Becky Robinson's Blog, page 60

Featured on Friday: #ServingLeader Co-Authors @kenjenn and @stahlwert

Ever have a week where you’d like a “reboot” button? Several members of our team – for personal or professional reasons – could probably have used one of those this week. However, sometimes it’s only within the difficulties that we find a hidden strength, an opportunity for growth, or some much needed perspective.

On one particularly stressful day my perspective came from one of our favorite authors, Ken Blanchard (who also happens to have written the foreword to the book we’re launching this week)…

We are here to serve, not to be served. All of us can make a positive contribution by the moment to moment decisions we make with others. {Ken Blanchard}

On difficult days, during those times of tough decision making, when everything you do seems to be wrong, it’s important to remember to take it moment by moment. By keeping the focus on serving others and doing what we can to make positive contributions, we can make a difference – at home, at work, in our families, communities, and world.

Speaking of service… today is the final day of launch week for The Serving Leader – are you ready to meet the authors?

Meet Ken Jennings and John Stahl-Wert

Kenneth R. Jennings is a best-selling author, speaker and active consultant in organizational leadership. Ken counsels senior leadership teams at many healthcare, technology, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology organizations.

He advises healthcare and integrated delivery systems on mission-critical projects while helping them build leadership skills. Ken has most recently worked at The Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins University, Accenture, Fresenius Medical Care, Texas Health Resources, and Intermountain Healthcare.

The heart of his leadership philosophy is “putting servant leadership to work.” With his partner and wife, Heather Hyde, Ken founded Third River Partners, which provides leadership development and change management services, while helping leaders adopt a serving others approach.

John Stahl-Wert is a best-selling author, speaker, and expert in growing great leaders. He touches the hearts of thousands of people from around the world through his highly praised books, keynote addresses, collaborative workshops, and work helping organizations bring out the very best in their people.

John serves as president of Newton Institute and director of its Center for Serving Leadership, providing services that enable individual, organizational, and community transformation based on the five actions in The Serving Leader. His passion is to build a worldwide community of serving leader practitioners.

John is co-author of Ten Thousand Horses; The Serving Leader for the People of God; author of With: A True Story; and author of a weekly blog on serving leader principles.

Connect Online

The first place you’ll want to visit is book website: theservingleader.com. After you’ve browsed the website and sent out a tweet or share graphic (because the promotion doesn’t have to end today!), then go connect with them on Twitter (Ken) (John), Facebook (Ken) (John), and LinkedIn (Ken) (John).

Did you miss it? Watch The Serving Leader Webinar Now!

About the Book

{From Amazon} The Serving Leader Five Powerful Actions to Transform Your Team, Business, and Community, 10th Anniversary Edition, Revised and Expanded. It’s people who make organizations great, so how can leaders best help their people achieve that greatness? As Ken Jennings and John Stahl-Wert show in this new edition of their bestseller, you can’t just demand greatness—you have to inspire it. The most effective leaders don’t just stand in front of their people, they stand behind them too. As one of the characters in the book notes, “You qualify to be first by putting other people first.” This concept sounds paradoxical, but it leads to extraordinary outcomes—and The Serving Leader shows precisely how and why.

While Jennings and Stahl-Wert use a compelling fictional story to outline the basics of Serving Leadership, all the characters in it are based on real people, the organizations depicted are based on real organizations—and the results they achieved are what really happened. This edition features a new foreword by Ken Blanchard, a new introduction, and a new chapter checking back in with Mike, the main character, to see what he has learned in the twelve years since he embraced Serving Leadership

On one level this is the most practical guide available to implementing Serving Leadership; on a deeper level, it is a book about the personal journey of growth that real leadership requires. Great organizations are great because they’re filled with people who freely choose to do their very best. It’s a maddeningly simple concept yet stunningly hard to execute. Jennings and Stahl-Wert show leaders how to earn that kind of commitment.

Check out what some of our Buzz Builders have to say about The Serving Leader…

“If highlighting is any indicator of the importance of what can be learned from this volume, this is a masterpiece. You should see all the yellow lines and margin notes.” {Read the rest of Jane Anderson’s review on BC360°}
“Making the transformation to Serving Leadership, then living it for a decade provides some insights that were not as vividly clear ten years ago.” {Larry Coppenrath offers this insight – and more – in his Amazon review}
“I highly recommend this book, which would be a good one to read and discuss with your leadership team or those you are mentoring.” {See what else Bill Pence shares in his review on Coram Deo}
“All leaders should read this book.” {Short, sweet, and too the point – see the rest of Dr. Byron Ernest’s review on Goodreads}
COMING UP! Join Dan Forbes, Ken Jennings, and John Stahl-Wert for a LIVE #LeadWithGiants BLAB on February 11 at 1 pm (ET)! {Bookmark THIS LINK}

If the reviews and book excerpts capture your attention, pick up a copy of the book to read for yourself – and don’t forget to let us know if YOU write a review!

Find The Serving Leader Online

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | 800 CEORead | Books-A-Million | Hudson Booksellers | Berrett-Koehler Publishers

Thanks to our team for helping us spread the buzz this week… and beyond!

Featured on Friday: #OutOfTheQuestion Co-Authors @Amilham and @TheLeanGuy

One of the things that our team enjoys doing is helping to build the buzz for a book that has already been out in the world for a while. We differentiate these from our new book launches by referring to them as “Buzz Weeks.” It’s always fun – and sometimes a little nerve wracking – to see what kind of impact we can make on things like Amazon numbers, Twitter reach, and online book reviews.

I say it’s an impact that “we” make, but that’s an inclusive “we” because the other WI – Weaving Influence – could not make an impact without the hard work, selfless promotional efforts, and reading power of the members of Team Buzz Builder. This year we’ve got some exciting company plans for giving back to this amazing community of people, so if you want to get in on the action – JOIN TBB TODAY! And if you’re already a member (thanks!)… stay tuned!

In the meantime… today marks the end of our Buzz Week for Out of the Question: How Curious Leaders Win and we don’t want to close it out until you’ve had a chance to get to know the authors…

Meet Guy Parsons and Allan Milham

Guy Parsons is a well-regarded speaker, teacher, and guide to the continuous improvement community. He regularly delivers inspiring talks at MIT and to leaders involved in YPO (Young Presidents Organization) and EO (Entrepreneur Organization). He is the president of Value Stream Solution and serves on the Shingo Institute Board of Advisors.

For the past 20 years, Guy has worked with over 120 companies across a wide range of industries—from healthcare to financial services to private equity. Early on in his career, he purchased and transformed a titanium bicycle company, and soon after became a founding member of the Lean Enterprise Institute. Through his work, he has developed a passion for the people side of change management. His inspiration for Out of the Question came from a four-hour plane trip, during which he started brainstorming the concepts for the book. There was just one person Guy needed to move the idea forward—Allan Milham, who had served as Guy’s professional coach for several years.

Allan Milham has been coaching leaders to greater performance as a certified professional coach since 1998. Having climbed more than one corporate ladder, Allan has gained key understanding of the dynamic relationship between the needs of individual contributors and the objectives of organizations—and with his strategic “Bold Moves®” system, designed for catapulting high-energy individuals into lives of great contribution, he brings high-energy and passion to the mix.

Prior to starting his own company in 1998, Allan served as a consultant for one of the world’s leading career transition firms, Drake Beam Morin. He also held key leadership roles at Marriott International and TMI USA, an international human resources consulting firm focusing on performance management, customer service, culture change, and human relations. In addition to Out of the Question, Allan is also the co-author of Who Are You… When You Are Big? and Bold Moves: Jump to Outstanding Self-Managed Action.

Connect Online

The first place you’ll want to visit is thecuriousleader.com. After you’ve browsed the website, go connect with them on Twitter (Guy) (Allan) and LinkedIn (Guy) (Allan).

Watch the Out of the Question Webinar

About the Book

{From Amazon} Out of the Question: How Curious Leaders Win offers a new mindset and a practical approach to thriving in the firestorm of change that today’s leaders face. Existing businesses and business models are facing disruption at all levels. Our younger employees are not satisfied with just a “job,” but rather, want work that allows them to be involved and included in decisions— or they will walk. Leaders of teams who, in the past, could lead through command and control are finding themselves unable to keep up with the pace of change and the expanding challenges of engaging their talent.

This book offers readers a new and relevant framework to guide both personal and group decision-making. With rich stories and practical approaches, you will learn where you currently fall between two leadership styles defined as the Knower leader and the Learner leader. The authors demonstrate how you can make continuous progress towards the ideals of Learner Leadership in order to achieve the best possible outcomes, which inspire and engage teams.

The key for leaders today is to carefully forge authentic and genuine questions, delivered with the right tone and in the right setting. By leading with curiosity and wonder, leaders can reduce stress on themselves by no longer needing to have all the answers. Leading with curiosity creates a collaborative learning environment in which shared explorations of possible solutions flourish, leading to genuine questions. The process is rewarding for all and the results allow a team to accelerate their progress through the power of many.

Check out what some of our Buzz Builders have to say about Out of the Question…

“Have you ever read a book that suited your personality and also fed your learning aptitude? This book, Out of the Question: How Curious Leaders Win seemed tailor made for me.” {Read the rest of Jane Anderson’s review on BC360°}
“This could be the 2016 winner of best leadership books.” {Andy Uskavitch offers high praise in his Amazon review}
“Out of the Question offers guidance, tools, and stories about Learner leadership. These will inspire and urge you to learn in order to be a Learner leader.” {See what else Lisa Kosak learned in her review on Green Thumb Leadership}
“The authors are invested in making sure you get value from their work. I thought the book was excellent. I think you will too.” {See what else Paul  McConaughy says on Amazon}
“If you’re interested in taking your leadership skills to a higher level, read this thought-provoking book and commit to being a LEARNER leader who makes excellent use of QUESTIONS and PAUSES.” {Meredith Bell shares more in her overview at Your Voice of Encouragement}

In addition to these reviews, we’ve been actively sharing guest posts and additional reviews through our accounts on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+, so make sure you click through when you see them go out. If the reviews and book excerpts capture your attention, pick up a copy of the book to read for yourself – and don’t forget to let us know if YOU write a review!

Find Out of the Question Online

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | 800 CEORead | Books-A-Million | Hudson Booksellers

Thanks to our team for helping us build the buzz this week… and beyond!

7 Tips To Rock Your Work-From-Home Experience

Working from home is great. You can set your own schedule, choose your own surroundings, and wear whatever you want. But it’s not without its challenges. You face distractions from within and without – from family members and pets to erratic schedules, cluttered work spaces, and never-ending household chores.

You learn to put your phone on silent and cloister away with your computer, trying your hardest to ignore the rest of the world. You stay in your pajamas, skip lunch, and burn the candle at both ends in an effort to get more accomplished.

But it doesn’t really work that way, does it?

Skipping lunch is fine once in a while, but doing it every day ends up hurting your mind and body more than helping. Ignoring everyone around you is okay in a life-or-death situation, but shutting them out every day only hurts your relationships in the long-run. Staying up late and getting up early may make you feel like you’re working harder, but it actually impairs your focus and extinguishes your creativity.

How can you improve your work-from-home experience, so you not only feel better mentally and physically, but do your job better as well?

Here are 7 ideas to help you succeed at working from home:

1. Rest adequately.

Your ideal workday starts with a good night’s sleep! Research shows that we sleep better when we maintain a consistent sleep-wake cycle – so when you set your alarm for the morning, set one for the evening as well. Use that to make sure you stop working at least an hour before bedtime, and give yourself time to wind down before trying to sleep.

Don’t neglect resting during the day either! When you hit that midafternoon slump, or your thoughts just get too jumbled to focus, stop for 20-30 minutes and do something relaxing. You could get some shut-eye, read a book, call a friend, take in nature, or tinker with your latest hobby.

2. Eat to think.

Low glycemic foods that are rich in vitamins or minerals provide a more gradual, longer-lasting boost of energy than our normal go-to snacks of chips, candy bars, and cans of soda. Instead of gravitating to sugary or processed foods for quick energy boosts, start your day off with eggs and fresh fruit, and keep some “brain booster” snacks on hand like almonds or pumpkin seeds.

Hydration matters too: it increases circulation to all the organs in your body, including your brain, which helps your neurons fire more quickly and efficiently. A good rule of thumb is to divide your body weight in half, and drink that many ounces of water or non-caffeinated tea. For an extra boost of flavor and nutrition, try slicing a favorite fruit into your water bottle!

3. Aim for sprints, not marathons.

Instead of running in fear from your mile-long to do list, start by simply doing the next thing. A simple way to get yourself going is by setting a timer. Experiment to find your most productive length (usually 20-60 minutes), then use that time for work only! No texting, checking email, getting snacks, or daydreaming about the future. You can deal with those things once the timer goes off!

4. Get moving.

If you’re using a timer to get more work done faster (and hopefully better!), set 5-10 minute breaks in between sessions to walk or stretch (bonus points for getting fresh air!). Movement boosts blood flow to the brain so you can think more clearly, and helps release tension from your neck and shoulders. Do it consistently, and you’ll have more energy both physically and mentally.

5. Change your routine.

Routine is wonderful, but sometimes we get stuck in a rut. Decide to mix things up a little! Try using a stand-up desk, move to a different location in your house or community, rearrange your big rocks for each day, get up an hour earlier, or even simply eat lunch at a different time or place. It doesn’t have to be big or permanent: just try changing something small for a few days and see how it goes.

6. Treat your senses.

Do you like your workspace? If it’s dull and boring, you won’t be very eager to spend time there and the littlest distraction will pull you away. Spruce up your space by incorporating your senses: add a small bouquet of wildflowers, keep a small jar of your favorite chocolate nearby, diffuse an energizing scent like peppermint, play soft music (as long as it doesn’t distract you!), or keep a sweater nearby in a favorite color. Add pictures of loved ones, funny cards, or knickknacks that bring a smile to your face.

7. Think positively.

Perhaps the most effective way is to change your mindset. Instead of grumbling that you have to do something, remind yourself that you get to do it! Instead of focusing on how much you don’t want to make that phone call or tackle that difficult project, take a deep breath and remind yourself that you can do this, one bite a time. Tell your mind to be positive, and your actions will follow suit.

Tell me something! What other tips do you have to boost your work-from-home experience?

 

Image credit: Life-of-Pix

 

Featured on Friday: Co-Authors Hal Brill, Michael Kramer, and Christopher Peck

The 2016 book launch season is off to a strong start with the launch of The 3 Gaps last week, and the coming buzz for Out of the Question next week. This week, in the midst of snow storms here on the east coast, we’re all buzzing about The Resilient Investor.

Since 2012, I’ve had the privilege of being involved in some way – large or small – with each one of our book launches. It never ceases to amaze me how our authors can take a subject that appears to be worn out, and provide a new way of looking at it. Whether leadership or business, personal growth or economic sustainability, our variety of authors and their diversity of backgrounds never leaves us wanting for reading material that challenges our thinking – in the best way!

The Resilient Investor is just such a book, as are its authors…

Meet Hal Brill, Michael Kramer, and Christopher Peck

Hal Brill is the co-author of Investing With Your Values: Making Money and Making a Difference (Bloomberg, 1999; New Society 2000) and co-founder of Natural Investments. He lives in a sustainable neighborhood that he developed on the edge of Paonia, Colorado. He is on the board of Solar Energy International, which provides technical training in renewable energy, and is business manager of an organic hops farm.

Michael Kramer is Director of Social Research at Natural Investments. He serves on the national policy committee of USSIF: The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment. He writes the Sustainable Shareholder column at GreenBiz.com, and is a strong advocate of innovative local economy strategies and corporate and regulatory reform. He lives in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i.

Christopher Peck lives in Sonoma County, California, on a developing homestead within biking distance of a lovely downtown. He’s a long-term sustainability entrepreneur and holistic financial planner. He taught sustainable finance for many years, including in a green MBA program, and a popular course on business planning. He has a black belt in Aikido, and has been studying Zen Buddhism for more than twenty years.

Connect Online

You can find Hal, Michael, and Christopher on the official Resilient Investor Facebook Page, as well as on their website: resilientinvestor.com.

Watch The Resilient Investor Video

About the Book

{From Amazon}  If you want to build a better life and a better world—and really be prepared for any possible future in these turbulent times—you need to become a resilient investor! This trailblazing guide will expand your ideas of investing way beyond Wall Street. Your time, your energy, and the things you own are investments too, and you’ll learn to diversify them in ways that move you toward your life goals.

The Resilient Investment Map lays out all your assets—personal and physical as well as financial—and then provides three essential, timely strategies (Close to Home, Sustainable Global Economy, and Evolutionary Investing) that will help you grow each of them. The goal is to become more resilient: able to anticipate disturbance, rebuild as necessary, and improve when possible. You’ll discover that the choices making you more resilient also enhance our communities, our economy, and the planet—building real wealth for all.

Although it officially launched in 2015, there are still several ways to build the buzz NOW, including…

Write a review of The Resilient Investor on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads (or all three – spread the love!)
Don’t forget to visit resilientinvestor.com to learn more about the book, to download a sample chapter, or go deeper with bonus materials!
Tweet about the book and tag #ResilientInvestor on Twitter – help us spread the word and build the buzz! Start by tweeting this right now…

I’m buzzing with @weaveinfluence about #ResilientInvestor! Learn more by visiting www.resilientinvestor.com  {Tweet Now}

Thanks for helping us build the buzz this week… and beyond!

There’s No “I” in Leadership

This post is a part of our 2016 Team Buzz Builder Guest Blogger Series. Today we are pleased to introduce you to Jim Lange, President of 5feet20.

I feel like the most blessed person on Earth. The reason? I have the incredible privilege of leading monthly leadership round-table groups in my region in which Christian leaders gather together once per month for four hours. These groups (usually consisting of 12-15 leaders) act like a board of advisors to one another in helping each member to grow their organizations in a God-honoring way, while at the same time challenging and encouraging one another to grow personally and spiritually. I get to facilitate six such meetings each month, which is a blessing beyond words.

In the seven years I’ve been doing this, one thing has become much more apparent to me: we were not meant to do life alone. This applies especially to leaders!

Yet, most leaders choose to go it alone.

Sure, we may have Facebook friends and Twitter followers. We might have a lengthy list of acquaintances and maybe even a few friends we consider close. However, leaders rarely have relationships with people who “get them” as a leader.

To make matters worse, when things begin to go sideways in our organizations or our lives, most of us have a natural tendency to want to isolate: I don’t want to be a bother to anyone else. I don’t really need any help. Sound familiar?

Those are typically excuses we tell ourselves which keep us from doing what we don’t feel like doing… even though we know it’s the right thing to do.

Whenever I watch a lion hunting a zebra on television, I always see the lion chasing, and catching, the zebra that’s by itself. This is because the lone zebra is the weak one. Leaders must learn from this truth. 

To compound the issue further, as you rise up the ladder a funny thing happens: fewer and fewer people will actually tell you the truth. As a leader, the truth is your friend and is necessary for you to lead effectively.

So if you lead others, it is imperative that you surround yourself with trusted advisers… for your sake and for the sake of those you lead. I’m talking about confidantes who, because of their own experience, understand the pressures of leadership. They’ve earned the right to provide a kick in the pants when needed and can offer heartfelt support when the going gets tough… because they’ve been there… they get it.

While this is not an exhaustive list, here are six reasons to assemble a group like this.

With trusted advisers around you…

You have a greater chance of making better decisions that give you a better chance for success.
You will be encouraged to press on and do what is right even when the going gets really difficult.
Because you will be held accountable, you will grow more as a leader and do the things you need to be doing (rather than those things which are really only distractions).
Because you have a safe and confidential place to share your deepest burdens and struggles with others who care about you, your soul will begin to heal which will only help your ability to lead well.
Because of what you have learned through your own experiences, you will also find opportunities to serve those around you which will encourage and bless them immensely, as well as you.
You will feel refreshed. Being a leader is exhausting. Being a lonely leader is much more so. After their first meeting, new round-table members frequently tell me, “I feel like a big weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I don’t feel so alone anymore!”

So who’s on your team?

Action step: Find a group of trusted people (or some individuals) and ask them if they’d be willing to speak into your life, to point out your blind spots and to encourage you. If you do this, I promise you that you will feel a weight lifted and your influence as a leader will increase!

Image credit: sheriyates

Jim Lange is the award-winning author of Calming the Storm Within: How to Find Peace in This Chaotic World and Bleedership, Biblical First-Aid for Leaders. He also serves as president of 5feet20, a business which serves those looking to grow in all areas of their lives. Find Jim around the web on LinkedIn, Google+, Twitter, Facebook; and visit Facebook to learn more about 5Feet20 and Calming the Storm Within.

 

How Will You Grow Your Influence This Year?

We’re two-thirds of the way through the first month of 2016, and I’m embarrassed to say that I haven’t given much thought to my own goals for growing my online presence this year. My social media posting is sporadic and my personal brand blog is neglected and dusty, despite my best intention to blog weekly.

In the midst of setting goals for my family and business, I’ve skipped attention to my own influence building goals, to my own detriment.

I want to build influence online this year, don’t you? 

Yet without a plan, I’m unlikely to move powerfully toward the person I want to become, online or offline.

In my experience, focused, consistent effort is necessary for growing online influence. Showing up, consistently, with content of value, is the only way to build a strong, memorable brand. It’s a slow process. It requires intention to connect and build relationships.

Before creating a plan for building online influence, it’s important to be very clear about your underlying why. What is motivating your goal? Why do you want to build online presence? Your why will give you energy and motivate you to remain consistent, even when faced with a challenging schedule or less than spectacular results.

In thinking about growing your online presence this year, here are some important considerations:

Your website Is your website positioning you well to reach your goals? Your website will influence people’s view of your brand and business. Could your website use an upgrade on design and functionality? If your website is not responsive to mobile, you will definitely want to consider investing in a new website this year. If your website is more than 3 years old, you may also want to consider an upgrade. My team is planning strategically to prepare for a new website in late 2016; we launched our current site in 2013.

Your content strategy What content are you creating this year and how will it fuel your online presence? What content have you created in the past that you could gently repurpose to fuel your online presence? My team and I are setting themes to shape the content on this blog to provide more value for our audience. How will you create content of value this year?

Your social media interactions I’ve noticed my own appetite for engaging on social media channels changing recently. I enjoy dipping into and sharing on Instagram. Because I am following fewer people, it feels like a channel that is less noisy and overwhelming. I’m also still really enjoying Facebook as a comfortable place to blend my personal and professional lives. How will you engage through social media to build new connections this year?

Your digital media placements Our Public Relations team stands by to help me in positioning myself through mentions on major media sites online. But amidst competing priorities, I need to decide how valuable and important this investment is for me. Is it worthwhile to record podcasts? What energy do I want to give to responding to media queries or seeking to place articles around the web?  Recording TV shows is fun — and provides video content to fuel my channels. What can I reasonably expect as an ROI on the time I invest in recording and promoting TV appearances?

As you consider goals for growing your online influence this year, our team is ready to help! Contact us today if we can support you with your website, social media strategy, or digital media placements.

Featured on Friday {Fanfare}: @btreasurer

Remember last year when I told you  about the new website our team designed and created for Bill High? Well, they’ve been at it again! New year, new website for one of our long-time friends of the Weaving Influence team, Bill Treasurer.

Fun Fact! Bill was our very FIRST Featured on Friday post back in July of 2013!

Our web crew worked diligently on this project and now it’s time to celebrate their work on the site, and Bill’s work as a consultant and leader. Sit back and check out the first 2016 “Fanfare” edition of Featured on Friday!

Bill, and the team at Giant Leap Consulting, are on a mission: COURAGEOUS LIVING AND LEADING – building workplace courage and inspiring fantastic results.

At the revised and updated site, you can learn more about:

The GLC team.
Their services.
Bill’s books.

You can also find free resources to help you in your journey, and learn more about hiring Bill to speak at your next company retreat or corporate event. If you haven’t already bookmarked The Giant Leap Consulting blog, then you’ll definitely want to spend a few minutes poking around there and reading through past posts. Ready to go check it out? What are you waiting for??

giantleapconsulting.com

Leave a note on the newest blog post and let him know we sent you!

Social Media Trends That Will Deliver Results in 2016

Social media marketing is a peculiar field. It changes regularly and unexpectedly, there are new platforms and tools coming on the scene every day, and what delivers results one day could fail spectacularly the next.

It is our role as marketers to constantly educate ourselves about the new opportunities – and accurately predict which changes will be flashes-in-the-pan and which are game-changers. Here are the trends that emerged in 2015 which we believe will continue to deliver results in 2016.

Blogging on LinkedIn is a win. Gone are the days when LinkedIn was only used by job-seekers. Now, blogs on LinkedIn are becoming a major force in content marketing and thought leadership development. A study by the Content Marketing Institute found that LinkedIn is the most effective social platform when it comes to content distribution. If you aren’t blogging on the space, you’re missing an opportunity  that will continue to deliver results this year. One caveat: LinkedIn appears to be limiting reach on re-purposed content. Giving those blogs fresh titles and a slight face-lift should solve the problem.

Facebook matters less for brands. Facebook is still a great place to connect with friends and family, but it’s a less valuable space for brands. That doesn’t mean you should abandon your presence; just put less energy there, unless you are ready to jump into live video or are interested in buying ads. Facebook ads continue to deliver in a powerful way.

Live, streaming video is big and getting bigger. Michael Hyatt calls Periscope the “greatest leadership tool ever invented.” People and brands are flocking to the Twitter-owned platform; in fact, there were more than 1 million users in the first 10 days, and more than 10 million now.

Forget traditional media: podcasts are the new king. Everyone wants coverage in big media and a hit on Forbes can be powerful, but more and more podcasts are delivering staggering results for thought leaders. Guest appearances can drive web traffic, email list growth, and social engagement. The difference between a major media appearance and a podcast guest spot often comes down to depth. If you’re featured in a mainstream publication, you’ll likely get a couple of lines of copy. On a podcast, you could get anywhere from 5 minutes to 2 hours of time to share your message. That level of intimacy drives greater interest and conversion.

The takeaway is that social media marketing is still delivering substantial results, but the rules are changing and will continue to change. The most successful brands and thought leaders will be those who are nimble and agile and ready to try new ways of sharing their work with the world.

As we head into 2016, it’s a good time to take stock of what worked in your digital marketing in the past, and determine which new directions might be worth trying now. Periscope, anyone?

Tell me something! Which social media trend are you ready to try out?

 

Image credit: JuanitaClarke

Featured on Friday: #The3Gaps by @hyrumwsmith

It’s a new year… the time for setting goals and thinking about what you want to accomplish in 2016. I certainly have a list of ideas and dreams that I’d like to see become a reality this year, but more than padding a savings account or losing those extra 20 lbs., I really want to make a difference in the lives of others.

I don’t believe I am alone in that desire either – most people want to feel that their lives have made a difference, right? We want to make a positive impact through our work, on our families, and among our friends. We want to be a positive change in the world. If you’ve ever felt like there was a gap in your way of being that change, then you’ll want to continue reading about today’s Featured author and his new book (launching next week)!

Meet Hyrum W. Smith

Hyrum W. Smith, distinguished author, speaker, and businessman. was one of the original creators of the popular Franklin Day Planner. In 1983 he co-founded the Franklin Quest Company to produce the planner and train users in the time management principles the planner was based on. Hyrum stepped down as Chairman & CEO in 1999 and served as Vice-Chairman of the Board until 2004.

For four decades, he has been empowering people to effectively govern their personal and professional lives. Hyrum’s books and presentations have been acclaimed by audiences world-wide. He combines wit and enthusiasm with a gift for communicating compelling principles that inspire lasting personal change.

Hyrum is the author of several nationally-acclaimed books, including The 10 Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management, What Matters Most, The Modern Gladiator, and You Are What You Believe.

Connect with Hyrum on Social

You can request to become friends with Hyrum on Facebook
Follow him on Twitter @HyrumWSmith
Connect with him on LinkedIn.

Discover The 3 Gaps

“The 3 Gaps is a simple yet profound book that will enable you to live a better, more fulfilling life and have a positive impact on everyone around you.“
~ STEPHEN M. R. COVEY, AUTHOR OF NY TIMES BESTSELLER ‘THE SPEED OF TRUST’

From Amazon: Just as you need to put on your own oxygen mask before helping other passengers on an airplane, getting your own life together is the first step to making a positive impact in the world. Franklin Covey cofounder Hyrum Smith shows that what stops us are gaps between where we are and where we want to be. The first is the Beliefs Gap, between what we believe to be true and what is actually true. The second is the Values Gap, between what we value most in life and what we actually spend our life doing. The third is the Time Gap, between what we plan to do each day and what we actually get done. Smith offers a practical blueprint that we all can use to recognize and close each of these three gaps and illustrates how it can be done through inspiring true stories.

Does that sound good? Next week (January 11 – 15) is the OFFICIAL LAUNCH of The 3 Gaps, and the best spot to go to learn more about this “gap filler” book is Hyrum’s book website: book.3gaps.com. There you can find a free sample chapter, more information about the book (like where to order), and beautiful share graphics and tweets to send out next week in support of the launch.

If you received an early-review copy, or if you’re one of the folks who received an audio edition of the book, make sure you have your promotion ready to go out on Monday by leaving your review on Amazon. REMEMBER: Short, sweet, and to the point, or long and detailed – book reviews are one of the best (and easiest) ways to show your support for an author and their work, so head on over to Amazon today!

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR THE WEBINAR?

Don’t miss this FREE event with Hyrum and Becky on Monday, January 11 at 12 pm (ET). Learn the concepts and the tools needed to establish a solid foundation from which you can help make the world a better place – Sign Up Now!

Group Projects: The Then & Now

While in school—whether middle school, high school, or college—I always dreaded “group projects” where the grade was shared among all group members. It felt so wrong, unjust even, to give everyone the same grade regardless of how much they contributed. Oftentimes, I thought that I was pulling more weight than the rest of the group members, and felt bitter about sharing what I viewed as my personal success. I failed to see how such a project would help me succeed in that class, and certainly did not understand how it would serve me later in my professional life.

Weaving Influence is a unique business. We are a combined virtual team and office environment, staffed by a diverse (and international) group of women and men. And though the environment at Weaving Influence differs greatly from a school project, it is similar in that in the end, we all get the same “grade”—a client that is, hopefully, satisfied and excited by the services we provide to them.

As perhaps the most permanently abroad member of our team (I live in Jerusalem full time; others travel back and forth to the USA from places as far as China and Colombia), I can say firsthand that rather than dreading the “group” aspects of the projects I work on with Weaving Influence, I look forward to them!

Melissa Lamson of Lamson Consulting recently wrote in her post Three Ways of Overcoming Barriers in Dispersed Teams:

If you have remote employees, one of the most important steps you can do to lead an effective team is to drop the “us and them” mindset. Even if you have several employees sharing a physical space with you, if you have remote team members, then you’re all working remotely.

The “us and them” (or more accurately, “me and them”) mindset is exactly how I approached group projects when I was still in school, and is one of the main problems that virtual teams run into. At Weaving Influence, we do a variety of things to promote team camaraderie and keep communication open and clear, including:

A weekly “New Week” email to all team members from Becky that highlights our goals for the week as well as any other relevant information.
Bi-weekly team calls during which we share our successes, both professional and personal, as well as other tidbits of information that allow us to get to know one another.
A Facebook group exclusively for Weaving Influence employees and subcontractors. Most of us check this group many times a day and use it as an opportunity to ask each other questions, poll the team, and share fun photos and ideas.
A shared blog (you are reading it now!) where team members are encouraged to post and comment.

Sitting alone at home or at a coffee shop can be isolating, but being part of a team that shares successes and supports one another through bumps along the road encourages each member of the team to live up to his or her potential as an individual and as a member of a group. Group collaboration, especially across the globe (the time difference can be tough!), can be a challenge; but with the right attitude and tools, it can be an excellent way to combine talents and produce outstanding work.

I guess those school group projects did teach me a thing or two after all.

Tell me something! Do you love or hate the idea of group projects?

 

Image credit: geralt