My Favorite Posts
Filed under: Article Reviews, Networking/Social Media, Technology, Thoughts, Twitter
Last Tuesday, Chris Dannen wrote an article on Fast Company giving a brief analysis of Weber Shandwick’s study which found that big companies just don’t get Twitter. At least, that’s what they say. Dannen followed up with an assessment that perhaps companies need a dedicated tweeter who won’t stick just to tweeting about ‘brand awareness’ but also bring more personal flavor to it:
“To succeed on Twitter, I’d bet that companies need do no more than ask those questions–and then hire that person to tweet about anything but brand awareness and product news. Twitter is so popular because it’s so personal and so direct; give one person the keys to your brand’s castle, and they’ll go out and connect. But don’t try to drag the whole board-room table.”
I disagree with this, and I wanted to respond to this post here on my blog in hopes of bringing more attention to the post and soliciting more feedback on this issue.
I have to wonder if individual user accounts who tweet on behalf of these companies were taken into consideration in Weber Shandwick’s study, or if the only Twitter accounts that were considered were officially endorsed accounts, created by the companies themselves. I for one know that many companies have employees who represent them, on a rather official basis, but they aren’t ‘branded’ as a company account because the companies realize the need for personalization of their Twitter presence.
Furthermore, each company is going to have a different purpose for using Twitter. Some perhaps don’t need/want to engage there. Anyone who understands marketing and social media strategy knows that the shoe doesn’t fit everyone in the same way. I saw that the Weber Shandwick study discusses that briefly.
As to the original question of this post, I don’t think a dedicated “tweeter” could/should be a full-time job at this point. It should be part of many people’s jobs, not just one person. The idea of having one dedicate person reeks of the antiquated “spokesperson” concept, and if you take a look at the way business is done today, there is never just “one voice” of a company any more, especially not within the walls of social media.
I think it’s better to ask several people, who understand your company (i.e. NOT a brand-new intern), to participate in some degree. This doesn’t have to (and shouldn’t, in my opinion) rest solely with one internal team or individual. It should be a collaborative effort – after all, if the purpose of a company being on Twitter is to engage, shouldn’t the entire company be represented, not just one person or group of individuals which has decided that they ‘own’ the company’s social media presence? (a whole other issue itself…)
How about you – what do you think about this? Should companies hire a dedicated tweeter or team of people whose sole function is to tweet (and I’m sure engage on other social media)? Leave your thoughts in a comment below.
This post is gonna get kind of ranty. Consider yourselves warned. 
When you look at an iceberg, you’re seeing only a small portion of the whole iceberg above the water. In fact, it’s estimated that as much as 80-90% of an iceberg is below the surface of the water. You never see 80-90% of the iceberg. Success is much the same. When you look at someone who has achieved it, you’re only seeing a small portion of what’s behind it. You don’t see humble beginnings, taking chances and failing, bankruptcies, or wrong choices. So it’s easy to attribute someone’s success to “luck” or some other ridiculous excuse as to why they’re there and you’re not.
Luck happens when opportunity meets preparedness. Success is found traveling a narrow, difficult, and rarely traversed road. For this reason alone, not many people achieve true success. In the Declaration of Independence, we are guaranteed the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. What we are NOT guaranteed is happiness itself. If you choose to pursue it, you have the opportunity and the freedom to do so. But it does NOT mean that you’ll necessarily find it. I think a lot of people today feel like they have a right to happiness. But if it were handed to you without having to work for it, you would neither appreciate it nor place appropriate value on it. That’s why success and happiness must be worked for.
We look at others who are deemed successful – people like Bill Gates, Anne Mulcahy (former CEO of Xerox), Warren Buffet, Vera Wang, and others, and see what we consider finished products, people who’ve amassed incredible wealth and success in their careers. What we so often do not see are the years and years of learning, hardship, trial and error, and failure, which got these people to where they’re at. And what many so often sadly do is judge, and even resent, the success these people have achieved simply because they’ve achieved it, saying things like “They ought to be giving more to charity” or “It’s just wrong for someone to make that much money”.
Give me a freakin’ break. Take off your robe and put down your gavel and take a look in the mirror instead.
The only reason you say that is because it’s not YOU. If YOU were in that position of success, you would applaud the success of others instead of resenting it. The people who wag their fingers in the face of successful people and tell them how ’selfish’ they are, how they aren’t ‘doing their part’ to give back to society, or that it’s a sin for someone to have so much, are probably not doing a whole lot themselves. The reason I say this is that every successful person I’ve ever met in my life knows how hard it is to work toward and reach goals, and they respect those who’ve set and achieved goals and found personal success. They don’t sit around coveting what others have or declaring that it’s not deserved; they go out and get it for themselves.
I’ll get really transparent here. The fact of the matter is that I’ve been at the low end of the totem pole. I’ve been in situations where I literally had $6 to my name, and that had to last me through the end of the month and had to put gas in my car to get to work and food on my plate. I’ve been in the situation where I racked up a large amount of credit card debt from making poor choices. I had academic scholarships to pay for my college tuition, but I had to work a full-time job all through school to pay for room and board because my mother had no income for the entire first year I was in school due to a serious work injury and Worker’s Comp’s refusal to handle the situation (another topic for another time). I’ve had to work two jobs, 16 hours a day, 6 days a week to save enough to move out on my own. I’ve had to couch-surf at my brother’s place because I couldn’t afford to rent my own apartment for two months after I moved to Cincinnati. And I am grateful for every single one of these difficult situations in my life because it made me appreciate reaching my goals that much more. I rose above my situations and found my own success. I’m not done yet, but I’m pretty damned proud of where I’ve gotten to today.
As a result, I am someone who believes that achievement, not entitlement, should be rewarded. This ‘Robin Hood’ mentality that so many have today I think is misguided. People who have taken steps to better their lifestyle and are currently in a place where they are seeing the fruits of their labor should not be penalized (like being taxed a third of their income) for doing so. None of us is guaranteed happiness. We’re guaranteed the right to pursue it. Some choose to pursue it, others don’t. And those who choose to pursue it are all at different points in their pursuit. Some are at the beginning and still struggling, but they have hope. Others have achieved some goals and should be allowed to enjoy what they’ve accomplished. I dislike when people take a look at, and then choose to criticize, an end product and don’t ever take into consideration the time and heartache that went into achieving that success. We all have to start somewhere.
The quote at the bottom of my email signature says ‘Remember where you came from, and always reach back.’ I have the honor and privilege of giving back from my own abundance to some wonderful causes that encourage and uplift people to help them get through tough times and achieve success again in their lives. I am inspired by people who struggle, and fail, but who get back up and make things work. I’ve worked very hard to get where I am and I will not apologize for what I have, nor will I be made to feel guilty for it either.
In my honest opinion, those who complain about how unfair it is for some people to achieve and be rewarded for that achievement while others struggle don’t have any aspirations of getting any further than where they are today and are just looking for someone to blame for their lack of drive. You cannot look at another’s success and judge them based only on what you see. Behind that success inevitably is a story of struggle, and a person who appreciates the hard work it took to get where they’re at, as well as a person who generally wants to assist others in finding similar success.
If you’re currently in that place where you’re struggling – keep moving forward. You’re going to fail sometimes, but you must get back up and continue. When you achieve your goals, the reward we be that much sweeter. And look to those who’ve achieved success not with resentment or jealousy, but as a source of inspiration. After all, they were once where you are.
I was moody all last week. A colleague suggested that it’s due to me missing the joys of the experiences I had while I was in Nicaragua earlier this month. I would agree with that, but there’s more to it than just that….
Several years ago, my brother shared a phrase with me that has stuck in my mind, and I’ve used it several times to describe some rather crass behavior that I, and I am sure you, have observed online since this whole social media thing really started becoming popular:
On Thursday of last week, I asked a simple question via LinkedIn Answers, inquiring about the Facebook app use of college students. I initially only received 2 responses, one of which was incredibly patronizing from a guy I’ll call Bruce:
“Have you tried GOOGLE?… Are you aware that this is LINKEDIN, a professional website with a totally different target market than that of FB?”
Gee thanks there buddy. I appreciate the condescending tone.
- I am well aware of the platform in which I am presenting this question. It’s an online network, like Facebook. My assumption was that some of the folks who use LinkedIn just might also use Facebook. Anyone else agree with this theory?
- If Mr. Bruce had bothered to look at my profile, he’d have noticed that I’ve got a little experience doing research, so yeah I’ve heard of that thing called “Google”. One thing I’ve learned through my experience is that to get the best research, you have to use several different sources. And – sometimes the best information is gathered from end users, NOT the company pushing the product… i.e. the college students I was targeting with my question.
My guess is that if I had asked this question in person, Brucey here would not have used that kind of implied pompous tone in his response. But because he’s sitting there behind his computer screen, he feels comfortable puffing out his chest and responding with this air of arrogance that unfortunately seems to be a common occurrence these days. He’s got some virtual balls. Anyone else noticing this? People saying things online that they’d absolutely never say to someone’s face? What’s up with that?
My mother taught me a lesson when I was a little girl: Treat others as you’d want them to treat you. I think that’s in the Bible in some form somewhere, as well If someone’s asking a question, try to play nice in the sandbox and don’t respond with a jerky, snarky response. Or don’t respond at all.
My thoughts on this topic are:
- If you wouldn’t say it to their face, don’t send it in an email, post it in a forum, or text it to their phone.
- Pick up the phone once in awhile to have a real conversation instead of texting.
- Remember that just because you’re not in front of them doesn’t give you license to be a complete jerk.
Sidenote: if your LinkedIn profile is written in 3rd person, you might be a narcissist.
So for full disclosure, I did send a private response to ol’ Brucey (though posting it here I guess doesn’t really make it private anymore now does it!) thanking him for his advice. Don’t worry; if I ever have the pleasure of meeting him in person, I’d have no problem saying this to him:
“Thank you for that helpful advice and kind tone, Bruce. I guess I shouldn’t have assumed that those who are connected in some degree with me, a professional researcher, here on LinkedIn (an online network), would also be users of Facebook (also an online network) and might therefore be able to offer up a useful response. Silly me!”
Be prepared for my rant!
A lot of you have seen this – the case of the Monroe College student who is suing – yes SUING – the college because she hasn’t found a job yet. It’s August, and the girl graduated in April.
Come ON….
What has this world come to? Why are we suing educational institutions for not getting us a job? It’s not their responsibility to find us a job – college is supposed to prepare us for entry into what many refer to as the “real world”, which means we have to take off our diapers and do things for ourselves. I’ve NEVER heard of a college that promises employment – ESPECIALLY these days. They don’t even promise an education – know why? Because it is up to YOU to go to your classes and learn something. Professors in college are not going to hold your hand and baby you. At the beginning of the semester, they’ll give you a syllabus, tell you when your assignments are due, and you’ll be expected to put that to memory and be responsible for getting your stuff done. At least, that’s how I remember it…
My first two semesters in college were rough – and I started as a sophomore because I had so many credits coming out of high school! I think my cumulative GPA my first two semesters was something around 2.9. This is because I had to make some serious adjustments to 1) keeping track of when my assignments were due, and 2) making sure I had a good balance of school, work, and fun. Sometimes the fun was way out of balance, which is what happens to a lot of students in the first year. The difference is between those who learn to be responsible, and those who whine and complain that ‘teacher didn’t tell me when this or that was due’, and blame everyone else for their lack of ability to manage a calendar.
I had an academic scholarship to the University of Florida, but to keep it that meant I had to maintain a 3.0 GPA. As a result, following the end of my 2nd semester I was in danger of losing my scholarship. But instead of whining and complaining, I figured out what needed to be done in order for me to keep my scholarship. I buckled down, studied more, became diligent in managing my schedule, and by the time I graduated (in 3 1/2 years), I had a 3.53 cumulative GPA, which mean I graduated with honors. And by the way, I did this while working at least 30 hours a week at the Olive Garden my junior and senior years.
I graduated in December of 2000. Guess when I got my first “real job”: August of 2001. 8 months after graduating – imagine that! In the meantime, since I couldn’t afford to live on my own, I had to move back in with my mom, something I never wanted to do. So, to change my own situation (learning point there) I worked 2 jobs to save up enough money so I could move out. I worked during the day as a lifeguard and water safety instructor, and after that job was over, I went to wait tables 5 days a week. I did this for 8 months until I had enough to move out and enough for covering my living expenses for a couple of months until I could find another job. Which I did – paying $7/hour working in sales at a fitness club. I hated this job, even though it was utilizing my education (Exercise and Sports Sciences), so I ended up going back to waiting tables for….another 10 months. Only after that did I got my first job working in recruiting, and the rest is history. So if you really want to get down to it, it took me 18 months to find my career. And it wasn’t even related to what I had studied in college.
So when I hear stories like this, a girl who is suing her college because she hasn’t found a job it hasn’t found her a job in 3 months, it makes me want to go insane! 3 months??? Try 18, or longer in some cases! And I’d really be interested in how much time this young lady has invested in her own job search, or if she’s leaned back and expected other people to do all of the work for her.
Life is not fair. This may sound harsh, but once you learn that lesson, you’ll get along much better in life. Take the following items as words of advice from the voice of experience:
- The days of going to school, getting a degree, and that guaranteeing you a good job are over. You must learn how to network in today’s world – it’s probably going to be the most important skill you can learn to be successful at any endeavor you pursue. I believe this is a skill that should be taught in a mandatory course in college – or better yet, something taught at the high school level.
- People are not going to hold your hand your whole life. You have to take responsibility for yourself. The best place to learn this is in college, because you will be chewed up and spit out in the corporate world with this mindset.
- People will be willing to help you, but only if you’re helping yourself in the meantime. Do not expect other people to do your heavy lifting for you.
- You must learn to find balance in your life – party too hard in college, your education will suffer. Study too much, and you’ll make yourself crazy (and the others around you too). Well-balanced individuals often find great success because they know when it’s time to get down to business, but they also know how to kick back and relax.
- Most importantly, make and maintain a good name for yourself. Think about this – what employer do you think is going to pursue this girl now, after they have seen this news splashed across the headlines? Whether she realizes it or not, she just made her situation that much worse because the perception is now that she has an entitlement complex. I don’t know if this assumption is the actual case, but that is the perception of most people who hear this story at this point.
Students, your reputation is one of the few things you can control in your life. Take extreme care in maintaining a good one. Suing your college for not finding you a job will severely hurt your reputation and your chances of being hired anywhere. Companies are looking for individuals who can handle the hiccups that occur in life in stride, not people who throw themselves on the ground and have a hissy fit when things aren’t always peaches and cream. Listen – bad things happen to everyone – what separates the successful people from the unsuccessful people is the ability to deal with life’s issues maturely, realizing that the tough times are learning opportunities, and what makes us stronger in the long run.
Best wishes to you as you are earning your education, and please let me know if I can help you in your job search (no guarantees, of course! )
I think Holiday Inn Express started their “Stay Smart” campaign back in 1998. (please correct me if I’m wrong) The “I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express” commercials they’ve put out are cute and they make us chuckle to think that these people become immediate experts at their tasks because they spent one night in a certain hotel chain. This one’s got to be my favorite:
This is funny, until this kind of mentality crosses over into use of social media. Lots of folks think that attending a webinar automatically certifies them with “social media expert” status. Umm… not quite It takes a little more than attending one webinar or one conference to “get it”. Don’t think that automatically qualifies you to start producing your own training material. You have to live it, experience it, interact with others in it, and most importantly, FAIL at it.
Consider doctors – they’re going to go through hundreds and hundreds of practice procedures in medical school and mess up (sometimes fatally) along the way. But this is the only way they’ll learn how NOT to do things right, and thus become good at their craft. Why should this be any different?
Don’t assume that by taking a webinar here and there that you all of a sudden know what you’re doing. It takes time and effort, trial and error, and learning from making mistakes to be truly excellent.
An instantly classic movie, at least for my generation, came out in 1993 and wow’ed viewers everywhere with the awesome CGI. This movie was Jurassic Park. I had read the book before seeing the film, so I knew there were parts missing from it that would surely be made into a sequel or two. But there were still some wonderful moments of the movie that I remember to this day. One of those moments has become one of my all-time favorite lines to quote. This is when John Hammond, Dr. Malcolm, Dr. Grant, Dr. Sattler, and others were sitting around a table eating dinner. Dr. Malcolm, played by Jeff Goldblum, says of John Hammond’s park and the idea of cloning dinosaur embryos mixed with frog DNA:
“Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should…”
I have used this quote in so many situations and it always makes people stop and think. And I’ll say it here too, in the case of using social media for business – just because you can use social media, does that mean you should? Just because there are tools available for you to promote a job, or a brand, or a product or service, is that reason, and right, for you to be doing so?
When teams jump head-first into social media because all the rest of the world looks at it with googly-eyes, they are only thinking about the COULD. By holding back, listening, observing, doing due diligence and making sure everyone involved is equipped for success, they are then thinking more about the SHOULD. So consider these things:
- Anyone CAN start a blog. But should YOU?
- Anyone CAN set up a Facebook Fan page. But should YOUR company?
- Anyone CAN tweet on behalf of their business. But are you ready to give up that much official control?
- Anyone CAN decide to implement mobile marketing. But is your audience going to be receptive to it?
The right to do something does not mean that doing it is right. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Practice some patience, do your homework, and find out if it’s right for you, your team, and your company first before pressing forward. Otherwise you run the risk of ruining your reputation or your brand image. Look before you leap!
This economy has affected so many of us in staffing. A large number of our friends and co-workers, myself included, have been victims of companies scrambling to find places to cut back on expenses. One of the first places they look to make reductions are the “non-revenue generating” internal positions – and unfortunately recruiting falls into that category during times like this.
It’s sad to me because finding talent, in my opinion, is a business essential – especially when you consider the cost of having a position vacant. Dr. John Sullivan once estimated that it could cost between $7,000 – $50,000 per DAY to have an engineering position vacant, and that in key leadership positions, the cost of vacancies could run into the millions for each week of vacancy.
So why do companies cut positions that are responsible for keeping these astronomical vacancy costs down? Well, in an economy such as what we’re experiencing today, companies look at the fact that they’ve placed a hiring freeze on operations, or the fact that they don’t have budget for the next few quarters to make many new hires, and at the top levels, the decision is made that as there will be little to no hiring made for the remainder of the year, the natural thing to do is to reduce the size of the staffing team.
I think this is very short-sighted mentality.
We are not going to be in this economic situation forever. History dictates this. Geoffrey H. Moore, former director emeritus of the Center for International Business Cycle Research, Columbia University, New York wrote an article back in the 90s examining the various recessions and depressions throughout US history. In his studies, he determined that of the 3 depressions, the average length of time was 24.6 months. His studies also found at the time that we went through 6 sharp recessions – average length of time 12.5 months; and 5 mild recessions – average length of time 9.6 months. Even though this information does not include recent recessions from after 2000, the information still paints a historical picture and lets us know that things will eventually turn around.
Most scholars and analysts have agreed that our present recession began in December of 2007. If that’s the case, we’re due for an upswing and I believe that it’s coming sometime this fall. But when hiring needs resume, who’s going to be there to fill all of the vacant positions, since so many corporations have laid off massive numbers in their staffing teams?
That’s where the agency recruiters come in. For those of you who can hang on through these turbulent times, you will have more work than you can handle when the economy turns the corner. Lots of corporations have been downsizing their staffing teams to bare bones; some completely eliminating them. When hiring resumes – most likely sometime this fall or winter – they’re going to be seriously hurting for people to help fill their needs. That’s where you come in – since there won’t be people in corporate staffing roles, companies are going to look to you for assistance, and you’ll have more work than you know what to do with. So hang on for the next several months and you will be rewarded handsomely.
As well, here is my advice to large corporations: this is the time when you need people building trusting relationships with future candidates. Letting go of your staffing teams during times like this will only come back to hurt you in the long run. Hold on to those people who are good at building relationships – because candidates will remember those people when things get better. I personally feel blessed to be working with an organization that embraces this idea about staffing.
Just keep in mind: this, too, shall pass. Recessions never last forever. There is a light at the end of this dark tunnel. Make smart business decisions – do not be penny-wise and pound foolish. Stay the course and never give up!
*disclaimer: I am not an economic scholar; these are simply my thoughts on the current situation based on my observations and my own personal experiences.
Simple and easy are often viewed as interchangeable words. But to me, they’re quite different. There are some who seem to think that using social media strategically for business is easy. I beg to differ.
When something is said to be simple, that implies that it can be grasped by anyone.
When something is said to be easy, that implies that it can be grasped well by anyone.
Do you see the difference here?
What’s simple is signing yourself or your company up for a Facebook profile, or a Twitter account. What’s simple is claiming social media real estate.
But what’s not EASY – is knowing what to do next.
Any Joe Schmoe can sign up for an account on a social media site. That’s simple. But gleaning value from it? That’s not easy. Crafting a business strategy that involves social media and getting some value out of it is going to be time-consuming, because the very nature of it is social, and it takes time to develop lasting relationships in any social setting. It’s not easy, but the outcome can be quite rewarding.
Just because you have a Twitter account and you update your Facebook profile to let people know “I’m looking for a Java Developer in Colorado” does not mean you know how to use social media for recruitment purposes.
Remember: you can use social media for more than candidate search. There are other important applications, such as marketing, brand/reputation monitoring, and *gasp* learning from others who might actually know something of value. All of these aid in the success of your recruiting efforts, and you should recognize the value associated with them.
So, give them a shot. Try using social media for something other than candidate generation to add value to your recruiting, and to separate yourself from the masses.
Simple thoughts to grasp? I think so. Easy to put into action? Well, that depends on you…
Today marks the day I started my career in Internet Research, seven years ago. I still remember just like it was yesterday – I moved 1,000 miles away from everything I was familiar with to take my new job. I packed up my apartment in Tampa and threw about 2 weeks worth of clothes and other essentials (including my computer) into my Honda Del Sol, and heading up I-75 to Cincinnati on Friday, June 21st. I arrived in the evening the following day and settled into my brother and sister-in-law’s apartment. A couple of weeks later, my brother and I flew back down to FL to rent a U-Haul to get the rest of my stuff up to Cincinnati. We drove back up and packed everything into a storage unit where it remained until 2 months later. You see, it took every penny that I had just to move to Cincinnati, and my brother and sister-in-law allowed me to live with them until I had saved enough to move out on my own. I crashed on the couch until the end of August, when I finally was able to get my own place.
Now, seven years later, I can reflect upon those first few years in my first “real job” after college with fondness. Going through those years was tough at the time because I struggled to make ends meet. But knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t change those times for anything, because I learned an awful lot about myself and what I was capable of.
I stayed with my first employer for four years before moving on to a position in which I was allowed to work remotely. In that position, Manager of Internet Research for a recruiting franchiser organization, I learned independence, and I learned how to consult with business owners. My role was that of research support as well as database training, social media use, and franchise owner support. I had to learn how to work with business owners, many of whom were fantastic to work with, and some of whom required a great deal of patience on my part.
In 2007, I joined an in-house staffing team as a sourcing strategist, this time with a PR agency. I started the process of learning how the “other side” operates – internal staffing, dealing with clients who were also co-workers and the bureaucracy of corporate hiring. Here, I fell in love with PR and communication, and I learned a great deal about how PR and recruiting are quite similar. I listened to and learned from my co-workers and others in the PR and social media communities. It is here where I learned just how valuable social media is to the recruitment process. Though I never operated as a PR account professional, I picked up many things along the way that have helped me to understand that world, including the value of my “Research Goddess” reputation.
Recently, I joined the Talent Attraction team with AT&T. Now working for an incredibly large Fortune 10 company, I am challenged with finding my voice within and being a good representative of an already well-established brand. I am tasked with being an ambassador of AT&T’s brand and reputation through social media channels, and finding and attracting professionals to the company. I am working with a seriously talented team and am enjoying learning this new industry, especially the way mobile marketing plays into our efforts.
Every step along my career path over the last seven years has gotten me closer to what I’m passionate about. I want to stay on the cutting edge of how we communicate and interact with each other, and each of my jobs has given me some knowledge and allowed me to earn experience that translates perfectly into the next position. I cut my teeth on the recruiting industry in my first four years – I learned the fundamentals of what it takes to be successful in a career in research. I learned independence and training skills with the next position. When I went in-house, I learned about the importance of internal communication and tapping into the resources that already exist within your own walls. And now with AT&T, I am learning about where we’re going in the future with communication, and I’m right on top of that wave which is really exciting.
I have thoroughly enjoyed these last seven years and look forward to the coming ones. Some of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned have been:
- “This too shall pass” – we all have to struggle in life in order to appreciate the good times. He who never has to struggle will never fully understand victory.
- Every experience is a learning opportunity – whether good or bad, every situation you encounter in your career is a chance for you to pick up some nuggets of wisdom. Take the time to discover them in your own situations.
- You can’t accomplish anything without the help of others – nothing of significance in this world is accomplished entirely by one person. Embrace those around you and appreciate the help and guidance they can provide to you.
- People serve different purposes in your life – some people come and go quickly, and others stay for awhile. Cherish the time you have with each person – learn from them, discover their talents, and appreciate what they leave you with.
- Don’t be afraid to take a risk – I moved 1,000 miles from my comfort zone, and look where I am today Don’t be afraid to do something that’s uncharacteristic of your normal habits – with great risk comes the potential for great reward.
- ALWAYS follow your heart – don’t do something you don’t love. You’ll never be happy. Find what you’re passionate about and run after it. If you do, you will never ‘work’ a day in your life because you will enjoy what you do.
Thank you to everyone who has been a part of helping me get to where I am today. I am truly grateful for every opportunity, every experience, and every relationship.
Many of you may be coming here for the first time having just watched the #VegasRG live tweet-stream from my Fordyce Forum presentation! I just wrapped up the presentation here in Las Vegas, and wanted to provide a landing place for you to share your thoughts on the hashtag conversation from the last three hours…
As you may have observed from the beginning of this week, I have been tracking my activities here in Vegas using the #VegasRG hashtag. This was a result of observing my boss, Chris Hoyt, do the same thing when he visited DC recently. But the main reason I wanted to do this was to help the folks in the workshop to see firsthand how powerful conversation really is when you use social media appropriately, in this case through a guided discussion. I think I can say “Mission Accomplished!”
As throughout the whole presentation, I encourage your completely honest feedback with your thoughts on this little experiment. If you think it rocked, please let me know by leaving a comment. If you think it totally sucked, I encourage you to leave a comment with some constructive criticism as to how it could have been better.
So, now it’s up to you! Share your thoughts in the comments below; depending on the general consensus, I may make this a regular thing when I give presentations. Thanks once again for participating, and keep watching #VegasRG for the rest of the week for Fordyce Forum updates!
