Blog
Pertinent Info You Can UseRight Now
Civility – Is it lost?
Civility is working at staying present even when the people around you are passionate about and have deep seated beliefs which fall out on the other side of the fence from you.
Has fact based reporting met its demise?
There’s a general distrust of all public institutions now. The media and politicians lead the pact on the distrust meter though. We now assume everyone (politicians, news media, etc..) are going to lie to accomplish their goal. We see all lies as the same. We don’t just think of them as exaggerations of information. Most people feel like they only receive select information – not the whole story. That select information is provided to move you to a certain viewpoint, not move you toward the truth.
The P's and Q's of Time Managament
You can do all you need to do and still have time for yourself.
Socially connected communities thrive
Our leadership groups project dealt with social connectedness and how that feeling translates into the health of a community. Social connectedness is simply studying how people feel about the relationship they have with others – from your spouse, to your kids, to your co-workers and your neighbors.
Experts point out the more satisfied people are with their relationships the better they feel about their communities and the more engaged they are in what happens there.
Add interest to your articles
As a writer, it’s your job to take control and stay in control of your story so that it is interesting to your readers.
The structure of a story
There are many ways to intrigue your reader and create interest in your story. Try creating a picture in your readers mind
Write Better
More important than style is finding good and appropriate story ideas. Good stories will inspire you. In turn, your writing will be more interesting.
The Science of Storytelling
Stories require our brains to work differently than they do when they are processing information. It’s more than putting bullet points in order. When we hear a story, we activate our senses.
Grow Trust Through Respect
One way to increase trust is through showing respect and practicing it in interactions. Respect also has another positive benefit of increasing someone’s satisfaction with their job.
Making Connections that Count
One of the best things you can do while in college is find a mentor. That relationship can really set you ahead during your course of study and beyond.
Get more out of your groups
A facilitators role is to keep the group focused without killing the conversation or injecting to much of your own opinion in the process.
Study Strategies and Test Taking Tips
The rule of thumb is that you should spend 2 hours studying for every 1 hour you are in class. I know – you’re yelling at the screen right now. But it’s true.
Managing Expectations
Just like armpits – we all have them. But have you every thought about how you can manage the expectations that others have of you?
Getting ahead of the game
12 more minutes x 5 work days = 1 extra hour per week or 52 hours a year – What would you do with that time?
Engagement must have trust
Engagement not only relates to how involved someone is but also the attitude behind the decision to take part. Attitude becomes a key driver and it can have huge impacts on both the culture of an organization and on how work gets done.
A company’s culture is what sets them apart. It’s why people choose to stay and why people just know they need to do business with you.
Propel Yourself Forward
Everything we do well is driven by a passion and a desire to do whatever it takes to produce the best. For some of us, that means it’s time to embrace the imperfect and messy. For others, it means saying no to something that doesn’t give you that lift or keeps you from spending time developing a talent or skill you enjoy.
When you reach that point, it’s time to PROPEL.
New Year – New Plan: Try an editorial calendar
Editorial calendars can give you a clear picture of what’s ahead, keep you on message, and help organize other players on your team.
Sharpen your pencil. Your story is ready to be written.
Write bold words and dream big dreams, not just in 2018 but for each year to come. The page is blank today. Sharpen your pencil and write your new chapter. The book is called opportunity and it’s waiting on you to design the story.
Use the holidays to recharge
Emotions run high this time of year. Pile on the excitement of Christmas and the stress of finals and moving back home, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. With a little planning, you can use this break to come back ready for a successful semester.
Taming the Time Tangle
We can work hard and make a good living and complete projects, but one thing we can’t do if make more hours in the day.
you.com
Personal websites are not an oddity anymore. You don’t have to be self-employed or a small business owner to have your own site.
Thoughts on Leadership
Leadership should come with a plan and a vision. You’ve got to be able to see where you want to be in three months and in three years.
Brand You
Your brand reflects your personality and the services that you offer to your clients. It’s the first impression someone has of you. The right brand will draw clients to you. Crafting an irresistible brand takes time and thought.
Action vs. Intent
I’ve been thinking a lot about action and intent. You can judge or evaluate based on an action. An intention can’t be measured. However, if you think about it most of us judge others based on their actions. Yet, when we look internally, we give ourselves a lot of credit for just having “good intentions.”
Network like a champ
From your first days at your big girl job, through every level of promotion, and even when you decide to branch out on your own with some freelancing, the first piece of advice most of us get is “make sure you network.”
Hyped up and ready to explode? Don't let stress ruin your college experience.
Stress can take many forms. Learning to recognize it and develop coping measures will not only benefit you in college, but throughout your career as well.
What happens when success doesn't bring you joy?
You’ve poured your heart and soul into a huge project. You’ve met every deadline. The evaluations look great. Yet, none of it brings you joy. So many of us spend time chasing one finish line after the next only to end up asking ourselves, “is this all there is?”
Using Facebook Groups to grow your reach
What makes a group different than a page? Both have an essence of engagement built into them, but a group really is about community.
Get your ZZZZZZZ's
You can’t focus, learn, or produce good work if you aren’t giving yourself time to recharge every day.
Self-promotion isn't shameful
When you are striking out on your own, there’s nothing wrong with using your knowledge of marketing and public relations to promote yourself and build your business.
Leading through dark times
As much as we hate talking about it there will be times in life where we all face trials. It could be the death of a close friend or family member, a divorce, or even a health scare. So how do you lead others amid your own personal crisis?
Do you avoid conflict?
Learning to deal with conflict is a skill you’ll use your entire life.
The right questions
Questions are a great tool to unearth what lies beneath the surface in people. But knowing how to ask the right questions can be a huge asset. Learning how to ask questions that encourage people to open up will make you a better interviewer, storyteller or manager.
Belief – your hidden weapon
Beliefs shape our directions. That hope will fuel you on the path to your dreams. Watch when the words “no”, “can’t” or “won’t” slip into your vocabulary. Yoda put it perfectly. “Believe you can or can’t; you’re right.”
Be Authentically You
A lot of life’s drama is self-imposed. By avoiding it from the beginning, your first years in college can be the start of a lifetime of celebrating the things that make you uniquely you.
Dealing with setbacks
Let’s face it. Sometimes life doesn’t go as we plan. How we deal with those setbacks either propels us forward or pulls us deeper into the abyss.
She started talked and never shut up
You know that person. The one at the office you dread to see show up at your door. The one who can go on and on about their weekend, their problems, the guy in the cubicle next to them, and everything else that crosses their mind. How do they keep on talking without ever taking a breath?
On your own? 3 pieces of advice…
The three most memorable pieces of advice I received when I was starting out on my own were: 1) clarity comes through experience, 2) map out your short and long-term plans, and 3) practice self-care.
Your voice matters. Protect it!
You can find a lot of information about putting together a memorable speech or killer presentation, but there’s one part of the process you might not have thought about – your voice.
If I knew then what I know now…..
For the last two years, I’ve asked over 200 sorority women the same question, “What do you wish you knew about college before you took your first class?”
Below you’ll find a list of their answers.
CEO of your destiny
Before you can claim your destiny, you’ve got to have a clear direction of where you are heading.
When the words won't flow
Writing requires patience and practice. Don’t get frustrated when the words are slow to flow. Try out a few of these ideas and see if you aren’t soon filling page after page.
When mom isn't there to fix it
You were the top of your class in high school. You got that scholarship you wanted. You’ve made straight A’s all your life. Then, something happens. You fail your first test in college. Your high school sweetheart dumps you for a new girl he met in college. You don’t get into the Greek organization of your choice. Now what? I’m surprised each semester at how poorly equipped young women are at dealing with failure (or disappointment). Learning to cope with disappointment is a skill that will come in handy all your life. There are no participation trophies given out in real life. You must learn how to deal with things and get past them to move ahead.
Don't let burn out beat you
There will always be times where you feel overwhelmed or frustrated. Instead of letting those feelings drive you away from a career you enjoy, here’s some ways to re-ignite your passion for the job.
Redefining success
We must be careful letting our successes define our value as a person. If a project goes bad or you get passed over for a promotion, these things shouldn’t cause your value as a person to tank.
The doctor is in
I was surprised to learn how many young women had never been to the doctor on their own. When you move off to college, you need to take ownership of your healthcare.
Feedback helps you grow
You’ve completed a project. You’ve tracked the results. In your mind, it’s a success. However, you haven’t really heard anything from your client or boss. So how do you know?
How safe are you?
Everyone likes to think nothing bad is going to happen to them. And most of the time, you’re right. However, you can also do things that will guarantee you’re more likely get home safe each night. Protecting yourself needs to be your top priority. Over the years, I’ve...
Can you hear me now?
Cell companies aren’t the only ones asking that question. Are people hearing what you say when it really matters? What about in difficult situations? Are you able to communicate even in an uncomfortable situation? Think about this scenario. In a meeting, you speak up...
Go Live! Video feeds are the future.
Learning to create compelling video is a must. Some speculate that by 2020, 80 percent of internet content will be video. Right now, 50% of shared content is video. With over 2 billion people on Facebook, is your content drawing people in or sending them to your...
Do you have basic survival skills?
So you’re headed to college and moving away from home. It’s exciting and a little nerve racking all at the same time. Do you have the basic skills in your arsenal to survive living on your own? Before you pack the first box, make sure you’ve got these essentials...