The Language of Business
• The Digital Arm Wrestle
• Punch The Clock
• Imagine. Invent. Integrate
• The Social Media Shift
• Five Things: Changing Status Quo
• Social Networking Outliers and Connectors
• Clichés and Experts
• Business in Summer
• 37 Social Networking Ideas
• Passion for Education
• Creating Your Social Brand
• Social Media Tools | Now What?
• A Dozen Ideas on Choosing Your Media
• Inflating Expectation
• Our Gadget Laden Lives
• Return on What Investment?
• Who Needs Marketing?
• Six Ideas to Silence the Chatter
• Fame and Fortune Guaranteed
• Do You Have a People Plan?
• Social Media: A Twelve Step Program
• 41 Business Ideas
• Difficult Clients
• Connect Don’t Collect
• It’s Tougher Than It Looks
• The Platform for Change
• Finding Passion
• The Anatomy of Communication
• Make Great Stuff
• It’s All Social Media
• All of This is Gone
• Reflecting on Time
• Don’t Listen to Them
• The Allure of Twitter
• Winning The Success Lottery
• Do You Have A Jenny?
• 34 Reasons to be Thankful
• Context is King
• ROSI | Return on Social Investment
• This Stuff Takes Time
• The Tangled Web We Tweet

Thank-you!

knealemann | email

Resolution Revisited

I was sifting through some archives to review my year-end lists from last year. This year's lists will be on Dec 31 and Jan 1. Here's something that was originally posted last December. Have we gotten anywhere yet?

Widgets: Take your seats.

If you read this space once in a while, you probably have a couple social media profiles and tweet and read up on the topic of social networking and see the constant battle between tools and talk. We can drown in discussion and it’s time for us to move.

Activity does not equal progress. Most of us have learned that lesson the hard way.

Twitter will never make you Hemingway, website design templates will not guarantee you a career in user experience and a MacBook Air has yet to give birth to the next Steve Jobs. We need talent. A lot of it. Now. Let’s actually collaborate and make some decisions. Let's get creative and spend 100% of our time on the projects we want to do with the people with which we want to do them.

If you have some time off over the Holidays, sift through your network and make a list of the people who you can help and who can help you.

Make another list of the people that compliment your skills and could make potential collaborators on projects. Toss that box of what-if’s, self-doubts and no ways immediately. You will be far too busy for that.

Learn the tools, have fun with the tools, discuss the tools, embrace the tools, then let's get some stuff done. You in?

knealemann | email


image credit: istock